Minimum

This benchmark analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in the 2014 third-person shooter Minimum. The data presented is from measured FPS results across three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a clear picture of how this specific combination handles the game's workload.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a steep performance curve as resolution increases, which is typical for a game with a strong GPU dependency. At 1080p, the combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates, with the Low preset reaching 280 FPS and the Medium preset hitting 214 FPS. These numbers suggest that at lower resolutions, the system is not overly constrained, and the CPU is capable of feeding frames quickly to the GPU. Moving to 1440p, we see a predictable drop: the Low preset falls to 180 FPS, which is a 100 FPS reduction from 1080p. This 36% decrease indicates that the GPU is beginning to take on more work as pixel count increases, but the frame rates remain very high and well above playable thresholds.

The most dramatic scaling occurs when jumping from 1440p to 4K. At 3840x2160, the Low preset drops to 97 FPS, a further 46% reduction from the 1440p figure. The High preset at 4K manages 62 FPS, while Ultra falls to 48 FPS. This pattern demonstrates that the RTX 4090, with its substantial memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, becomes the definitive limiting factor at 4K. The data reveals that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens significantly at higher resolutions: at 1080p, the spread between Low (280 FPS) and Ultra (137 FPS) is 143 FPS, but at 4K, the spread narrows to just 49 FPS (97 FPS on Low versus 48 FPS on Ultra). This narrowing suggests that at 4K, the GPU is saturated, and the additional rendering work from higher presets has a proportionally smaller impact because the baseline pixel workload is already so demanding.

The scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 4090 is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is sufficient to keep the GPU fed at lower resolutions. The CPU's boost clock of 5.00 GHz and 16 cores provide enough headroom for high frame rates, but the pixel throughput required at 4K overwhelms even this flagship GPU. The data shows a 65% reduction in FPS from 1080p Low to 4K Low, which is a substantial hit that users targeting 4K should account for when selecting settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread mobile processor from the Panther Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 2.00 GHz, rising to a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and it features 18 MB of shared L3 cache. In Minimum, the CPU's role appears to be providing consistent frame delivery, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 280 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate that requires strong single-thread performance. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3984 and multi-core score of 28221 indicate robust processing capability, with the single-core score being particularly relevant for gaming workloads that often rely on fewer threads.

The CPU's memory support for LPDDR5X with dual-channel configuration and 153.6 GB/s bandwidth helps ensure that data can be fed to the GPU quickly. In the context of Minimum, a game from 2014, the CPU is likely overkill for the game's threading demands, but the high boost clock ensures that even older game engines that rely heavily on single-core performance will see excellent results. The data shows that at 1080p Medium, the system hits 214 FPS, and at 1080p High, it maintains 180 FPS, both of which demonstrate that the CPU is not introducing a significant performance ceiling at these settings.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Ultra X7 368H has an average benchmark score of 40518, which places it just 0.1% below the Intel Core 7 253PE (40557) and 0.2% below the Intel Core 5 223PE (40585). It is 0.2% ahead of both the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H and Intel Xeon 6507P, both scoring 40431 and 40426 respectively. These small deltas indicate that the CPU's performance is well within the expected range for its class, and in Minimum, the measured FPS results suggest that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution tested. The CPU's 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs further confirms its strong performance position.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a desktop-class GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring the AD102 chip with 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. It operates with a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, paired with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 1313 MHz, translating to 21 Gbps effective, and the GPU achieves a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s. These specifications make it an extremely powerful GPU, and the measured FPS in Minimum reflects its capabilities, particularly at 1080p and 1440p.

At 1080p, the RTX 4090 delivers frame rates that are effectively GPU-bound at higher settings. The Ultra preset at 1080p achieves 137 FPS, while High reaches 180 FPS. The GPU's FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS is more than sufficient for a game from 2014, which likely does not utilize modern rendering techniques that would stress the GPU's tensor or ray tracing cores. The GPU's 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are present but are unlikely to be heavily used in Minimum, given its release date. The GPU's role becomes more pronounced at 4K, where the pixel workload increases fourfold compared to 1080p. At 4K Ultra, the GPU produces 48 FPS, which is a 65% drop from the 1080p Ultra figure of 137 FPS.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s is a critical factor at 4K, where large textures and high-resolution buffers demand significant memory throughput. The 24 GB VRAM capacity is far beyond what Minimum requires, but the bandwidth is what matters for sustained frame rates. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the system achieves 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, which is a solid playable experience, but at 4K Ultra, the minimum FPS is not reported, and the average drops to 48 FPS, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain smooth performance at the highest preset. The GPU's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it well above average, and its average benchmark score of 60347 is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, 0% delta), while it is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140) and 2.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657).

