Minimum

Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter, presents a demanding workload that scales predictably with resolution and settings. The data for the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti shows a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but transitions to a more balanced state at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all twelve resolution and settings combinations, interpreting what each data point reveals about the components' roles and the overall gaming experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 210 FPS at 1080p to 135 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 73 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35.7% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a 45.9% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The magnitude of these drops indicates that the rendering workload is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The scaling pattern is similar across all settings presets. For the Low preset, the average FPS falls from 326 at 1080p to 211 at 1440p (a 35.3% drop) and then to 113 at 4K (a 46.4% drop). The Medium preset shows a 35.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p (250 to 161 FPS) and a 46.0% drop from 1440p to 4K (161 to 87 FPS). The Ultra preset follows the same trend, with a 35.6% drop from 103 FPS at 1440p to 160 FPS at 1080p and a 45.6% drop from 103 FPS at 1440p to 56 FPS at 4K.

This uniform scaling across all settings strongly suggests that the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions is the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 4070 Ti, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed harder as the pixel count increases. The data indicates that the game is not CPU-limited at 1440p or 4K, as the frame rate drops are almost perfectly proportional to the increase in resolution. The transition from 1440p to 4K represents a 2.25x increase in pixels, and the observed frame rate drops to roughly 54-55% of the 1440p value, which is consistent with a purely GPU-bound workload.

The ability to maintain playable frame rates at 4K, even at Ultra settings with 56 FPS average, underscores the raw performance of the RTX 4070 Ti. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining performance at resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p, the gap between the Low preset (326 FPS) and the High preset (210 FPS) is substantial, indicating that the GPU still has headroom even when settings are increased. The fact that the 1080p Ultra preset still delivers 160 FPS shows that this combination is more than capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at that resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets, with the optimal choice depending on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 4K, the Ultra preset yields an average of 56 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The High preset at 4K provides a significant improvement, reaching 73 FPS, which is a 30.4% increase over Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K offers 87 FPS, a further 19.2% improvement over High. For a smoother 4K experience, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, delivering a frame rate that is 55.4% higher than Ultra.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 135 FPS, which is excellent for most gaming scenarios. The Medium preset offers 161 FPS, a 19.3% improvement over High, and the Low preset reaches 211 FPS. Given the minimal visual difference between Medium and High in many titles, the data suggests that Medium at 1440p provides the best balance for high-refresh-rate monitors, as it stays well above the 144 Hz threshold. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with 103 FPS, is still smooth but sacrifices 25.2% of the frame rate compared to High.

At 1080p, all presets deliver exceptionally high frame rates. The High preset achieves 210 FPS, Medium 250 FPS, and Low 326 FPS. Even the Ultra preset, the most demanding, maintains an average of 160 FPS. For 1080p displays with refresh rates of 144 Hz or 165 Hz, the High preset is more than sufficient, leaving headroom for other applications. The Medium preset provides an extra 19.0% performance boost over High, which could be beneficial for 240 Hz displays. The data indicates that the Ultra preset is unnecessary at this resolution, as the High preset offers a 31.3% higher frame rate.

The benchmark results suggest a general rule for this combination: prioritize the Medium preset when seeking the highest possible frame rates, and the High preset for a balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset should only be used when visual quality is paramount and the user is willing to accept a lower frame rate, particularly at 4K resolution. The Low preset offers the highest performance but is likely to compromise visual quality significantly.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, is the central component driving the high frame rates observed in Minimum. The GPU's specifications, including 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, provide the raw compute power necessary for this title. Its boost clock of 2610 MHz and base clock of 2310 MHz are key factors in its performance, allowing it to process the game's geometry and effects efficiently.

The GPU's memory subsystem is particularly crucial for the game's scaling behavior. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This substantial bandwidth is what allows the card to maintain playable frame rates at 4K resolution, where the demand for texture data and frame buffer access increases dramatically. The data shows a clear correlation between resolution and performance, and the memory bandwidth is a primary reason the RTX 4070 Ti does not bottleneck until the highest settings are combined with the highest resolution.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers is notable. Its average benchmark score of 44795 places it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45152, a difference of -0.8%, indicating the desktop RTX 4070 Ti is only slightly slower than this mobile flagship. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45384, which is 1.3% higher, while the NVIDIA RTX A6000 scores 44075, which is 1.6% lower. These comparisons show that the RTX 4070 Ti is positioned at a performance tier where small margins separate it from its direct competitors.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities, such as its 40.09 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 626.4 GTexel/s texture rate, are reflected in the measured FPS. The data shows that the card is capable of delivering over 300 FPS at 1080p with Low settings, demonstrating its immense headroom when the workload is light. The transition to 4K Ultra, which yields 56 FPS, shows that the card can be pushed to its limits, but it still remains above the threshold for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Minimum?

