The Medium

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B570 represents a modern mid-range desktop configuration. For The Medium, a horror title that demands both CPU throughput and GPU rasterization power, the benchmark data reveals a system that is highly capable at lower presets but falls short of a smooth experience at higher graphical loads. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, compares it to similar hardware, and provides specific guidance on achievable settings for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K output.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The measured combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B570 sits within a specific performance envelope defined by the average benchmark scores of its components. The CPU, with an average benchmark score of 27,799, places itself in the 79th percentile of all tested processors. Its nearest rivals in terms of aggregate score include the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27,872 and is effectively tied at a -0.3% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which scores 27,896, also a -0.3% delta. The data shows a near-identical performance tier, meaning users of a Ryzen 7 5800X3D or Core i9-10900K would see similar CPU-bound behavior in this game. On the other side, the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE scores 27,712, a +0.3% delta, indicating the i5-12600KF holds a marginal lead over that part.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B570 achieves an average benchmark score of 20,556, placing it in the 65th percentile of all graphics cards. Its closest competitor is the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20,582, a -0.1% delta, suggesting that the A750 would deliver nearly identical frame rates in The Medium. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, with a score of 20,534 and a +0.1% delta, is another direct equivalent; this is notable because the desktop-class B570 trades blows with a high-end mobile GPU. The AMD Radeon R9 M390X scores 20,662, a -0.5% delta, meaning it is statistically indistinguishable in aggregate compute performance. For gaming, the practical takeaway is that this combo behaves like a system built around the Arc A750 or a laptop with an RTX 3070 Mobile, with the i5-12600KF providing sufficient headroom to avoid being the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 2,999 out of 3,724 tested combinations for The Medium. This places the configuration in the lower 20th percentile of all tested systems, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s mid-tier position rather than the CPU’s strong showing. The i5-12600KF’s high multi-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 12,137, does not translate into high frame rates when the Arc B570 is the limiting factor. The rank indicates that while the CPU is well above average, the overall gaming experience is constrained by the graphics card, pushing this combo down the list. For context, the rank is not a measure of failure but a reflection of the GPU’s 65th percentile standing; systems ranked higher typically pair similar CPUs with faster GPUs. This position suggests that the hardware is adequate for competitive play at lower settings but will not compete with high-end rigs in the same title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 78 FPS on Low settings, which is the only preset at this resolution to clear the 60 FPS threshold. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 49 FPS, with a minimum of 41 and a maximum of 56. High settings produce an average of 35 FPS, while Ultra yields just 28 FPS average. The jump from Low to Medium represents a 37% performance reduction, indicating that the preset’s increased texture and lighting demands heavily tax the Arc B570.

At 2560x1440, the pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings achieve an average of 66 FPS, which remains playable, while Medium drops to 41 FPS (min 35, max 47). High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra falls to 23 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings costs 12 FPS, a 15% reduction, showing that the GPU’s 10 GB of GDDR6 memory and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the resolution increase at modest settings but not enough to sustain higher presets.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings produce an average of 52 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. Medium averages 32 FPS (min 27, max 37), High averages 23 FPS, and Ultra drops to 18 FPS. The data indicates that 4K is not viable for this configuration, even on the lowest preset, as the 52 FPS average falls short of the 60 FPS requirement and would likely exhibit noticeable stutter in demanding scenes.

The Verdict

Can this PC run The Medium? The benchmark data provides a clear answer: it can run the game at 1080p and 1440p, but only on Low settings to achieve a consistent 60 FPS experience. At 1920x1080, the verdict is that Low settings deliver 78 FPS average, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, making this the recommended resolution for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, Low settings also clear the bar with 66 FPS average, offering a higher pixel density without sacrificing playability. For 3840x2160, the verdict is negative; no preset reaches 60 FPS, with the best effort being Low at 52 FPS, which is 8 FPS short. The ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it yields frame rates in the 18-28 FPS range, rendering the game unplayable. The Medium’s demanding visuals, particularly its dual-reality rendering technique, are the primary cause of the GPU’s inability to handle higher presets. For users seeking higher quality, the data suggests that the Arc B570 is the limiting factor, and upgrades to a faster GPU would be necessary.

