Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the AMD Radeon 890M delivers a playable but constrained experience in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter from 2014. The data shows a combination that is heavily dependent on resolution and settings, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the integrated GPU as the primary bottleneck. The measured frame rates reveal a system capable of smooth 1080p play at lower presets, but one that struggles to maintain playability as pixel count and graphical fidelity increase.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is steep and consistent across all settings, illustrating the Radeon 890M’s limits under increased pixel load. At the Low preset, the average FPS falls from 84 at 1080p to 54 at 1440p, a 36% reduction, before dropping further to 29 at 4K, which is a 65% decline from the 1080p baseline. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU’s performance is not the constraining variable at these resolutions.

At the High preset, the scaling follows a similar trajectory: 54 FPS at 1080p drops to 35 FPS at 1440p (a 35% decrease) and then to 19 FPS at 4K (a 65% decrease). The pattern is consistent, with the most significant performance cliff occurring between 1440p and 4K. The jump from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 represents a 2.25x increase in pixel count, and the frame rate drops accordingly, often by nearly half. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 41 at 1440p to 22 at 4K, a 46% drop.

This scaling behavior confirms that the Radeon 890M’s 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs are overwhelmed by the 4K resolution. The 5.939 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is simply insufficient for the pixel throughput required. The data suggests that 4K is not a viable target for this integrated solution in Minimum, regardless of the settings used. The performance at 4K, ranging from 14 FPS at Ultra to 29 FPS at Low, falls below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p is more manageable but still incurs a significant penalty. The average FPS across all settings drops by roughly 35% to 36%, which is a substantial hit. This suggests that even at 1440p, the GPU is working near its maximum capacity, and the headroom for complex scenes is minimal. The data points to 1920x1080 as the only resolution where the combo can consistently deliver frame rates above 60 FPS, and only at the lowest settings. The scaling pattern is a clear indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, with the CPU’s 16 cores and 22 threads providing ample headroom that goes unused as the GPU struggles to keep up.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Minimum, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and AMD Radeon 890M ranks 2767 out of 2939 combos. This places it in the bottom 6% of all tested configurations, indicating that while the system is functional, its overall gaming performance in this title is well below the median. The rank is a reflection of the integrated GPU’s limitations, as the CPU’s own performance percentile is notably higher.

The CPU alone sits in the 83rd percentile when compared to all other processors, showing that it is a relatively strong mobile part. However, the GPU only manages the 45th percentile when compared to all other graphics cards, highlighting the disparity between the two components. The final combo rank is dragged down by the GPU, which is the weaker link in this pairing. This is a classic case of a powerful processor being paired with an integrated graphics solution that cannot fully utilize its potential in a gaming workload.

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the Intel Core i5-14600T has an average benchmark score of 32707, which is virtually identical to the 155H’s 32697, showing a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 is also close, with a score of 32662 and a delta of 0.1%. These comparisons show that the CPU’s raw processing power is competitive with other mid-range parts. For the GPU, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 is the closest rival with an average score of 9221, a delta of -0.1%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 is just ahead with a score of 9273 and a delta of -0.7%. This indicates that the 890M’s performance is on par with older discrete graphics cards, which is respectable for an integrated solution but still far from the high-end. The combination’s low rank is therefore a direct consequence of the GPU’s mid-pack performance, which is insufficient to boost the system in a gaming-specific ranking.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture for optimal settings in Minimum. At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the only configuration that delivers an average frame rate above 60 FPS, hitting 84 FPS. This is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 1080p offers a still-playable 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 55 FPS, which may be acceptable for some players. The High preset drops to 54 FPS, which is on the edge of playability, and the Ultra preset falls to 41 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for a fast-paced shooter.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 54 FPS. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is borderline, and both High (35 FPS) and Ultra (27 FPS) are too slow for a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, no settings are recommended for playable frame rates. The Low preset achieves only 29 FPS on average, with the Medium preset at 22 FPS and the High preset at 19 FPS. The Ultra preset is unplayable at 14 FPS.

The best experience per the measured data is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which offers the highest average frame rate of 84 FPS. This provides the most headroom for demanding scenes and ensures the smoothest gameplay. For users who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p is the highest setting that maintains an average above 60 FPS. The data suggests that the Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions, as it consistently results in a significant frame rate penalty that is not worth the visual gain. For a game like Minimum, where reaction times matter, the smoothness of the Low preset at 1080p is the most competitive option.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the integrated Radeon 890M shows its best performance. The Low preset averages 84 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The Medium preset averages 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS, indicating good stability. The High preset averages 54 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS, a significant drop that pushes the experience towards choppiness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades noticeably. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, which is still within a playable range. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, showing more fluctuation. The High preset averages 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 27 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly out of its depth. The Low preset averages 29 FPS, which is a slideshow compared to the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 22 FPS, with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 26 FPS. The High preset averages 19 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 14 FPS. These numbers confirm that 4K is not a feasible gaming resolution for this hardware in Minimum.

The data across all resolutions shows a clear hierarchy. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 43 FPS (84 vs 41), highlighting the heavy cost of the Ultra preset. At 1440p, the difference is 27 FPS (54 vs 27), and at 4K, it is 15 FPS (29 vs 14). The absolute frame rate declines with resolution, but the relative penalty of the Ultra preset remains substantial. The data suggests that the game is heavily GPU-bound, as the CPU’s performance (83rd percentile) is not the limiting factor; the GPU’s fill rate and shading power are the bottlenecks.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system?

A: According to the measured data, 1920x1080 with the Low preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 84 FPS. This is the only configuration that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS for a smooth experience.

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

A: No. The data shows that at 3840x2160, even the Low preset only averages 29 FPS. The Ultra preset averages just 14 FPS, making 4K unplayable across all settings.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H has an average benchmark score of 32697, placing it in the 83rd percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, scores 32707, a delta of 0%, showing they are statistically equivalent in performance.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU is in the 83rd percentile of all processors, while the GPU is only in the 45th percentile. The benchmark results show that frame rates drop dramatically with resolution, which is a sign of GPU limitation.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 54 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 27 FPS. This represents a 50% reduction in performance for the Ultra preset, which is a significant cost.

Q: How does the Radeon 890M compare to the GTX 960?

A: The AMD Radeon 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 scores 9273, which is a delta of -0.7%. This indicates that the integrated GPU performs within 1% of this older discrete graphics card.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H features 16 cores and 22 threads, running at a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. This is a powerful mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and a single-core score of 1743. The Passmark multithread score of 24873 and single-thread score of 3468 further confirm its capability. The CPU’s 83rd percentile ranking against all other processors indicates that it is a high-performing part.

However, in Minimum, the CPU’s role is secondary to the GPU. The game’s frame rates are consistently limited by the AMD Radeon 890M’s graphics processing power. The CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the GPU cannot translate that data into higher frame rates. This is evident from the significant frame rate drops at higher resolutions, which place an increased load on the GPU’s pixel and texture processing units, not the CPU’s cores. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s data demands.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a contributing factor to the performance issues seen at 1440p and 4K. The bottleneck is the GPU’s 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, which are unable to handle the increased resolution. The GPU’s memory bandwidth is also "System Dependent," meaning it shares the system’s memory, which can be a limiting factor at higher resolutions. In this pairing, the CPU is a high-performance component waiting on a mid-range integrated GPU, resulting in the low 2767 combo rank out of 2939 tested configurations.