The Medium

The data for the Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 in The Medium shows a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, but with a clear ceiling at 4K. The measured results indicate that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and capable 1440p play, while 4K requires careful settings selection to maintain smooth performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong performance across all presets. At Low settings, the average FPS reaches 142.4, providing a substantial margin for high-refresh-rate displays. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 99.4 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold. At High settings, the average is 71.1 FPS, which remains fluid. The most demanding preset, Ultra, yields an average of 60.1 FPS, just barely clearing the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the performance scaling is more pronounced. The Low preset averages 137.6 FPS, showing that the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution with reduced graphical loads. Medium settings produce an average of 83.6 FPS, which is a significant drop from 1080p but still smooth. High settings average 60.2 FPS, right at the edge of the playable threshold. The Ultra preset falls below the threshold, with an average of 45.5 FPS, indicating that this setting is not viable for consistent 60 FPS gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5070’s capabilities are stretched. The Low preset averages 110 FPS, which is surprisingly high and suggests that the game is not overly demanding at lower settings even at 4K. Medium settings average 68.4 FPS, providing a playable experience with a reasonable visual upgrade. High settings drop to 51 FPS on average, which falls short of the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of only 39.6 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance data across resolutions reveals how the balance between the CPU and GPU shifts. At 1080p, the difference between Low (142.4 FPS) and Ultra (60.1 FPS) is a 58% reduction in average FPS. This large delta indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card at these lower resolutions. The i5-12400’s 6-core, 12-thread configuration and its strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257, ensure that it does not bottleneck the RTX 5070 in this scenario.

At 1440p, the scaling between Low (137.6 FPS) and Ultra (45.5 FPS) is even steeper, a 67% drop. This suggests that the GPU is becoming more heavily utilized, as the increased pixel count places more strain on the graphics card. The CPU’s role diminishes relative to the GPU, but its performance is still sufficient to maintain high frame rates at lower presets.

At 4K, the pattern continues, with Low (110 FPS) to Ultra (39.6 FPS) representing a 64% reduction. The GPU is clearly the dominant factor here, as the RTX 5070’s 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth are pushed to their limits. The CPU’s impact is minimal at this resolution, as the frame rate is largely dictated by the GPU’s rendering capabilities. Benchmark results indicate that the i5-12400’s multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, is more than adequate for this game, even at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 703rd out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 19% of all configurations tested for this game, which is a strong showing given the game’s horror genre and its demanding visual effects. The rank reflects a balance between the CPU’s mid-range performance and the GPU’s high-end capabilities. The i5-12400’s percentile of 72 against all CPUs indicates that it is a solid performer, while the RTX 5070’s percentile of 82 against all GPUs shows that it is a more capable component in this pairing. The combo’s overall rank suggests that the GPU is the stronger contributor to the final score, which is consistent with the FPS data showing GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run The Medium at 1080p with maximum settings?*

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 60.1, which just clears the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset is the most demanding option that stays playable, with an average FPS of 60.2. The Ultra preset falls below the threshold at 45.5 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset averages 68.4 FPS, which is playable. The High preset drops to 51 FPS, and Ultra is not viable at 39.6 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400’s average benchmark score is 18683, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD EPYC 7643, 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i7-1355U, and 0.7% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330. It is 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i3-14100F.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070’s average benchmark score is 40377. This is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580, 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100, and 2% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile. It is 1.2% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 110 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 68.4 FPS. This represents a 38% reduction in average FPS when moving from Low to Medium.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average FPS of 60.1. This allows for maximum visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay.

For 2560x1440, the best preset is High, which averages 60.2 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, as the Ultra preset falls short of the threshold.

For 3840x2160, the best preset is Medium, with an average FPS of 68.4. This is the only setting above Low that remains playable at 4K, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while still clearing the 60 FPS target.

The Verdict

This PC can run The Medium effectively across all tested resolutions, but with limitations at 4K. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on all presets, including Ultra at 60.1 FPS, making it fully capable for high-refresh-rate gaming. At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 60.2 FPS, while Ultra drops to 45.5 FPS, so users must choose between visual quality and smoothness. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the best option at 68.4 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below the playable threshold. The verdict is clear: this combo is excellent for 1080p and 1440p gaming, and acceptable for 4K with adjusted settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400’s nearest rivals offer similar performance. The AMD EPYC 7643 has an average score of 18697, which is 0.1% higher, making it a near-identical match. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18730, 0.3% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18811, 0.7% higher. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18519, 0.9% lower, providing a slightly less capable but comparable alternative. These CPUs would yield very similar frame rates in The Medium.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon Pro 580 has an average score of 40318, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 5070, making it a close match. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 scores 40063, 0.8% lower, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39568, 2% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 scores 40870, 1.2% higher, offering slightly better performance. These GPUs would produce comparable FPS results in this game, though the RTX 5070’s specific features like ray tracing and DLSS may not be present in all alternatives.