The Medium

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark picture for running The Medium. This horror title demands more graphics horsepower than this integrated-class GPU can deliver, and the recorded data shows a system that falls well short of the 60 FPS playability threshold at every tested setting and resolution. Below is the full breakdown of measured performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combination are consistently low, with the best result being a 51 FPS average at 1080p on Low settings. No configuration in the database reaches the 60 FPS target.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are unsurprisingly the weakest. The High preset produces a 15 FPS average, while the Low preset more than doubles that to 34 FPS. The Medium preset lands at 21 FPS average, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to just 12 FPS average. These figures indicate that 4K is entirely out of reach for this combo, as even the lowest graphical settings cannot approach a playable rate.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), performance improves but remains critically low. The High preset averages 19 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 43 FPS. Medium sits at 27 FPS average with a recorded range of 23 to 31 FPS. Ultra drops to 15 FPS. While the Low preset at 43 FPS is the second-best result for this pairing, it still falls 17 FPS short of the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the best-case scenario emerges. The Low preset achieves a 51 FPS average, which is the highest average recorded for this CPU and GPU combo. The High preset averages 23 FPS, Medium averages 32 FPS with a range of 27 to 37 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is notable: a 19 FPS difference, showing a steep cost for moving up one preset level. Even at the lowest settings, the system cannot reach 60 FPS, making this configuration unplayable by the database standard.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The GPU is the dominant bottleneck in this pairing, and its benchmark scores place it near some of the weakest graphics processors in the database. The Intel Arc B390 records an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are all NVIDIA parts from older generations. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, a 1.5% deficit. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, coming in 2.5% lower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, which is 2.7% lower. In practical terms, this means the Arc B390 performs within a small margin of these legacy entry-level GPUs, and any of them would likely produce similar frame rates in The Medium.

The CPU side is a different story. The Core i5-14400F is a strong processor that is not limiting performance here. Its average benchmark score of 32279 places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U with an average score of 32233 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-11900 with 32226 (0.2% lower), the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS with 32354 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i7-12800H with 32121 (0.5% lower). Any of these CPUs would behave nearly identically to the i5-14400F when paired with the Arc B390, since the graphics card is the constraining factor. The data indicates that swapping the GPU for one of these near-equal performers would not change the outcome.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets makes it clear that the GPU is entirely responsible for the low frame rates. Consider the CPU: it has 10 cores, 16 threads, a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and single-core score of 3055 are robust figures for a desktop processor. In contrast, the Arc B390 has a 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 rating, 1536 shading units, and a 9th percentile overall GPU ranking. The GPU is only designed for integrated graphics duties, as indicated by its IGP bus interface and system-shared memory.

When comparing resolutions at the same preset, the frame rate drops as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 51 at 1080p, to 43 at 1440p, to 34 at 4K. This scaling shows that the GPU is being pushed harder at higher pixel counts. The same pattern appears at High settings: 23 FPS at 1080p, 19 FPS at 1440p, and 15 FPS at 4K. If the CPU were the bottleneck, these numbers would stay relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU work per frame is similar regardless of resolution. That is not the case here.

The preset scaling further confirms the GPU bottleneck. At 1080p, going from Low to Medium drops the average from 51 FPS to 32 FPS, a 19 FPS reduction. Going from Low to High drops it to 23 FPS, and from Low to Ultra it falls to 18 FPS. This steep decline with increased graphical fidelity is characteristic of a GPU that lacks the shading power, texture units, and memory bandwidth to handle higher quality settings. The Arc B390 has only 48 texture mapping units and 24 ROPs, and its memory bandwidth is listed as system dependent, meaning it shares system memory rather than using dedicated VRAM. That shared memory setup is a severe disadvantage for a game like The Medium, which relies on high-resolution textures and complex lighting.

The CPU contribution is minimal in this scenario. The i5-14400F is more than capable of feeding frames to any GPU in its class, but the Arc B390 cannot turn that CPU performance into usable frame rates. At no point does the data suggest the processor is holding back the system; the GPU is the sole reason for the sub-60 FPS results.

The Verdict

Can this PC run The Medium? According to the database, the answer is no, not at a playable level. The playability threshold is set at 60 FPS, and the verdict by resolution is clear: none of the tested resolutions, 3840x2160, 2560x1440, or 1920x1080, have any playable settings. The best average frame rate recorded is 51 FPS at 1080p Low, which is 9 FPS short of the target.

At 4K, the system is effectively unplayable. The Low preset averages 34 FPS, but even that is below 60, and the Medium preset only manages 21 FPS with a minimum of 18 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset reaches 43 FPS, but again this misses the threshold. At 1080p, the situation improves marginally but not enough. The Low preset at 51 FPS is the closest this combo gets to playable, yet it still fails the 60 FPS requirement. There is no resolution or preset combination in the recorded data that clears 60 FPS.

For anyone considering this hardware for The Medium, the data is unambiguous: it will not deliver a smooth experience. The game is listed as a Horror title with a release date of 2021-01-27, and its graphical demands exceed what the Arc B390 can provide. A different GPU would be required, as the CPU is not the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in The Medium?

A: The highest average frame rate is 51 FPS, recorded at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This still falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

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

A: No. At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 32, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. This is well below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% lower), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% lower), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% lower), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7% lower). Performance is similar to these older entry-level GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279 (83rd percentile), while the Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Frame rates drop significantly as resolution and settings increase, which is a GPU-bound pattern.

Q: What is the best resolution and preset combination for this system?

A: The best recorded result is 1920x1080 with the Low preset, yielding a 51 FPS average. However, no combination of resolution and settings in the database reaches 60 FPS, so none are considered playable.

Q: Which CPU alternatives would perform similarly to the i5-14400F?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (0.1% lower average score), Intel Core i9-11900 (0.2% lower), AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (0.2% higher), and Intel Core i7-12800H (0.5% lower) are all within 0.5% of the i5-14400F's average benchmark score. Any would behave similarly when paired with the Arc B390.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3314 out of 3724 total combos. That places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, which aligns with the measured frame rates. The low ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU, as its 9th percentile standing among all GPUs is the weakest link. The CPU, ranked in the 83rd percentile, does not contribute to the poor result. The data shows a system that is severely unbalanced for this title: a capable modern processor wasted on a graphics solution that cannot handle the game’s demands. For a game like The Medium, which requires substantial graphics resources, this combo is one of the least capable in the database, and the recorded FPS confirms it cannot deliver a playable experience at any resolution or preset.