The Medium

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 presents a mixed picture for running The Medium, a horror title that clearly scales heavily with resolution and settings. The recorded data shows a system capable of smooth gameplay at multiple configurations, but with notable limitations at the highest demands. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, examines the roles of the CPU and GPU, and provides a clear verdict on playability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the data shows a wide performance range depending on the preset. With Low settings, the average FPS is 93, which is well above the playable threshold. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 47 FPS, while Ultra brings the average down to 38 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium costs 27 FPS on average, while the progression from Medium to High and High to Ultra shows diminishing returns in visual fidelity but a clear cost in frame rate.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance profile improves. The Low preset achieves an average of 100 FPS. Medium settings deliver an average of 84 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. The High preset lands exactly at 60 FPS on average. The Ultra preset falls to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The difference between Low and Medium here is 16 FPS, while the step from Medium to High is a significant 24 FPS drop.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system performs best. The Low preset records 106 FPS on average. Medium settings show an average of 89 FPS, with a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS. The High preset averages 72 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 57 FPS, just missing the 60 FPS target. The scaling from High to Ultra at 1080p costs 15 FPS, which is a notable penalty for the highest settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only on Low and Medium presets. The measured average FPS is 93 on Low and 66 on Medium. The High preset averages 47 FPS, and Ultra averages 38 FPS, both below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset at 1440p that stays above 60 FPS?

A: The High preset is the best option, averaging exactly 60 FPS. Medium averages 84 FPS, and Low averages 100 FPS. Ultra falls short at 48 FPS.

Q: Is 1080p Ultra playable?

A: No. The Ultra preset at 1080p averages 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset, however, averages 72 FPS and is fully playable.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings?

A: At 4K Medium, the minimum recorded FPS is 56. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 71 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 75 FPS. These values indicate that the Medium preset maintains playable frame rates at all resolutions, though 4K dips close to the threshold.

Q: How does the system rank among all tested combos in this game?

A: The combination ranks 1063 out of 3724 tested combos, placing it in the upper portion of the database for The Medium.

Q: Does lowering resolution from 4K to 1080p guarantee a large FPS boost on High settings?

A: Yes. The High preset averages 47 FPS at 4K, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 72 FPS at 1080p. This shows a steady improvement of 13 and 12 FPS respectively as resolution decreases.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear pattern: this game is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU becomes more relevant at lower resolutions. The Intel Core i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451, which places it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, with a Passmark G3D score of 29137 and a percentile rank of 82, is the dominant component.

At 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The difference between Low and Ultra settings is a massive 55 FPS (93 vs 38), indicating that the GPU's rendering load is the deciding factor. The CPU's role is diminished because the resolution demands more pixel throughput than geometry or draw-call processing.

At 1440p, the balance shifts slightly. The FPS spread between Low and Ultra is 52 FPS (100 vs 48), still largely GPU-driven. However, the High preset hitting exactly 60 FPS suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output at this resolution, with neither component clearly limiting.

At 1080p, the CPU's influence becomes more apparent. The FPS range from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS (106 vs 57). The fact that Ultra still fails to reach 60 FPS at 1080p, while High achieves 72 FPS, points to the GPU being the limiter even here, but the CPU's single-thread performance, reflected in a Geekbench single-core score of 1420, is sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates. The scaling from 4K to 1080p on High settings (47 to 60 to 72 FPS) shows that the system responds predictably to reduced pixel counts, with the GPU remaining the primary constraint throughout.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run The Medium, but the playable settings depend heavily on the target resolution. At 3840x2160, the system clears 60 FPS on Low (93 FPS) and Medium (66 FPS) presets. The best playable preset at 4K is Medium, with an average of 66 FPS. At 2560x1440, the system is playable on Low (100 FPS), Medium (84 FPS), and High (60 FPS), with High being the best option that still meets the threshold. At 1920x1080, playable presets include Low (106 FPS), Medium (89 FPS), and High (72 FPS), with High again being the most demanding playable setting. Ultra settings are not playable at any resolution, as the averages stay below 60 FPS (57 at 1080p, 48 at 1440p, 38 at 4K). The verdict is straightforward: for a consistent 60 FPS experience, users should stick to High settings at 1080p or 1440p, or Medium at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, which achieves an average of 66 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the threshold while offering better visual quality than Low.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High, averaging exactly 60 FPS. This is a tight fit, but it meets the playability criterion. For users who prefer a larger FPS buffer, Medium at 84 FPS is a safer alternative.

At 1920x1080, the best playable preset is High, with an average of 72 FPS. This leaves a 12 FPS buffer over the 60 FPS line, making it the recommended choice for 1080p gaming. Ultra is tempting but falls short at 57 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 1063 out of 3724 combos. This places the system in the top 28.5% of all tested configurations. The rank reflects a strong mid-to-high tier position, driven primarily by the GPU's high percentile rank of 82 among all GPUs. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking is modest, yet it does not prevent the system from achieving playable frame rates at most settings. The combination is clearly capable of handling the game, though it is not among the elite performers that can max out every preset at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, several hardware options would behave similarly to this combo. For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-10400F's closest competitors include the Intel Xeon 6756E, which scores 14163 in the average benchmark, just 0.2% lower than the i5-10400F's 14185. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, a 0.3% advantage. The AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115, a 0.5% deficit, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, a 0.6% edge. These processors would deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in The Medium, meaning the FPS results would be virtually unchanged.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070's nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro 580 with an average score of 40318 (a 0.1% difference), the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 at 40063 (0.8% lower), the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 at 40870 (1.2% higher), and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile at 39568 (2% lower). Swapping the RTX 5070 for any of these cards would produce FPS figures within a small margin of the recorded data, though the exact playable settings might shift slightly. Users with any of these comparable GPUs and a similarly performing CPU can expect a similar experience: playable at High settings for 1080p and 1440p, and Medium for 4K.