Minimum

# Minimum CPU Performance Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock runs at 3.70 GHz with a boost clock reaching 5.80 GHz, and it carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 3 MB of L2 cache per core. For a 2014 third-person shooter like Minimum, this modern CPU is massively overprovisioned. The game's measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings suggest that the processor is rarely the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 229 FPS on average, which is far beyond what the game's engine realistically demands. The CPU's single-thread performance is exceptional, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303, and its multi-core score of 51731 places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested. This means that even in the most CPU-intensive scenarios within Minimum, the 290K Plus has ample headroom. The data shows that at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work per frame, the CPU can feed frames quickly enough to hit 229 FPS at 1080p Low. However, the limiting factor in this combo is clearly the GPU, as frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings changes, a pattern that points to graphics-bound performance rather than CPU limitation.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its closest rival in raw processing power?

A: The 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (score of 83807). It also leads the AMD EPYC 4584PX by 1.1% and the AMD EPYC 9135 by 1.2%, while trailing the AMD EPYC 7F72 by 1.3%. This puts it at 96th percentile among all CPUs, indicating top-tier overall performance.

Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 a good match for this CPU in Minimum?

A: The RTX 3070 sits at the 61st percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 17208. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which scores 17083 (0.7% lower). The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the primary performance limiter, as reducing resolution from 4K to 1080p at the same settings yields roughly a 2x increase in frame rate, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 175 FPS on average with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. This provides a smooth experience well above 144 Hz. The High preset at 147 FPS is also viable, but Medium offers a larger safety margin above typical high-refresh-rate targets.

Q: How does the RTX 3070's memory configuration affect performance in Minimum?

A: The RTX 3070 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. This is more than sufficient for a 2014 title like Minimum, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra preset still achieving 39 FPS, which suggests the 8 GB capacity is not a limiting factor at any tested resolution.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?

A: At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo achieves 51 FPS on average. Dropping to Medium yields 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 FPS. Low settings push it to 79 FPS. So 4K is playable, but only at Medium or Low settings for a consistent 60+ FPS experience.

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

A: This specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1210 out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the upper-middle tier. Given that the CPU is near the top of its class and the GPU is mid-range, this ranking is consistent with the GPU being the performance ceiling for this game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for the optimal experience in Minimum. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 175 FPS on average with a minimum of 149 FPS. This ensures gameplay rarely dips below 144 Hz, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset at 147 FPS is also acceptable, but it sits right at the edge of 144 Hz territory, meaning frame drops could become noticeable. Ultra at 112 FPS is still smooth but sacrifices the headroom that Medium provides. For 2560x1440, Medium again stands out with 113 FPS average and a minimum of 96 FPS, which is comfortable for 100 Hz displays. High at 95 FPS is close, but Medium's minimum frame rate is more reassuring for consistent performance. At 3840x2160, the situation changes; Medium produces 61 FPS average with a 52 FPS minimum, which is borderline for 60 Hz displays. Low at 79 FPS is the safer choice for 4K, as it provides a more stable framerate above 60 FPS. Across all resolutions, the data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for this CPU-GPU combo, offering the best trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate consistency. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 229 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant for a game that benefits from higher settings. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 39 FPS, which is below playable thresholds for most users.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1210 out of 2939 tested combinations in Minimum. This places the combo in the 59th percentile of all tested pairings, meaning roughly 41% of combinations perform better. This ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU, which is only at the 61st percentile among all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, is at the 96th percentile, indicating a significant imbalance in this pairing. The data shows that the RTX 3070's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (0.7% higher score), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (1% higher), and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (1.1% higher), while it trails the NVIDIA Tesla K40c by 1.5%. This mid-range GPU performance caps the combo's overall ranking, despite the CPU being one of the fastest available. In Minimum specifically, the game's age and relatively low system requirements mean that even this mid-range GPU can produce high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the ranking reflects that many combos with stronger GPUs will outperform it. The 290K Plus's massive multi-threaded capabilities (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731) are largely unused in this game, as Minimum is not a heavily threaded title. Thus, the combo's rank is a direct consequence of GPU-bound performance in this workload.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-limited scaling across resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo produces 147 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, it drops to 95 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 4K High, it falls to 51 FPS, a further 46% drop from 1440p. This steep scaling with resolution is characteristic of a GPU that is the primary bottleneck. The CPU's performance headroom is confirmed by the fact that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 229 FPS, suggesting that the CPU can handle frame rates well above what the GPU can deliver at higher settings. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a drop from 229 FPS to 148 FPS (a 35% reduction), while from 1440p to 4K Low, it goes from 148 FPS to 79 FPS (a 47% reduction). This consistent pattern across all settings indicates that the RTX 3070's pixel throughput is the limiting factor. The RTX 3070 has a pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s, and these figures are decisive at higher resolutions. The CPU's 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock are never stressed by this game, as evidenced by the fact that even the most demanding settings at 1080p (Ultra, 112 FPS) do not show signs of CPU limitation. The data indicates that for every 2x increase in pixel count (from 1080p to 1440p, and from 1440p to 4K), the frame rate drops by roughly 35-47%, which is consistent with GPU-bound rendering rather than any CPU constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset achieves 229 FPS on average, while Medium produces 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 201 FPS. High settings yield 147 FPS, and Ultra drops to 112 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset remains well above 100 FPS, making it a viable option for 100 Hz displays, though Medium offers the best combination of visuals and frame rate stability.

At 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably. Low settings produce 148 FPS, Medium delivers 113 FPS with a minimum of 96 FPS and a maximum of 130 FPS, High yields 95 FPS, and Ultra drops to 72 FPS. The Medium preset's 96 FPS minimum ensures that gameplay stays above 90 FPS, which is comfortable for most 1440p monitors. High is playable but approaches the 95 FPS average, which may be borderline for 100 Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3070 begins to strain. Low settings achieve 79 FPS, Medium produces 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS, High drops to 51 FPS, and Ultra falls to 39 FPS. For 4K gaming, Low is the only preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS, while Medium can touch 60 FPS but may dip below. High and Ultra are not recommended for smooth 4K gameplay, as they fall into the 39-51 FPS range, which is below standard 60 Hz refresh rates. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset provides the most consistent minimum frame rates, making it the safest choice for a smooth experience. The 1080p Medium minimum of 149 FPS is particularly strong, ensuring no drops below 144 Hz. The 1440p Medium minimum of 96 FPS is also solid. At 4K, the 52 FPS minimum of Medium is the best option among the higher presets, though Low's 79 FPS average offers more headroom. The data consistently shows that this combo is capable of excellent 1080p and 1440p performance in Minimum, with 4K requiring a compromise on settings.