Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a robust performance profile in Minimum, a 2014 Third-Person Shooter. The benchmark data shows this combination is highly capable, with performance scaling that shifts from a GPU-bound scenario at 4K to a more CPU-influenced state at 1080p. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all resolutions and settings indicate a system that can comfortably handle the game’s demands, though the relationship between resolution, settings, and frame rate reveals distinct bottlenecks.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable degradation in average FPS as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation is telling. At 1080p High, the combo produces an average of 193 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 124 FPS, a reduction of 69 FPS. This signifies a significant reliance on the GPU as pixel count increases. The scaling continues to 4K High, where the average falls to 67 FPS, another 57 FPS reduction from the 1440p figure.

This pattern strongly indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiting component as resolution climbs. The performance delta between 1080p and 1440p is a 35.8% decrease, while the delta between 1440p and 4K is a 46.0% decrease. This non-linear drop suggests that the RX 7900 XT’s compute and memory bandwidth are being increasingly taxed by the higher pixel throughput demands of 4K. The CPU, while capable, is not the primary constraint at these higher resolutions.

At 1080p, the scaling pattern changes. The gap between Low (300 FPS) and High (193 FPS) is substantial, but the jump from High to Ultra (147 FPS) is less severe. This compression at the higher end of the settings range, combined with the very high absolute frame rates, hints that the CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads are starting to play a more significant role. The CPU is likely hitting a ceiling in terms of draw call processing and game logic at these elevated frame rates, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs.

The 4K data provides a final piece of evidence. The difference between 4K Medium (80 FPS) and 4K High (67 FPS) is a 13 FPS drop, while the difference between 4K High and 4K Ultra (51 FPS) is a 16 FPS drop. This shows that Ultra settings, likely with more demanding visual effects, place an extreme load on the GPU. The system is firmly GPU-bound at 4K, and the resolution is the primary factor determining performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the dominant factor in this system’s gaming performance. Its role is most clearly defined by its memory subsystem and clock speeds. The GPU is equipped with 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s. This high bandwidth is crucial for feeding the 5376 shading units at 4K resolutions, where texture data and frame buffers are massive. The data supports this, as the 4K results, while lower than other resolutions, remain playable, indicating the memory subsystem is not a catastrophic bottleneck.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also a relevant factor. The boost clock is listed as 2394 MHz, with a game clock of 2025 MHz. The game clock is the more representative figure for sustained gaming loads. The results show that at 1440p and 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to produce very high frame rates, suggesting it is operating near its potential. However, the benchmark scores for the GPU are moderate. The Passmark G3D score is 29009, and its percentile vs all GPUs is 55. This suggests that while the card is powerful, it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy, which is consistent with the 4K Ultra result of 51 FPS.

The GPU's 84 RT cores and 192 ROPs are part of its architecture, but the game Minimum is from 2014 and likely does not use ray tracing. The ROPs are more relevant, as they handle pixel output. At 4K Ultra, the pixel rate of 459.6 GPixel/s is evidently not enough to maintain a high frame rate with all settings maxed. The data shows that dropping from Ultra to High at 4K yields a 16 FPS improvement, highlighting how sensitive the card is to the most demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of the entire benchmark database, this specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 521 out of 2939 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the 82.3rd percentile, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of systems tested. This is a strong showing, indicating that the pairing of the Core Ultra 5 235 and RX 7900 XT is well-balanced for this title.

The CPU itself has a percentile of 89 vs all CPUs, and an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which has an average score of 46030, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Core i9-13900HX is also close, scoring 46098, a delta of -0.1%. This shows the Ultra 5 235 is a very competitive processor in general compute tasks.

The GPU, however, has a lower percentile of 55 vs all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 13745. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M, a much lower-tier integrated GPU, with a delta of -0.5%. This is a surprising comparison and suggests that the average benchmark score for the RX 7900 XT is not representative of its gaming prowess, or the benchmark suite is heavily weighted toward tasks where the card does not excel. The strong combo rank in Minimum despite this, however, confirms that for this specific game, the hardware combination is highly effective.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system excels. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 300 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 230 FPS, with a minimum of 195 FPS and a maximum of 264 FPS, showing a stable frame rate. High settings produce 193 FPS on average. Pushing to Ultra settings, the average drops to 147 FPS. Even at the most demanding setting at this resolution, the frame rate is exceptionally high.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very strong. Low settings produce an average of 193 FPS, identical to 1080p High. Medium settings yield 148 FPS on average, with a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 170 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 124 FPS. Ultra settings are still playable, with an average of 95 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. Low settings achieve an average of 104 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings yield 80 FPS on average, with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 67 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 51 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for a 144Hz monitor?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 124 FPS, which is below 144. However, the Medium preset at the same resolution provides an average of 148 FPS, which is above the 144 FPS target. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 193 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, it can. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 80, and with High settings, it is 67. Both are playable. However, the Ultra preset at 4K drops to 51 FPS average, which may be too low for some users seeking high refresh rates.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Medium and High settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset has an average FPS of 230, while High has an average of 193. This is a 37 FPS difference, or about a 16% reduction in performance for the higher preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes more of a factor at 1080p. The frame rates are exceptionally high (193 FPS on High, 300 FPS on Low), and the scaling from High to Ultra (a 46 FPS drop) is less severe than the scaling from Low to High (a 107 FPS drop). This indicates the CPU may be limiting the maximum achievable frame rate.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset?

A: The data includes minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset at all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 195 FPS. At 2560x1440, the minimum is 126 FPS. At 3840x2160, the minimum is 68 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combos?

A: This specific Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination ranks 521 out of 2939 tested combos for Minimum. This means it performs better than the majority of systems in the database for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For users with a 1080p 60Hz display, the Ultra preset at 1920x1080 provides an average of 147 FPS, which is more than sufficient and offers the best visual fidelity. For those with a 1080p 144Hz or higher monitor, the High preset at 193 FPS is a better choice to maximize refresh rate, though it sacrifices some visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is a strong recommendation. It provides an average of 148 FPS, which is smooth for most displays, and the minimum of 126 FPS ensures it will not dip below playable levels. The High preset at 124 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of performance and visual quality for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For 4K, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. At 3840x2160, it achieves an average of 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS, providing a smooth and consistent experience. The High preset at 67 FPS is also playable, but the Medium preset's higher average and minimum frame rates make it the safer choice for maintaining smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is not recommended for 4K, as its 51 FPS average may result in noticeable stuttering in a fast-paced Third-Person Shooter.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a significant, though secondary, role in this system's gaming performance. It features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This Arrow Lake-S architecture processor has a 24 MB shared L3 cache. In Minimum, a game from 2014, the CPU's job is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls.

The benchmark data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. However, at 1080p, the CPU's influence becomes more apparent. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves an average of 300 FPS, while the High preset achieves 193 FPS, suggests the CPU is capable of handling a high volume of instructions. Yet, the difference between 1080p High (193 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (147 FPS) is relatively modest, which could indicate that the CPU is nearing its limit in terms of processing the additional draw calls and effects associated with the Ultra preset.

The CPU’s general performance is strong, with a Passmark Single Thread score of 4516 and a Multithread score of 37816. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 14769. These numbers confirm it can handle the game's logic. The data suggests that in less demanding scenes, the CPU is sufficient to feed the GPU even at high frame rates. However, in complex scenes at 1080p Ultra, the CPU's 14 threads may be the constraint preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential. For this title, the CPU provides a solid foundation that allows the GPU to shine, especially at resolutions above 1080p.