Minimum

Minimum, the 2014 third-person shooter, presents a fascinating case study in hardware scaling when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700. The benchmark data indicates that this combination is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the CPU's capabilities become increasingly relevant as resolution drops. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to explain where the bottleneck lies and how to get the best experience from this specific hardware pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern: performance degrades as resolution increases, confirming that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 214 FPS, which drops to 138 FPS at 1440p and further to 74 FPS at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, a steep decline that points directly at the GPU's rendering load as the culprit.

The scaling behavior shifts dramatically when examining higher quality presets. At Ultra settings, the average FPS falls from 105 at 1080p to 68 at 1440p (a 35% drop), and then to 36 at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The percentage losses between resolutions are not uniform, which suggests that the game's Ultra preset introduces effects that disproportionately tax the GPU's 96 ROPs and 2560 shading units as pixel count increases. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra costs 37 FPS, while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs 32 FPS — the diminishing returns of pixel density are evident, but the absolute frame rates become critically low at 4K.

What is particularly telling is the comparison between Low and Ultra at the same resolution. At 1080p, the gap between Low (214 FPS) and Ultra (105 FPS) is 109 FPS, meaning Ultra delivers just 49% of the Low preset's performance. At 4K, that gap narrows to 38 FPS (74 FPS vs 36 FPS), with Ultra delivering 48.6% of Low's performance. This consistency suggests that the CPU is not introducing a significant bottleneck even at 1080p, as the Intel Core Ultra 5 235's 14 cores and 5.00 GHz boost clock are sufficient to feed the GPU at high frame rates. The data indicates that Minimum is a heavily GPU-bound title for this pairing, with the RX 7700's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth being the decisive factor in performance scaling.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS on High settings?

A: According to the measured data, 2560x1440 with High settings delivers an average of 89 FPS, while 3840x2160 with High settings drops to 48 FPS. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1440p is the highest resolution that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS on High.

Q: How much performance is lost when switching from Low to Ultra at 1080p?

A: The measured FPS at 1920x1080 shows Low averaging 214 FPS, Medium at 164 FPS, High at 137 FPS, and Ultra at 105 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 109 FPS, meaning Ultra delivers roughly half the frame rate of Low.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any point?

A: The data suggests no significant CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 214 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would typically stress a CPU. Given that the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has a PassMark single-thread score of 4516 and a multithread score of 37816, it appears well-matched to keep the GPU fed.

Q: Is the RX 7700's 16 GB VRAM sufficient for 4K Ultra in this game?

A: The VRAM capacity is not the limiting factor here. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 36 FPS, which is a performance issue related to the GPU's compute capabilities rather than memory capacity, as the 16 GB GDDR6 buffer is more than adequate for a 2014 title.

Q: How does the 4K Medium preset compare to 1440p Ultra in terms of average FPS?

A: The data shows 4K Medium averaging 57 FPS, while 1440p Ultra averages 68 FPS. The 1440p Ultra preset delivers 11 more FPS on average, making it the better choice for visual fidelity and smoothness.

Q: What is the min FPS on Medium settings across resolutions?

A: The measured min FPS values for Medium settings are 139 at 1080p, 90 at 1440p, and 48 at 4K. These minimums indicate that frame pacing remains stable, with no severe stutters, even at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the undisputed driver of performance in Minimum for this system. Its specifications reveal why: the GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz, with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. These figures translate to a PassMark G3D score of 20974, placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, which is a mid-range standing that aligns with the measured frame rates.

The GPU's memory subsystem plays a critical role in the resolution scaling observed. The 256-bit bus and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show the GPU's pixel throughput limits. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 36 FPS, which is below the 48 FPS seen at 4K High and the 57 FPS at 4K Medium. This progression highlights how the RX 7700's 96 ROPs struggle to rasterize the increased pixel count, despite having ample VRAM headroom. The GPU's 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 compute power is the theoretical peak, but real-world rendering efficiency in Minimum is what dictates the measured results.

The RX 7700's nearest rivals provide context for its performance tier. The data shows it is 1.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in average benchmark score, 1% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 9060, and 1.1% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500. This places the RX 7700 in a competitive mid-range bracket, which is consistent with the 4K results that hover around playable-but-not-smooth territory. The GPU's 16 GB VRAM is a forward-looking feature, but for a 2014 game, it is not a limiting factor; the compute and ROP throughput are what determine the FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all presets. Low settings average 214 FPS, making the game exceptionally fluid. Medium settings yield 164 FPS with a min of 139 and max of 188, indicating tight frame pacing. High settings average 137 FPS, while Ultra drops to 105 FPS. All 1080p presets exceed 100 FPS, meaning the user has full freedom to choose visual quality without sacrificing smoothness on a 144Hz display.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the impact of higher pixel counts becomes visible. Low settings average 138 FPS, which is still high. Medium settings average 106 FPS, with a min of 90 and max of 121, providing a stable experience for high-refresh monitors. High settings average 89 FPS, which is good for 1440p. Ultra settings average 68 FPS, which is the first preset to dip below the 70 FPS threshold, but it remains playable on a 60Hz display.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings average 74 FPS, which is adequate. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a min of 48 and max of 65, indicating that frame drops are noticeable but not catastrophic. High settings average 48 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings average 36 FPS, a figure that is too low for a comfortable experience, especially in a third-person shooter where quick camera movements are common. The data shows that 4K is only viable at Low or Medium settings for this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1298th out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the 44th percentile of all system configurations, which is a solidly mid-pack result. The ranking reflects that while the GPU is capable at 1080p and 1440p, its 4K performance drags the overall score down, as the combo's average FPS across all settings and resolutions is heavily weighted by the demanding 4K results.

The CPU's contribution to this rank is notable. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.1% slower). This high CPU percentile ensures that the processor is never the bottleneck, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential. The ranking is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-range capabilities, not the CPU's.

The GPU itself, with an average benchmark score of 15852, sits in the 58th percentile, which is a more accurate predictor of the combo's rank. The measured FPS data aligns with this: the system is capable of high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but it falls short of the top-tier combos at 4K. In the context of all tested systems, this combo is positioned for gamers who prioritize high refresh rates at 1440p over 4K fidelity.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data supports using Ultra settings as the default choice. The combo averages 105 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a visually rich experience. If a higher refresh rate is desired, Medium settings at 164 FPS are an excellent compromise, as the jump to Low (214 FPS) yields diminishing returns in smoothness for a significant loss in visual quality. The 1080p High preset at 137 FPS is also a strong option, but Ultra offers more visual fidelity for only a 32 FPS sacrifice.

At 1440p, the recommendation depends on the display's refresh rate. For a 60Hz monitor, Ultra settings at 68 FPS are the best choice, as they deliver the highest visual quality while staying above the 60 FPS target. For a 144Hz display, Medium settings at 106 FPS are optimal, as they provide a much smoother experience than High (89 FPS) or Ultra (68 FPS), with only a moderate reduction in graphical fidelity. Low settings at 138 FPS are viable but not recommended, as the visual downgrade is substantial.

At 4K, the options are limited. Medium settings at 57 FPS are the best balance, as they provide a playable frame rate with decent visual quality. Low settings at 74 FPS are smoother but significantly less detailed. High (48 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are not recommended for a good experience, as the frame rates dip below the 50 FPS threshold where responsiveness suffers. For this combo, 4K gaming in Minimum should be reserved for Medium or Low settings, with a preference for Medium to maintain visual coherence.