The Medium

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a lopsided pairing for The Medium, a game that clearly favors the GPU. The CPU, a 6-core, 6-thread Coffee Lake part from 2018, sits at the 47th percentile among all tested CPUs, while the RTX 4070, an Ada Lovelace chip, ranks at the 81st percentile among all GPUs. This results in a combo that ranks 1626 out of 3724 tested combinations, placing it in the 44th percentile of all system pairings. The data indicates a system where the GPU carries the load, but the CPU’s older architecture and single-core performance cap the overall experience in the most demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 3724 tested combos, this pairing ranks 1626. That places it just below the midpoint of the database, which is a strong showing for a system with a 2018 CPU. The RTX 4070 is the dominant component, with an average benchmark score of 37648 across all GPU tests. The i5-9400’s average benchmark score is 2254, with its best result coming in Cinebench R23 multicore at 6629 points. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 26927 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 174152 highlight its raw capability, but the CPU’s single-core Cinebench R23 score of 935 limits how much of that power can be used in games that rely heavily on a single thread.

The ranking relative to other combos suggests this system is well-suited for GPU-bound tasks. In The Medium specifically, the measured FPS data shows that the GPU can push high frame rates at lower settings, but the CPU becomes a bottleneck at Ultra presets. The combo’s rank of 1626 out of 3724 is consistent with a system that performs above average but not at the top tier, as the CPU’s 47th percentile ranking drags down what would otherwise be a top-tier GPU pairing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 61.4 FPS. Low settings at this resolution push the average up to 74.4 FPS, but Medium is the highest preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. High settings drop to 41.4 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 37.8 FPS, both well below playable.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is also Medium, averaging 66.8 FPS. Low settings reach 83 FPS average, providing headroom for smoother gameplay, while High dips to 54.7 FPS and Ultra to 47.5 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS line.

At 1920x1080, the best playable preset is High, with an average of 66.1 FPS. Medium runs at 69.4 FPS and Low at 85.4 FPS, which are also playable. Ultra drops to 51.9 FPS, below the threshold. For 1080p users, High is the highest preset that maintains a playable frame rate, and the margin of 6.1 FPS above the 60 FPS line is modest, so players who prefer stability might opt for Medium.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 4K the best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 61.4 FPS. Low also works at 74.4 FPS, but High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS at 41.4 and 37.8 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Medium is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440, averaging 66.8 FPS. High drops to 54.7 FPS and Ultra to 47.5 FPS, both below the playable threshold.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 the limiting factor in this pairing?

A: No, the RTX 4070 is the stronger component. Its average benchmark score is 37648, and it ranks in the 81st percentile among GPUs. The i5-9400 ranks in the 47th percentile with an average score of 2254, indicating the CPU is the weaker link.

Q: How does this combo rank against all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1626 out of 3724 tested combinations. This places it in the upper half of the database, but not near the top due to the CPU’s lower percentile ranking.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p on High settings?

A: High settings at 1920x1080 average 66.1 FPS. Low and Medium are higher at 85.4 and 69.4 FPS respectively, while Ultra averages 51.9 FPS.

Q: Does the data include minimum or maximum FPS measurements?

A: No, the recorded FPS data for this game only includes average frame rates at each resolution and settings combination. Minimum and maximum values are not available in the database.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the i5-9400’s performance is closely matched by several other processors. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average benchmark score of 2259, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-9400’s 2254. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% lower. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% higher. These processors would all behave similarly in The Medium, as the differences are within a fraction of a percent. A system with any of these CPUs paired with the same RTX 4070 would produce nearly identical frame rates.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with an average score of 37628, just 0.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, 0.4% lower, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, 1.3% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, 1.3% lower. These deltas are small, so swapping the RTX 4070 for any of these would result in very similar performance in The Medium. The RTX 4080 Mobile would provide a slight edge, but the difference is unlikely to change the playable settings at any resolution.

For builders looking at this pairing, the data shows that the GPU is the component to prioritize. The RTX 4070 sits comfortably in the 81st percentile among GPUs, and its nearest rivals are all within 1.3% of its average score. The CPU, however, is a middle-of-the-pack part, and its nearest rivals are similarly positioned. Upgrading the CPU would yield larger gains than changing the GPU, since the GPU is already near the top of the performance curve.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded average FPS values are as follows: Low settings run at 74.4 FPS, Medium at 61.4 FPS, High at 41.4 FPS, and Ultra at 37.8 FPS. The step from Medium to High is a significant drop of 20 FPS, indicating that the game’s High preset introduces a heavy load on the system at 4K. Ultra is only 3.6 FPS slower than High, showing diminishing returns at the top end.

At 2560x1440, Low settings average 83 FPS, Medium averages 66.8 FPS, High averages 54.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 47.5 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 16.2 FPS, and from Medium to High is 12.1 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is smaller at 7.2 FPS. The 1440p results show a more gradual scaling than 4K, but the same pattern of Ultra being the most demanding preset holds.

At 1920x1080, Low settings average 85.4 FPS, Medium averages 69.4 FPS, High averages 66.1 FPS, and Ultra averages 51.9 FPS. The difference between Medium and High is just 3.3 FPS, making High a nearly free upgrade over Medium at this resolution. Ultra, however, drops below the 60 FPS threshold, averaging 51.9 FPS. The 1080p results show the system’s best performance, with three presets clearing 60 FPS and only Ultra falling short.

Across all resolutions, the trend is consistent: Low settings provide a substantial frame rate buffer, Medium is the highest playable preset at 4K and 1440p, and High is the highest playable at 1080p. Ultra is not playable at any resolution, with the highest Ultra result being 51.9 FPS at 1080p.

The Verdict

The verdict by resolution is clear. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best at 61.4 FPS. This clears the 60 FPS threshold, but barely, leaving a margin of only 1.4 FPS. At 2560x1440, Low and Medium are playable, with Medium at 66.8 FPS providing a more comfortable 6.8 FPS margin. At 1920x1080, High, Low, and Medium are all playable, with High at 66.1 FPS being the best preset.

This system can run The Medium, but the experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1080p, it delivers a solid High preset experience at 66.1 FPS. At 1440p, players must settle for Medium to stay above 60 FPS. At 4K, Medium is the only option above the threshold, and it only just makes it. The RTX 4070 is capable of more, but the i5-9400’s CPU performance, particularly its single-core scores, prevents the system from handling Ultra presets at any resolution.

The data suggests this is a system for 1080p and 1440p gaming with this title. Players aiming for 4K will need to accept Medium settings and frame rates that hover just above 60 FPS. The GPU has the headroom to handle higher presets, as shown by its strong benchmark scores, but the CPU limits the overall performance in the most demanding scenarios. For a smoother experience, reducing resolution or settings is the practical path, as the measured FPS values show no other way to reach higher presets while maintaining playability.