Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a strong performance profile in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The measured data shows this combination is capable of high frame rates across all tested resolutions, though the optimal settings depend heavily on the target display. The benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4070 SUPER provides ample headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming, with the most balanced experience found at 1440p, while 4K Ultra demands a compromise on fluidity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the four available presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) scale across three resolutions. For players targeting a seamless 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 71.8 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold; Medium drops to 82.8 FPS, which is still playable, but Ultra falls to 52.6 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter on standard 60 Hz displays.

At 1440p, the data suggests that the High preset (130.5 FPS) offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, as it stays well above the 120 FPS marker that many high-refresh-rate monitors target. While the Low preset achieves a very high 197.3 FPS, the visual compromise is significant for a game that can be demanding on effects. The Medium preset at 150.3 FPS also performs admirably, but High provides a 13% reduction in frame rate compared to Medium for a substantial improvement in image quality.

For 1080p, the story changes due to the CPU’s influence. The High preset produces an average of 200.7 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. However, the Ultra preset still manages 152.3 FPS, making it a viable option for players who prioritize maximum visual detail on a 144 Hz display. The Low preset’s 312.5 FPS is an extreme outlier, likely limited by the CPU’s single-thread performance rather than the GPU, making it less useful for practical gameplay. Overall, the High preset is the most consistent recommendation across all resolutions, providing a robust experience without the steep performance penalty of Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot, producing an average of 130.5 FPS. This resolution offers a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining frame rates that are high enough for smooth, responsive gameplay.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. The High preset at 3840x2160 yields 71.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS standard. The Ultra preset, however, drops to 52.6 FPS, indicating that max settings are not viable for a consistently smooth 4K experience.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset imposes a significant performance cost. At 1080p, it reduces the average FPS from 200.7 (High) to 152.3, a 24% decrease. At 1440p, the drop is from 130.5 to 97.3, and at 4K, it falls from 71.8 to 52.6.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at lower resolutions?

A: The evidence points to yes. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 312.5, which is nearly 56% higher than the 1080p High result. This suggests that at Low settings, the GPU is not the limiting factor, and the CPU’s performance ceiling is being approached.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Medium settings?

A: The jump from Low to Medium is substantial. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 312.5 to 238.7, a 24% reduction. At 1440p, it goes from 197.3 to 150.3 (a 24% drop), and at 4K from 107.4 to 82.8 (a 23% drop).

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 42576 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which scores 42653, a difference of just -0.2%. It is also within 0.3% of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, which scores 42723.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 284th out of 1733 tested combos in Minimum. This places the system in the top 16.4% of all configurations in the database, indicating a strong overall performance tier. The rank reflects the synergy between the high core-count CPU and the capable GPU, which together handle the game’s demands effectively.

While the rank is not in the top 100, it is important to consider the context of the game’s 2014 release date. Many higher-ranked combos likely feature more recent flagship components, such as the Intel Core i9 series or RTX 4090-class GPUs. The 12700KF, despite being from the 12th generation, still holds its own due to its hybrid architecture, and the RTX 4070 SUPER provides modern features like Ada Lovelace architecture and 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. The measured FPS data confirms that this rank is not a reflection of poor performance, but rather proof of the immense competition in the high-end segment.

The rank also highlights the balance of this pairing. The CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities, shown by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979, ensure that it will not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. However, the 1080p Low result indicates that for pure CPU-bound workloads, there are faster processors available. The overall rank of 284 is a solid result for a mid-to-high-end build, showing that this combo is well-suited for Minimum without being an overkill or underpowered pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system’s performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1080p, the system demonstrates its peak capabilities. The Low preset achieves an average of 312.5 FPS, a figure that suggests the CPU is the primary limiter. The Medium preset produces 238.7 FPS, while High delivers 200.7 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 152.3 FPS, which is still a very playable number but shows the cost of maximum effects.

At 1440p, the frame rates scale predictably. The Low preset averages 197.3 FPS, which is a 37% reduction from the 1080p Low result, indicating a growing GPU load. Medium achieves 150.3 FPS, High reaches 130.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 97.3 FPS. The transition from High to Ultra at 1440p is a 25% performance loss, reinforcing the rule that Ultra is reserved for players who prioritize visuals over frame rate.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The Low preset averages 107.4 FPS, which is a 45% reduction from the 1080p Low figure. Medium produces 82.8 FPS, High manages 71.8 FPS, and Ultra falls to 52.6 FPS. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the gap between Low and Ultra narrows in absolute terms but remains proportionally similar. The system is capable of a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K only when settings are kept to High or lower.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance for gaming. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4091 and multi-core score of 28979 illustrate its balanced capabilities. The CPU’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for games that rely on larger data sets.

In Minimum, the CPU’s role is most apparent at 1080p with Low settings. The average FPS of 312.5 is the highest recorded across all tests, but it is also the point where the CPU’s limits are tested. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 and max-thread score of 9983 show that the CPU has substantial multi-threading headroom, but the game’s engine likely relies more on single-thread performance. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and Geekbench single-core score of 2526 support this, indicating that the 5.00 GHz boost clock is critical for achieving high frame rates.

The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as the frame rate drops align with the GPU’s workload. However, at 1080p Low, the CPU’s performance ceiling is reached, as the FPS does not scale linearly with the GPU’s capabilities. This suggests that for players using 1080p monitors with very high refresh rates (240 Hz or more), the CPU may be the limiting factor, and further upgrades would provide diminishing returns.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend in resolution scaling. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS across all settings drops by approximately 35-38%. For example, the High preset falls from 200.7 FPS at 1080p to 130.5 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is being progressively more taxed, but the system still maintains high frame rates.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is more severe. The High preset drops from 130.5 FPS to 71.8 FPS, a 45% reduction. This steeper decline suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and pixel throughput are becoming limiting factors. The RTX 4070 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s and a pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s, which are sufficient for 1440p but are strained at 4K.

The data also shows that the CPU’s influence diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the FPS is 312.5, but at 4K Low, it is 107.4, a 66% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as the CPU’s performance is less relevant when the GPU is struggling to render more pixels. The Ultra preset at 4K (52.6 FPS) is a clear sign that this combo is not designed for max-settings 4K gaming, but rather for high-refresh-rate 1440p or solid 4K at High settings.