Minimum

# Minimum: Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER

This combination of an Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 439th out of 2,939 tested combos in Minimum, placing it comfortably in the top 15% of all systems evaluated. The pairing leverages a 14-core Arrow Lake desktop processor with a 12 GB Ada Lovelace GPU, and the measured frame rates show this is a high-refresh 1440p machine that can also handle 4K at playable speeds. The data indicates a well-balanced system where neither component becomes an obvious bottleneck across the tested resolution and settings matrix.

How This Combo Ranks

The 439th position out of 2,939 combos puts this build in the 85th percentile of all tested configurations in Minimum. That is a strong result for a mid-to-high-end pairing, though not an elite one. The CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all processors tested, while the GPU holds the 83rd percentile among all graphics cards, so the overall combo ranking is roughly in line with what those individual percentiles would suggest. The system is not overperforming its components, but it is also not underperforming them.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals clarifies its position. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, a 0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, a -0.1% difference). The AMD EPYC 4364P (45,970) and EPYC 7303 (45,960) trail by 0.2%. This means the Ultra 5 235 sits in a tightly packed group of processors where a single benchmark run could reorder the top five. For Minimum, the practical takeaway is that the CPU is more than sufficient for the game's demands, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at lower resolutions where CPU overhead matters most.

The GPU's nearest rivals tell a similar story. The RTX 4070 SUPER averages 43,223 in benchmark scores, trailing the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43,262) by 0.1% and the RTX 5050 Mobile (43,268) by 0.1%. The Quadro M6000 non-24GB version (43,301) is 0.2% ahead, and the RTX 4090 Mobile (43,667) leads by 1%. These are not meaningful gaps in gaming terms, and the RTX 4070 SUPER's 83rd percentile ranking reflects a card that is competitive with much newer mobile hardware despite being an end-of-life desktop product.

In the context of Minimum, the combo ranking of 439 suggests that roughly 85% of tested systems deliver lower performance. That is a decisive advantage for this build, especially considering the game's 2014 release date means it does not stress modern hardware as heavily as contemporary titles. The system has headroom in both CPU and GPU, which shows in the FPS numbers.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the AD104 chip using TSMC's 5 nm process, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. It ships with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1,313 MHz (21 Gbps effective), while the GPU base clock is 1,980 MHz and boost reaches 2,475 MHz. The card has 7,168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, along with 56 ray tracing cores and 224 tensor cores.

For Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014, the GPU's raw rasterization power is the primary driver of performance. The 12 GB VRAM is far more than this game needs at any resolution, so memory capacity is not a limiting factor in any tested configuration. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is also ample for a title of this era. What matters more is the card's fill rate and shader throughput: 198.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 35.48 TFLOPS FP32 performance. These figures explain why the card can push 1080p frame rates well beyond 200 FPS and still maintain playable 4K performance.

The GPU's benchmark results reinforce its capabilities. It scores 29,995 in Passmark G3D, 17,108 in Passmark GPU Compute, and 172,795 in Geekbench OpenCL. The Vulkan score of 205,624 is notably higher, suggesting the card handles modern APIs well, though Minimum predates widespread Vulkan adoption. The DirectX 12 score of 110 in Passmark is modest, but again, this game's engine is not heavily reliant on DX12 features. The RTX 4070 SUPER's 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of installed graphics cards, which is why this combo achieves such high frame rates in a game that is not particularly demanding by modern standards.

The GPU's power characteristics are worth noting for system planning. The card has a 220 W TDP and requires a 550 W suggested PSU, with a single 16-pin power connector. It is a dual-slot design measuring 267 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 42 mm in width, so it fits in most mid-tower cases. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface is backward compatible and does not bottleneck this card in any meaningful way.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor from the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The chip includes 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth, and it provides 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. The integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU is present but irrelevant for gaming with a discrete GPU installed.

For Minimum, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The 14 threads are more than enough for a 2014 title, and the 5.00 GHz boost clock ensures strong single-threaded performance, which matters for older game engines that often rely on one or two primary threads. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 4,516 is strong, and its multithread score of 37,816 indicates plenty of headroom for background tasks while gaming.

The CPU's Cinebench scores provide context for its overall capability. It scores 1,488 in R15 multicore and 210 in single-core, 6,202 in R20 multicore and 875 in single-core, and 14,769 in R23 multicore and 2,085 in single-core. These numbers place it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs. The nearest rivals are all within 0.2% of its average score, so the Ultra 5 235 is firmly in the upper tier of desktop processors.

