Minimum

Minimum is a 2014 third-person shooter that, on paper, should be trivial for modern hardware, yet the measured frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination reveal a more complex story. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to show its limitations at 4K, particularly when graphics settings are pushed to their maximum. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, contextualizes the combo's overall rank, and examines the specific roles the CPU and GPU play in shaping this performance profile.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a 60 FPS average in Minimum?

A: The data shows that both 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 resolutions achieve a 60 FPS average or higher on Medium and High settings. At 2560x1440, High settings yield 61 FPS, and Medium yields 73 FPS. At 1920x1080, High yields 95 FPS and Medium yields 114 FPS. The 3840x2160 resolution only breaks the 60 FPS mark on Low settings with 52 FPS, which is still below 60.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 2560x1440?

A: The performance drop from High to Ultra at 2560x1440 is significant. The High preset achieves an average of 61 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 47 FPS. This represents a 14 FPS loss, or roughly 23% lower performance, for the visual uplift that the Ultra preset provides.

Q: Is the RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM a limiting factor in Minimum?

A: The fact pack does not include VRAM usage metrics, so a direct conclusion cannot be drawn from the measured data. However, the GPU's memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 320.0 GB/s bandwidth. Given the game's 2014 release date, it is unlikely that this configuration is a bottleneck at 1080p, but the significant FPS drops at 4K Ultra suggest the GPU's overall processing power, rather than VRAM capacity alone, is the primary constraint.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested configurations for Minimum?

A: The comboRankInGame field indicates that this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 2325 out of 2939 tested combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, suggesting that while it can run the game, many other hardware pairings deliver higher frame rates.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has an average benchmark score of 67469. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon w5-3525, scores 67673, which is a delta of -0.3%, meaning the Ultra 9 is essentially tied. It is also within 0.7% of the Intel Xeon 6515P, which scores 67006.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 148 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 73 FPS. This is a difference of 75 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset effectively halves the frame rate compared to Low, highlighting a massive performance cost for maximum visual fidelity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data points to a clear hierarchy for optimizing the experience in Minimum. For players prioritizing a high refresh rate experience, the Low preset at 1920x1080 is the only setting that delivers a triple-digit average, hitting 148 FPS. This is the only configuration tested that approaches high-refresh-rate territory, making it the choice for competitive play or very smooth motion.

For a balanced approach that maintains a solid 60+ FPS baseline, the Medium preset is the most consistent option. At 1920x1080, it averages 114 FPS, and at 2560x1440, it averages 73 FPS. These are both well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the Medium preset at 1440p provides a substantial resolution upgrade over 1080p while still maintaining excellent fluidity. The High preset is also viable at 1440p with a 61 FPS average, but it is closer to the edge of 60 FPS and offers less headroom for demanding scenes.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding. It only achieves a playable average above 60 FPS at 1920x1080 with 73 FPS. At 2560x1440, it drops to 47 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 25 FPS. Consequently, the data suggests that Ultra is best reserved for 1080p displays where visual quality is the primary concern and players are willing to accept lower, though still playable, frame rates. For 1440p users, Medium offers the best combination of visual clarity and performance, while 4K users should stick to Low settings, which is the only preset that approaches a playable 52 FPS average.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2325 out of 2939 tested combos is a notable data point that requires some interpretation. It places this pairing in the 21st percentile of tested systems, meaning roughly 79% of other hardware combinations in the database achieve higher frame rates in Minimum. This is surprising given the specifications of both components, which are modern and high-end.

