Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a high-end combination that delivers a wide range of performance in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. Based on the measured frame rates, this system is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but capable of extremely high refresh rates at 1080p. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance across the four tested presets, with the most balanced experience appearing at Medium settings for 4K, while High settings provide the best mix of visual quality and speed for lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific configuration, the optimal preset depends entirely on your target resolution and refresh rate. At 3840x2160, the data suggests that High is the sweet spot for a playable experience, delivering an average of 62 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. While Medium offers a higher average of 74 FPS, the jump to High provides a substantial visual improvement for a relatively modest performance cost of 12 FPS. Ultra at 4K is not recommended, as the average drops to 47 FPS, which can feel less fluid in a fast-paced shooter. Low at 4K is viable at 97 FPS, but the visual compromise is likely too steep for a game that can run at higher fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system has ample headroom. High is the recommended setting here, achieving 115 FPS average. This provides a great balance for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, typically 120Hz or 144Hz. Medium is also an option at 137 FPS, but High's visual upgrade is worth the 22 FPS difference. Ultra at 1440p is playable at 88 FPS, but it doesn't offer the same smoothness as High. Low at 179 FPS is excessive for most 1440p displays, which usually max out at 165Hz or 240Hz, making the graphical sacrifices unnecessary.

At 1920x1080, the CPU begins to play a more significant role, but the GPU still has massive headroom. High settings are the best choice, delivering a stellar 179 FPS average. This is perfect for 1080p monitors with 144Hz or 165Hz refresh rates. Medium is even faster at 213 FPS, which would benefit 240Hz panels, but again, High is the more balanced choice for most users. Ultra at 136 FPS is also perfectly playable and offers the best image quality, but it introduces a more significant performance drop. Low at 278 FPS shows the absolute ceiling of the system but is not practical for normal gameplay due to the severe visual downgrade. For the best overall experience, prioritize High settings at any resolution, falling back to Medium only if you need to push a 240Hz display at 1080p or want more headroom at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the dominant component in this system for Minimum. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for a game from 2014. The GPU's high core clocks, with a boost of 2970 MHz and a game clock of 2400 MHz, are key to its performance. The data shows that as resolution increases, the GPU's workload scales dramatically, confirming it as the primary bottleneck at 4K.

The GPU's 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs are likely the main drivers of the high frame rates seen at 1080p. The 48.66 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than enough to handle the game's DirectX 12 rendering. The RX 9070 XT's performance is strong, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Interestingly, its average benchmark score of 13543 puts it statistically in the same tier as much older cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, which show a deltaPct of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively, though this is a reflection of the benchmark suite's scoring, not real-world gaming performance. The data suggests that the GPU is never the limiting factor at 1080p, but it becomes the clear bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 47.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the GPU-bound nature of this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 179 at 1920x1080 to 115 at 2560x1440, and finally to 62 at 3840x2160. This represents a 35.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 46.1% drop from 1440p to 4K. This stark decline is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The rendering workload is increasing faster than the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity can handle as pixel count grows.

A similar pattern is visible at Medium settings, where FPS drops from 213 at 1080p to 137 at 1440p (a 35.7% drop) and then to 74 at 4K (a 46.0% drop). The proportional decreases are nearly identical across settings, which further confirms that the GPU is the consistent limiting factor. At Low settings, the drop is 278 to 179 to 97, showing the same trend. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 10 threads boosting to 4.90 GHz, is clearly capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the 278 FPS at Low settings, but its performance headroom is not the issue here. The RX 9070 XT simply cannot maintain 4K frame rates at the same level as it does at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is derived directly from the measured results for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 278 FPS average. This is the absolute peak performance of the system, showing no apparent CPU or GPU limitation.
• Medium: 213 FPS average, with a minimum of 181 FPS and a maximum of 245 FPS. This is a solid step down from Low but still exceptionally fast.
• High: 179 FPS average. This is the recommended setting for a balance of visual quality and high refresh rate performance.
• Ultra: 136 FPS average. This is still very playable and offers the best visual fidelity, but shows a significant cost over High.

2560x1440:

• Low: 179 FPS average. The system still has massive headroom at this resolution with the lowest settings.
• Medium: 137 FPS average, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 158 FPS. The frame times are consistent, suggesting a stable experience.
• High: 115 FPS average. This is the optimal choice for 1440p, providing smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors.
• Ultra: 88 FPS average. This remains playable but is noticeably slower than High, indicating the GPU is working harder.

3840x2160:

• Low: 97 FPS average. This is surprisingly high for 4K and shows the GPU is still capable, but the visual quality is compromised.
• Medium: 74 FPS average, with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS. This provides a stable 60+ FPS experience.
• High: 62 FPS average. This is the best-looking playable option at 4K, just barely hitting the 60 FPS mark.
• Ultra: 47 FPS average. This is not recommended for smooth gameplay, as the frame rate drops below the 60 FPS threshold.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K 60 FPS?*

A: Yes, but not at the highest settings. The measured data shows a 62 FPS average at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is just above 60 FPS. Medium settings provide a safer margin at 74 FPS, while Ultra drops to 47 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck for this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The frame rate drops significantly from 1080p to 4K (e.g., 179 FPS to 62 FPS at High settings) while the CPU's 10 cores and 4.90 GHz boost clock are likely not the limiting factor at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p 144Hz monitor?

A: High settings are recommended, as they deliver a 115 FPS average. This is close to the 144Hz refresh rate and provides a much better visual experience than Medium (137 FPS) or Low (179 FPS).

Q: How does the RX 9070 XT compare to its rivals in general benchmarks?

A: According to the database, the RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 13543. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, have scores of 13536 and 13515, respectively, with a deltaPct of 0.1% and 0.2%. This indicates a statistical tie in these specific synthetic tests.

Q: Is the Ultra preset at 1080p a good choice?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 is a viable option, delivering a 136 FPS average. This is still high enough for a smooth experience on most 1080p displays, though it is a 24% performance drop compared to High settings.

Q: How much performance is lost when going from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance loss is substantial. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 179 at 1920x1080 to 62 at 3840x2160, which is a reduction of approximately 65%. This confirms the game is heavily GPU-dependent at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 plays a supporting role in this configuration. With 10 cores and 10 threads running at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, it is a capable modern processor. The data indicates that it does not bottleneck the GPU at 1080p, as the system achieves a very high 278 FPS at Low settings. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache likely helps maintain consistent frame pacing.

The CPU's general performance is solid, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 36938 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018), with deltaPct values of 0% and -0.2% respectively. This suggests that the CPU is not a differentiator in this game. However, its high single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3655 score in Cinebench R23 single-core, is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in a 2014 title that may not fully utilize all 10 cores. The CPU's performance is sufficient to keep up with the RX 9070 XT at all settings and resolutions tested, with the GPU becoming the sole limiting factor as the resolution increases. The 65W TDP and Intel Socket 1851 platform make it a practical choice for a high-performance gaming rig.