Minimum

# Minimum with Intel Core i7-14700K + AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT

The Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination delivers playable performance across all tested settings in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows this pairing is heavily GPU-bound at lower resolutions, with the CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads providing ample headroom even at 1080p. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 51 FPS average, indicating that the most demanding settings require compromises for smooth gameplay on 60 Hz displays.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core. This CPU sits in the 94th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 69355. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.1% higher score), AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.2% lower), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.7% lower), and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.9% lower). The performance gap between these chips is negligible in synthetic tests, but the i7-14700K's high single-thread performance — evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and Geekbench single-core of 2569 — matters for a 2014 title that likely relies on fewer threads.

In Minimum, the CPU's role becomes apparent at 1080p Low, where the combo achieves 300 FPS average. This is the highest measured frame rate in the dataset, and it suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck even at this extreme setting. The processor's Passmark single-thread score of 4472 and multithread score of 52392 indicate it can handle both lightly-threaded game logic and background tasks simultaneously. At 1440p Low, the average drops to 193 FPS, while at 4K Low it falls to 104 FPS — a pattern that points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases, rather than the CPU.

The i7-14700K's 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory give builders flexibility, though the game's age means memory bandwidth is unlikely to be a constraint. The processor's integrated UHD Graphics 770 is present but irrelevant for this discrete GPU configuration. Given that the CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 33440.5 places it well above most desktop chips, the data indicates that Minimum does not stress this processor to its limits — the frame rate differences between settings are driven almost entirely by GPU workload.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 300 FPS average, Medium hits 230 FPS (with a minimum of 195 and maximum of 264), High reaches 193 FPS, and Ultra drops to 147 FPS. All four settings exceed 144 Hz, so the best experience depends on your display's refresh rate. For 144 Hz monitors, High offers a good balance at 193 FPS, while Ultra at 147 FPS is still above the threshold. If you have a 240 Hz panel, Medium at 230 FPS is the sweet spot, as Low's 300 FPS provides no visual benefit beyond competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low produces 193 FPS, Medium 148 FPS (min 126, max 170), High 124 FPS, and Ultra 95 FPS. For 144 Hz displays, Medium is the recommended preset, as it stays above the refresh rate with room to spare. High at 124 FPS is close but may dip below 144 Hz during intense scenes, given the minimum is not reported but the average suggests headroom. Ultra at 95 FPS is smooth for 60 Hz but not for high-refresh gaming. The data suggests that Medium at 1440p provides the best combination of visual quality and performance, with the 126 FPS minimum ensuring consistent frame pacing.

At 3840x2160, the options narrow. Low averages 104 FPS, Medium 80 FPS (min 68, max 92), High 67 FPS, and Ultra 51 FPS. For 60 Hz displays, High at 67 FPS is the best choice, as it stays above the refresh rate with a small margin. Medium at 80 FPS offers more headroom and is also viable, though the visual difference between Medium and High may be noticeable. Ultra at 51 FPS is below 60 FPS and will produce visible stutter on standard displays. Low at 104 FPS is technically the smoothest, but the visual compromise is significant. For 4K gaming, the recommendation is High for 60 Hz panels, with Medium as a fallback if you prefer higher frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 4K 60 FPS with high settings?*

A: Yes, the data shows a 67 FPS average at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. However, note that the minimum FPS is not reported for this configuration, so there may be occasional dips below 60 in heavy scenes.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 300 FPS average, which is the highest in the dataset. This suggests the GPU is still the limiting factor at this resolution, as the i7-14700K's single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160) is far beyond what a 2014 game likely requires.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7900 XT has an average benchmark score of 13745, placing it in the 55th percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 660M, scores 13812 (0.5% higher), while the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821 (0.5% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5% lower.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144 Hz 1440p monitor?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver 148 FPS average with a 126 FPS minimum, keeping the frame rate above 144 Hz. High at 124 FPS average is below the refresh rate and may cause tearing or judder.

Q: Does the CPU's 20-core configuration provide any benefit in this game?

A: The data does not show a scenario where the CPU limits performance — even at 1080p Low with 300 FPS, the frame rate is not capped by processor capability. The i7-14700K's multithread score of 52392 in Passmark suggests it handles background tasks without impacting game performance.

Q: Is the 4K Ultra preset playable?

A: At 51 FPS average, the 4K Ultra preset is below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. It is playable on a 30 Hz or 48 Hz display, but for most users, High at 67 FPS is the better choice.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K + AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination ranks 739th out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the top 20% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-tier synthetic performance (55th percentile) rather than the CPU's strong showing (94th percentile), indicating that the graphics card is the primary limiter in this pairing. Out of 3712 combos, only 738 achieve higher frame rates in this game, which is a respectable position given that the RX 7900 XT is an end-of-life product.

