Minimum

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with the AMD Radeon 8060S lands at rank 1677 out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. That places this configuration in the 43rd percentile of all tested combinations, meaning slightly more than half of the tested setups deliver higher average frame rates. This is not a top-tier combo for this title, but it is far from the bottom. The ranking reflects a system that can handle the game at playable levels at most settings, though it will struggle to maintain high refresh rates at maximum quality presets on 4K displays. The data indicates a mid-pack performer, one that benefits from settings adjustments to unlock its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s position at 1677 of 2939 is a direct result of the balance between the CPU’s strong compute capabilities and the GPU’s mid-range rasterization performance. The CPU alone sits in the 94th percentile when compared against all other processors in the database, showing that it is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. The GPU, by contrast, sits in the 87th percentile against all other graphics cards, which is still respectable but indicates a larger gap from the top of the GPU hierarchy. When combined, the system’s overall performance in Minimum is dragged down by the GPU at higher resolutions and settings, while the CPU ensures that frame rates do not collapse at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

Looking at the GPU’s nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmark database clarifies the situation. The Radeon 8060S scores 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, which is a statistical tie. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 by 0.6%, a margin small enough to be considered negligible in real-world gaming. It leads the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X by 1.7% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 by 2.8%. This clustering around the performance of previous-generation desktop cards suggests that the 8060S is a solid mid-range performer. The CPU’s rivals tell a similar story of tight competition: the Core Ultra 9 275HX is 0.3% behind the Intel Xeon w5-3525, 0.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4484PX, and 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX. It is 0.7% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6515P. These are all within a narrow band, indicating that the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class.

In practical terms for Minimum, this ranking means the combo will deliver a consistent experience across 1080p and 1440p, but 4K Ultra will be a challenge. The measured FPS data confirms this, with the system showing a steep drop-off as resolution and settings increase. The combo’s rank is not a reflection of a flawed pairing, but rather a sign that the GPU’s capabilities cap the system’s ceiling in this game. The CPU has significant headroom, as evidenced by its high percentile ranking, which is beneficial for maintaining stable frame times even when the GPU is maxed out.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a TDP of 55 W. This is a mobile part designed for high-performance laptops, and its specifications are more than adequate for a game released in 2014 like Minimum. The CPU’s single-core performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 at 2204 points, and multi-core performance at 35589 points, indicate that it will not bottleneck the GPU in this title. The game’s engine, typical of third-person shooters from that era, relies heavily on a few strong cores, and the 275HX’s boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures those cores are fast enough.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy is substantial: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This large cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game logic and draw calls. Memory bandwidth is listed at 102.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 interface, which is adequate for feeding the 24 cores. In the context of Minimum, the CPU’s role is primarily to maintain a high frame rate ceiling. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS of 187 shows that the CPU is capable of pushing the GPU to its limits. The Passmark multi-thread score of 55759 and the Geekbench multi-core score of 20795 further reinforce that this is a high-end processor that will not be the cause of frame rate dips in this game.

The 275HX’s 94th percentile ranking against all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon w5-3525 and AMD EPYC 4484PX, are workstation-class chips with similar average scores, which highlights the 275HX’s strength. In Minimum, this CPU headroom means that even in complex scenes with many enemies or physics objects, the processor can deliver the data needed to keep the frame rate stable. The data does not show any scenario where the CPU is the bottleneck; the performance drop from 1080p to 4K is entirely consistent with GPU limitations. For a game from 2014, this CPU is overkill, but that is not a detriment—it ensures that the GPU is always the limiting factor, which is the ideal scenario for consistent performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 8060S is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The GPU has a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, with a TDP of 55 W. It uses system-shared memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bandwidth are dependent on the system’s main memory configuration. This is a crucial detail because it means performance can vary based on the amount and speed of the installed RAM. The GPU’s FP32 performance is rated at 14.85 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 8060S scores 2162 in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12), 84626 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 80483 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its 87th percentile ranking against all GPUs places it in the upper tier, but the nearest rival data shows it is closely matched with desktop cards like the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and the RTX 5080. This is significant because it means the 8060S delivers desktop-class performance in a mobile form factor. For Minimum, the GPU is the primary driver of the measured frame rates. The 4K Ultra preset yields only 32 FPS on average, which is a direct result of the GPU’s limitations at that resolution and setting. The 4K Low preset, however, reaches 65 FPS, showing that the GPU can handle 4K if the settings are reduced.

