The Medium

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers playable performance in The Medium only at its lowest settings, and even then, only at 1440p and 1080p resolutions. At 4K, no settings preset achieves the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the best result being 57.6 FPS on Low. The data indicates this combination is a 1080p-and-1440p Low-settings machine for this title, with a significant performance cliff appearing as soon as quality settings are raised.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data for this CPU-GPU combination reveals a steep and consistent drop in performance as graphical fidelity increases, regardless of resolution. There are no min or max FPS values recorded in the dataset, so this analysis relies solely on average frame rates.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are firmly in unplayable territory for most presets. The Low preset averages 57.6 FPS, which is just shy of the 60 FPS target. Moving to Medium drops the average to 33.7 FPS, a substantial 41% reduction from Low. High settings produce an average of 26.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset bottoms out at 23.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is particularly stark, suggesting the Arc B580’s 12 GB memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are overwhelmed quickly by increased texture and shading demands.

At 2560x1440 (QHD), the pattern repeats but with slightly higher overall numbers. The Low preset averages 75.6 FPS, clearing the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin. Medium settings fall to 45.1 FPS, which is a 40% drop from Low. High averages 32.1 FPS, and Ultra is nearly identical to 4K High at 26.5 FPS. The data shows that 1440p Medium, High, and Ultra are all non-playable, with the frame rate roughly halving between Low and Medium.

At 1920x1080 (Full HD), the best results are achieved. The Low preset averages 89.7 FPS, providing a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 53.7 FPS, which is just below playable. High averages 39.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 30.4 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a consistent, severe degradation: each step up in quality costs roughly 14-16 FPS on average. Benchmark results indicate that the Arc B580’s performance ceiling for this game is fundamentally tied to the preset, not the resolution, as even 1080p Medium fails to hit 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global database of tested combinations for The Medium, this specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 2852 out of 3724 tested combos. This places it in the lower 24th percentile of all systems tested for this game. The rank reflects a configuration that is capable of running the game, but only under the most forgiving settings.

This low rank is somewhat surprising given the individual hardware profiles. The Intel Core i5-14600KF sits in the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with strong multi-core and single-core scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core: 32544; single-core: 4594). The Intel Arc B580, however, sits in the 68th percentile among all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 15748. The discrepancy between the high-performing CPU and the mid-tier GPU explains the combo’s overall position. The data suggests the Arc B580 is the primary bottleneck in this pairing for The Medium, as the game’s frame rates are more sensitive to GPU load than CPU throughput. The combo’s rank of 2852 indicates that while the CPU has ample headroom, the GPU cannot translate that into high frame rates at higher presets.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the playable threshold of 60 FPS, the data identifies the most demanding preset that remains playable at each resolution. The verdict data is clear and consistent.

At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. The best achievable average FPS is 57.6 on Low, which falls short of the 60 FPS target. Players at this resolution would need to accept sub-60 FPS performance or reduce the resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only playable option, delivering an average of 75.6 FPS. This provides a 15.6 FPS buffer above the threshold. Medium settings drop to 45.1 FPS, making them unplayable. There is no headroom to increase quality.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset is again the only playable setting, achieving an average of 89.7 FPS. This is a robust result with a 29.7 FPS buffer. Medium settings drop to 53.7 FPS, below the threshold. The 1080p Low experience is the most comfortable configuration for this combo, offering the highest frame rate and the largest safety margin.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Examining the nearest rivals for both components provides context for what other hardware might deliver similar frame rates in this game. The performance deltas are minimal, indicating that swapping to any of these nearby parts would yield nearly identical results.

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49394. Its closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, with an average score of 49228, a negligible 0.3% difference. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (score 49196, 0.4% slower) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (score 48995, 0.8% slower) are also effectively equivalent. On the higher side, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (score 49796) is 0.8% faster. For gaming at the presets tested, any of these CPUs would behave the same as the i5-14600KF, as the GPU will remain the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, with an average score of 23061, which is 0.2% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895) is 0.6% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (score 23172) is 0.7% faster. The NVIDIA P106-100 (score 23249) is 1% faster. These deltas are all within a margin of error, so a system using any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical average FPS numbers in The Medium. The data strongly suggests that users with these GPUs would face the same 60 FPS limitations at Medium settings and above.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 39.2, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only the Low preset achieves playable frame rates at this resolution, averaging 89.7 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware?

A: The best combination is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which produces an average of 89.7 FPS. This provides the highest frame rate and the largest buffer above the 60 FPS threshold among all tested configurations.

Q: Is 1440p playable on this system?

A: Yes, but only with Low settings. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 75.6 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. All other presets at this resolution (Medium, High, Ultra) fall below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 for this game?

A: The two GPUs have nearly identical average benchmark scores. The Arc B580 scores 23021, while the RTX 2080 scores 22895, a difference of only 0.6%. In practice, they would produce very similar frame rates in The Medium.

Q: Why is 4K not playable even on Low settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 57.6. This is 2.4 FPS short of the 60 FPS playable threshold. No preset at 4K reaches 60 FPS, so the resolution is not considered playable for this combo.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The i5-14600KF ranks in the 90th percentile among CPUs, while the Arc B580 ranks in the 68th percentile among GPUs. The frame rate drops are consistent with GPU limitations as settings increase, suggesting the GPU is the constraining component.

The Verdict

The data provides a clear verdict: this PC can run The Medium, but only under strict conditions. The system is not playable at 3840x2160 at any settings preset, as the highest achievable average FPS is 57.6 on Low, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the system is playable solely on the Low preset, achieving an average of 75.6 FPS. At 1920x1080, it is also playable solely on the Low preset, achieving an average of 89.7 FPS.

The Intel Core i5-14600KF provides more than enough processing power, but the Intel Arc B580’s performance ceiling in The Medium is reached quickly. The measured FPS data shows a consistent pattern where moving from Low to Medium settings reduces performance by roughly 40% at every resolution. This combination is suitable for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity and are willing to run the game at its lowest graphical preset. For those seeking Medium settings or higher, this hardware will not deliver a 60 FPS experience at any resolution tested.