Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER combination delivers a robust experience in Minimum, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The data indicates this pairing ranks in the 88th percentile of tested configurations, offering high refresh rate capability at 1440p and playable 4K performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo holds a rank of 449 out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it firmly in the upper tier of configurations for this title. This ranking reflects a balanced pairing where neither component becomes a systematic bottleneck at the tested settings.

Benchmark results show the CPU and GPU both sit near the top of their respective categories. The processor's average benchmark score of 46062 places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the graphics card's average score of 31087 puts it in the 76th percentile of all GPUs. This creates a platform where the GPU is the primary performance driver, but the CPU provides ample headroom.

The CPU's nearest rivals illustrate its competitive positioning. It scores within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and within 0.2% of both the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303. The Intel Core i9-13900HX is the only listed rival with a higher average score, edging out the Ultra 5 235 by just 0.1%. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming scenarios, meaning the processor's performance class is highly consistent with its direct competitors.

For the GPU, the deltaPct values against its nearest rivals show a slight deficit. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is 0.4% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 and GRID M60-1Q, and 1.4% behind the RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell. The gap widens to 1.9% versus the NVIDIA TITAN RTX. These differences are minor, yet they establish the GPU's position as slightly below the top-tier of its immediate performance class.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER carries the primary rendering load in this combination. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for the texture and geometry demands of a third-person shooter at high resolutions.

The GPU's clock behavior is notable. With a base clock of 2340 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz, the card sustains high operating frequencies under load. This clock headroom directly contributes to the measured frame rates, particularly at 1440p where the GPU is the dominant performance factor.

The card's compute capabilities are substantial. It delivers 44.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and equally matched FP16 throughput at a 1:1 ratio. The 8448 shading units and 264 texture mapping units provide the raw processing power needed for complex shader workloads common in modern third-person shooters.

Memory bandwidth proves critical at 4K resolution. The 672.3 GB/s figure allows the card to maintain playable frame rates even at 3840x2160, where the data shows an average of 73 FPS on High settings. This bandwidth also explains why the performance drop from 1440p to 4K is moderate rather than severe, as the memory subsystem prevents the GPU from stalling on data requests.

The GPU's 285 W TDP and triple-slot cooler design suggest thermal headroom for sustained gaming sessions. The card's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface is fully compatible with the CPU's platform, ensuring no bandwidth limitation between the two components.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot. At Medium settings, the combo achieves 162 FPS average with a minimum of 138 FPS, while High settings yield 136 FPS. Both provide smooth gameplay with margin above typical display refresh rates.

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

A: Yes, but with settings management. At 3840x2160, High settings produce 73 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 56 FPS. Low settings push the average to 114 FPS, indicating the GPU has sufficient headroom for 4K at medium quality presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 scores within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and AMD EPYC 4364P, and within 0.1% of the Intel Core i9-13900HX. These differences are effectively negligible for gaming performance.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER sits in the 76th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M5000, scores 0.4% higher, while the TITAN RTX leads by 1.9%.

Q: Does the combo favor high refresh rate or high resolution gameplay?

A: The data indicates both are viable. At 1920x1080, the combo reaches 329 FPS on Low settings and 211 FPS on High. At 2560x1440, it maintains 212 FPS on Low and 136 FPS on High, making it suitable for 144Hz monitors at both resolutions.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1440p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 136 at 2560x1440 to 73 at 3840x2160, representing a 46% reduction. At Low settings, the drop is from 212 to 114 FPS, a 46% reduction as well.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo demonstrates exceptional performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 329 FPS, Medium reaches 252 FPS with a minimum of 214 and maximum of 290, High delivers 211 FPS, and Ultra still maintains 161 FPS. These figures indicate that 1080p resolution is heavily CPU-limited in this title, as the GPU has substantial unused headroom at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show GPU dependency. Low settings average 212 FPS, Medium reaches 162 FPS with a range of 138 to 187, High attains 136 FPS, and Ultra drops to 104 FPS. The minimum frame rate of 138 FPS at Medium settings suggests consistent frame pacing without significant stutters.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 114 FPS, Medium reaches 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 101, High produces 73 FPS, and Ultra falls to 56 FPS. The 4K results show a predictable scaling pattern where each settings tier reduces performance by approximately 20-25%.

The Medium settings rows provide the most complete data, including minimum and maximum frame rates at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the 214 FPS minimum versus 290 FPS maximum shows a variance that indicates occasional dips, but these remain well above playable thresholds. The 1440p Medium row shows a tighter 138 to 187 FPS range, while 4K Medium spans 74 to 101 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that Medium settings offer the optimal balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. At every resolution, Medium provides a significant frame rate uplift over High while maintaining acceptable visual fidelity for a 2014 third-person shooter.

For 1920x1080 users, the choice is between chasing maximum frame rates or visual quality. Low settings at 329 FPS serve competitive players who prioritize responsiveness, but High at 211 FPS already exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors. Ultra at 161 FPS remains viable for those wanting maximum detail.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings at 162 FPS represent the best experience. The 138 FPS minimum ensures consistent gameplay even during intense action sequences. High settings at 136 FPS are also acceptable, but the reduction to a 104 FPS average at Ultra may cause noticeable dips on high refresh rate displays.

For 3840x2160, Medium settings at 87 FPS provide the smoothest 4K experience. The 74 FPS minimum remains above console-level performance, while High at 73 FPS sits right at the edge of playability. Low settings at 114 FPS offer a competitive alternative for 4K users who prioritize frame rate over graphical detail.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 provides substantial processing headroom for this gaming workload. With 14 cores and 14 threads, the processor handles the game's threading requirements without becoming a limiting factor at most settings. The absence of hyperthreading means each core operates independently, which suits the parallel workloads typical of modern game engines.

The processor's clock speeds are well-suited for gaming. With a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, the CPU can rapidly scale performance for single-threaded tasks while maintaining high throughput for multi-threaded workloads. This is reflected in benchmark scores showing 2085 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 14769 in multi-core.

The 24 MB of shared L3 cache provides fast access to frequently used game data, reducing memory latency. The CPU's DDR5 memory support with dual-channel configuration delivers 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which prevents memory bandwidth from becoming a constraint even when the GPU is fully utilized.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all processors indicates it outperforms the vast majority of installed CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-13900HX, scores nearly identically, confirming that the Ultra 5 235 sits at the top of the performance hierarchy for gaming.

At 1080p resolution, the CPU's influence becomes apparent. The jump from 211 FPS at High settings to 329 FPS at Low settings shows the CPU can feed the GPU with enough frames to reach very high frame rates. However, at 4K resolution, the GPU's workload dominates, and the CPU's role diminishes as frame rates drop below thresholds where CPU limitations would appear.

The processor's 65 W TDP suggests efficient power delivery, and its 3 nm process node from TSMC contributes to lower operating temperatures. This efficiency allows the CPU to maintain boost clocks for extended periods, ensuring consistent performance during long gaming sessions.