Minimum

Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and AMD Radeon 890M combination. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is heavily constrained by its integrated graphics, with the CPU demonstrating significant headroom that is never fully utilized at any resolution or quality preset. This analysis breaks down the performance data, focusing on how the system scales, where its limitations lie, and what users can expect from this specific hardware pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K exposes a severe bottleneck in the AMD Radeon 890M. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 84 FPS, which is the highest score in the dataset. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings drops the average to 54 FPS, a reduction of 30 FPS. This trend continues at 4K, where the average plummets to 29 FPS. The scaling is linear and punishing, indicating that the GPU is running out of pixel processing capacity as resolution increases.

The data reveals a stark contrast between settings at 4K. At 3840x2160, the difference between Low (29 FPS) and Ultra (14 FPS) is a 15 FPS gap, which represents a performance loss of over 50%. This demonstrates that the Radeon 890M’s 32 ROPs and 5.939 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are simply insufficient for 4K rendering, regardless of the visual complexity. The 4K Ultra result of 14 FPS is effectively unplayable, and even the 4K Low result of 29 FPS falls below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay.

The scaling pattern from 1080p to 1440p is more moderate but still significant. For instance, at High settings, the drop from 54 FPS at 1920x1080 to 35 FPS at 2560x1440 is a 19 FPS loss. This indicates that while 1440p might be playable on lower presets, it is not a comfortable resolution for this iGPU. The data strongly suggests that 1080p is the target resolution for this combination, as it is the only resolution where the system can consistently push frame rates above 60 FPS, and even then, only on lower settings. The 4K results, with averages as low as 14 FPS, confirm that this resolution is beyond the capabilities of the Radeon 890M.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with playable frame rates. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 84 FPS, which is the smoothest result in the entire dataset. However, for users seeking a better visual experience, the Medium preset at 1080p still provides a respectable 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 55 FPS, ensuring that frame pacing remains consistent. This makes 1080p Medium the best overall recommendation for a playable and visually improved experience.

The High preset at 1080p yields a 54 FPS average, which is playable but noticeably less smooth than Medium. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 41 FPS, which is a significant compromise for marginal visual gains. At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, which is acceptable, but the Medium preset falls to 41 FPS, and the High preset to 35 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, users are limited to 1080p with Low or Medium settings. The data indicates that the Ultra preset is not a viable option at any resolution, as it only manages an average of 27 FPS at 1440p and 41 FPS at 1080p.

The benchmark results indicate that the "best experience" is achieved by prioritizing frame rate over visual extremes. The one percent lows, where provided, support this. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 55 FPS, which is a solid margin above the 30 FPS territory often associated with stuttering. In contrast, the Medium preset at 1440p shows a minimum of 35 FPS, which is closer to the edge of comfortable playability. Therefore, the analysis points to 1920x1080 with Medium settings as the sweet spot, offering double the performance of 4K Ultra and a stable frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its benchmark scores are substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34731 and a single-core score of 4903. This places the CPU in the 91st percentile of all tested processors, indicating a very high level of performance. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this game.

The nearest rivals in CPU performance include the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and the Intel Core i7-14700, with the Core Ultra 5 235HX performing within 0.4% of these chips in average benchmark scores. This high level of compute performance is largely irrelevant in Minimum because the frame rates are so heavily dictated by the GPU. The passmark physics score of 2550 and the passmark single-thread score of 4683 indicate a processor capable of handling complex game logic and physics calculations with ease.

Given the low frame rates observed, particularly at 4K where the average is below 30 FPS, the CPU is clearly waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames. If the Radeon 890M were replaced with a more powerful discrete GPU, the 235HX would have ample headroom to push much higher frame rates. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and the 102.4 GB/s of dual-channel memory bandwidth provide a solid foundation, but the integrated graphics' dependency on system memory for VRAM likely contributes to the performance ceiling. The CPU's role here is one of a capable, underutilized partner.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Minimum, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and the AMD Radeon 890M ranks 2767 out of 2939 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 6% of all configurations, a low position that reflects the GPU's limitations rather than the CPU's capabilities. The ranking is a direct consequence of the iGPU's performance, which lags far behind dedicated solutions.

