Minimum

Minimum is a 2014 third-person shooter that remains a solid stress test for modern hardware, and this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces a fascinating dataset. The RTX 4090 is an absolute monster of a GPU, sitting in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 125H is a mobile chip that, while capable, sits in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. This creates a bottleneck dynamic that is clearly visible in the measured frame rates across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system where the GPU is rarely the limiting factor until you push to 4K, and where the CPU's performance ceiling becomes the primary governor of your final frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, but the pattern reveals exactly where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p Low, the system produces an average of 280 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, that average drops to 180 FPS, a 36% reduction. Jumping to 4K Low, the average falls to 97 FPS, which is another 46% drop. These are massive scaling losses that would normally point to a GPU-bound scenario. However, the RTX 4090 is so powerful that it is unlikely to be the sole cause of these dips. Instead, the data suggests a hybrid situation.

Look at the Ultra preset scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 137 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 88 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it plummets to 48 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 36%, and from 1440p to 4K it's another 45%. These are nearly identical percentages to the Low preset scaling, which is a critical clue. If the game were purely GPU-bound at all resolutions, we would expect the higher-resolution Ultra preset to show a more pronounced drop-off than the lower-resolution Low preset, as the GPU's pixel-pushing workload would increase exponentially. The fact that the scaling is consistent across presets points to a more complex interaction.

The most likely interpretation is that the RTX 4090 is so fast that it outpaces the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H's ability to feed it at 1080p. The CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, which is why the frame rates are high but not as astronomical as the GPU could theoretically produce. As you increase the resolution to 1440p and then 4K, the GPU's workload increases, and the bottleneck shifts from the CPU to the GPU. The similar percentage drops suggest that at 1080p, the CPU is holding back performance, and as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiter, resulting in a smooth transition of the bottleneck. The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS shows a clear GPU-bound scenario, as even the strongest CPU would struggle to make this combination exceed that mark with the amount of work required per frame.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy of performance. For a competitive or high-refresh-rate experience, the Low preset is the clear winner. At 1080p, it delivers 280 FPS, which is well beyond the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. Even at 1440p, the Low preset's 180 FPS is exceptional and provides a massive competitive advantage. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p is a significant 76 FPS decrease (from 280 to 214 FPS), which is a 27% performance penalty. While the Medium preset likely offers better visual fidelity, the data suggests that for pure speed, Low is the only option if you want to maximize your frame rate.

For a more balanced experience, the Medium preset offers a compelling middle ground. At 1080p, it produces 214 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth. At 1440p, the Medium preset's 138 FPS average with a minimum of 117 FPS provides a very stable experience for most gamers. The data shows that the minimum FPS for Medium is notably higher than the average FPS for Ultra at the same resolution, suggesting that the Medium preset provides a more consistent frame pacing. The High preset sits between Medium and Ultra, offering 180 FPS at 1080p and 116 FPS at 1440p. It appears to be a reasonable step up from Medium, but the measured 4K High result of 62 FPS is the only preset other than Ultra that drops below the 100 FPS mark at that resolution.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and the data suggests it is best reserved for 1080p or for players who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate. At 1080p, the 137 FPS average is still very playable, but at 1440p, the 88 FPS average starts to feel less fluid for a fast-paced shooter. The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS is the only measured row that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the only setting that could be considered not fully playable. Given that the RTX 4090 is one of the most powerful GPUs available, the fact that it cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra in this title indicates that the game's engine or the CPU is imposing a hard limit. For the best experience per the measured rows, the Medium preset at 1440p appears to be the sweet spot, balancing a high average FPS with a solid minimum FPS, while the Low preset at 1080p is the undisputed king for e-sports level responsiveness.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth, with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. It has 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, with a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. These specifications are staggering, and the benchmark data reflects that power. It sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc Pro A60 and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, are all within 0.3% of its score, showing that the 4090 is at the top of the consumer heap.

In the context of Minimum, the GPU's role is complex. The 24 GB of VRAM is far more than this 2014 title requires, meaning that memory capacity is never a concern. The memory bandwidth, however, is crucial. The 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth is what allows the GPU to handle the high-resolution textures and effects that the Ultra preset likely throws at it. The data shows that the GPU is capable of producing 280 FPS at 1080p Low, which is an incredible achievement. However, the GPU's raw power is often constrained by the CPU.

