Minimum

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 delivers playable performance in Minimum only at 1080p, with the GPU acting as the definitive bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the combination struggles to maintain a consistent 30 frames per second (FPS) across all settings, indicating that the RX 570 is overwhelmed by the pixel count. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is viable, 1440p is a compromise, and 4K is not a practical option for smooth gameplay.

The measured results reveal a stark contrast between resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 82 on Low to 40 on Ultra, while at 3840x2160, the same settings yield only 28 and 14 FPS respectively. This steep drop-off is typical of a graphics card that is maxed out, as the CPU's headroom—evidenced by its strong multi-threaded benchmark scores—cannot compensate for the GPU's limited pixel throughput. The i5-13400F provides ample processing power, but the RX 570's 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 5.095 TFLOPS of compute are simply insufficient for 4K rendering in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, averaging a reduction of roughly 65-70% across all settings. For example, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 53 at 1920x1080 to 34 at 2560x1440, and then plummets to 18 at 3840x2160. This pattern indicates that the rendering load is scaling almost entirely with pixel count, which is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The RX 570's 32 ROPs and 128 TMUs are the limiting factors here, as they are tasked with filling and texturing an exponentially larger number of pixels.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 40 at 2560x1440 to 22 at 3840x2160, a 45% reduction. This nonlinear decline suggests that memory bandwidth becomes a critical constraint at 4K, as the 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer is likely saturated, forcing the card to rely on slower memory operations. The 1080p to 1440p transition is more forgiving, with a 36% drop in average FPS at Medium settings (63 to 40), but the trend is unmistakable: this combo is engineered for 1080p gaming.

The data also shows that the CPU is not the limiting component in this title. The i5-13400F's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 and PassMark multithread score of 25032 indicate substantial processing capability. The 16 threads and 10 cores provide more than enough throughput for Minimum, a 2014 release, so the frame rate is dictated almost entirely by the GPU's rendering speed. This is confirmed by the fact that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU workload is highest relative to the GPU, the combination still achieves 82 FPS, suggesting the CPU is never the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the clear winner, delivering an average of 82 FPS—the highest measured in the entire dataset. This setting provides a substantial performance buffer, ensuring that even demanding scenes will maintain high frame rates. The Medium preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 63 FPS and a minimum of 53 FPS, which is acceptable for a third-person shooter. However, the step up to High at 1080p yields 53 FPS, which is noticeably lower and may introduce occasional stutter in action-heavy sequences.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 53 FPS. Medium at this resolution drops to 40 FPS, and High falls to 34 FPS, both of which feel sluggish for a fast-paced shooter. The data suggests that 1440p is best avoided unless the player is willing to accept significant compromises in visual fidelity. For 4K, no preset is recommended, as even Low averages only 28 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay.

The Ultra preset is universally poor, yielding an average of 40 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and just 14 FPS at 4K. The performance cost of Ultra is steep, with a 51% FPS drop compared to Low at 1080p, yet the visual uplift in a 2014 title is unlikely to justify the sacrifice. Players seeking a stable experience should prioritize frame rate over graphical extras, making Low or Medium at 1080p the optimal choices based on the measured rows.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the decisive factor in this combo's performance. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is modest by modern standards but adequate for 1080p gaming. The card's base clock of 1168 MHz and boost clock of 1244 MHz are relatively low, and the data shows that these clocks are insufficient to handle the pixel load at higher resolutions. The 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is the theoretical ceiling, and Minimum appears to push the card close to that limit at 1440p and beyond.

The GPU's 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs are the architectural components that dictate fill rate. At 4K, the pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s becomes a bottleneck, as the card must process over eight million pixels per frame. The texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s is similarly strained, leading to the dramatic FPS drops observed. The 4 GB memory capacity is another limiting factor; while it is sufficient for 1080p, higher resolutions require more frame buffer space, and the card likely resorts to memory compression techniques that degrade performance.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its mid-range positioning. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 42752 and OpenCL score of 32084 are respectable for its class, but its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 880 is low, reflecting its age and architecture. The RX 570's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 470, is 0.8% faster in average benchmark score, while the Radeon R9 M295X is 0.7% slower, placing it in a tightly contested performance tier. This context explains why the combo ranks so poorly in this specific game, as the GPU is simply outclassed by the demands of 4K rendering.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings is playable, with Low averaging 82 FPS, Medium at 63 FPS (minimum 53, maximum 72), High at 53 FPS, and Ultra at 40 FPS. The 1080p results show a linear progression, with each settings tier costing roughly 10-20 FPS. The minimum FPS data for Medium (53 FPS) indicates that the frame pacing is stable enough for consistent gameplay, while the maximum of 72 FPS shows there is headroom in less demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low averages 53 FPS, which is the only acceptable result for this resolution. Medium averages 40 FPS with a minimum of 34 and maximum of 46, while High drops to 34 FPS and Ultra to 26 FPS. The 1440p data reveals that the card is struggling to maintain frame times, with the minimum FPS for Medium falling well below the 60 FPS target. This resolution is a compromise, offering better image quality but requiring the player to accept sub-60 FPS performance.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly poor. Low averages 28 FPS, Medium 22 FPS (minimum 19, maximum 25), High 18 FPS, and Ultra 14 FPS. No setting achieves a playable frame rate, and the minimum FPS of 19 at Medium confirms that the experience is stuttery and unresponsive. The 4K data suggests that the RX 570 is entirely unsuitable for this resolution in Minimum, and the combo should be considered a 1080p-only solution for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 3542 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the bottom 5% of all configurations. This poor ranking is a direct consequence of the RX 570's limitations, as the i5-13400F is a capable processor that ranks in the 77th percentile among all CPUs. The CPU's average benchmark score of 25292 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (deltaPct 0%) and the Intel Core 5 120 (deltaPct -0.3%), indicating that the processor is not the weak link.

The GPU, in contrast, ranks in the 74th percentile among all GPUs, but its performance in this specific title is hampered by the game's rendering demands. The RX 570's average benchmark score of 28766 is slightly below its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which is 0.4% faster, and above the AMD Radeon R9 M295X, which is 0.7% slower. This mid-range positioning explains why the combo struggles: the CPU provides ample headroom, but the GPU cannot translate that into high frame rates at demanding resolutions.

The ranking also reflects the age of the GPU. Released in 2017, the RX 570 is end-of-life, and its architecture lacks the modern features needed to efficiently handle high-resolution rendering. The i5-13400F, released in 2023, is a current-generation part, creating a significant generational mismatch. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver competitive frame rates, but it is outclassed by more balanced pairings at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Minimum with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo achieves consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 40 on Ultra to 82 on Low, while at 2560x1440, the best average is 53 FPS on Low, and at 3840x2160, the best average is 28 FPS on Low.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: No. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 28 on Low, 22 on Medium, 18 on High, and 14 on Ultra. None of these results approach the 60 FPS target, and even the minimum FPS of 19 on Medium is far below playable thresholds.

Q: Which settings preset offers the smoothest experience?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 delivers the highest average FPS at 82, making it the smoothest option. The Medium preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 63 FPS and a minimum of 53 FPS, providing a balance between visual quality and performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Intel Core i5-13400F has a PassMark multithread score of 25032, indicating substantial processing power, while the AMD Radeon RX 570's 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 5.095 TFLOPS are insufficient for higher resolutions. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K confirms the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 3542 out of 3712 combos in Minimum, placing it in the bottom 5%. This is due to the GPU's mid-range performance, as the CPU ranks in the 77th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 74th percentile.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 82 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 51% reduction in frame rate, indicating that the Ultra preset is too demanding for the RX 570 to maintain high performance.