FAQ

Q: What is the fastest preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS at 1920x1080?

A: The Low preset is the only option, delivering an average of 78 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, with averages of 49, 35, and 28 FPS respectively.

Q: Can the Intel Arc B570 handle ray tracing in The Medium?

A: The FACT PACK does not include ray tracing-specific benchmark data. The GPU does have 18 ray tracing cores, but the measured FPS results for Ultra presets, which typically enable ray tracing, are far below playable levels, suggesting that ray tracing would significantly degrade performance.

Q: How does the i5-12600KF’s multi-threaded performance affect the game?

A: The CPU’s high multi-thread score (Cinebench R23 multi-core of 23,391) ensures that it is not a bottleneck in this title. The frame rates are primarily limited by the GPU, as evidenced by the consistent scaling of FPS with resolution changes and preset adjustments, not CPU-bound stutters.

Q: Is the Arc B570’s 10 GB memory sufficient for 1440p gaming?

A: The data shows that 1440p on Low settings runs at 66 FPS, suggesting that 10 GB is adequate for lower presets. However, Medium and higher presets cause a sharp drop to 41 FPS or below, indicating that memory bandwidth or capacity becomes a limiting factor at higher texture loads.

Q: What is the closest GPU rival to the Arc B570 based on benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Arc A750 is the nearest rival, with a score of 20,582 compared to the B570’s 20,556, a -0.1% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is also close at 20,534, meaning it would produce nearly identical frame rates.

Q: Does the system achieve 60 FPS at 4K on any setting?

A: No. The highest average at 3840x2160 is 52 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra yield 32, 23, and 18 FPS respectively.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS average is as follows:

• 1920x1080: Low, with an average of 78 FPS. This is the only preset that clears the threshold; Medium falls to 49 FPS.
• 2560x1440: Low, with an average of 66 FPS. The next step, Medium, drops to 41 FPS, which is below the target.
• 3840x2160: No preset meets the 60 FPS requirement. The best option is Low at 52 FPS, but it is not playable by the defined standard.

The data indicates that the Arc B570 has a hard ceiling at 1080p and 1440p with low-quality settings. Users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate can attempt Medium at 1080p (49 FPS) or 1440p (41 FPS), but these will be noticeably less smooth.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results show a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the Intel Arc B570. The CPU’s role is to provide a stable foundation, which it does effectively; its 10-core, 16-thread configuration and high boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensure that frame pacing is not CPU-limited. Evidence for this comes from the consistent FPS scaling across resolutions. When moving from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings, the average drops from 78 to 66 FPS, a 15% reduction that is entirely attributable to the GPU’s increased pixel workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, this drop would be smaller or non-existent, as the CPU’s workload does not change significantly with resolution.

The GPU is the dominant factor in determining playability. The Arc B570’s performance, with a 65th percentile ranking, is the reason why higher presets fail to reach 60 FPS. The scaling between presets is steep: at 1080p, the jump from Low to Medium cuts FPS by 37%, and from Medium to High by another 29%. This pattern is typical of a GPU that is bandwidth or shader-limited, rather than a CPU-bound scenario. The GPU’s 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 360.0 GTexel/s texture rate are simply insufficient for the game’s high-end effects at high resolutions.

At 4K, the GPU’s limitations become absolute. The 52 FPS on Low at 3840x2160 is a 33% drop from the 78 FPS at 1080p, which is a larger penalty than the resolution increase alone would predict, suggesting that the GPU is running out of memory bandwidth (380.0 GB/s) to feed its 80 ROPs. In contrast, the CPU’s role diminishes further at 4K, as the i5-12600KF’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and high single-thread score (Geekbench single-core of 2,157) are more than sufficient. The conclusion is that for The Medium, the GPU is the sole determinant of whether the game is playable, and the CPU’s contribution is to avoid adding any overhead that would further reduce the already tight frame rates.