Minimum

This pairing of an Intel Core i7-13700K with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti creates one of the most extreme bottlenecks in the database. The processor is a top-tier part, while the graphics card is a legacy entry-level model. Benchmark results in Minimum show exactly what happens when a modern flagship CPU is paired with a GPU from a different era: the experience is dictated almost entirely by the graphics card, and the CPU's potential goes largely unused.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination ranks at 1721 out of 1733 tested combos for this game. That places it in the bottom 0.7% of all configurations, which is a clear signal that this pairing produces one of the worst playable experiences in the entire database for Minimum. The ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability—the i7-13700K sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 47282. Rather, the ranking is dragged down by the GPU, which holds a 30th percentile ranking among all GPUs. The data shows a massive mismatch: a processor that can handle modern workloads at the highest level is being held back by a graphics card that struggles with a 2014 title at 1080p. This is not a balanced system; it is a case study in how a weak GPU negates a strong CPU. The combo's rank is so low that it nearly hits the bottom of the list, meaning you would need to try hard to find a worse-performing modern pairing.

GPU Role

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the limiting factor in every scenario. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1291 MHz with a boost of 1392 MHz. These are modest figures by modern standards, and they show in the frame rates. In Minimum, the GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth are sufficient for the game's demands, but the raw compute power is not. The card has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 2.138 TFLOPS, which is low for even a light third-person shooter. The GPU's average benchmark score is 5316, placing it nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce 930A (deltaPct 0) and the NVIDIA GeForce 940M (deltaPct 0.4). These rivals are laptop and low-end desktop parts, confirming that the 1050 Ti is performance-equivalent to hardware from a much lower tier. The data indicates that the GPU's 14 nm Pascal architecture, while efficient, simply does not have the throughput needed to push high frame rates in this title, regardless of the CPU sitting next to it.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows show a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and playability. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 67.3 FPS, which is the only setting in the entire dataset that approaches a smooth 60 FPS experience. Moving to Medium drops the average to 50.5 FPS, and High falls further to 42.3 FPS. The Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at 29.9 FPS. Given these numbers, the Low preset is the only sensible choice for competitive or responsive play. It provides a playable frame rate, and the visual hit is acceptable given the alternative. If you insist on Medium, you are trading 16.8 FPS (a 25% reduction from Low) for slightly better textures and effects, but you are still above the 30 FPS threshold. High and Ultra are not recommended for any serious play; they are only for screenshots or testing. The data suggests that the GPU has just enough headroom at Low to keep up with the game's demands, but any increase in settings immediately overwhelms it. The best experience is unequivocally at 1080p Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are: Low 67.3 FPS, Medium 50.5 FPS, High 42.3 FPS, and Ultra 29.9 FPS. This is the only resolution where any setting achieves a playable frame rate. At 2560x1440, the numbers drop significantly: Low 42.2 FPS, Medium 34.7 FPS, High 25.6 FPS, and Ultra 18.9 FPS. The Low setting at 1440p is barely acceptable, but it is 37% slower than the same setting at 1080p. At 3840x2160, the experience collapses entirely: Low 21.2 FPS, Medium 19.1 FPS, High 14.1 FPS, and Ultra 10.8 FPS. None of these are playable. The data shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution or settings cuts the frame rate by a substantial margin. The gap between Low and Ultra is consistent across resolutions—at 1080p, Ultra is 55% slower than Low; at 1440p, it is 55% slower; at 4K, it is 49% slower. This consistency indicates that the GPU is fully saturated at all times, and the CPU is never the bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the GPU's limitations. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 drops the average from 67.3 FPS to 42.2 FPS, a 37% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 3840x2160 drops it further to 21.2 FPS, another 50% reduction. In total, from 1080p to 4K at Low, the frame rate falls by 68%. This scaling is nearly linear with pixel count, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain similar across resolutions, since the CPU's workload does not change with resolution. Instead, the data shows that the GTX 1050 Ti is working at its absolute maximum at 1080p Low, and any increase in pixel count directly translates to fewer frames. The i7-13700K, with its 16 cores and 24 threads, is effectively idle waiting for the GPU to finish each frame. This is a textbook case where upgrading the GPU alone would transform the system's performance, while upgrading the CPU would yield zero benefit.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo playable for Minimum?*

A: At 1080p Low, yes, with an average of 67.3 FPS. At any higher resolution or setting, the frame rates drop to 50.5 FPS or lower, which is below the smooth threshold for most players.

Q: Why does the combo rank so poorly if the CPU is powerful?

A: The combo ranks 1721 out of 1733 because the GPU is the sole determinant of performance. The GTX 1050 Ti sits in the 30th percentile of all GPUs, while the i7-13700K is in the 93rd percentile. The weak GPU nullifies the strong CPU.

Q: What is the best setting to use for this pairing?

A: The 1080p Low preset is the only setting that provides a playable experience, with an average of 67.3 FPS. Medium at 1080p drops to 50.5 FPS, which may be acceptable, but it is a significant reduction.

Q: How does the GTX 1050 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 5316. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce 930A, scores 5317 with a deltaPct of 0. The NVIDIA GeForce 940M scores 5297 with a deltaPct of 0.4. These are effectively identical performance levels.

Q: Does the CPU matter at all in this configuration?

A: No. The data shows no scenario where the CPU becomes the bottleneck. The frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings, which is a GPU-bound behavior. The CPU's 3DMark max threads score of 12412 is irrelevant here.

Q: Is the 4 GB VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: Yes, that is not the issue. The bottleneck is compute power, not memory. At 4K Ultra, the average is 10.8 FPS, which is far too low to be a memory limitation; it is pure GPU throughput being exhausted.