Minimum

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile lands at rank 2262 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. That places this configuration in the 39th percentile of all tested CPU-GPU pairings—a solidly mid-pack result. The ranking reflects a combination that is competent but not exceptional, with the GPU's overall percentile ranking (67th among all GPUs) being notably stronger than the combo's game-specific placement suggests.

The CPU itself sits in the 94th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 67469. Its nearest rivals in synthetic testing are all workstation-class parts: the Intel Xeon w5-3525 (67673, just 0.3% ahead), the AMD EPYC 4484PX (67822, 0.5% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX (67868, 0.6% ahead). The Intel Xeon 6515P trails by 0.7% at 67006. This shows the Ultra 9 275HX is competing with heavy desktop hardware in raw compute, yet in this game, the mobile RTX 4060 becomes the limiting factor.

The GPU's benchmark position tells a similar story. With an average score of 22729, the RTX 4060 Mobile sits within 1.3% of several desktop and mobile rivals: the RTX 2080 (22895, 0.7% ahead), the Radeon RX 7700 XT (22549, 0.8% behind), the Intel Arc B580 (23021, 1.3% ahead), and the RTX 5060 Mobile (22435, 1.3% behind). This is a GPU that trades blows with previous-generation desktop flagships while being positioned as a mid-range mobile part. In Minimum, however, the measured FPS numbers reveal that this combo's rank is primarily driven by the GPU's performance ceiling, not the CPU's substantial headroom.

FAQ

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

A: The 1920x1080 resolution at Low settings delivers the highest average FPS at 180. At 2560x1440, Low settings still produce a playable 116 FPS average, while 3840x2160 drops to 62 FPS at Low. The data shows that 1080p is the sweet spot for maximum frame rates, but 1440p remains viable for smoother visuals without a major performance hit.

Q: How does the CPU's synthetic performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ultra 9 275HX averages 67469 in benchmark scores, placing it within 0.7% of the Intel Xeon 6515P (67006), 0.3% below the Intel Xeon w5-3525 (67673), 0.5% below the AMD EPYC 4484PX (67822), and 0.6% below the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX (67868). These are all very close margins, indicating the mobile chip's compute power is essentially on par with those desktop workstation processors.

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

A: At 1920x1080, Medium settings yield an average of 138 FPS with a minimum of 117 and maximum of 158. Ultra settings drop the average to 88 FPS. That is a 50 FPS difference, or roughly a 36% reduction in average frame rate when moving from Medium to Ultra. The minimum FPS at Ultra is not reported, but the average suggests a significant visual-quality trade-off.

Q: Is the RTX 4060 Mobile more comparable to desktop GPUs or newer mobile parts?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 22729 places it within 1.3% of the desktop RTX 2080 (22895) and the Radeon RX 7700 XT (22549). It also sits within 1.3% of the newer RTX 5060 Mobile (22435) and the Intel Arc B580 (23021). This indicates the RTX 4060 Mobile performs like a desktop-class GPU from the previous generation while being competitive with current mid-range mobile offerings.

*Q: How does the combo rank in Minimum specifically?*

A: The combination ranks 2262 out of 3712 tested combos in Minimum. This is a below-median placement, meaning roughly 61% of tested CPU-GPU pairings perform better in this specific game. Given the CPU's high percentile ranking, this indicates the game is heavily GPU-bound for this configuration.

Q: What do the measured FPS numbers show about the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 4060 Mobile has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (31 FPS average) versus 4K Low (62 FPS average) shows a substantial performance swing. The bandwidth figure, combined with the 90.72 GPixel/s pixel rate, suggests the GPU can handle moderate resolutions well but struggles with the pixel throughput demands of 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX brings 24 cores and 24 threads to this configuration, running at a base clock of 2.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This Arrow Lake-HX architecture chip, built on TSMC's 3 nm process, integrates 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. With 55 W TDP, this is a mobile processor designed for high-performance laptops, and its synthetic scores reflect that positioning.

In Minimum, a third-person shooter from 2014, the CPU's role is less about raw multi-threaded muscle and more about maintaining consistent frame delivery. The game's age means it likely doesn't scale to 24 cores, but the Ultra 9's strong single-core performance—evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2458 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2204—ensures that any game logic or physics threads are handled with minimal bottleneck. The PassMark single-thread score of 4713 reinforces this, showing the chip can deliver high per-core throughput.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s via dual-channel DDR5 is adequate for feeding the GPU in this title. However, the measured FPS data reveals that the CPU is not the limiting factor in Minimum. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 180 FPS average, which is likely near the GPU's maximum output for that settings level. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all processors means it has far more compute headroom than the RTX 4060 Mobile can utilize in this game.

