Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile combination delivers a performance profile in Minimum that is heavily dictated by the graphics settings and resolution. The measured frame rates reveal a system capable of high-refresh-rate play at 1080p, but one that struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the data to understand where the bottleneck lies and how to optimize the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and expected decline in performance as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 175 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 113 FPS, and at 4K, the average falls to 61 FPS. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p Low to 4K Low, which is a significant hit. The pattern is consistent across all settings presets, but the magnitude of the drop varies.

With High settings, the scaling is similar but starts from a lower baseline. The average FPS at 1080p is 112, which drops to 72 at 1440p and 39 at 4K. This is a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K, identical to the Low setting percentage. However, the absolute numbers are lower, indicating that the graphics load is compounding with the resolution increase. The Medium preset shows a slightly different pattern, with averages of 134 FPS at 1080p, 86 FPS at 1440p, and 46 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36%, and from 1440p to 4K is 47%, suggesting a non-linear scaling under this specific load.

The Ultra preset presents the most challenging scenario. The average FPS is 85 at 1080p, dropping to 55 at 1440p and a mere 30 at 4K. The 1080p to 4K reduction is 65%, again matching the other presets, but the absolute 4K score of 30 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data strongly implies that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K shows a consistent performance penalty that is characteristic of a GPU that is saturated by the increasing pixel count. The CPU's role is more pronounced at lower resolutions, where the frame rates are high enough to potentially expose a CPU limitation, but the consistent percentage drops across all presets point to the RTX 5060 Mobile being the dominant constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU and GPU combinations for Minimum, this pairing holds a specific position. The combo rank is 2460 out of 3712 tested combos. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not a low-end performer, it is not near the top of the chart either. This ranking is a holistic measure of the pair's ability to run this specific game across all tested settings.

This rank is surprising given the individual scores of the components. The CPU has a high percentile rank of 91 compared to all CPUs, and the GPU has a percentile rank of 67 compared to all GPUs. The combination of a strong CPU and a mid-range GPU should theoretically place the combo higher. The data suggests that Minimum is a title that is heavily reliant on GPU performance, and the RTX 5060 Mobile's mid-pack standing is pulling the overall combo rank down. The CPU's high percentile does not translate to a high combo rank because the game's performance ceiling is set by the graphics card.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and Intel Core i7-14700, have similar average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.2% and -0.4% respectively. This indicates that the Ultra 5 235HX is a very capable processor, matching desktop-class parts from a previous generation. However, this processing power is not the deciding factor for the combo's rank in Minimum. The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, is only 1.3% faster in average benchmark score, while the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is 0.5% faster. This shows the RTX 5060 Mobile is closely matched with its predecessor and a desktop mid-range card, which explains its 67th percentile. The combo's rank of 2460 is a clear indication that the GPU is the bottleneck for achieving higher frame rates in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile is a discrete graphics processor based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. The GPU has 3328 shading units and operates at a base clock of 952 MHz with a boost clock of 1455 MHz. These specifications place it in the mid-range tier of mobile GPUs, and the benchmark data confirms this.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a mixed profile. Its Passmark G3D score is 18852, and its average benchmark score is 22435. This puts it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rival, the RTX 4060 Mobile, is only 1.3% faster, indicating that this is an incremental upgrade rather than a generational leap. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3013.5 provides a synthetic measure of its DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant for a modern title like Minimum.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's role is clear. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 175 suggests the GPU is not fully saturated, and the CPU is able to feed it enough frames. However, as resolution and settings increase, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The 4K Ultra score of 30 FPS is a direct result of the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth being overwhelmed. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but the high-resolution textures and effects at 4K Ultra likely push against this limit. The memory bandwidth of 384 GB/s is also a potential constraint at 4K, as the GPU must access textures and geometry data at a much higher rate. The data indicates that the GPU's performance is the primary determinant of frame rate in Minimum, especially at higher resolutions and quality presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data shows that Medium settings at 1440p achieve an average of 86 FPS, which is comfortable. At 1080p, High settings deliver 112 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 85 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant drop from High, suggesting a heavy performance cost for marginal visual gains.