The combo's ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data: at 1080p, it competes with far more expensive setups, while at 4K Ultra, it falls behind combos with higher-end GPUs. The CPU's nearest rivals — the AMD EPYC 9115, Ryzen 9 7950X, Ryzen 9 7940HX, and Ryzen 7 9700F — all score within 1% of the i7-14700K in average benchmark tests, so swapping the processor would not meaningfully change this combo's rank. The GPU's nearest rivals (Radeon 660M, RTX A2000 Mobile, RX 570X, RX 9070 XT) are either integrated graphics or lower-tier discrete cards, which underscores the RX 7900 XT's position as a mid-pack performer despite its 20 GB of VRAM and 800.0 GB/s bandwidth.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2394 MHz, with a game clock of 2025 MHz and a base clock of 1387 MHz. The GPU is built on TSMC's 5 nm process with 57,700 million transistors on a 529 mm² die, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. With 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs, the card offers 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 103.0 TFLOPS of FP16 performance.

In Minimum, the GPU's memory capacity is more than sufficient — even at 4K Ultra, the game is unlikely to exceed 8 GB of VRAM given its 2014 release date. The 800.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures texture streaming is not a bottleneck at any resolution. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 29009 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5623 indicate solid raw performance, though the 55th percentile ranking suggests many GPUs outperform it in synthetic tests.

The measured FPS scaling with resolution reveals the GPU's behavior. At 1080p Low, the card delivers 300 FPS, but this drops by 35% to 193 FPS at 1440p Low and by another 46% to 104 FPS at 4K Low. This scaling is typical for a GPU with this memory bandwidth. At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (147 FPS) to 1440p (95 FPS) is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K (51 FPS) is 46%. The consistent percentage drops suggest the GPU is compute-bound rather than memory-bound at high settings.

The GPU's TDP of 300 W and suggested PSU of 700 W are relevant for system builders, but the card's dual-slot design and 2x 8-pin power connectors are standard for this performance class. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides ample bandwidth for a game that predates PCIe 4.0. The RX 7900 XT's end-of-life production status means it is no longer being manufactured, but its performance in Minimum remains competitive with newer cards, as evidenced by its 1.5% lead over the RX 9070 XT in average benchmark score.

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

1920x1080:

• Low: 300 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Medium: 230 FPS average, 195 FPS minimum, 264 FPS maximum
• High: 193 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Ultra: 147 FPS average, no min/max reported

At 1080p, the combo exceeds 144 FPS on every preset. The gap between Low and Ultra is 153 FPS (300 vs 147), which represents a 51% reduction in frame rate for maximum visual quality. The Medium preset's 195 FPS minimum indicates that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays well above 144 Hz. This resolution is ideal for high-refresh gaming, with the only question being whether you prefer maximum FPS (Low) or maximum visual fidelity (Ultra at 147 FPS).

2560x1440:

• Low: 193 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Medium: 148 FPS average, 126 FPS minimum, 170 FPS maximum
• High: 124 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Ultra: 95 FPS average, no min/max reported

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the only one that consistently stays above 144 Hz, with a 126 FPS minimum. High at 124 FPS is marginally below the 144 Hz threshold, meaning you may experience screen tearing without V-Sync. Ultra at 95 FPS is smooth for 60 Hz displays but not for high-refresh gaming. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 98 FPS drop (193 to 95), which is a 51% reduction — similar to the 1080p pattern.

3840x2160:

• Low: 104 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Medium: 80 FPS average, 68 FPS minimum, 92 FPS maximum
• High: 67 FPS average, no min/max reported
• Ultra: 51 FPS average, no min/max reported

At 4K, the combo manages to keep all presets above 50 FPS, but only Low and Medium exceed 60 FPS on average. High at 67 FPS is just above the 60 FPS line, while Ultra at 51 FPS is below. The Medium preset's 68 FPS minimum is notable — it suggests that even in heavy scenes, the frame rate does not drop below 60 FPS, making Medium the safest choice for 4K 60 Hz displays. The drop from Low to Ultra is 53 FPS (104 to 51), a 51% reduction that mirrors the pattern seen at other resolutions.

The data across all resolutions shows a consistent 51% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra settings, regardless of resolution. This consistency indicates that the GPU's performance scaling is predictable, and builders can estimate frame rates at intermediate settings with reasonable accuracy. The RX 7900 XT's 20 GB VRAM is never taxed in this game, and the i7-14700K's 20 cores provide no measurable advantage over fewer-core processors in this title, as the CPU never becomes the bottleneck even at 1080p Low.