The Medium

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B370 is a combination that heavily favors the CPU. The Arc B370, an integrated-class GPU with a 5th percentile ranking among all tested GPUs, becomes the primary constraint in The Medium. The recorded data shows that at every resolution and preset combination tested, the system falls short of the 60 FPS playable threshold, making this configuration unsuitable for smooth gameplay in this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database does not list a single preset that reaches the 60 FPS target at any of the three tested resolutions. For each resolution, the most demanding preset that comes closest to playability is the Low settings, but even that preset fails to hit the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset produces an average of 30 FPS. This is the highest average FPS recorded at this resolution, but it is exactly half of the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset drops to 19 FPS average, High falls to 14 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 11 FPS. No settings combination at 4K reaches 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 39 FPS average. This is the best result at this resolution, yet still 21 FPS short of the playable mark. Medium averages 24 FPS, High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS. The gap between the best preset and the 60 FPS target remains substantial.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 46 FPS average. This is the highest average FPS recorded for the entire combination across all resolutions and presets. However, it still falls 14 FPS short of the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium averages 29 FPS, High averages 21 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. Even at the lowest resolution and lowest settings, the system cannot deliver a playable experience according to the database's 60 FPS standard.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B370 combination ranks 3439 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places the system in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, reflecting the GPU's severe performance limitation in this title. The CPU itself is a strong performer, sitting at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs in the database. The i5-14400F's benchmark scores include a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, along with a Geekbench multi-core score of 11268. These CPU results indicate that the processor is not the bottleneck. The Arc B370, however, holds a 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 to its name. The extreme disparity between the CPU's 83rd percentile and the GPU's 5th percentile makes the overall ranking predictable.

The combo's rank of 3439 out of 3724 means that 285 other tested combinations performed worse, while 3438 performed better. This is a poor result for a game like The Medium, a horror title that relies on atmosphere and consistent frame pacing. The data suggests that any improvement in the GPU selection would dramatically lift the combo's ranking, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a more capable graphics solution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across all tested settings. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 30 FPS with no recorded minimum or maximum values. The Medium preset averages 19 FPS, with a minimum of 16 FPS and a maximum of 22 FPS. High averages 14 FPS, and Ultra averages 11 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 19 FPS, showing that even the lowest settings only double the Ultra result.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 39 FPS, Medium averages 24 FPS with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 28 FPS, High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS. The 1440p results show a 25 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset's minimum of 21 FPS indicates frame drops that would be noticeable during gameplay.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 46 FPS, Medium averages 29 FPS with a minimum of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS, High averages 21 FPS, and Ultra averages 16 FPS. The 1080p results show a 30 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p, with a minimum of 24 FPS, demonstrates that even mid-range settings produce frame rates well below the playable threshold.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: the Arc B370 cannot maintain playable frame rates even at the lowest settings. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra is roughly linear, with each step up in quality costing a significant portion of the frame rate. The CPU's capabilities are never fully utilized, as the GPU saturates far before the processor reaches its limits.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14400F in the database's CPU benchmarks are all close in average score. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U scores 32233, a 0.1% difference from the i5-14400F's average score of 32279. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226, a 0.2% difference. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, a -0.2% difference, meaning it scores slightly higher. The Intel Core i7-12800H scores 32121, a 0.5% difference. These four CPUs would all deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in The Medium, though the GPU remains the limiting factor in every case.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals to the Intel Arc B370 are all older or lower-tier parts. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1186, a -0.2% difference from the Arc B370's 1184. The ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1190, a -0.5% difference. The AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1192, a -0.7% difference. The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1168, a 1.4% difference. These results place the Arc B370 in the same performance class as graphics hardware from over a decade ago, which explains the poor frame rates in The Medium. Users upgrading from any of these older GPUs would see virtually no performance change in this game.

The CPU's nearest rivals all belong to the mobile or older desktop segments, confirming that the i5-14400F is a solid mid-range processor. The GPU's nearest rivals, however, are legacy parts that would struggle in any modern title. The combination of a modern 83rd percentile CPU with a 5th percentile GPU creates a system where the GPU is the sole determinant of gaming performance.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B370 run The Medium at 60 FPS?

A: No. The database records no settings combination at any resolution that reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best result is 46 FPS average at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves at 2560x1440?

A: The highest average FPS at 2560x1440 is 39 FPS, recorded with the Low preset. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 14 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is 0.1% slower, the Intel Core i9-11900 is 0.2% slower, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i7-12800H is 0.5% slower.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS for the Medium preset at 1920x1080?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the recorded minimum FPS is 24 and the maximum FPS is 33, with an average of 29 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 rank among all GPUs in the database?

A: The Intel Arc B370 sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. Its only benchmark score is 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it near the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and AMD Radeon HD 7650M.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in The Medium?

A: The combo ranks 3439 out of 3724 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems for this game.

The Verdict

The verdict from the database is unequivocal: this system cannot play The Medium at 60 FPS at any resolution or setting. The verdictByResolution field lists no playable settings for 3840x2160, 2560x1440, or 1920x1080. The playable threshold is set at 60 FPS, and the highest recorded average is 46 FPS at 1080p Low.

The Intel Core i5-14400F is not the issue. With a 83rd percentile CPU ranking and strong multi-core performance, the processor could easily handle the game's CPU demands. The Intel Arc B370, however, is fundamentally underpowered for this title. Its 5th percentile GPU ranking and benchmark scores comparable to decade-old hardware make it incapable of producing playable frame rates in a game like The Medium.

Users considering this combination for The Medium should expect a sub-60 FPS experience at all times. The best possible experience, based on the recorded data, is 46 FPS average at 1080p with Low settings, which still falls short of the playable threshold and may feel stuttery during demanding scenes. At 1440p and 4K, the experience degrades further, with the Low preset averaging 39 FPS and 30 FPS respectively. The Medium preset, which is likely the intended visual target for most users, averages 29 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 19 FPS at 4K. None of these results approach the 60 FPS standard. The data clearly indicates that the GPU must be upgraded for this game to be playable with this CPU.