A: The highest average frame rate is 326 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this configuration run Minimum at 4K resolution with playable performance?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160 resolution, the average FPS is 73 on High settings, 87 on Medium, and 56 on Ultra. All of these are above the standard 30 FPS playability threshold, and the High and Medium presets offer smooth experiences.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its closest rival, the RTX 5090 Mobile?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 44795, while the RTX 5090 Mobile scores 45152. This represents a -0.8% delta, meaning the RTX 4070 Ti is slightly slower than the mobile RTX 5090 in these benchmarks.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Ultra and Low settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 resolution, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 103 FPS, while the Low preset achieves 211 FPS. This means the Low preset provides a 104.9% higher frame rate than the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. The frame rate drops from 1440p to 4K are roughly proportional to the increase in pixel count (a 2.25x increase in pixels results in a ~45% drop in FPS), which is a characteristic of a GPU-bound workload.

Q: Does the game support high refresh rates at 1080p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows that at 1920x1080, all settings presets achieve average frame rates well above 144 Hz. The High preset delivers 210 FPS, Medium 250 FPS, and Low 326 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti pairing holds a rank of 511 out of 3712 total combos for Minimum. This places it in the top 13.8% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a high-end desktop setup. The rank reflects the combination's ability to deliver high frame rates across all resolutions, though it is not at the absolute top tier where more powerful or specialized hardware might reside.

The ranking is a holistic metric that considers performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The combo's ability to maintain an average FPS above 56 at 4K Ultra is a significant factor in its high position. The fact that it achieves over 200 FPS at 1080p on High settings further solidifies its standing. This rank suggests that for the vast majority of users, this configuration will provide an excellent gaming experience in Minimum.

When considering the components individually, the CPU's percentile rank of 94 (meaning it is faster than 94% of all CPUs) and the GPU's percentile rank of 84 combine to create a system that is well-balanced. The CPU's high single-threaded performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160, ensures that it can feed the GPU with enough data at lower resolutions where CPU load might be higher. The combo's overall rank of 511 indicates that while it is a very capable setup, there are 510 other combinations that achieve higher average performance in this specific title, likely featuring more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 or newer generations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K plays a supporting but essential role in the performance of this combination. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it provides ample parallel processing power for the game's engine and background tasks. Its boost clock of 5.60 GHz is critical for maintaining high frame rates, particularly at 1080p where the CPU is more likely to be a limiting factor. The CPU's high single-thread performance, as demonstrated by its Geekbench single-core score of 2569, is vital for the main game logic thread which often cannot be parallelized effectively.

The CPU's cache hierarchy, including 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core, helps reduce memory latency and improves data access efficiency. This is particularly important in a game like Minimum, where rapid data retrieval and processing are required. The CPU's support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, with a dual-channel memory bus, allows for flexible system configurations that can match the GPU's performance.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 326, which is a very high number that requires a CPU capable of processing the game's simulation and render commands quickly enough to feed the GPU. The i7-14700K's performance in the Passmark single-thread test (score of 4472) and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 indicate it has the necessary single-threaded horsepower to avoid being a bottleneck at this level.

The CPU's benchmark scores show it is a top-tier processor. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 places it in a high performance tier, with its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, scoring 69515 (a -0.2% delta). The CPU's average benchmark score of 69355 puts it at the 94th percentile of all CPUs. This performance ensures that in GPU-bound scenarios, such as at 4K, the CPU has plenty of headroom to handle the game's logic without impacting frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following breakdown presents the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

At 1920x1080, the Low settings preset yields the highest average frame rate of 326 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 250 FPS, with a minimum of 212 FPS and a maximum of 287 FPS. The High preset achieves 210 FPS, while the Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 160 FPS. This shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the Low preset being 103.8% faster than the Ultra preset.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 211 FPS. The Medium preset follows with 161 FPS, having a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 185 FPS. The High preset delivers 135 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 103 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 104.9%, which is consistent with the 1080p results.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only one that surpasses the 100 FPS mark, averaging 113 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. The High preset delivers 73 FPS, while the Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 56 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 50.9% decrease in frame rate, indicating the heavy load placed on the GPU at this resolution.

The data for the Medium preset is the only one that includes minimum and maximum FPS values across all three resolutions. At 1080p, the range is from 212 to 287 FPS; at 1440p, it is from 137 to 185 FPS; and at 4K, it is from 74 to 100 FPS. The consistency of the average FPS within these ranges suggests stable performance without significant frame-time spikes. The lack of min/max data for other presets limits a full analysis of frame pacing, but the available data points to a well-optimized experience.