Minimum

The data for Minimum with the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 shows a configuration that is heavily skewed by the GPU's immense power, yet constrained by the mobile processor's characteristics at lower resolutions. The measured frames per second across the twelve tested scenarios reveal a clear hierarchy where the graphics card dominates at 4K, but the CPU begins to assert its influence as resolution drops. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, the role of each component, and how this specific pairing ranks among the 2,939 tested combinations.

Resolution Scaling

The progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling, though the magnitude of the performance drop is particularly steep. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 180 FPS at 1080p to 116 FPS at 1440p, then further to 62 FPS at 4K. This represents a 65.5% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the RTX 4090 is being progressively saturated as pixel count increases. The Low preset shows an even more dramatic decline, moving from 280 FPS at 1080p to 180 FPS at 1440p and finally to 97 FPS at 4K—a 65.4% drop overall.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the system is not purely GPU-limited. The jump from Low to High at 1080p costs exactly 100 FPS (280 to 180), but the difference between Medium and Ultra at the same resolution is 77 FPS (214 to 137). This non-linear scaling hints at a bottleneck that shifts with settings. At 4K, the differences compress: Low delivers 97 FPS, Medium 74 FPS, High 62 FPS, and Ultra 48 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 49 FPS at 4K, whereas at 1080p that spread is 143 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions is the signature of a GPU that is becoming the sole limiting factor, as the CPU's job of feeding frames becomes relatively easier compared to the GPU's rendering workload.

For the Medium preset, which is the only one with min and max FPS data, the scaling tells a similar story. At 1080p, the average is 214 FPS with a minimum of 182 and maximum of 246. At 1440p, the average drops to 138 FPS (min 117, max 159), and at 4K it falls to 74 FPS (min 63, max 86). The min-to-max range shrinks proportionally as resolution increases, from a 64 FPS spread at 1080p to a 23 FPS spread at 4K. This tighter variance at higher resolutions indicates more consistent frame pacing, which is typical when the GPU is working at near-full capacity rather than being interrupted by CPU-side stalls.

The limiting component analysis points to the RTX 4090 being the primary constraint at 3840x2160, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H becomes more relevant at 1920x1080. The 4K Ultra preset's 48 FPS average is particularly telling—it is the only scenario that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so despite the GPU's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The game's 2014 release date suggests it is not pushing modern rendering techniques, yet the sheer pixel throughput at 4K still overwhelms even this flagship GPU. The data shows that for smooth 4K gameplay, users must select the Low preset (97 FPS) or Medium preset (74 FPS), as High and Ultra dip to 62 FPS and 48 FPS respectively.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average FPS is 280, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the only scenario that exceeds 250 FPS, and it is 100 FPS higher than the High preset at the same resolution.

Q: Does the RTX 4090 maintain 60 FPS at 4K across all settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 97 FPS, Medium averages 74 FPS, and High averages 62 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 48 FPS, falling below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p averages 214 FPS, while at 4K it averages 74 FPS. This represents a 65.4% reduction in average frame rate, or a loss of 140 FPS.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 599 out of 2,939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the top 20.4% of all configurations.

Q: Which preset provides the most stable frame pacing at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 has a min FPS of 117 and a max FPS of 159, resulting in a 42 FPS spread. This is the only 1440p setting with min/max data, so it is the most documented option.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H scores 1,700 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which aligns with its overall benchmark percentile of 81. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, has an average score that is 0.1% lower, indicating nearly identical single-thread capability.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a mobile processor with 14 cores and 18 threads, built on the Meteor Lake architecture using Intel's 7 nm process. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz, boosting up to 4.60 GHz, and it carries 18 MB of shared L3 cache. In Minimum, these specifications translate into a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11,875.5 and a single-core score of 1,700. The multi-core result is 7 times higher than the single-core result, which is expected given the 14-core configuration.

The CPU's role in this game becomes evident when examining the 1080p data. At Low settings, the RTX 4090 pushes 280 FPS, but at Ultra settings, it falls to 137 FPS. This 143 FPS gap is not entirely attributable to GPU load; some of it reflects the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and process game logic. The PassMark single-thread score of 3,521 and multithread score of 22,422 suggest that the processor is capable of feeding the GPU at high frame rates, but the 4.60 GHz boost clock is a limiting factor compared to desktop CPUs with higher clock speeds.

The CPU's 28 W TDP is notably low for a processor that must keep pace with a 450 W GPU. This power envelope means the Ultra 5 135H is designed for sustained mobile workloads, not extreme burst performance. In Minimum, this manifests as a ceiling around 280 FPS at 1080p Low, which is impressive but not class-leading. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, has an average benchmark score that is 0.1% lower, suggesting thermal or power constraints are not significantly hurting this Intel part in synthetic tests. However, the Intel Core i5-13500HX is 0.6% faster on average, indicating that slightly higher power limits can yield marginal gains.

The 18 threads are adequate for a 2014 title like Minimum, which likely does not scale beyond a handful of cores. The PassMark physics score of 1,482 is modest, but this workload is more dependent on single-thread performance. The data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU's rendering load dominates, but it does constrain maximum frame rates at 1080p. For users prioritizing high refresh rates at lower resolutions, the CPU's 14 cores provide enough headroom, though the 4.60 GHz boost is the practical limit.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 599 out of 2,939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the 79.6th percentile, meaning it outperforms roughly 79.6% of all tested configurations. The ranking is notable because the RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product with a successor already released, yet it still delivers top-tier performance in this game.

