Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers extreme performance in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter from 2014. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher settings, but which reveals a substantial CPU influence at lower resolutions and settings. This combo ranks in the top 1.2% of all tested configurations, holding the 20th position out of 1733 combos. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is overkill for the game's engine at 1080p, but it scales impressively into 4K Ultra, where the RTX 5090's immense power is finally taxed.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, highlighting the transition from a CPU-limited state to a GPU-limited one. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 262 FPS at 1920x1080 to 167.5 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 90.5 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 65.5% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a clear sign that the graphics card is becoming the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern changes dramatically with the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 409.6 FPS, but this drops to 260 FPS at 1440p and 141.5 FPS at 4K. The massive 268.1 FPS difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor at the lowest resolution, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. When the resolution increases, the GPU workload grows, and the frame rate falls to a level where the CPU can keep up.

At the Ultra preset, the scaling is more linear, with 199.5 FPS at 1080p, 127.5 FPS at 1440p, and 66.5 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire dataset, showing that the RTX 5090 is finally saturated by the combination of maximum settings and high pixel density. The data indicates that the CPU is the limiting component at 1080p, while the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor at 4K.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth ensures that memory capacity or bandwidth will never be a constraint in Minimum. The GPU's 21,760 shading units and 176 ROPs provide the raw compute necessary for the high frame rates observed. The boost clock of 2407 MHz is the key frequency, and the data shows that the card is being pushed to its limits only at 4K Ultra, where it delivers 66.5 FPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores confirm its position in the hierarchy. It sits at the 94th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84306. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, scores 84241, a delta of 0.1%, meaning the two cards are essentially identical in raw compute. The RTX 5090's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the headline number, and the game's results show that this power is only fully utilized when the resolution and settings are maximized.

At 1080p Low, the GPU is clearly not the bottleneck, as the frame rate of 409.6 FPS is far beyond what the CPU can feed. The GPU's role becomes more pronounced as the workload increases. The transition from Medium to High at 4K results in a 15.9 FPS drop (from 106.4 to 90.5), while the jump from High to Ultra costs 24 FPS (from 90.5 to 66.5). This indicates that the Ultra preset places a significant additional load on the GPU's shading units and ROPs.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy for the best experience. For players targeting 4K, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering 106.4 FPS average. This is a playable frame rate for a shooter, and it is a significant 39.9 FPS higher than the High preset's 90.5 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 66.5 FPS, which is still smooth but may not be worth the visual gain for competitive play.

At 1440p, the High preset is the best choice, offering 167.5 FPS. This is well above the refresh rate of most high-refresh monitors and provides a comfortable margin. The Medium preset at 199.8 FPS is also excellent, but the visual quality improvement from Medium to High at this resolution is likely worth the 32.3 FPS trade-off. The Low preset at 260 FPS is excessive for most displays.

At 1080p, the data shows that the CPU is the limiting factor, so the settings recommendation is different. The High preset at 262 FPS is already excellent, but the Ultra preset at 199.5 FPS is the maximum visual quality option. The Low preset at 409.6 FPS is only useful for players with 360Hz or higher refresh rate monitors. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 314.4 FPS is a good balance, but the High preset is the recommended choice for its combination of visual fidelity and high frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a combo rank of 20 out of 1733 tested configurations in Minimum. This places it in the top 1.2% of all systems, a remarkable result that indicates near-top-tier performance. The rank reflects the system's ability to push extremely high frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions where the RTX 5090 can stretch its legs.

The ranking reflects the GPU's dominance, as the CPU is a previous-generation model that is now outclassed by newer parts. The combo's position is likely held back by the CPU's performance at lower resolutions, where the frame rates are limited by the processor's single-thread speed. Had the CPU been a newer, faster model, the combo might rank even higher, but the data shows that the 20th position is a strong result.

The fact that this combo outscores 99.9% of all other configurations tested is due to the RTX 5090's raw power. The GPU's 94th percentile ranking and 84306 average benchmark score are the primary drivers of this high combo rank. The CPU, while not the weakest link, is not the reason for this placement; it is simply adequate to feed the GPU at most settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF provides 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. In Minimum, the data shows that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, particularly at Low settings. The 409.6 FPS result at 1080p Low is a clear indicator that the CPU is maxed out, as the GPU is capable of rendering far more frames than the processor can submit.

The CPU's single-thread performance is critical for this game. The benchmark data shows a 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4091. These figures are solid but not exceptional in the current market. The game's engine appears to be heavily dependent on a single primary thread, as the frame rates at 1080p Low are nearly identical to the CPU's maximum multi-thread throughput.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is tight. The nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14400, has an average score of 35336, a delta of 0.1% from the i7-12700KF's 35355. This indicates that the i7-12700KF is still competitive with newer mid-range parts, but it is not a performance leader. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 and max-thread score of 9983 show that the CPU has strong multi-threaded capability, which helps in scenes with many dynamic objects.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Low: 409.6 FPS
• Medium: 314.4 FPS
• High: 262 FPS
• Ultra: 199.5 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 260 FPS
• Medium: 199.8 FPS
• High: 167.5 FPS
• Ultra: 127.5 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 141.5 FPS
• Medium: 106.4 FPS
• High: 90.5 FPS
• Ultra: 66.5 FPS

The 1080p results are CPU-bound, as shown by the 147.5 FPS gap between Low and High settings, which is smaller than the gap between High and Ultra at 62.5 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU begins to take over, with a 60.2 FPS difference between Low and Medium, and a 32.3 FPS difference between Medium and High. The 4K results are entirely GPU-bound, with a 35.1 FPS drop from Low to Medium, a 15.9 FPS drop from Medium to High, and a 24 FPS drop from High to Ultra.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Minimum?*

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 409.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

*Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: Yes, the combo delivers 66.5 FPS at 4K Ultra and 90.5 FPS at 4K High, making it fully capable of smooth 4K gameplay.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as evidenced by the 409.6 FPS result at Low settings, which is far below what the GPU can theoretically render.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-12700KF compare to its nearest rival?

A: The CPU is statistically tied with the Intel Core i5-14400, showing a delta of 0.1% in average benchmark scores.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p?

A: The High preset at 1440p delivers 167.5 FPS, which is the recommended balance of visual quality and frame rate for high-refresh monitors.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 20th out of 1733 tested configurations, placing it in the top 1.2% of all systems tested in Minimum.