Minimum

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination delivers a performance profile that is heavily dictated by resolution and settings in Minimum. The CPU provides 14 cores (20 threads) with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost of 5.30 GHz, built on the Raptor Lake architecture. This processor sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49166, placing it within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-14600KF. The GPU, based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, has a 2325 MHz base and 2512 MHz boost clock, with 6144 shading units and 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus. The data shows that this pairing is capable of high frame rates, but the balance between CPU and GPU load shifts dramatically across the tested configurations, revealing where each component becomes the primary limiter.

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

The Core i5-14600K’s specifications are central to understanding its role in Minimum. With 14 cores and 20 threads, the processor offers substantial parallel throughput, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32881 and Geekbench multi-core score of 15846. The single-core performance is also strong, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4642 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2803. These scores are not just abstract numbers; they indicate the CPU’s ability to handle both the game’s main thread and background tasks without becoming a bottleneck in scenarios where the GPU is not fully saturated.

In Minimum, the CPU’s influence is most apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves 301.4 FPS, a figure that suggests the GPU is being fed with minimal per-frame work, allowing the CPU’s high boost clock and core count to push frame rates to their maximum. The processor’s 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier also indicate headroom for sustained performance, though the data does not show overclocking results. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain low latency, which is critical for a fast-paced third-person shooter where frame time consistency matters.

However, the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 50.6, a figure that is far below what the CPU alone could theoretically support. This suggests that the RTX 5070 becomes the limiting factor at higher fidelity settings, as the GPU’s 80 ROPs and 192 TMUs are tasked with rendering more pixels and complex effects. The CPU is not idle, but its relative contribution to the final frame rate is reduced. The benchmark results indicate that for this game, the i5-14600K provides ample headroom for the GPU to be the primary constraint at 1440p and 4K, but at 1080p, the CPU’s performance is the enabling factor for triple-digit frame rates.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this CPU-GPU combination in Minimum?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 301.4 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 300 FPS, highlighting the CPU’s strength in low-fidelity scenarios.

Q: How does the Core i5-14600K compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 49166, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (49062) and 0.4% lower than the Intel Core i5-14600KF (49367). This places it in a tight competitive cluster with a 1% delta range.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings yield an average of 124.9 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 95 FPS. This represents a 29.9 FPS reduction, indicating that Ultra settings impose a significant additional load on the GPU.

Q: Is the RTX 5070 more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K or 1080p?

A: Based on the data, the RTX 5070 is more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K. The average FPS at 4K Ultra is 50.6, which is less than half of the 1080p Ultra figure of 148.3, showing that pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: What percentile does the GPU rank in among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41687. This places it 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (41441) and 0.5% behind the NVIDIA Tesla M40 (41897).

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance relative to rivals?

A: The CPU’s single-thread score is 4270 in Passmark, while its multi-thread score is 38682. In Geekbench, the single-core score is 2803 and multi-core is 15846. The data shows a strong scaling from single to multi-core, but the nearest rivals are compared on average score, not individual thread tests.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound behavior at higher pixel counts. Starting at 1080p, the combination produces 301.4 FPS on Low, 230.4 FPS on Medium, 192.4 FPS on High, and 148.3 FPS on Ultra. Moving to 1440p, the same settings yield 196.1, 150.9, 124.9, and 95 FPS respectively. At 4K, the figures drop further to 103.2, 82.4, 69.5, and 50.6 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial: for Low settings, the average FPS falls from 301.4 to 103.2, a reduction of approximately 65.7%. For Ultra settings, the drop is from 148.3 to 50.6, a 65.9% decrease.

This scaling is indicative of a GPU-limited scenario. The RTX 5070’s memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s and 12 GB of GDDR7 memory are being taxed by the increased pixel count. The CPU’s role becomes less significant as resolution rises, because the per-frame rendering time grows, giving the CPU more time to prepare the next frame. The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings also widens at higher resolutions, with a 50.6% difference at 1080p (301.4 vs 148.3) and a 51.0% difference at 4K (103.2 vs 50.6). This consistency suggests that the GPU’s compute capabilities, specifically its 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, are the primary driver of performance scaling, not the CPU’s core count or clock speed.

The limiting component is further clarified by the fact that the CPU is ranked in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU is in the 83rd percentile. This suggests that the GPU is closer to the average performance level of its peers, making it more likely to be the constraint in demanding scenarios. The data does not show any configuration where the CPU causes a disproportionate drop in FPS relative to resolution, which would indicate a CPU bottleneck. Instead, the smooth degradation across resolutions points to the GPU as the principal limiter at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU’s high single-thread performance allows the GPU to operate near its maximum potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the combination achieves 301.4 FPS on Low, 230.4 FPS on Medium, 192.4 FPS on High, and 148.3 FPS on Ultra. These numbers place the system well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common in gaming monitors, even at Ultra settings. The jump from Low to Medium is 71 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is 38 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 44.1 FPS, showing diminishing returns as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU’s workload. Low settings produce 196.1 FPS, Medium 150.9 FPS, High 124.9 FPS, and Ultra 95 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, with Low falling by 105.3 FPS and Ultra by 53.3 FPS. This indicates that 1440p is a sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming, as even Ultra settings maintain close to 100 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. Low settings yield 103.2 FPS, Medium 82.4 FPS, High 69.5 FPS, and Ultra 50.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 52.6 FPS, which is similar to the absolute gap at 1080p (153.1 FPS) but smaller in percentage terms. The data shows that 4K Ultra is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, which may be a concern for users with high-refresh 4K displays. The 4K results suggest that the RTX 5070’s 12 GB memory and 192-bit bus are adequate for this game, but the compute load at Ultra settings pushes the GPU to its limits.

The settings scaling at each resolution is also notable. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 153.1 FPS, while at 1440p it is 101.1 FPS, and at 4K it is 52.6 FPS. This indicates that the cost of Ultra settings is relatively higher at lower resolutions, because the CPU can maintain high frame rates but the GPU’s per-pixel work becomes more expensive. Conversely, at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor even at Low settings, so the absolute difference between settings shrinks.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 321st out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the top 18.5% of all configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing setup for this game. The rank is not based on a single resolution or setting but reflects the overall performance across the measured data. Given that the combo achieves over 300 FPS at 1080p Low and maintains above 50 FPS at 4K Ultra, its position in the upper quintile is justified.

Relative to other combos, this pairing benefits from the CPU’s strong single-thread performance, which is crucial for a third-person shooter that likely relies on a single primary game thread. The CPU’s Passmark single-thread score of 4270 is a strong indicator of its ability to handle game logic without bottlenecking. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 29137 further supports its capability in DirectX 11 and 12 workloads, which are typical for a 2014-era game like Minimum. The combo’s rank of 321 suggests that there are 320 configurations that perform better, likely featuring more powerful GPUs or CPUs with higher benchmark scores, but the i5-14600K and RTX 5070 combination offers a balanced profile.

The data shows that the combo’s performance is not limited by a single weak component. The CPU’s percentile of 93 is higher than the GPU’s 83, but the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (50.6) indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint in the most demanding scenario. The rank of 321 out of 1733 also implies that the combo outperforms a majority of tested systems, which is expected given the modern architecture of both components. However, the data does not provide a breakdown of how other specific combos rank, so the comparison is limited to the aggregate percentile position. This rank is a useful metric for users to understand that this pairing is above average but not at the very top of the performance hierarchy for Minimum.