The fact that the RTX 4090's nearest rivals in the benchmark database are professional workstation cards, not gaming cards, highlights its extreme performance. Yet, in this game, the measured FPS at 4K Ultra is only 48 FPS. This is not a limitation of the GPU's cores or clock speeds, but rather a result of the game's engine and the CPU's ability to feed it. The GPU is waiting for data. The 48 FPS at 4K Ultra is likely a hard cap imposed by the game's engine or a severe CPU bottleneck at that resolution. The GPU's high pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s are not being fully utilized. The data indicates that the RTX 4090 is operating at a fraction of its potential in this title, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU is the primary constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset paints a clear picture. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers a blistering 280 FPS average. The Medium preset drops to 214 FPS, with a minimum of 182 FPS and a maximum of 246 FPS. The High preset averages 180 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 137 FPS. This shows a linear progression of performance cost as you increase visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down predictably. The Low preset produces 180 FPS. The Medium preset averages 138 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS. The High preset averages 116 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 88 FPS. The performance gap between High and Ultra at 1440p (116 vs 88 FPS) is a 24% penalty, which is significant.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. The Low preset averages 97 FPS. The Medium preset averages 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS. The High preset averages 62 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 48 FPS. The step from Low to Medium at 4K is a 23 FPS drop, and the step from High to Ultra is a 14 FPS drop. The minimum FPS of 63 for the Medium preset is noteworthy, as it indicates that even the lowest frame rate is above the 60 FPS threshold. The fact that the Ultra preset cannot break 50 FPS at 4K is a clear indicator of the game's engine limitations or the CPU bottleneck, as the RTX 4090 is capable of far more.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H bottlenecking the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. The consistent percentage drops in FPS between 1080p and 1440p across all settings (roughly 36%) indicate that the CPU is limiting performance at 1080p, preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential. The RTX 4090 can produce 280 FPS at 1080p Low, but this is likely below its theoretical maximum, and the CPU is holding it back.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to play at a competitive level?

A: The data shows that 1080p with the Low preset is the optimal choice for maximum frame rate, delivering 280 FPS. If you prefer a higher resolution, 1440p with the Low preset still offers a very high 180 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. The 4K resolution is not recommended for competitive play, as the highest average FPS you can achieve is 97 on the Low preset.

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with a smooth experience?

A: It depends on your definition of smooth. The data shows that at 4K, only the Low preset (97 FPS) and Medium preset (74 FPS) achieve an average above 60 FPS. The High preset averages 62 FPS, which is borderline, and the Ultra preset averages 48 FPS, which is not a smooth experience for a shooter. You will need to sacrifice some visual quality to maintain a high frame rate at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its closest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, scores 60,326, a delta of 0%. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60,140, a 0.3% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896, which is 2.5% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657, which is 2.9% lower. The 4090 is essentially at parity with these workstation cards in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Medium and Ultra presets?

A: The penalty for using Ultra over Medium is substantial. At 1080p, the difference is 77 FPS (214 vs 137 FPS). At 1440p, the difference is 50 FPS (138 vs 88 FPS). At 4K, the difference is 26 FPS (74 vs 48 FPS). The data indicates that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns for a large performance cost.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM necessary for this game?

A: No, the data does not suggest that VRAM capacity is a limiting factor. Minimum is a 2014 title, and 24 GB of VRAM is far more than it can realistically use. The performance differences between settings are more likely due to shading complexity and texture filtering than memory capacity. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s is more relevant to its ability to push high frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores are respectable, putting it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27,507. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, which scores 27,535 (a -0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i5-12600K, which scores 27,578 (a -0.3% delta). This places the 125H on par with a solid desktop CPU from a few generations ago.

In the context of Minimum, the CPU's role is critical. The data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are not scaling as high as the GPU would allow. The 280 FPS at 1080p Low is a high number, but the RTX 4090 is capable of more. The CPU is the limiting factor here. The 125H's single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,647.5, is decent but not exceptional. In a game like Minimum, which is a third-person shooter, the main game thread is often the bottleneck.

The passmark single-thread score of 3,399 reinforces this. The CPU's performance in physics (PassMark physics score of 1,439) and integer math (69,986) are also relevant, as games rely on these for game logic and AI. The multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12,804.5 and a PassMark multithread score of 21,100, shows that the CPU can handle many tasks, but this doesn't help if the main game thread is the limiting factor. The data indicates that the 125H is powerful enough to prevent severe frame drops, as seen in the minimum FPS for Medium settings, but it is not powerful enough to feed the RTX 4090 at 1080p. The bottleneck shifts to the GPU at 1440p and 4K, allowing the GPU to become the limiting factor, but the CPU's influence is still felt in the overall frame rate ceiling.