The benchmark scores show a processor that excels in multi-threaded workloads—Cinebench R23 multicore at 35589 and Geekbench multicore at 20795—but these strengths are largely irrelevant for a 2014 title. Instead, the CPU's consistent single-thread performance and low latency are what matter. The PassMark physics score of 3338 and floating-point math score of 191186 indicate strong mathematical throughput, which can help in games with complex physics simulations, but Minimum's age suggests simpler computational demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 4060 Mobile shows a wide spread across settings. Low settings produce an average of 180 FPS, the highest figure recorded for this combo. Medium settings drop to 138 FPS average, with a minimum of 117 and maximum of 158. High settings further reduce the average to 116 FPS, while Ultra settings bottom out at 88 FPS. The step from Medium to High represents a 22 FPS loss, while High to Ultra costs another 28 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings deliver 116 FPS average, exactly matching what High achieves at 1080p. Medium settings produce 89 FPS average with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 102. High settings yield 75 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 57 FPS. The pattern shows that 1440p Medium offers a balanced experience, while 1440p Ultra remains playable but approaches the lower end of smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become clear. Low settings average 62 FPS, Medium averages 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 and maximum of 55, High drops to 40 FPS, and Ultra falls to 31 FPS. The 4K results show a GPU that can handle 4K at reduced settings but struggles to maintain high frame rates at elevated quality levels. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 41, which is still technically playable but may feel less responsive in fast-paced shooter scenarios.

The frame time consistency, where reported, shows reasonable behavior. At 1080p Medium, the 117 FPS minimum versus 158 FPS maximum indicates a 41 FPS variance, which is acceptable for a shooter. At 1440p Medium, the 75 to 102 FPS range shows a tighter 27 FPS spread, suggesting better frame pacing at higher resolutions where the GPU is more consistently utilized. The 4K Medium range of 41 to 55 FPS is the narrowest at 14 FPS, though the absolute values are lower.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the GPU-bound nature of this configuration. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 180 at 1080p to 116 at 1440p (a 35.6% reduction), then to 62 at 4K (a 46.6% reduction from 1440p). This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU that is being pushed harder as pixel count increases, with the CPU's ample headroom never becoming a constraint.

For High settings, the progression is 116 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p (35.3% drop), and 40 FPS at 4K (46.7% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary limiting factors. The RTX 4060 Mobile's 256.0 GB/s bandwidth and 90.72 GPixel/s pixel rate are modest for 4K, which explains why the 4K Ultra result of 31 FPS is so low.

The scaling suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1080p, even Ultra settings maintain an 88 FPS average, which is smooth for most displays. At 1440p, Medium settings at 89 FPS provide a good balance, while Low at 116 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 4K results, however, show that this GPU cannot deliver a consistently smooth experience at that resolution, with only Low settings exceeding 60 FPS.

The limiting component is clearly the GPU. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking and strong single-thread performance mean it can easily keep up with the GPU's output at any resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS drops when increasing resolution, as the GPU would be waiting on the CPU. Instead, the significant FPS reductions at higher resolutions indicate the RTX 4060 Mobile is working at its maximum capacity.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo in Minimum, the data points to 1440p Medium as the optimal balance. At 89 FPS average with a minimum of 75 FPS, this setting provides smooth gameplay that stays above the 60 FPS threshold even in demanding scenes. The 75 FPS minimum ensures that frame drops won't become noticeable stutters, and the 102 FPS maximum shows headroom for less intensive moments. This setting also offers improved visual fidelity over Low without the performance penalty of High or Ultra.

If maximum frame rates are the priority, 1080p Low at 180 FPS is the clear choice. This configuration is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate displays, though the visual quality will be noticeably reduced. For players with 144Hz monitors, 1080p Medium at 138 FPS is a strong alternative, as it maintains frame rates above the refresh rate while providing better textures and effects than Low.

At 1440p, Low settings at 116 FPS are recommended for players who prefer higher resolutions over maximum visual quality. This setting mirrors the performance of 1080p High, offering a good middle ground. However, 1440p Ultra at 57 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay, making it a less ideal choice despite the visual benefits.

For 4K, only Low settings at 62 FPS provide a playable experience. Medium at 48 FPS and High at 40 FPS are below the smoothness threshold, and Ultra at 31 FPS is not recommended for a fast-paced third-person shooter. If 4K is necessary, players should accept reduced visual quality to maintain responsiveness. The data shows no 4K setting achieves both high visual fidelity and smooth frame rates with this hardware combination.