In Minimum, the CPU's impact is most visible at 1080p Low settings, where the system achieves 310 FPS average. That figure is likely CPU-limited in the sense that the GPU could render even more frames if the CPU could feed it faster, but 310 FPS is far beyond what any display can show, so the practical ceiling is the monitor's refresh rate. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU's contribution is to ensure frame times remain consistent without stutters. The 14 cores also help maintain smooth minimum frame rates in busy scenes, as evidenced by the Medium settings data showing minimums of 202 FPS at 1080p and 130 FPS at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates span three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive picture of how this combo performs in Minimum.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system delivers playable performance across all presets. Low settings produce 108 FPS average, Medium yields 82 FPS average with a minimum of 70 and maximum of 95, High drops to 69 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 53 FPS average. The jump from Low to Medium costs 26 FPS, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 16 FPS. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 82 FPS is the sweet spot, offering smooth gameplay with a 70 FPS minimum that stays above typical VRR thresholds. Ultra at 53 FPS is playable on a 60 Hz display but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system performs exceptionally well. Low settings achieve 200 FPS average, Medium delivers 153 FPS average with a minimum of 130 and maximum of 176, High produces 128 FPS average, and Ultra still manages 98 FPS average. The Medium preset at 153 FPS is ideal for 144 Hz monitors, providing a 130 FPS minimum that ensures smooth motion. High at 128 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays, and Ultra at 98 FPS is perfectly playable on 100 Hz panels. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 51% performance drop, which is typical for increasing graphics complexity.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system delivers extremely high frame rates that will exceed virtually any display's refresh rate. Low settings produce 310 FPS average, Medium delivers 237 FPS average with a minimum of 202 and maximum of 273, High achieves 199 FPS average, and Ultra still reaches 152 FPS average. Even at Ultra settings, the 152 FPS average exceeds most 144 Hz monitors' capabilities. The Medium preset's 202 FPS minimum ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay well above 144 FPS. At this resolution, the system is overkill for Minimum, but the data shows consistent performance scaling without any anomalies.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: Yes. The measured results show 69 FPS average at 4K High and 53 FPS at 4K Ultra. For smoother 4K gameplay, the Medium preset delivers 82 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum.

*Q: What is the best resolution for this system in Minimum?*

A: The 1440p Medium preset provides the best balance, with 153 FPS average and a 130 FPS minimum. This ensures smooth gameplay on high-refresh monitors while maintaining good visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER scores 43,223 on average, which is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43,262) and 0.1% behind the RTX 5050 Mobile (43,268). It trails the RTX 4090 Mobile (43,667) by 1%.

*Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in Minimum?*

A: No. The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 310 FPS average, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently even at very high frame rates.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average is 152 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This is above the refresh rate of most standard monitors, so the experience will be smooth on 144 Hz displays.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4070 SUPER have, and is it enough?

A: The card has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. This is far more than Minimum requires at any tested resolution, and it provides headroom for more demanding games as well.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K displays, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. The 82 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum provides smooth, consistent gameplay, and the visual jump from Low to Medium is significant. The High preset at 69 FPS is acceptable if you prioritize image quality, but the 13 FPS drop from Medium may cause occasional dips below 60 FPS in busy scenes. Ultra at 53 FPS is only advisable on a 60 Hz display with no VRR, as the lack of a reported minimum suggests potential for noticeable frame drops.

For 1440p, the Medium preset offers the best experience at 153 FPS average with a 130 FPS minimum. This is ideal for 144 Hz monitors, as the minimum stays above the refresh rate. If you have a 165 Hz or 240 Hz display, the High preset at 128 FPS is still smooth, but you will not fully utilize the monitor's capabilities. Ultra at 98 FPS is a viable option for 100 Hz displays, offering the best visual quality while maintaining playable frame rates. Low at 200 FPS is only useful for competitive play where maximum frame rate matters more than visuals.

For 1080p, the Medium preset at 237 FPS average is the best choice for most users. It provides excellent visual quality while maintaining frame rates that exceed all but the most extreme high-refresh displays. The 202 FPS minimum ensures no drops below 200 FPS in most scenarios. High at 199 FPS is also excellent if you prefer slightly better visuals, and Ultra at 152 FPS is still above 144 Hz, making it a reasonable choice for 144 Hz monitors. Low at 310 FPS is unnecessary unless you are competing in esports and want absolute maximum frame rates.

The overall recommendation is to play at 1440p Medium for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The measured data shows this preset delivers 153 FPS average with a 130 FPS minimum, which is smooth on any monitor up to 144 Hz and leaves headroom for recording or streaming. If you must play at 4K, choose Medium to stay above 70 FPS minimum, and if you are on a 1080p display, any preset from Medium upward will provide an excellent experience.