The GPU’s memory being system-shared is a double-edged sword. It allows for flexibility in memory allocation, but it also means the GPU competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth. In a game like Minimum, which is not memory-intensive by modern standards, this is less of an issue. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 95 FPS (187 vs 92), which demonstrates that the GPU is the limiting factor at lower resolutions as the CPU can keep up. The GPU’s pixel rate of 185.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 464.0 GTexel/s are solid figures that support its mid-range positioning. The 8060S is a capable part, but it is not a flagship, and the measured data in Minimum reflects that.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 187, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play. Medium settings drop the average to 143 FPS, with a minimum of 122 and a maximum of 165. High settings yield 120 FPS on average, while Ultra settings drop to 92 FPS. All of these are playable, and even the Ultra preset maintains a frame rate above 90, which is smooth for most displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows a noticeable step down. Low settings produce an average of 121 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings average 92 FPS, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 106. High settings average 78 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 59 FPS. The 59 FPS at 1440p Ultra is borderline for a smooth experience, but it is still technically playable. The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this resolution, offering a 78 FPS average that is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, performance takes a significant hit. Low settings average 65 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings average 50 FPS, with a minimum of 42 and a maximum of 57. High settings drop to 42 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 32 FPS. The 4K data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for high or ultra settings at this resolution. The 42 FPS at 4K High is below the 60 FPS target, and the 32 FPS at 4K Ultra will feel sluggish. The data indicates that 4K is only viable with Low or Medium settings, and even then, the frame rates are not consistently smooth. The jump from 1440p to 4K causes a drop of approximately 45% at Low settings (121 to 65 FPS), which underscores the GPU’s limitations at higher pixel counts.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1920x1080 is the best resolution. It delivers 187 FPS on Low, 143 FPS on Medium, 120 FPS on High, and 92 FPS on Ultra, all of which are well above playable thresholds.

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

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The measured data shows 65 FPS on Low and 50 FPS on Medium at 3840x2160. High and Ultra settings drop to 42 FPS and 32 FPS, respectively, which are not ideal for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is within 0.7% of its nearest rivals in average benchmark score. It is 0.3% behind the Intel Xeon w5-3525, 0.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4484PX, and 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX. It is 0.7% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6515P.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon 8060S is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and 0.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080. It leads the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X by 1.7% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 by 2.8% in average benchmark score.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average FPS is 120. At 2560x1440 High, the average FPS drops to 78. This represents a 42 FPS reduction, or a 35% decrease in performance.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 87th percentile. The frame rates drop significantly with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the measured data suggests prioritizing 1920x1080 with Medium or High settings. At 1080p Medium, the system delivers 143 FPS on average, with a minimum of 122 FPS, which provides a smooth and responsive experience with good visual quality. The High preset at 1080p yields 120 FPS, which is nearly as good and offers better visuals. Both are excellent choices. The Ultra preset at 1080p is also viable at 92 FPS, but the visual improvement over High may not justify the 28 FPS drop.

If a higher resolution is preferred, 2560x1440 with High settings is the recommended balance. The 78 FPS average is above the 60 FPS target, and the visual clarity of 1440p is a significant upgrade over 1080p. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 92 FPS, which is smoother, but the drop in visual fidelity is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 59 FPS, which is just under the 60 FPS mark and may result in occasional stutters on displays with a 60 Hz refresh rate. For 4K, the only playable options are Low (65 FPS) or Medium (50 FPS). The Medium preset is the better choice if visual quality is a priority, as the 50 FPS average is acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but the Low preset provides a more consistent frame rate.

The data suggests that the combo is best utilized at 1080p with High settings for a competitive advantage, or at 1440p with High settings for a more immersive experience. Pushing to 4K Ultra is not recommended, as the 32 FPS average is below playable thresholds. The system’s performance scales predictably, and the settings recommendations are based on achieving a minimum of 60 FPS average, which is the standard for smooth gameplay. The 1080p Medium setting offers the highest minimum FPS (122) among all tested configurations, making it the safest choice for maintaining a stable frame rate in demanding scenes.