Minimum

# Minimum — Intel Core Ultra 5 245 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB

This combination of an Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB delivers playable frame rates at 1080p across most settings in Minimum, but struggles to maintain smooth performance at higher resolutions. The data shows a clear performance ceiling imposed by the GPU’s 4 GB memory capacity and modest compute resources, particularly at 4K where even Low settings drop below 45 FPS.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play Minimum with this combo?*

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all tested settings remain playable. At 1080p, average FPS ranges from 59 (Ultra) to 120 (Low), whereas 1440p drops to 38-78 FPS and 4K falls to 20-42 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3050 4 GB perform at Ultra settings in this game?

A: At Ultra settings, the combo achieves 59 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. The 1080p result is acceptable for gameplay, but higher resolutions fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 a strong CPU for gaming?

A: The CPU sits in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,995. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 by 0.5% and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G by 0.4%, while leading the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8% in average score.

*Q: What is the GPU’s memory configuration and how does it affect Minimum?*

A: The RTX 3050 4 GB features 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth. This limited capacity directly impacts 4K performance, where the 27 FPS High preset result suggests memory pressure at higher resolutions.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for Minimum?*

A: It ranks 2580 out of 2939 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This low ranking reflects the GPU’s limited 4 GB memory and mid-range compute performance.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the measured min and max FPS show a 10 FPS spread at 1080p (78-106), an 18 FPS spread at 1440p (50-68), and a 10 FPS spread at 4K (27-37). The 1440p spread indicates more variable frame pacing.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA107 chip manufactured on Samsung’s 8 nm process. The GPU contains 2,048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores for accelerated workloads. Its base clock runs at 1545 MHz with a boost clock of 1740 MHz, while the memory operates at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) across a 128-bit bus.

The 4 GB GDDR6 frame buffer is the defining constraint in Minimum. At 1080p, the GPU delivers 77 FPS on High settings, but at 4K the same settings produce only 27 FPS — a 65% reduction. This performance cliff is characteristic of a GPU exceeding its memory capacity and bandwidth limits. The 192.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and even 1440p, but 4K textures and geometry overwhelm the 4 GB buffer.

The GPU’s pixel rate of 55.68 GPixel/s and texture rate of 111.4 GTexel/s provide adequate fill rates for 1080p rendering. However, at 4K, the pixel throughput requirement quadruples, and the data shows the GPU cannot sustain playable frame rates beyond Low settings (42 FPS). The FP32 compute of 7.127 TFLOPS is modest by current standards, which explains why Ultra settings at 4K collapse to 20 FPS.

The GPU’s 90 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a power-efficient part, but efficiency does not compensate for the memory deficit. The 4 GB capacity, while acceptable for esports titles at 1080p, becomes a bottleneck in Minimum at higher resolutions. The 50th percentile rank versus all GPUs confirms this is a mid-pack performer.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2580 out of 2939 tested combinations in Minimum, placing it in the 12th percentile of all configurations. This low ranking is primarily driven by the GPU’s 4 GB memory, which is insufficient for modern titles at high resolutions. The CPU, by contrast, is a strong performer — the Core Ultra 5 245 sits in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs.

The disparity between CPU and GPU performance creates an imbalanced system. The CPU’s 14 cores and 14 threads with a 5.10 GHz boost clock provide ample processing power, but the GPU cannot translate that into high frame rates at 1440p or 4K. At 1080p, the combo performs respectably, with 77 FPS at High and 120 FPS at Low, but these results still place the system in the bottom 12% of all tested combos.

The rank reflects not just absolute performance but also consistency across settings. The data shows a 20 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p, which narrows to 13 FPS at 4K (42 vs 20). This compression at 4K indicates the GPU is the limiting factor — the CPU has headroom, but the GPU cannot deliver higher frame rates regardless of settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce 120 FPS average, Medium achieves 92 FPS (78 min, 106 max), High reaches 77 FPS, and Ultra drops to 59 FPS. All settings at 1080p are playable, with even Ultra maintaining a playable frame rate.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings yield 78 FPS, Medium averages 59 FPS (50 min, 68 max), High falls to 50 FPS, and Ultra drops to 38 FPS. The Medium setting shows an 18 FPS spread between min and max, indicating inconsistent frame pacing. High and Ultra settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles. Low settings produce 42 FPS, Medium averages 32 FPS (27 min, 37 max), High drops to 27 FPS, and Ultra collapses to 20 FPS. None of the 4K settings reach 60 FPS, and even Low falls below 45 FPS. The Medium results show a 10 FPS spread, suggesting the GPU is working at its limits.