To contextualize this rank, consider the individual components. The CPU has a percentile of 81 against all CPUs, and the GPU has a percentile of 88 against all GPUs. The combined rank of 599 is lower than the GPU's individual percentile, which suggests that the CPU is dragging down the overall result. If the CPU were faster, the combo would likely rank higher, especially at 1080p where the CPU's influence is strongest. The GPU's nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, has a zero percent delta in average score, but that comparison is for synthetic benchmarks, not gaming performance.

The combo's rank of 599 out of 2,939 means there are 598 configurations that perform better. Given the RTX 4090's raw power, those higher-ranked combos almost certainly feature faster desktop-class CPUs. The Ultra 5 135H's 18 MB of L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for most games, but Minimum's 2014 engine may not be optimized for hybrid architectures like Meteor Lake. The PassMark data shows the CPU excels at integer math (73,509) and floating-point math (54,867), but these strengths do not directly translate to gaming frame rates.

The ranking also reflects the game's age. Minimum was released in 2014, and its engine likely does not utilize the RTX 4090's ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are effectively idle, meaning the 16,384 shading units are doing all the work. This is why the combo ranks in the top 20% rather than the top 5%—the hardware is overkill for the game's demands, and the CPU becomes a relatively larger factor than in modern titles.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users, the High preset at 180 FPS offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance, especially for 144 Hz or 165 Hz monitors. The Ultra preset at 137 FPS is also viable, but the 43 FPS drop from High may not justify the visual gains. The Low preset at 280 FPS is only necessary for 240 Hz or 360 Hz displays, where every frame counts.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 116 FPS, which is adequate for 120 Hz displays. The Medium preset at 138 FPS provides smoother motion, but the 22 FPS difference is modest. The Ultra preset at 88 FPS is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The Low preset at 180 FPS is the best choice for high-refresh 1440p monitors, as it maintains a large margin above 144 FPS.

At 4K, the recommendations shift dramatically. The Low preset at 97 FPS is the only option that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 74 FPS is acceptable, but the High preset at 62 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 48 FPS falls below playable thresholds for most users. Given the 2014 game's age, the visual difference between Low and Ultra is unlikely to be substantial, so the Low preset is the recommended choice for 4K gaming. The Medium preset offers a compromise at 74 FPS, with a min FPS of 63 that stays above 60.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max measurements, making it the most predictable option. At 1080p, it averages 214 FPS with a min of 182, ensuring no drops below 180 FPS. At 1440p, it averages 138 FPS with a min of 117, and at 4K, it averages 74 FPS with a min of 63. This consistency makes Medium the safest choice for users who cannot tolerate frame rate dips, even if High offers better visuals.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset for this combo covers three resolutions and four settings, yielding twelve measured scenarios. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves an average of 97 FPS, Medium averages 74 FPS (min 63, max 86), High averages 62 FPS, and Ultra averages 48 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 49 FPS, which is the smallest of any resolution, confirming the GPU-bound nature at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 180 FPS, Medium averages 138 FPS (min 117, max 159), High averages 116 FPS, and Ultra averages 88 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 92 FPS, which is larger than at 4K but smaller than at 1080p. The High preset at 116 FPS is notably close to the 120 FPS target, while Ultra at 88 FPS leaves headroom for 90 Hz displays.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 280 FPS, Medium averages 214 FPS (min 182, max 246), High averages 180 FPS, and Ultra averages 137 FPS. The Low-to-Ultra gap is 143 FPS, the largest of all resolutions. This indicates that the CPU is more involved at 1080p, as the GPU is not yet saturated. The Medium preset's min FPS of 182 is higher than the High preset's average of 180, showing that Medium offers better frame pacing than High despite the naming convention.

The data reveals that the High preset is consistently the least efficient choice. At every resolution, High is closer to Ultra than to Medium in frame rate, yet it does not offer the visual fidelity of Ultra. For example, at 1440p, High averages 116 FPS while Ultra averages 88 FPS—a 28 FPS difference—but Medium averages 138 FPS, which is 22 FPS higher than High. This suggests that the High preset is poorly optimized or that the settings curve is non-linear.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this configuration, with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its 16,384 shading units operate at a boost clock of 2520 MHz, delivering 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The 5 nm process node from TSMC allows for 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, making it one of the largest consumer GPUs ever produced.

In Minimum, the GPU's performance is stellar but not fully utilized. The 4K Low preset at 97 FPS demonstrates that even a 2014 title can stress the RTX 4090 at high resolutions, but the 1080p Low preset at 280 FPS shows the GPU's ceiling is far above what this game demands. The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are irrelevant for this title, as the game likely does not use ray tracing or DLSS. This means the GPU's raw rasterization power is the sole contributor to frame rates.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 60,347, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, has a zero percent delta, but that comparison is for synthetic workloads. In gaming, the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM is overkill for Minimum, which likely uses less than 4 GB even at 4K Ultra. The 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, however, ensures that texture streaming is never a bottleneck, even at 4K with high-resolution assets.

The GPU's role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. The 4K Ultra preset at 48 FPS is a clear GPU limitation, as the pixel fill rate of 443.5 GPixel/s is being taxed by the 8.3 million pixels of 4K. The texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s is also a factor, but the game's age means texture complexity is low. The GPU's 450 W TDP and triple-slot design are justified by these results, though the end-of-life production status suggests newer parts may offer similar performance with lower power draw. The 1x 16-pin power connector and 850 W suggested PSU are typical for this class of GPU, but the data shows that for Minimum, a less powerful GPU could achieve similar 1080p results.