Minimum

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a combination that ranks 2758th out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. This places the setup in the lower third of the database, indicating that while the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU substantially anchors the overall frame rates. Benchmark results show the pairing is capable of playable performance at 1080p and 1440p, but the data reveals a significant bottleneck that prevents the system from reaching its full potential, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2758 out of 3712 tested configurations places it in the 25th percentile of all tested pairings for this game. This low ranking is primarily attributable to the graphics card, which sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, whereas the CPU ranks at the 89th percentile among all processors. The data indicates a stark imbalance: the processor is capable of far higher frame rates than the GPU can deliver, making this a GPU-limited configuration in nearly every scenario.

When compared to other pairings, the CPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (0.2% lower average score) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (0.3% lower), while the GPU's closest competitors are the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (0.1% higher) and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (0.3% lower). These marginal differences in component-level scores do not translate into meaningful changes in the game's measured FPS, as the GPU's performance ceiling remains the dominant factor. The ranking suggests that users seeking higher frame rates would see a substantial improvement from upgrading the graphics card rather than the processor.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the limiting component in this configuration, as evidenced by the measured FPS data across all resolutions. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its clock speeds include a base of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. These specifications support a pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 9.754 TFLOPS.

The GPU's influence is most apparent in the scaling of frame rates with resolution. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 166 FPS, but this drops to 107 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 58 FPS at 4K Low. This pattern indicates that the GPU is saturated even at lower resolutions, as the frame rate reduction from 1080p to 1440p (a 35% drop) is nearly proportional to the increase in pixel count. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this 2014 title, but its raw compute power limits performance in a game that does not heavily tax the CPU.

The GPU's benchmark scores further contextualize its role: it achieves a Passmark G3D score of 16277 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2134. These numbers align with its 59th percentile ranking, confirming that it is a mid-range part by current standards. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K even on Low settings (58 FPS), while 1440p High yields 69 FPS and 1080p High reaches 107 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K provides substantial computational headroom that goes largely unused in this pairing. With 16 cores and 24 threads, the CPU has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus, and its 125 W TDP reflects its high-performance desktop positioning.

Synthetic benchmarks demonstrate the CPU's strength: it scores 30745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2116 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 19429 and single-core score of 2529. The Passmark multithread score of 45887 and single-thread score of 4333 further confirm its capability. However, the game's measured FPS shows that this processing power is not the bottleneck. For instance, at 1080p Low, the combo hits 166 FPS, which is likely near the GPU's maximum output rather than the CPU's limit.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all processors, combined with its nearest rivals showing nearly identical average scores (AMD Ryzen 9 5900 at 46971, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 at 47022), indicates that swapping the CPU would have negligible impact on game performance. The data suggests that the i7-13700K is more than sufficient for Minimum, and any frame rate limitations are entirely due to the RX 5700 XT's rendering capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Why does this combo rank so low (2758th) when the CPU is a high-end part?

A: The ranking reflects the combined performance of both components. While the CPU ranks at the 89th percentile among all processors, the GPU ranks at only the 59th percentile. The GPU's lower relative performance creates a bottleneck that limits overall frame rates, dragging the combo's rank down to the 25th percentile of tested configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: Benchmark data clearly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 166 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 58 FPS, showing a 65% reduction. If the CPU were the bottleneck, frame rates would remain more consistent across resolutions. The CPU's synthetic scores (e.g., 30745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) far exceed what this game requires.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: At 4K, the measured FPS ranges from 28 FPS on Ultra settings to 58 FPS on Low settings. Medium settings produce 44 FPS with a minimum of 38 FPS. These results indicate that 4K gaming is only marginally playable at Low settings, and even then, the 58 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold many consider smooth.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 69 FPS, while 1440p Medium reaches 82 FPS. For users prioritizing frame rate, 1080p Low delivers 166 FPS, but 1440p Medium offers a higher resolution with still-competitive frame rates.

Q: How does this combo compare to others with the same GPU?

A: The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (0.1% higher average score) and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (0.3% lower). These differences are negligible, meaning the GPU's performance in this game would be nearly identical regardless of which rival it is paired with.

Q: Does the CPU's 24-thread capability benefit this game?

A: The measured FPS data suggests no, as the game appears to be GPU-bound even at 1080p. The CPU's 24 threads provide ample headroom, but the RX 5700 XT cannot generate enough frames to utilize that headroom fully. At 1080p Low, 166 FPS is likely the GPU's ceiling rather than a CPU limitation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of GPU-limited scaling across resolutions. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by approximately 35% across all settings: Low goes from 166 to 107 FPS, High from 107 to 69 FPS, and Ultra from 82 to 53 FPS. This drop is consistent with the 1.78x increase in pixel count from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint.

Scaling from 1440p to 4K shows an even steeper decline, with frame rates nearly halving at each setting level. Low goes from 107 to 58 FPS (a 46% drop), High from 69 to 37 FPS (a 46% drop), and Ultra from 53 to 28 FPS (a 47% drop). The 4K resolution has 2.25x the pixels of 1440p, and the frame rate reduction is proportionally larger than the pixel increase, suggesting the GPU is operating beyond its efficient range at 4K.

The resolution scaling behavior indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain flat as resolution increases, since the CPU workload does not scale with pixel count. Instead, the consistent percentage drops across all settings and resolutions point entirely to the GPU's rendering throughput being the constraining factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 127 FPS with a minimum of 108 FPS, providing a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 107 FPS is also excellent, and the difference between Medium and High is only 20 FPS, making High a reasonable choice for improved visuals without sacrificing playability.

At 1440p, the Medium preset offers 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, which is sufficient for most gaming scenarios. The High preset at 69 FPS remains playable, though the Ultra preset at 53 FPS falls below the 60 FPS mark. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the Low preset at 107 FPS is the only option that approaches 100+ FPS, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it.

For 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset (58 FPS) approaches playable frame rates, while Medium (44 FPS) and High (37 FPS) are below 45 FPS. The Ultra preset at 28 FPS is not recommended for any serious gaming. Users targeting 4K should consider lowering resolution or accepting significant compromises in visual fidelity, as the GPU lacks the compute power to maintain high frame rates at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes the exact measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination in Minimum:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 37 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 58 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 44 | 38 | 51 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 28 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 69 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 107 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 82 | 70 | 94 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 53 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 107 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 166 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 127 | 108 | 147 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 82 | - | - |

The data shows a consistent pattern: each resolution step up halves the pixel count cost, and the GPU responds with proportionally lower frame rates. The Medium settings at each resolution provide the most complete dataset with min and max FPS values, showing that frame pacing is consistent (e.g., 108-147 FPS at 1080p Medium, 70-94 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 38-51 FPS at 4K Medium). This consistency suggests stable performance without significant stuttering, though the absolute frame rates at 4K remain too low for demanding gameplay. The Ultra preset at every resolution delivers the lowest frame rates, with 82 FPS at 1080p being the only Ultra setting that exceeds 60 FPS, indicating that this preset is only viable at the lowest resolution.