Minimum

Minimum, a third-person shooter released in 2014, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination. The benchmark data shows a system that scales predictably across resolutions and settings, with the RTX 3060 Ti emerging as the primary performance limiter at higher graphical loads. At 1080p, the CPU's strength allows for very high frame rates, but the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and compute capabilities cap the experience at 4K. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to characterize the system's behavior, offering recommendations based on the observed rows.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 210 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 135 FPS, a 35.7% reduction. At 4K, the average falls to 73 FPS, which is 65.2% lower than the 1080p Low result. This steep decline indicates the GPU is the limiting factor as pixel count increases, with the CPU's high performance ceiling not being fully utilized at higher resolutions.

For High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The system delivers 135 FPS at 1080p, 87 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are consistent: 35.6% from 1080p to 1440p, and 65.2% from 1080p to 4K. This consistency suggests the performance penalty is primarily due to the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth, not any CPU bottleneck. The RTX 3060 Ti's 448.0 GB/s bandwidth and 133.2 GPixel/s pixel rate are being saturated as resolution increases.

The Medium preset shows the same trend with slightly better absolute numbers than High. At 1080p, the average is 160 FPS; at 1440p, it drops to 103 FPS; and at 4K, it falls to 56 FPS. The frame time consistency, indicated by the min/max values, also degrades at higher resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 136 to 185 FPS (a 49 FPS spread), while at 1440p Medium, it narrows to 88 to 119 FPS (a 31 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range is 47 to 64 FPS (a 17 FPS spread). This tightening range at lower average FPS suggests the GPU is working more uniformly at its limits.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling. The system manages 103 FPS at 1080p, 66 FPS at 1440p, and only 36 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that Ultra settings at 4K are not viable for this combination. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35.9%, and from 1080p to 4K is 65.0%, again showing a consistent GPU-bound pattern.

The data suggests that the CPU, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is not the bottleneck at any resolution. The frame rate drops are proportional to the pixel count increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. The RTX 3060 Ti's 8 GB VRAM and 256-bit bus width are adequate for 1080p and 1440p but struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K, particularly at higher presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset provides the highest average FPS at 210, but this comes at a visual cost. The Medium preset at 160 FPS offers a better balance, delivering a 23.8% reduction in FPS compared to Low while likely providing a more visually pleasing image. The High preset at 135 FPS is also smooth, but the step from Medium to High only yields a 15.6% FPS reduction, which is acceptable for users prioritizing visual fidelity.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 103 FPS is the sweet spot. It maintains a frame rate above 100 FPS, which is ideal for fast-paced third-person shooters. The High preset at 87 FPS is still playable, but the drop below 90 FPS may introduce slight judder on 144Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 66 FPS is borderline, offering high visual quality but risking frame time spikes in busy scenes, as indicated by the 88 FPS minimum at Medium being a better consistency indicator.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset at 73 FPS is the only option that consistently exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 56 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive, and the High preset at 47 FPS is below the ideal threshold. The Ultra preset at 36 FPS is not recommended for serious gameplay.

The data suggests that Medium settings provide the best experience per the measured rows. At 1080p, it offers 160 FPS; at 1440p, it offers 103 FPS; at 4K, it offers 56 FPS. This preset maintains a playable frame rate at all resolutions, with the min FPS of 136 at 1080p and 88 at 1440p ensuring no major stutters. For users with high refresh rate monitors at 1080p, Low settings at 210 FPS may be preferable, but Medium is the most versatile choice.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the defining component in this system's gaming performance. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The GPU's base clock of 1410 MHz and boost clock of 1665 MHz are modest by modern standards, but the Ampere architecture's 4864 shading units deliver solid raw compute.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 16129. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9060, scores 16014, which is 0.7% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5600M scores 16351, which is 1.4% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT also scores 16361, 1.4% higher. This clustering indicates the RTX 3060 Ti is positioned in a competitive mid-range tier.

In Minimum, the GPU's role is clear from the resolution scaling. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully utilized, as evidenced by the 210 FPS at Low settings. The CPU can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them, but the GPU still manages to output high frame rates. At 4K, the GPU's pixel rate and bandwidth are saturated, causing the FPS to drop below 60 at all presets except Low.

