Minimum

# Minimum CPU/GPU Combo Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a robust experience in Minimum, a 2014 third-person shooter. The CPU, part of the Core Ultra Series 2 with an Arrow Lake Refresh design, packs 24 cores and 24 threads, running at a 3.70 GHz base clock and boosting up to 5.80 GHz. This configuration, built on a 3 nm TSMC process with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, includes a 36 MB shared L3 cache and per-core L1/L2 caches of 192 KB and 3 MB respectively. The GPU, based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 31 chip, features 5376 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 192 raster operations pipelines, with boost clocks reaching 2394 MHz. The combination of this high-core-count CPU and the substantial GPU compute resources produces frame rates that range from playable at 4K Ultra to exceptionally high at 1080p Low, as detailed in the measured FPS data.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor, and this configuration plays a significant role in the Minimum benchmark results. With a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, the CPU can handle both the high-thread-count workloads and the lower-latency single-thread tasks that a game like Minimum might present. The processor's 36 MB of shared L3 cache provides a large pool for game assets and instructions, while the dual-channel DDR5 memory support with a bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s ensures the GPU has sufficient data throughput to avoid starvation. In synthetic tests, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303, demonstrating a strong balance between multi-threaded throughput and per-core performance. This is further corroborated by a Passmark multithread score of 60860 and a single-thread score of 4823.

The CPU's performance percentile vs all CPUs is 96, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market. When compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores an average of 83807, which is just 0.2% lower than the 290K Plus's average benchmark score of 84003. The AMD EPYC 4584PX and EPYC 9135 are 1.1% and 1.2% behind, respectively, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 is 1.3% ahead. These deltas show that the 290K Plus sits in a highly competitive performance tier, but its advantage over the 285K is marginal, and the gap to the EPYC 7F72 is small. For a 2014 title like Minimum, which is not typically a thread-heavy game, the single-core performance is likely more impactful for frame generation. The single-core Cinebench R20 score of 3067 and the Passmark single-thread score of 4823 suggest that the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently, but the measured FPS numbers show that the GPU becomes a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 300 FPS, which is likely CPU-bound on the maximum frame rate, whereas at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 51, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves a combo rank of 521 out of 2939 tested combinations in Minimum. This places the setup in the top 18% of all tested hardware combos, which is a strong showing given the game's age and the sheer number of possible pairings. The rank is not higher likely because the GPU, while powerful, is not the absolute fastest on the market, and the game's engine may not fully utilize the CPU's 24 cores. Benchmark results indicate that the combo's performance is more dependent on the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth than on the CPU's core count. The 7900 XT's 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus provides 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial, but the GPU's percentile vs all GPUs is only 55, meaning half of the tested GPUs score higher in average benchmarks. This is reflected in the GPU's nearest rivals: the AMD Radeon 660M and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile are 0.5% behind, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is 1.5% ahead in average score. The combo rank of 521 suggests that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU is mid-range relative to other options, and this balance limits the overall rank in a game that is more graphics-bound. The data shows that for users seeking higher ranks, pairing this CPU with a stronger GPU would yield better results, but for the specific case of this combo, the performance is consistent and respectable.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high frame rate?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average FPS of 300, which is the highest measured. This resolution and settings combination provides the smoothest experience, while 2560x1440 Low delivers 193 FPS, and 3840x2160 Low drops to 104 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the 285K's score of 83807. This is a negligible difference in synthetic tests, and in Minimum, the frame rates are likely unaffected by this small gap.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT a high-performing GPU relative to others?

A: The GPU's percentile vs all GPUs is 55, indicating it is slightly above average. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, is 1.5% ahead in average benchmark score, while the AMD Radeon 660M is 0.5% behind. This suggests the 7900 XT is a solid mid-to-high tier card.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 300, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 230 FPS at 1080p Medium and 193 FPS at 1080p High.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 51 at Ultra settings to 104 at Low settings. The Medium preset provides a more balanced 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92, which is playable for most users.

Q: Does the CPU's 24 cores provide an advantage in this game?