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 280 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p produces 214 FPS with a minimum of 182 FPS and a maximum of 246 FPS, indicating consistent frame delivery. The High preset at 1080p drops to 180 FPS, while the Ultra preset falls to 137 FPS. These numbers show that even at the highest quality settings, the system maintains frame rates well above 60 FPS, making 1080p an excellent resolution for high-refresh-rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 180 FPS, which is a significant drop from 1080p but still very high. The Medium preset at 1440p produces 138 FPS with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS, showing a tighter frame time distribution. The High preset at 1440p achieves 116 FPS, while Ultra drops to 88 FPS. At this resolution, the system remains highly playable, with even the Ultra preset staying above 60 FPS. The data shows that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combination, offering high frame rates with the ability to use higher quality settings.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 97 FPS, which is still a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K produces 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS, indicating that the game can maintain minimums above 60 FPS at medium settings. The High preset at 4K drops to 62 FPS, which is just at the edge of 60 FPS gameplay. The Ultra preset at 4K falls to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in a less smooth experience on displays with high refresh rates. The progression from 1080p to 4K shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the GPU becoming the dominant factor at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 599th out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum, placing it in the top 20% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the strong performance of both components, but it is not at the very top of the list, likely due to the CPU being a mobile part rather than a desktop enthusiast processor. The GPU's high percentile ranking (88th) contributes significantly to the combo's overall position, while the CPU's 87th percentile also helps. The rank of 599 suggests that there are many other combos that achieve higher frame rates, possibly with more powerful desktop CPUs paired with the same GPU.

The combo's performance in Minimum is characterized by very high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, with the Ultra preset at 1440p achieving 88 FPS. At 4K, the combo still delivers playable frame rates on all presets except Ultra, where the 48 FPS average may be borderline for some users. The ranking indicates that this is a high-performing combo, but the mobile CPU may slightly cap performance in CPU-bound scenarios, even though the measured data does not show obvious CPU limitations. The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals show minimal differences, suggesting that swapping to a similar-performing CPU would have negligible impact on the combo's ranking.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance goals. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 137 FPS is recommended for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as it provides a significant visual improvement over High (180 FPS) while still maintaining frame rates above 120 FPS. If maximum frame rates are desired, the Low preset at 280 FPS is available, but the visual quality trade-off is substantial. For most 1080p users, the High preset at 180 FPS offers a balanced experience with high visual fidelity and excellent performance.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 116 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 88 FPS is also viable for users who prioritize visual fidelity, and it remains above 60 FPS with a comfortable margin. The Medium preset at 138 FPS is a strong option for competitive play, offering higher frame rates with slightly reduced visual quality. The Low preset at 180 FPS is available for users seeking maximum performance, but it may not fully utilize the GPU's capabilities.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 74 FPS is the best recommendation, as it maintains a minimum FPS of 63 and provides a solid 4K experience. The High preset at 62 FPS is also playable but sits close to the 60 FPS threshold, and frame drops could be noticeable. The Low preset at 97 FPS offers the highest frame rates at 4K but sacrifices visual quality. The Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay, as it falls below 60 FPS and may result in a less responsive experience. For users with variable refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at 4K provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, ensuring the game remains fluid without significant compromises.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Minimum?

A: The highest average FPS is 280, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 48, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H has an average benchmark score of 40518, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core 7 253PE (40557) and 0.2% lower than the Intel Core 5 223PE (40585).

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 117, with an average of 138 FPS and a maximum of 159 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations in Minimum?

A: This combo ranks 599th out of 2939 tested combos, placing it in the top 20% of all configurations.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and how does it support 4K performance?

A: The RTX 4090 has a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s, which helps maintain playable frame rates at 4K, with the Medium preset achieving 74 FPS and the Low preset achieving 97 FPS.