Minimum

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a clear picture of how a mid-range GPU behaves in Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014. The benchmark data across three resolutions and four settings presets reveals a system that is consistently GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the 14-core processor provides ample headroom at 1080p. The measured frames per second are the focus of this analysis, interpreted through the lens of the component specifications and comparative ranks provided.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable and pronounced decline in average FPS as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a drop from 120 FPS to 78 FPS, a 35% reduction in frame throughput. Moving from 1440p to 4K (3840x2160) High, the average frame rate falls again from 78 FPS to 42 FPS, a further 46% drop. Overall, scaling from 1080p High to 4K High reduces performance by 65% (120 to 42 FPS).

The pattern under the Low preset is even more instructive. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 187 FPS. At 1440p Low, the average is 121 FPS, a 35% drop. At 4K Low, the average falls to 65 FPS, which is a 46% reduction from the 1440p result. The consistent ~35-46% per-step scaling between 1080, 1440, and 4K indicates a classic GPU-bound scenario. The number of pixels being rendered is the primary factor limiting the frame rate, rather than CPU processing.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest absolute losses. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 92 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 59 FPS (36% lower). At 4K Ultra, the average is 32 FPS, a further 46% reduction from 1440p. The fact that the percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is nearly identical across all three presets (46% for High, 46% for Low, 46% for Ultra) points to a pure resolution limitation. The visual settings alter the starting point, but the resolution scaling factor remains constant. This suggests the limiting component, the Radeon RX 9060, is hitting a throughput ceiling that scales directly with pixel count.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, provides 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This bandwidth is a critical factor in resolution scaling. At 4K, the pixel load demands more texture reads and framebuffer access, and the 288 GB/s figure, while adequate for the 1440p, proves to be the binding constraint at Ultra settings in 4K. The 32 FPS average at 4K Ultra is the lowest measurement in the entire data set, and it aligns with the GPU's 64 ROPs and 1792 shading units being overwhelmed by the combination of high settings and high resolution.

The clock speeds of the GPU, with a base of 1700 MHz and a boost of 2990 MHz, are among the highest in the Radeon RX 9000 series. A game frequency of 2400 MHz is specified, which is the expected sustained clock during a typical gaming load. The benchmark results indicate that even at this high clock frequency, the GPU cannot maintain a smooth 60 FPS at 4K High (42 FPS). This is not a clock speed problem; it is a raw compute and memory bandwidth limit. The 21.43 TFLOPS FP32 performance is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s is the limiting factor.

Comparing to its nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmarks, the RX 9060 sits within 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (deltaPct -0.7%). This data suggests that in pure raw compute, the RX 9060 is nearly a match for that card. However, the 8 GB of VRAM in the RX 9060 may be a concern for large textures, though the 2015 game Minimum might not take full advantage of high-resolution textures. The 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs (percentileVsAllGpus: 59) confirms this is a mid-pack performer, not a flagship. The 4K Ultra result of 32 FPS is the direct consequence of the GPU's 64 ROPs being tasked with rendering millions more pixels.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: The average frame rate is 187 FPS.

Q: How does the Radeon RX 9060 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in average benchmark score?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, while the RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, a difference of -0.7%.

Q: Is the combo able to maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: No, the average frame rate at 4K Ultra is 32 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the minimum FPS measured at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is 79 FPS, with a maximum of 106 FPS.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-14600K have a high percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: Yes, the processor sits in the 90th percentile vs all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1080p High to 4K High?

A: The average drops from 120 FPS to 42 FPS, a 65% reduction in performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data for this combination is comprehensive, covering 12 distinct scenarios.

At 1920x1080, the results are consistently high. The Low preset produces an average of 187 FPS, the highest of any configuration tested. Medium settings yield 143 FPS, with a minimum of 122 and a maximum of 165 FPS. High settings produce 120 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 92 FPS. The frame rate at 1080p is always above 90 FPS, meaning the game is very playable at the highest settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains solid but loses the high refresh rate edge. Low settings average 121 FPS. Medium settings average 92 FPS, with the minimum at 79 and maximum at 106 FPS. High settings yield 78 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 59 FPS. The 59 FPS at 1440p Ultra is close to the 60 FPS target but falls short, indicating a need to dial back a single setting for a locked 60.