The GPU's compute performance, measured at 16.20 TFLOPS FP32, is adequate for this 2014 title, but the memory configuration is the key constraint. The 8 GB VRAM is not a direct issue in this game's measured data, as no VRAM-related stutters are reported, but the bandwidth limitation is evident in the 4K results. The GPU's end-of-life production status suggests it is an older part, but it remains capable for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Minimum at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which averages 73 FPS. At Medium, the average drops to 56 FPS, and at High, it falls to 47 FPS. Ultra is not recommended at 36 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 103 FPS is the best choice. High runs at 87 FPS, which is below 144Hz, and Low at 135 FPS is close but may have lower visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti's average benchmark score is 16129. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is 0.7% lower, the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M is 1.4% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is 1.4% higher.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 210 FPS, which is likely near the game's engine limit. The CPU's 24 cores and high boost clock of 5.80 GHz support high frame rates.

Q: What is the frame time consistency at 4K Medium?

A: The 4K Medium preset has a minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 64 FPS, with an average of 56 FPS. This 17 FPS spread indicates moderate consistency, but the low minimum may cause occasional hitches.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations?

A: This combination ranks 1419 out of 2939 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of all tested systems.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination ranks 1419 out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the 51.7th percentile, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of all tested systems. The CPU's strong performance, ranking in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, is partially offset by the GPU's more modest 59th percentile ranking.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 84003, with its nearest rival being the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at 83807, a 0.2% difference. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090 (1.1% lower), and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980 (1.2% lower). The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85072, which is 1.3% higher. This CPU is clearly a high-end part.

The GPU's average score of 16129 is closely matched by its rivals, all within 1.7% of each other. This suggests the RTX 3060 Ti is a mid-range part that is not significantly differentiated from its immediate competitors. The combo's overall rank reflects this balance: the CPU is a top-tier component, but the GPU limits the system's gaming performance.

The rank of 1419 out of 2939 indicates that this system is better than average for Minimum, but not exceptional. Many combos with higher-end GPUs will outperform it, particularly at higher resolutions. The data shows that the system's strength is in 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the CPU can push high frame rates, but it falls behind at 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. It features 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, along with 192 KB of L1 cache per core. This high core count and fast clock speeds make it a powerhouse for multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303.

In Minimum, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 210 FPS, which indicates the CPU can handle the game's simulation and draw call processing efficiently. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 4823 and multi-thread score of 60860 support this, showing strong per-core and multi-core performance.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5 is more than sufficient for this game. The 24 threads are not fully utilized, as Minimum is not a heavily multi-threaded title, but the high boost clock ensures that the few threads it does use run at very high speeds. The CPU's percentile ranking of 96th among all CPUs confirms its top-tier status.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is 0.2% faster in average score, while the AMD EPYC 4584PX and 9135 are 1.1% and 1.2% slower, respectively. The AMD EPYC 7F72 is 1.3% faster. These are all enterprise-class processors, indicating the 290K Plus is competitive with server-grade silicon.

The CPU is not a bottleneck in this game at any resolution. The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K are consistent with GPU-bound behavior, and the CPU's high performance ensures it can always deliver frames faster than the GPU can render them. For users with high refresh rate monitors, the CPU's ability to maintain 200+ FPS at 1080p Low is a clear benefit.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset averages 210 FPS, which is the fastest measured. The Medium preset averages 160 FPS, with a minimum of 136 FPS and a maximum of 185 FPS. The High preset averages 135 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 103 FPS. All 1080p presets are playable, with even Ultra maintaining a frame rate above 100 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably. The Low preset averages 135 FPS, the Medium preset averages 103 FPS (min 88, max 119), the High preset averages 87 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 66 FPS. The Medium preset at 103 FPS is the best option for high refresh rate displays, while Ultra at 66 FPS is still above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset averages 73 FPS, the Medium preset averages 56 FPS (min 47, max 64), the High preset averages 47 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 36 FPS. Only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset is below 40 FPS, making it unsuitable for gameplay.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p Low is the fastest, followed by 1080p Medium, then 1440p Low, and so on. The Medium presets consistently offer the best balance of frame rate and visual quality, with the 1080p Medium at 160 FPS being the standout result. The 4K Ultra preset at 36 FPS is the slowest measured, indicating that this combination is not designed for maximum settings at 4K.