A: The 24 cores and 24 threads provide high multi-threaded scores (Cinebench R23 multicore of 51731), but Minimum is a third-person shooter from 2014 that likely does not scale perfectly with 24 threads. The CPU's single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core of 7303) is more relevant for frame pacing.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo is capable of very high frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 300, which is the maximum recorded in the dataset. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 230 FPS, with a minimum of 195 and a maximum of 264. At High settings, the average is 193 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 147 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU are working in a balanced manner, with the GPU still having headroom to push beyond 300 FPS at Low settings, likely limited by the game's engine or the CPU's single-thread speed.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a more pronounced impact from the GPU's workload. Low settings yield an average of 193 FPS, which is a 36% reduction from the 1080p Low result, demonstrating the increased pixel count's effect. Medium settings average 148 FPS, with a minimum of 126 and a maximum of 170, providing a smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors. High settings average 124 FPS, and Ultra drops to 95 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 98 FPS, which highlights the GPU's sensitivity to settings changes at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates, and the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 104 FPS, which is still playable but a significant drop from the 1440p Low result. Medium settings average 80 FPS, with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92, which is a playable range for most gamers. High settings average 67 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold commonly desired for smooth gameplay. The data shows a consistent pattern: the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, while 4K requires compromises in settings to maintain playable frame rates.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT plays a central role in the frame rates achieved in Minimum, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is ample for a 2014 title, as it does not require large texture pools or high resolution assets that would stress the VRAM capacity. The GPU's base clock is 1387 MHz, with a boost clock of 2394 MHz and a game clock of 2025 MHz, which gives it a solid compute throughput. The shading units (5376) and texture units (336) work in tandem to produce the pixel rates seen in the measured FPS. The GPU's pixel rate is 459.6 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 804.4 GTexel/s, which are key factors in how quickly the card can fill frames at different resolutions.

At 1080p, the GPU is not the limiting factor, as the average FPS of 300 at Low settings suggests the game's frame rate is capped by other components, likely the CPU or the game engine itself. As the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the GPU's workload intensifies, and the frame rates drop accordingly. The 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and the 103.0 TFLOPS of FP16 (2:1) are more than sufficient for this game, but the performance scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a 79% reduction in FPS from Low settings at 1080p (300 FPS) to low settings at 4K (104 FPS), which is a direct result of the increased pixel count requiring more fill rate and memory bandwidth. The GPU's average benchmark score is 13745, and its percentile vs all GPUs is 55, which is mid-pack. This is reflected in the fact that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is 1.5% ahead, while the AMD Radeon 660M and NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile are 0.5% behind. The 7900 XT is a capable card, but it is not the top performer, and the data suggests that for 4K Ultra gaming, a more powerful GPU would be needed to exceed 60 FPS in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the user's resolution and refresh rate priorities. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an average of 230 FPS with a minimum of 195 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz or 240Hz). The Low preset at 300 FPS is the highest average, but the Medium settings provide better visual fidelity with only a 70 FPS drop, which is still far above the threshold for smooth gameplay. For users with 144Hz monitors, the High preset at 193 FPS is also a strong choice, providing good visuals while staying above the refresh rate cap. The Ultra preset at 147 FPS is still playable and offers the best visuals, but it sacrifices the headroom needed for future games or more demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the most balanced, with an average of 148 FPS and a minimum of 126 FPS. This ensures that even in the most demanding moments, the frame rate stays above 120 FPS, which is suitable for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The High preset at 124 FPS is also viable, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, so there is a risk of drops below 60 FPS in intense scenes. The Low preset at 193 FPS is the highest, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. For 1440p, Medium is recommended as the sweet spot.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are lower, and the Medium preset provides the best experience with an average of 80 FPS and a minimum of 68 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold and offers a good balance of quality and performance. The Low preset at 104 FPS is smoother, but the visual downgrade is noticeable. The High preset at 67 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 51 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, so it is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience. The data suggests that for 4K, users should stick to Medium settings to maintain a playable frame rate with this combo. Overall, the Medium preset is the most versatile across all resolutions, providing a good balance of visual fidelity and performance.