This ranking suggests that the performance of this combo is not solely defined by the raw capabilities of the CPU and GPU in isolation. While the Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 5050 are individually powerful, their combined performance in this specific game places them below a large number of other pairings. This could be due to the game's age and its potential reliance on single-threaded performance or specific rendering paths that do not scale well with the newer architectures, or it could indicate that other combos with faster GPUs simply dominate in this title. The rank is a relative measure, and while the absolute FPS numbers are playable at many settings, the system's standing among a broad spectrum of hardware is lower than one might expect.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system shows its strength. The Low preset averages 148 FPS, which is the highest score recorded. Medium follows with 114 FPS, High with 95 FPS, and Ultra with 73 FPS. All presets at this resolution are comfortably above 60 FPS, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining a solid frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down predictably but remain strong. Low still delivers a high 96 FPS average. Medium is next at 73 FPS, followed closely by High at 61 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 47 FPS, which is the first configuration to fall below the 60 FPS threshold. This indicates that 1440p Ultra is demanding on the GPU, pushing it to a point where it can no longer maintain a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the system's performance degrades significantly. The Low preset yields 52 FPS, which is the only 4K setting to break the 50 FPS mark. Medium drops to 39 FPS, High to 33 FPS, and Ultra to a challenging 25 FPS. The data shows a steep curve at 4K, where even the Low preset struggles to hit 60 FPS. This clearly identifies 4K as a resolution where the RTX 5050 is the primary limiting factor, unable to handle the pixel throughput required for higher settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the central figure in this performance analysis. Its specifications, including 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, define its raw processing power. The GPU's boost clock of 2572 MHz and base clock of 2317 MHz are the operational speeds that drive its performance. The memory subsystem, featuring 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, provides a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a percentile ranking of 66, placing it above the median of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (0.6% slower) and the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (1.6% faster), indicating its performance class. In Minimum, the GPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU is likely capable of feeding the GPU enough data to keep up, resulting in high frame rates across all settings. However, at 4K, the GPU's processing capabilities and memory bandwidth are stretched thin, as evidenced by the 25 FPS average at Ultra settings. The data implies that the RTX 5050 is a capable 1080p and 1440p card for this title, but it is not designed for 4K gaming at high presets. The 8 GB VRAM, while sufficient for most scenarios, is a potential concern for maximum texture quality at higher resolutions, though the FPS data suggests the core GPU throughput is the more immediate bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a flagship mobile processor with 24 cores and 24 threads, based on the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process. Its boost clock of 5.40 GHz and base clock of 2.70 GHz, along with a 36 MB L3 cache, make it a formidable part. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589 and a single-core score of 2204. The CPU's percentile rank of 94 puts it in the top 6% of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon w5-3525, are within 0.7% of its average score.

Given the game's 2014 release date, Minimum is unlikely to be heavily multi-threaded. The CPU's role is likely to provide a strong single-threaded foundation, which it does exceptionally well. The measured FPS data supports this theory. At 1080p, where the GPU has less work to do, the frame rates are high (148 FPS on Low), suggesting the CPU is capable of keeping up with the GPU's output. The performance scaling from 1080p to 1440p and 4K shows a drop in FPS that is consistent with a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one. The CPU's substantial single-thread performance and high core count ensure that it is not the limiting component in this pairing. While the CPU is powerful enough for any modern game, in this specific title, its influence on the final frame rate is secondary to the GPU, as the game's graphics load becomes the dominant factor at higher settings and resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of frame rates from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 provides clear evidence of where the bottleneck lies. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 148 at 1080p to 96 at 1440p, a 35% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops further to 52 FPS, another 46% reduction. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the number of pixels to render quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

At Medium settings, the trend is similar: 114 FPS at 1080p drops to 73 FPS at 1440p (36% drop) and then to 39 FPS at 4K (47% drop). The High settings show 95 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 33 FPS at 4K (46% drop). Finally, at Ultra settings, the FPS goes from 73 at 1080p to 47 at 1440p (36% drop) and then to 25 at 4K (47% drop).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings is striking. In every case, the transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a roughly 35-36% performance decrease, and the transition from 1440p to 4K results in a roughly 46-47% decrease. This linear scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU's work would not change. The data shows the opposite, with FPS declining proportionally to the pixel count. This confirms that the RTX 5050's rendering throughput is the definitive limiting component in this configuration, and that the Core Ultra 9 275HX is more than capable of handling the game's logic and draw calls at any resolution.