The performance deltas between resolutions are substantial. At High settings, 1080p delivers 77 FPS, 1440p drops to 50 FPS (-35%), and 4K falls to 27 FPS (-65% from 1080p). At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 42 FPS (120 to 78), and from 1440p to 4K is 36 FPS (78 to 42).

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a strongly GPU-limited system. At High settings, the combo loses 27 FPS going from 1080p to 1440p (77 to 50), then another 23 FPS from 1440p to 4K (50 to 27). The percentage drop per resolution step is roughly 35% for each doubling of pixel count, which is consistent with a GPU that has limited memory bandwidth.

At Low settings, the scaling is less severe but still pronounced: 120 FPS at 1080p drops to 78 FPS at 1440p (-35%) and then to 42 FPS at 4K (-46% from 1440p). The low settings reduce memory pressure, but the 4 GB capacity still limits 4K performance.

The resolution scaling data indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect smaller FPS drops at higher resolutions. Instead, the consistent 30-50% reductions per resolution step point to the GPU’s compute and memory constraints. The Core Ultra 5 245, with its 5.10 GHz boost clock, has sufficient single-thread performance to handle Minimum’s CPU demands at any resolution.

The 4K results are particularly telling. Even at Low settings, the combo only manages 42 FPS — a clear sign that the 4 GB memory and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth cannot keep up with 4K rendering. The Medium settings at 4K show a min FPS of 27, which would cause noticeable stuttering in gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p, the best experience is at High settings, which delivers 77 FPS with no measured frame time variance. Medium offers 92 FPS, but the 78-106 min-max range suggests slightly less consistent frame pacing. Ultra at 59 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. Low at 120 FPS is ideal for competitive play, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it when High is already smooth.

For 1440p, Medium is the recommended setting, averaging 59 FPS with a 50-68 FPS range. High drops to 50 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay, and Ultra at 38 FPS is not recommended. Low at 78 FPS is viable if visual quality is less important, but Medium provides the best balance of fidelity and performance.

For 4K, none of the settings deliver a smooth experience. Low at 42 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but the frame rate will drop in demanding scenes. Medium at 32 FPS and High at 27 FPS are too low for comfortable gameplay. Ultra at 20 FPS is not recommended. Users prioritizing 4K should expect to lower resolution or settings significantly.

The data suggests that 1080p High is the sweet spot for this combo, offering 77 FPS with no frame time issues. For users with 1440p displays, Medium settings provide the best trade-off. The 4K results are largely unusable, confirming that this GPU is best suited for 1080p gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 features 14 cores and 14 threads based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The CPU includes 24 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It is manufactured on TSMC’s 3 nm process and has a 65 W TDP.

In Minimum, the CPU’s role is secondary to the GPU, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. At 1080p, the CPU delivers 120 FPS at Low settings, indicating it is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions. However, at 4K, the frame rates are GPU-bound, and the CPU’s performance headroom cannot compensate for the GPU’s memory limitations.

The CPU’s benchmark results show strong multithreaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32,924 and a single-core score of 4,648. PassMark multithread score is 38,706, and single-thread score is 4,394. These scores place the CPU in the 90th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,995. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, scores 49,228 (0.5% higher), while the Intel Core i5-14600K scores 48,618 (0.8% lower).

The CPU’s 14 threads handle Minimum’s workload without issue, as the frame rates at 1080p are consistently above 60 FPS across all settings. The 5.10 GHz boost clock provides strong single-thread performance, which is important for game logic and physics. The 24 MB L3 cache reduces memory latency, and the DDR5 support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth ensures the CPU can feed the GPU without bottlenecking.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting component in this combo. The performance ceiling is set by the GPU’s 4 GB memory capacity and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth, which cap frame rates at 4K and limit 1440p performance. Users with this CPU could pair it with a more powerful GPU to unlock higher frame rates, as the CPU has significant headroom in Minimum.