Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination delivers a thoroughly playable experience in Minimum, a Third-Person Shooter from 2014. The benchmark data indicates that this pairing is well-balanced for the game, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at standard resolutions, while 4K gaming requires careful settings management to maintain smooth frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates reveal a distinct pattern in how the system handles Minimum at different resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combination is exceptionally strong. High settings produce an average of 130 FPS, while Low settings reach 202 FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the system has ample headroom, and the limiting factor shifts away from the GPU, allowing the CPU to demonstrate its capabilities.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains impressive but shows a clear cost. High settings average 84 FPS, which is a 35% drop from the 1080p High result. Low settings at 1440p average 130 FPS, a 35% reduction from the 1080p Low figure as well. This consistent percentage drop indicates that the GPU is beginning to take on a more significant role, with the workload scaling in a predictable, linear fashion as pixel count increases.

The jump to 3840x2160 (4K) is where the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus start to show their limits. High settings at 4K average just 45 FPS, a 46% drop from the 1440p High result. Low settings fare better at 70 FPS, but this is still a 46% reduction from the 1440p Low score. The data shows that the resolution scaling from 1440p to 4K is more punishing than the scaling from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at the highest resolution.

The performance curve is steep. From 1080p High to 4K High, the average frame rate plummets from 130 FPS to 45 FPS, a 65% reduction. This suggests that while the CPU has enough power to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, the RTX 4060 is simply outclassed by the sheer pixel count at 4K. The Ultra preset at 4K is particularly demanding, averaging only 34 FPS, which is likely below the threshold for a comfortable gaming experience. The data clearly shows that 1080p and 1440p are the sweet spots for this combo, while 4K pushes the GPU to its absolute limits.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This processor sits in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. Its average benchmark score of 64640 places it in close competition with the AMD EPYC 4464P, which scores 64823, a delta of only -0.3%. It also edges out the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by 0.3% and the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7%, while trailing the AMD EPYC 9124 by -0.7%.

In Minimum, the CPU's role is most apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 202 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that requires significant CPU throughput to maintain. The processor's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is likely a major factor here, as it can rapidly process game logic and physics calculations. The data shows that at 1080p, the system is not GPU-bound, as evidenced by the 202 FPS figure, which is well beyond what a typical GPU would cap out at.

The CPU's multi-threading capabilities are also relevant. With 20 cores and 20 threads, the Ultra 7 265 can handle background tasks and game engine threads simultaneously without introducing stutter. The L3 cache is 30 MB shared, which helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores. While Minimum is an older title and may not utilize all 20 cores effectively, the sheer single-thread performance, indicated by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960, ensures that the game's primary thread is handled with ease.

As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the CPU's influence on the final frame rate diminishes. The frame rate drops are almost entirely attributable to the GPU's workload. However, the CPU ensures that the minimum frame rates remain stable. The 1440p Medium preset shows a min FPS of 85 and a max of 115, which is a tight range that suggests the CPU is preventing frame pacing issues. At 4K Medium, the min FPS is 46, and the max is 62, again showing a controlled frame time variance. The data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this game at any resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The GPU sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666 (a delta of -0.2%), and the AMD Radeon 780M, which scores 17588 (a delta of 0.3%).

The GPU's role in Minimum is clearly the dominant factor at higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results suggest it may be a limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the game averages only 34 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1440p Ultra score of 64 FPS. This 47% reduction highlights the GPU's struggle with the increased memory pressure and pixel fill rate required at 4K.

The RTX 4060's performance is respectable at 1440p, where it delivers 84 FPS on High settings. This suggests that the GPU has enough compute power to handle the game's rendering demands at this resolution. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of the frame rate differences between settings. For instance, at 1440p, the difference between Low (130 FPS) and Ultra (64 FPS) is 66 FPS, which is a substantial range that gamers can use to tune their experience.

At 1080p, the GPU is less of a bottleneck. The 202 FPS Low result and 130 FPS High result indicate that the GPU is capable of pushing far beyond 60 FPS, but the CPU is likely helping to achieve these high numbers. The GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is more than enough for this older title. However, the 4K results are the weak point. The 45 FPS High and 34 FPS Ultra results are below the 60 FPS target, suggesting that users with 4K displays will need to rely on lower presets or accept a lower frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings offer the best experience. For users targeting 60 FPS, the 1440p High preset is the optimal choice, averaging 84 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Low settings while maintaining a comfortable frame rate margin above 60.

At 1080p, all presets are playable, but the High preset at 130 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset at 99 FPS is also viable, but the 31 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual gains for all users. The Medium preset at 155 FPS is a strong choice for competitive players who prioritize high refresh rates, as it offers a 25 FPS advantage over High.

For 4K gaming, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset at 70 FPS is the only option that achieves a comfortable frame rate above 60. The Medium preset, with an average of 54 FPS, is borderline playable but may feel less smooth. The High preset at 45 FPS and Ultra at 34 FPS are likely too demanding for a consistent experience. The data suggests that 4K users should stick to Low settings to maintain playability, or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The Medium presets across all resolutions provide the most consistent frame times. The 1080p Medium shows a min FPS of 131 and a max of 178, while the 1440p Medium shows a min of 85 and a max of 115. This consistency is crucial for avoiding stutter and ensuring a smooth gameplay experience. The Ultra presets, while offering the best visuals, do not have measured min/max values, but their lower averages suggest they are less stable. Overall, the data indicates that the High preset at 1440p or the Medium preset at 1080p delivers the best combination of visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and RTX 4060 combination ranks 1549 out of 2939 tested combos for Minimum. This places it in the middle of the pack, suggesting that while it is a competent performer, many other combinations deliver higher frame rates. The rank is likely influenced by the GPU, as the CPU is a high-end part (93rd percentile), while the GPU is more mid-range (61st percentile).

The combo's position in the rankings reflects its performance profile. It is strong at 1080p and 1440p, where it can compete with higher-tier systems, but it falls behind at 4K, where the RTX 4060's limitations become apparent. The rank of 1549 out of 2939 means that approximately 52% of tested combos perform better, which aligns with the mid-range nature of the GPU.

The data suggests that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers frame rates that are competitive with more expensive setups. However, for 4K gaming, the combo's rank would likely be lower, as the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates. The overall rank is a reflection of the balance between the high-end CPU and the mid-range GPU, with the latter being the limiting factor in more demanding scenarios. This is a sensible pairing for gamers who prioritize high refresh rates at lower resolutions over maximum visual fidelity at 4K.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p High offers the best experience, averaging 84 FPS. 1080p High is also excellent at 130 FPS, while 4K is only playable on Low settings at 70 FPS.

*Q: Can this combo run Minimum at 4K with a 60 FPS average?*

A: No. The highest 4K average is 70 FPS on Low settings. Medium averages 54 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS, all below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has an average benchmark score of 64640. This is -0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438).

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to the AMD Radeon 780M?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M's score of 17588.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low settings average 202 FPS while Ultra settings average 99 FPS. This represents a performance difference of 103 FPS between the two presets.

Q: Does the 1440p Medium preset have stable frame times?

A: Yes. The 1440p Medium preset has a min FPS of 85 and a max FPS of 115, an average of 100 FPS. This narrow range indicates stable frame pacing with minimal stutter.