At 3840x2160, the data reveals the GPU's limits. Low settings average 65 FPS. Medium settings average 50 FPS (minimum 42, maximum 57). High settings average 42 FPS. Ultra settings average 32 FPS. The 4K Medium result of 50 FPS, with a minimum of 42, shows that 4K is only playable with a significant reduction in visual quality. The step from High to Ultra at 4K costs 10 FPS (42 to 32), which is a substantial 24% performance penalty for the increased fidelity.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions. At 1080p, the average is 143, at 1440p, the average is 92, and at 4K, the average is 50. This shows a linear scaling from 1080 to 1440 (a 35% drop) and from 1440 to 4K (a 46% drop). The frame time variance is also wider at 4K, with a delta of 15 FPS between min and max, compared to 27 at 1440p and 43 at 1080p, indicating more consistent frame pacing at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 is ranked 2179 out of 3712 tested combos within the game Minimum. This is the 58.7th percentile of all combinations, meaning that a majority of tested combos deliver higher average frame rates. This ranking is expected given the GPU, which sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs. The CPU, however, sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, which is a much higher standing.

The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this game. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (deltaPct -0.2%) and Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (deltaPct 0.7%), are all within 1% of its avg score. This cluster of high-performance processors all deliver similar synthetic multi-threaded performance. This means the processor is not the limiting factor in the measured FPS. The combo ranking of 2179 is thus determined by the GPU. The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, outperforms it by a negligible 0.7%, confirming the RX 9060 is a mid-range GPU. Since the CPU is far ahead of the GPU in its percentile, the system is not balanced, but this is acceptable because the GPU is the intended performance ceiling.

At 4K resolution, the combo is likely to rank lower than at 1080p because the CPU's advantage is irrelevant. The GPU's raw pixel throughput is maxed out. At 1080p, the CPU's 14 cores and 20 threads are not the constraint. The 187 FPS at 1080p Low is likely close to the game's engine limit. The data indicates that this combo is a strong 1080p and 1440p machine, but a mediocre 4K machine. The total combo rank of 2179 out of 3712 reflects the 4K results dragging down the aggregate performance score.

Settings Recommendations

The data points to a clear strategy for optimizing the experience. For a 1920x1080 display, the Ultra preset is fully viable. The 92 FPS average at 1080p Ultra is smooth and does not push the GPU to its limit. Even at 1080p Ultra, the system has headroom, as the High preset is 120 FPS. For maximum frame rate, the Low preset at 187 FPS is the highest measured, but the Ultra preset at 92 FPS is a better balance of quality and speed for a 1440p monitor.

For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice. The 78 FPS average is well above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 59 FPS, while visually superior, drops below 60 FPS, which can be noticeable. The Medium preset at 92 FPS is a good option if the user wants more headroom, but High is the sweet spot for a 60Hz display. The Low preset at 121 FPS is unnecessary unless the user is trying to drive a 120Hz monitor.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset at 65 FPS is the only preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 50 FPS is a compromise, and the High preset at 42 FPS and Ultra at 32 FPS are not smooth. For a 4K monitor, the Low preset is recommended if the user insists on 4K. The Medium preset at 50 FPS is the best quality-to-speed trade-off if 60 FPS is not a hard requirement, but the visual quality reduction from High to Medium is a significant drop. The data shows that this card is not built for high-fidelity 4K gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile processor. The benchmark results show it is a high-end performer, ranking in the 90th percentile vs all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 24491, which is a strong result. The single-core score of 2064 indicates excellent performance for tasks that rely on one core.

In Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2015, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The game is not a multi-threaded destroyer; it does not utilize 20 threads. The processor's high single-thread performance, evidenced by the Geekbench single-core score of 2491 and Passmark single-thread score of 4270, ensures the game's main thread is never starved. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, the CPU can push 187 FPS, which is a performance cap that is likely much higher than the game engine can handle.

The combination of the 14600K with the RX 9060 is a pairing of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within a small range. The CPU's 90th percentile rank versus the GPU's 59th percentile demonstrates a clear imbalance. The CPU is ready for a much more powerful GPU. The data shows that the CPU is the "unused" resource in this system. The frame rate in Minimum is dictated by GPU processing power, so upgrading the CPU would not yield a higher frame rate. Upgrading the GPU would result in a significant performance increase, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed a faster graphics card.