Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a strikingly consistent performance profile in Minimum, a third-person shooter released on 2014-06-25. The data measured shows a system that is overwhelmingly capable at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K remaining the only resolution where the frame rates begin to show strain. This analysis examines the CPU and GPU contributions, resolution scaling, and the practical settings recommendations derived from the 12 distinct measurement rows.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700K is an Alder Lake-S desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads, running at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory position it as a high-end part from the Core 12th Gen series. The CPU holds an 89th percentile ranking against all CPUs in the benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 35684.

Looking at the nearest rivals, the i7-12700K sits within a narrow performance band. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 scores 35802, which is only 0.3% higher, while the Intel Core i7-13700T scores 35468, 0.6% lower. The Intel Core i5-14500HX is 0.7% ahead at 35940, and the Intel Core i7-13800H trails by 0.8% at 35416. These deltas are all under one percent, suggesting that in synthetic benchmarks, this CPU is effectively interchangeable with its immediate competitors.

For a game like Minimum, the CPU's role is evident in the 1080p results. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches 276.8 FPS. The jump from Low to High at the same resolution only drops the average to 178.5 FPS, a reduction of roughly 35%. This pattern indicates that even at high frame rates, the CPU is not the primary limiter, as the GPU remains capable of pushing well beyond 170 FPS. The 12-core, 20-thread configuration provides ample headroom for the game's threading, and the 5.00 GHz boost clock ensures strong single-thread performance, which is often critical for older titles.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it contains 5888 shading units. Its percentile ranking against all GPUs is 81, with an average benchmark score of 37283.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 4070 present a curious set of comparisons. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, just 0.6% higher, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A is 1.9% ahead at 38008. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, 2.2% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5300M trails by 2.5% at 36371. These rivals span very different market segments, yet the deltaPct values are all within 2.5%, which is notable for the RTX 4070's positioning.

In Minimum, the GPU's influence becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 47.4, which is the lowest measured value across all rows. The 12 GB VRAM is not a bottleneck at any settings, as the game's age (2014) means texture memory demands are modest. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth and 2475 MHz boost clock are more than sufficient for the game's rendering loads. The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, particularly at Ultra settings, where the frame rate drops by nearly 50% compared to High settings at the same resolution.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system averages 276.8 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 177 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 96 FPS. This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The same comparison at Ultra settings shows 135.9 FPS at 1080p, 91.1 FPS at 1440p, and 47.4 FPS at 4K, a 65% drop as well.

This consistent percentage drop across settings indicates that the GPU is the dominant scaling factor. The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 4128 in Cinebench R23, is not the bottleneck; otherwise, the percentage drops would be smaller at higher resolutions. The RTX 4070's pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s are the hardware limits that dictate these declines. At 4K Ultra, the system falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making the GPU the clear limiting component for high-fidelity 4K play. At 1440p, the system remains playable at all settings, with Ultra still hitting 91.1 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 431 out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum. This places the combo in the top 25% of all systems tested for this game. The rank of 431 out of 1733 means that roughly 75% of all tested combos perform worse, while about 25% perform better.

Given the CPU's 89th percentile and GPU's 81st percentile, one might expect a higher rank, but the game's age and the specific benchmark conditions influence this. The measured FPS at 1080p Ultra (135.9 FPS) is strong but not record-breaking, which likely explains why the combo doesn't break into the top 400. The rank reflects a balance where the CPU's high core count and the GPU's solid rasterization performance combine for a result that is competitive but not at the absolute top tier for this specific title. The data indicates that many combos with newer or more powerful GPUs (like the RTX 4080 Mobile, which is only 2.2% ahead in synthetic scores) could edge out this pairing at higher resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the Low setting yields 276.8 FPS, Medium yields 213.8 FPS, High yields 178.5 FPS, and Ultra yields 135.9 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is a 22.8% reduction, while the step from High to Ultra is a 23.9% reduction, showing a fairly linear scaling with graphical fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the results are 177 FPS for Low, 138.6 FPS for Medium, 116 FPS for High, and 91.1 FPS for Ultra. The percentage drops from 1080p to 1440p are consistent: Low falls by 36%, Medium by 35%, High by 35%, and Ultra by 33%. This uniformity suggests a GPU-bound scenario where the game's rendering load scales predictably with pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the Low setting produces 96 FPS, Medium produces 72.5 FPS, High produces 64.5 FPS, and Ultra produces 47.4 FPS. The 4K results show a larger relative drop from High to Ultra (26.5%) compared to the 1080p and 1440p steps, indicating that Ultra settings at 4K place a disproportionate load on the GPU. The 64.5 FPS at 4K High is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold, while 4K Ultra falls well below it.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For 1080p gaming, the data shows that even Ultra settings provide 135.9 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. There is no reason to reduce settings at this resolution unless a player requires refresh rates above 135 Hz. The Low setting at 276.8 FPS is excessive for most displays, so High or Ultra is recommended for visual quality without sacrificing playability.

At 1440p, all settings remain above 90 FPS. The High setting at 116 FPS offers a strong balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, while Ultra at 91.1 FPS is still perfectly playable. For players with 144 Hz monitors, Medium at 138.6 FPS or Low at 177 FPS would be better choices, but the visual trade-off is significant. The data suggests High is the sweet spot for 1440p.

At 4K, the recommendations change dramatically. Ultra at 47.4 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for smooth play. High at 64.5 FPS just clears the threshold, making it the minimum recommended setting. Medium at 72.5 FPS and Low at 96 FPS provide progressively more headroom. For a consistent 60 FPS experience with some visual quality, High is the best choice, as it offers 64.5 FPS. If a player prioritizes frame rate stability, Medium at 72.5 FPS provides a buffer against drops.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS at all settings?

A: At 2560x1440, all settings produce over 90 FPS, with Ultra at 91.1 FPS. At 3840x2160, Ultra drops to 47.4 FPS, so 1440p is the highest resolution where every preset remains above 60 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 High is 178.5, while at 3840x2160 High it is 64.5. This represents a 63.9% reduction in average frame rate.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, particularly at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system hits 276.8 FPS, but at 4K Ultra it falls to 47.4 FPS, a drop that aligns with GPU rendering load rather than CPU threading limits.

Q: What is the frame rate at 1440p Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 91.1 FPS.

Q: Does this combo rank in the top 25% of all tested systems for this game?

A: Yes, the combo ranks 431 out of 1733 tested combos, which places it in the top 24.9% of all systems tested in Minimum.

Q: What is the lowest measured frame rate for this combo?

A: The lowest measured average FPS is 47.4, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.