Minimum

Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter, is an interesting case study in hardware scaling because its age means modern components are rarely the bottleneck. This analysis examines the specific pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, using measured frame rate data to isolate where the performance ceiling lies. The data shows a clear narrative: at lower resolutions, the CPU has ample headroom, while at 4K, the GPU's architectural limits become the defining factor. This combination ranks 1326th out of 1733 tested combos, placing it in the lower percentile of tested configurations for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, revealing a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 165.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 107.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 58 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160, the average drops to 56.5 FPS, meaning the move from 1080p to 4K nearly cuts the frame rate by two-thirds. This dramatic scaling indicates that the RX 5700 XT is working at its limit, and the CPU's ability to feed frames is not a limiting factor.

The scaling pattern is similar at High settings, where the average FPS goes from 107.7 at 1080p to 69.0 at 1440p, and then down to 35.0 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe (from 69.0 to 35.0, a ~49% reduction) than the drop from 1080p to 1440p (from 107.7 to 69.0, a ~36% reduction). This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU hitting a memory bandwidth or fill-rate wall, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, demanding more from the 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth and the 64 ROPs.

Ultra settings present the worst-case scenario, with the 4K average falling to just 25.5 FPS. This is barely playable and confirms that the combination is not suited for maximum fidelity at 4K. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 31 FPS (56.5 vs 25.5), showing that the GPU's rendering workload is the primary driver of performance variance. In contrast, the CPU is so powerful that its performance ceiling is never reached; this is a textbook case of the GPU being the sole limiting component as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 49872 and a single-core score of 7040. However, in Minimum, these specifications are largely irrelevant. The game, released in 2014, simply does not utilize the parallel processing power of 24 cores, nor does it require the sheer single-thread speed of 6.00 GHz to hit high frame rates.

The data supports this conclusion. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 165.8 FPS. Even if the CPU were a generation older, the frame rate would likely be similar, as the GPU is still capable of producing over 160 frames per second. The CPU's role becomes more about maintaining a stable frame pacing rather than being the primary producer of frames. With a PassMark single-thread score of 4697 and a Cinebench R20 single-core score of 2956, the i9-14900K is overqualified for this task.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 97 (vs all CPUs) and its average benchmark score of 79824 place it near the top of its class, but this does not translate to a proportional advantage in Minimum. Compared to its nearest rivals, the AMD EPYC 7413, the i9-14900K is essentially tied, with a deltaPct of -0.3. This indicates that even a server-class EPYC processor would perform similarly in this game, reinforcing that the game's engine is not CPU-bound in a way that differentiates between high-end desktop chips. The bottleneck is squarely on the GPU, and the CPU's massive L3 cache of 36 MB and dual-channel memory support are more than sufficient to handle the game's data streaming.

FAQ

Q: Is the frame rate in Minimum limited by the CPU or the GPU?

A: The data shows the GPU is the limiting factor at all tested resolutions. The frame rate drops significantly from 165.8 FPS at 1080p Low to 56.5 FPS at 4K Low, a pattern that indicates a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's performance headroom is never fully utilized, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores not translating into higher frame rates at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Minimum with this hardware?

A: For a smooth experience, 1080p is the best choice. At Low settings, the average FPS is 165.8, and even at High settings, it remains above 100 FPS at 107.7. Playing at 1440p is viable on Low settings (107.8 FPS), but Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 51.4 FPS, which may feel less fluid. 4K is only playable on Low settings at 56.5 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT's memory configuration affect 4K performance?

A: The RX 5700 XT has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25.5, suggesting that the memory subsystem and the GPU's compute units are overwhelmed by the high-resolution textures and effects, leading to a severe performance penalty.

Q: Is the i9-14900K's high core count beneficial for this game?

A: No. The game's engine, released in 2014, does not scale with the 24 cores and 32 threads of the i9-14900K. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as frame rates are dictated by the GPU's performance at every resolution and settings combination.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1326th out of 1733 total tested combos. This places it in the lower half of the database for this specific game, which is expected given the GPU's age and its limitations at higher resolutions, despite the CPU being a top-tier component.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1326 out of 1733 places this pairing in the 23rd percentile of all tested combinations for Minimum. This low ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, but rather the GPU's inability to keep pace with modern high-refresh-rate demands at higher resolutions. The i9-14900K is a top-tier processor, but the RX 5700 XT is an older mid-range card that was released in 2019. The pairing is unbalanced for this game, creating a significant bottleneck.

The ranking is likely dragged down by the 4K results. While the 1080p performance is respectable, the 4K Ultra average of 25.5 FPS is a poor showing. Many other combos with newer GPUs will achieve higher frame rates at 4K, pushing this combo down the list. The GPU's percentile ranking of 68 (vs all GPUs) and its average benchmark score of 24731 indicate it is a mid-pack performer, and its nearest rivals (NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile, Intel Arc A350M) have similar average scores. This confirms that the GPU is the weak link in the chain.

In practical terms, this rank suggests that users with this combo should not expect to play Minimum at maximum settings on a 4K monitor. The system is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates. The data shows that to improve this ranking, a GPU upgrade would be necessary; the CPU would not need to be changed.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, based on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. It features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Its performance in Minimum is characterized by a steep drop-off as resolution increases. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is a key factor; while it is sufficient for 1080p, the demands of 4K textures and effects can push the memory capacity to its limits, though the frame rate data suggests compute and bandwidth limits are more critical.

The GPU's raw compute power is rated at 9.754 TFLOPS FP32, but this is not enough to sustain high frame rates at 4K Ultra, where the average is 25.5 FPS. The texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s are the defining specs for this workload. At 4K, the number of pixels to fill quadruples, and the 64 ROPs become a bottleneck, leading to the significant FPS drop. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is also a limiting factor, as the GPU must access more data per frame at higher resolutions.

The GPU's performance is consistent with its PassMark G3D score of 16277, which places it in the 68th percentile. It is not a high-end card. The measured FPS data shows that it is best utilized at 1080p, where it can deliver 165.8 FPS on Low settings. At 1440p, it is still capable of above 100 FPS on Low, but its limitations become apparent on High and Ultra settings. The GPU's architecture is the primary reason for the combo's low ranking, as it cannot match the performance of newer GPUs in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. Low settings yield an average of 165.8 FPS, Medium drops to 131.4 FPS, and High maintains a strong 107.7 FPS. Ultra settings are the only configuration that dips below 100 FPS, with an average of 79.8 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for this combo, offering high refresh rates on most settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably. Low settings average 107.8 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium settings average 80.6 FPS, and High settings average 69.0 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 51.4 FPS, which may be borderline for some users. The data shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as settings increase.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmed. Low settings average 56.5 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. Medium settings drop to 47.4 FPS, High to 35.0 FPS, and Ultra to a stuttery 25.5 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is harsh, with a 31 FPS difference. This data confirms that 4K gaming is not a target for this hardware configuration, and users should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best experience. The measured data is clear: the RX 5700 XT is the primary determinant of performance, and its capabilities are exhausted at 4K.