Minimum

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a combination that lands in the lower-middle tier of the database for Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The data shows this combo ranks 1229 out of 1733 tested combinations, placing it in the 29th percentile of all systems. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU’s age and 8 GB VRAM capacity create a significant bottleneck, particularly at higher resolutions and quality presets. Benchmark results indicate that this system is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, but it struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s overall rank of 1229 out of 1733 reflects a system where the components are mismatched in capability. The CPU, Intel Core i7-14700KF, is a powerhouse in synthetic tests, scoring 44557 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 52425 in Passmark multithread. Its percentileVsAllCpus of 96 indicates it outperforms 96% of all processors in the database. However, the GPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, only reaches a percentileVsAllGpus of 63, with an average benchmark score of 19774. This places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (0.3% ahead) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (0.5% behind), showing that the GPU is a mid-range part from a previous generation.

This imbalance means that in Minimum, the frame rate is almost entirely dictated by the GPU. The CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads are largely idle during gameplay, as the game’s engine does not scale to utilize them fully. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 5.60 GHz boost clock provide excellent single-thread performance, which is adequate for the game’s logic, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 84 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, that number plummets to 26.5 FPS, a 68% drop. This demonstrates that the system is heavily GPU-bound, and the CPU’s high scores in benchmarks like Passmark Integer Math (183056) and Floating Point Math (134393) do not translate into proportional gaming gains.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process node. Its memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The base clock is 1470 MHz, boosting to 1650 MHz. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the GPU’s 7.181 TFLOPS FP32 performance reflects that. In the database, it scores 16462 in Passmark G3D and 2011 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, with a percentileVsAllGpus of 63.

In Minimum, the GPU’s role is critical, as the game’s frame rate scales almost linearly with resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 169.2 FPS, which is excellent. However, at 4K Low, the average FPS drops to 59.4, showing that even at the lowest settings, the 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and 34 RT cores are not leveraged by this game, which was released in 2014 before these features were common. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint, as the CPU’s performance headroom is never fully utilized. The gap between 1080p High (110.2 FPS) and 4K High (38.9 FPS) is 71.9 FPS, a clear sign that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and pixel rate (105.6 GPixel/s) are overwhelmed at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo capable of running Minimum at 4K?*

A: The data shows it is not viable for smooth gameplay at 4K. The average FPS at 4K Ultra is 26.5, and at 4K High it is 38.9. Only at 4K Low does it reach 59.4 FPS, which is marginal. The 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K resolutions.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER’s average benchmark score is 19774. It is 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706), 0.5% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (19680), and 0.8% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (19623). Performance is effectively identical to these cards.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the sweet spot. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 127.4 FPS, and at 1080p High it reaches 110.2 FPS. Both are well above the 60 FPS threshold, making 1080p the only resolution where all settings are playable.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The i7-14700KF has a percentileVsAllCpus of 96, while the GPU has a percentileVsAllGpus of 63. The frame rates drop significantly with resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: How does the combo rank overall?

A: It ranks 1229 out of 1733 tested combinations. This places it in the 29th percentile, meaning roughly 71% of tested combos perform better in Minimum.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields 110.4 FPS, while Ultra yields 55.1 FPS. This represents a 55.3 FPS difference, showing that Ultra settings cut performance nearly in half.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo scales across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is capable of high frame rates. The Low preset averages 169.2 FPS, which is exceptional. Medium settings drop to 127.4 FPS, and High settings produce 110.2 FPS. Ultra is the most demanding, with an average of 84 FPS. All 1080p results are above 60 FPS, making this resolution fully playable at any preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably. Low settings average 110.4 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium settings yield 85.5 FPS, and High settings produce 73.1 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 55.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the GPU is struggling with the higher pixel count. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is a 55.3 FPS reduction, showing a significant performance cost for high-quality graphics.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. Low settings average 59.4 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings drop to 44.3 FPS, High settings to 38.9 FPS, and Ultra to 26.5 FPS. These results show that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo, as even the lowest preset cannot maintain a stable 60 FPS. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K, and the data confirms this with the severe frame rate drops.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with the High preset. This yields an average of 110.2 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p produces 84 FPS, which is also playable, but the 26.2 FPS difference between High and Ultra suggests diminishing returns for the extra visual fidelity.

For users who prioritize frame rate over visual quality, the 1080p Low preset at 169.2 FPS is the best choice, as it provides the smoothest experience with the highest headroom for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 127.4 FPS is a middle ground that still exceeds 120 FPS, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, the Low preset at 110.4 FPS is recommended, as it is the only setting that maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The High preset at 73.1 FPS is acceptable, but Ultra at 55.1 FPS should be avoided.

At 4K, the data suggests that no preset provides a satisfactory experience. The Low preset at 59.4 FPS is borderline, but the Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 45 FPS, which is not playable for a third-person shooter. The recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combo, or to accept significant compromises in visual quality. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is the limiting factor, and the benchmark results show that the system is best utilized at 1080p, where it can deliver a high-performance experience across all settings.