For 4K gaming, the options are limited. The Low preset at 4K achieves an average of 61 FPS, which is just barely playable. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 46 FPS, which is not ideal for a fast-paced third-person shooter. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they fall to 39 FPS and 30 FPS respectively. The data suggests that if 4K is the target, players must accept Low settings to maintain a playable frame rate, and even then, the experience will not be as fluid as at lower resolutions.

The best balance of visual quality and performance is achieved at 1440p with High settings, which produces 72 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the 4K results and offers a much better visual experience than 1080p. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, 1080p with Low settings at 175 FPS is the clear choice, providing an extremely responsive experience for competitive play. The data indicates that the "sweet spot" for this hardware is 1440p, where the GPU can still push high frame rates without being completely overwhelmed. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a good safety margin with 86 FPS, ensuring that demanding scenes do not cause the frame rate to dip below the monitor's refresh rate.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: The data shows that at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 61. However, the Medium preset drops to 46 FPS, and High and Ultra presets fall to 39 FPS and 30 FPS respectively. For a consistently smooth experience, 4K is only viable with the lowest settings.

Q: What is the best resolution to use for a high-refresh-rate monitor?

A: At 1080p, the High preset reaches 112 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 175 FPS. These frame rates are suitable for 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, making 1080p the best choice for competitive play.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has an average benchmark score of 52073. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, scores 51947, which is a 0.2% difference. The Intel Core i7-14700 scores 52301, which is 0.4% higher. This shows the Ultra 5 235HX is performance-competitive with these desktop parts.

Q: Is the RTX 5060 Mobile a significant upgrade over the previous generation?

A: The RTX 5060 Mobile's average benchmark score is 22435. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, has a score of 22729, which is 1.3% higher. This indicates the performance difference between the two is minimal in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What is the performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset achieves an average of 113 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 55 FPS. This represents a 51% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking compared to other tested systems?

A: This CPU and GPU combination ranks 2460 out of 3712 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, indicating that it is a mid-range performer for this specific title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The CPU's L3 cache is 24 MB shared, and it supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. These specifications are strong for a mobile processor, and its benchmark scores reflect this.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 34731, and its single-core score is 4903. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4683. These scores place it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it offers desktop-class processing power. The nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which is only 0.2% slower in average benchmark score, and the Intel Core i7-14700, which is 0.4% faster. This suggests that for CPU-intensive tasks, the Ultra 5 235HX is a top-tier performer.

In the context of Minimum, the CPU's role is less critical than the GPU's. The measured FPS data shows that the performance scales consistently with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, where the GPU load is lightest, the average FPS of 175 is high enough that a weaker CPU would likely struggle to keep up. However, the data does not show a scenario where the CPU is clearly the limiting factor. The high single-thread score of 4903 in Cinebench R23 indicates that the CPU has the processing power to handle the game's logic and physics calculations without becoming a bottleneck. The data suggests that the CPU is well-matched to the GPU for this title, providing enough headroom to prevent it from holding back performance, even at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest. The CPU's high percentile ranking is not reflected in the combo's overall rank, confirming that Minimum is a GPU-bound game for this hardware pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides a complete breakdown of the measured average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: Average FPS 30
• High: Average FPS 39
• Medium: Average FPS 46 (min 39, max 53)
• Low: Average FPS 61

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: Average FPS 55
• High: Average FPS 72
• Medium: Average FPS 86 (min 73, max 99)
• Low: Average FPS 113

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: Average FPS 85
• High: Average FPS 112
• Medium: Average FPS 134 (min 114, max 154)
• Low: Average FPS 175

The data shows a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, all presets are playable, with even the Ultra preset achieving 85 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a min FPS of 114, indicating that the frame rate stays consistently high. At 1440p, the Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS, which is borderline, while the Medium and High presets remain comfortable. At 4K, only the Low preset is playable, and the Ultra preset is not recommended. The min FPS data for the Medium preset shows that at 4K, the frame rate can dip to 39 FPS, which is a significant stutter. This detailed breakdown confirms that the combo's performance is highly dependent on the chosen settings and resolution, with a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and smoothness.