Minimum

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti pairing delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows this combo ranks 1328th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all systems tested. This analysis walks through the CPU and GPU contributions, measured frame rates, and settings recommendations based solely on the provided benchmark data.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It features 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded headroom, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24,491 and single-core score of 2,064. The processor's 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it sits well above the median for processing power.

For Minimum, a title from 2014, the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck at most settings. The game's age means it was designed for far less capable hardware. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves 240 FPS average, which is at the high end of what most displays can show. The single-thread performance, measured at 4,270 in Passmark's single-thread test, ensures that even the most demanding game logic threads are handled without issue. The processor's Passmark multi-thread score of 38,682 and integer math score of 125,737 suggest that any background tasks or game engine overhead will not impede frame delivery.

The benchmark data indicates that the CPU's role becomes more pronounced at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU has less work to do. At 1080p Low, the 240 FPS average represents a ceiling that is likely constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics updates. The 14-core configuration, while overkill for a 2014 title, ensures that frame pacing remains consistent even when the GPU is producing hundreds of frames per second. The 125W TDP and 10 nm process node mean this is a power-hungry but capable desktop part, and the data confirms it performs as expected for a 2023 release aimed at high-refresh-rate gaming.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1575 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The GPU has 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, along with 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores. This hardware supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, making it fully compatible with Minimum's rendering requirements.

The GPU's 75th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29,945, places it as a solid mid-to-high-range performer. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (0.1% faster), AMD Radeon RX 6800 (0.5% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti (0.5% slower). This close grouping indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti sits at a performance plateau where minor architectural differences determine rankings.

In Minimum, the GPU's role dominates at higher resolutions and settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for a 2014 title, even at 4K, as the game's textures and geometry are modest by modern standards. The measured FPS data shows a clear GPU-bound pattern: at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 41 FPS, while at 1080p Low, it reaches 240 FPS. This scaling suggests that the GPU's pixel throughput and fill rate are the limiting factors at high resolutions. The 169.9 GPixel/s pixel rate and 339.8 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample headroom for the game's visual effects, but the 21.75 TFLOPS FP32 compute performance becomes the bottleneck when rendering at 4K with maximum settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS on High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 100 FPS. At 3840x2160 with High settings, it drops to 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Therefore, 1440p is the highest resolution that maintains 60+ FPS on High.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra?

A: The 1080p Low average is 240 FPS, while the 4K Ultra average is 41 FPS. This represents a 83% reduction in average frame rate, or roughly 199 FPS lost.

Q: Does the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB VRAM cause any issues at 4K?

A: The data does not show VRAM-related stutters or crashes. The 4K Medium average is 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS, indicating the 8 GB capacity is sufficient for this game at 4K.

Q: Which settings preset shows the smallest FPS drop between 1080p and 1440p?

A: Low settings drop from 240 FPS at 1080p to 155 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction. Medium settings drop from 184 FPS to 119 FPS, a 35% reduction as well. Both are proportional, but Low has the smallest absolute drop of 85 FPS.

Q: Is this CPU or GPU the primary limiter at 1080p Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 240 FPS average. Given that the CPU's single-thread score is in the 90th percentile, it likely provides sufficient headroom, making the GPU the limiter even at this low setting. However, the exact bottleneck cannot be determined from the FPS data alone.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 2080 Ti in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29,945, while the RTX 2080 Ti scores 29,783. This puts the RTX 3070 Ti 0.5% faster, a negligible difference in real-world performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600K + RTX 3070 Ti combination ranks 1328th out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the 64th percentile of all systems. This means roughly two-thirds of tested configurations are slower, while one-third are faster. The rank reflects a balanced pairing where neither component severely bottlenecks the other.

The CPU's 90th percentile ranking (48618 average benchmark score) and GPU's 75th percentile ranking (29945 average score) suggest the CPU is relatively stronger than the GPU. This imbalance means that at lower resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, preventing the system from fully utilizing the CPU's potential. At 1080p Low, the 240 FPS average is a strong result, but faster GPUs in the database would likely push this higher.