The Radeon 890M itself sits in the 45th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Vega 8 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, with the 890M performing within 1% of these older or lower-tier parts. This context is crucial: the 890M is not a low-end part in absolute terms, but it is positioned as a mid-range integrated solution that cannot compete with the discrete GPUs that dominate the top of the combo ranking list. The combination's rank of 2767 highlights that while the CPU is in the top 10% of processors, the overall gaming performance is dragged down by the GPU.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for a specific niche: lightweight or older titles at lower resolutions. In a demanding game like Minimum, the combo's rank reflects the reality that the GPU is the bottleneck. Users with this setup will experience performance similar to that of systems with a Radeon Vega 8 or a GTX 960, according to the benchmark scores. The high CPU rank is a silver lining, suggesting that the system has potential for future upgrades or for CPU-intensive tasks outside of gaming.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is the primary determinant of gaming performance in this combo. It is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, featuring 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Its boost clock is rated at 2900 MHz, which enables a peak FP32 throughput of 5.939 TFLOPS. While these specifications are respectable for an iGPU, they are insufficient for the demands of Minimum at high resolutions.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning its performance is heavily dependent on the system's RAM and memory bandwidth. This shared memory architecture is a significant bottleneck, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for bandwidth. The 4K performance, which averages between 14 and 29 FPS across all settings, is a clear indicator of this limitation. The GPU's texture rate of 185.6 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 92.80 GPixel/s are theoretical maximums that are unlikely to be sustained in a real-world scenario with shared memory.

The benchmark data for the GPU shows a Passmark G3D score of 8076, placing it in the 45th percentile. Its performance is nearly identical to that of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, with a delta of only -0.7%. This comparison is telling, as the GTX 960 is a dedicated desktop GPU from a previous generation. The Radeon 890M's ability to match this older card confirms the efficiency of the RDNA 3.5 architecture, but it also sets a hard ceiling on gaming performance. In Minimum, this ceiling translates to playable frame rates only at 1080p with lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Minimum?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can achieve an average of over 60 FPS, specifically 84 FPS on Low settings. At 2560x1440, the highest average is 54 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it drops to 29 FPS.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Radeon 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210, which is within 1% of the AMD Radeon Vega 8 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. Its performance delta is -0.1% and -0.7% against these two parts, respectively.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX a bottleneck in this game?

A: No, the benchmark results indicate it is not. The CPU has a high Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34731 and ranks in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The low frame rates are attributed to the GPU's limitations, not the processor.

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K?

A: Technically, yes, but the performance is not playable. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 29 on Low settings, and it drops to 14 FPS on Ultra. All 4K results fall below the standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: What are the frame rates for the Medium preset at different resolutions?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS. At 2560x1440, it averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS. At 3840x2160, it averages 22 FPS with a minimum of 19 FPS.

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

A: This specific combination ranks 2767 out of 2939 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the bottom 6% of all configurations, primarily due to the integrated GPU's performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average FPS, and where available, minimum and maximum FPS, for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and AMD Radeon 890M combination in Minimum.

1920x1080

• Low: Average 84 FPS.
• Medium: Average 64 FPS, Minimum 55 FPS, Maximum 74 FPS.
• High: Average 54 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 41 FPS.

2560x1440

• Low: Average 54 FPS.
• Medium: Average 41 FPS, Minimum 35 FPS, Maximum 48 FPS.
• High: Average 35 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 27 FPS.

3840x2160

• Low: Average 29 FPS.
• Medium: Average 22 FPS, Minimum 19 FPS, Maximum 26 FPS.
• High: Average 19 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 14 FPS.

This breakdown confirms a linear performance drop as resolution and settings increase. The 1080p Low result of 84 FPS is the only configuration that provides a high-refresh-rate experience. All other configurations require a compromise between visual fidelity and frame rate, with 4K resolutions resulting in sub-30 FPS averages across the board. The data is consistent with the conclusion that this combo is best utilized at 1080p with Low or Medium settings.