Compared to the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-14600K is essentially tied with the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.2% slower), AMD EPYC 4345P (0.3% faster), and Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (0.7% faster). For the GPU, the RTX 3070 Ti is similarly matched with the RTX 5070 Mobile (0.1% faster) and RX 6800 (0.5% faster). These close margins indicate that the combo's rank is determined more by the specific game's engine than by raw component scores.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a consistent scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average is 240 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 155 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 84 FPS, a 46% reduction from 1440p and a 65% reduction from 1080p. This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

For High settings, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute values: 155 FPS at 1080p, 100 FPS at 1440p (35% drop), and 54 FPS at 4K (46% drop from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest that the GPU is the dominant factor at all resolution steps. If the CPU were the limiter, we would expect a smaller FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p, as the GPU would still have headroom.

The 4K to 1080p ratio for Low settings is 84/240 = 0.35, meaning 4K delivers 35% of the 1080p frame rate. For High settings, the ratio is 54/155 = 0.35, showing identical scaling. This uniformity indicates the GPU's rendering pipeline is scaling linearly with pixel count, with no memory bandwidth or VRAM capacity issues emerging at higher resolutions. The 608.3 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient to feed the GPU at 4K, as the Medium preset shows a 64 FPS average with a 54 FPS minimum, indicating consistent frame delivery rather than stutter-induced spikes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest performance. Low settings produce a 240 FPS average, which is the fastest measured in the entire dataset. Medium settings drop to 184 FPS with a minimum of 156 FPS and maximum of 212 FPS. High settings yield 155 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 118 FPS. All 1080p presets exceed 60 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but noticeably lower. Low settings average 155 FPS, Medium averages 119 FPS (minimum 101, maximum 137), High averages 100 FPS, and Ultra drops to 76 FPS. Every preset at 1440p still exceeds 60 FPS, confirming this resolution is viable for smooth gameplay on all settings. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 79 FPS, slightly larger than the 122 FPS gap at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to struggle with higher presets. Low settings average 84 FPS, Medium averages 64 FPS (minimum 54, maximum 74), High drops to 54 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS. Only Low and Medium maintain 60+ FPS averages, while High and Ultra are playable but not consistently smooth. The minimum FPS of 54 at 4K Medium suggests occasional dips below the 60 FPS threshold, but the game remains playable. The 4K Ultra result of 41 FPS is the lowest in the dataset, indicating this preset is best avoided for competitive play.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data supports using Ultra settings for the best visual experience, as the 118 FPS average still provides a fluid frame rate. Players with 144Hz or 240Hz monitors may prefer High settings at 155 FPS or Low at 240 FPS, respectively, but Ultra offers the best balance of image quality and performance for most users.

At 1440p, Ultra settings at 76 FPS average are the recommended choice for visual fidelity while staying above the 60 FPS baseline. High settings at 100 FPS provide additional headroom for fast-paced action, and Medium at 119 FPS is a strong option for those prioritizing frame rate. Low settings at 155 FPS are unnecessary unless chasing maximum refresh rates.

For 4K, the data suggests Medium settings as the optimal choice, with a 64 FPS average and 54 FPS minimum. This preset offers a playable experience without sacrificing too much visual quality. Low settings at 84 FPS provide a smoother experience but with reduced detail. High and Ultra settings at 54 FPS and 41 FPS respectively are not recommended for consistent gameplay, as they may drop below acceptable thresholds during intense scenes.

The overall best experience across all resolutions is 1440p High, which delivers 100 FPS average while maintaining visual fidelity. This preset balances the CPU and GPU loads effectively, with the data showing no bottleneck-related frame drops. For users with 144Hz displays, 1080p Ultra at 118 FPS or 1440p Medium at 119 FPS are the closest matches, both providing near-identical average frame rates.