The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both the GPU and CPU, and the Intel Core i7-14700F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a solid, if uneven, experience depending on your resolution. Benchmark data shows this combo is highly capable at lower resolutions, but it hits a performance ceiling at 4K that forces careful settings choices. The data indicates a clear hierarchy where the RTX 5070’s raw throughput is the primary driver, while the i7-14700F’s strong multi-threaded performance prevents it from being a bottleneck. The measured average frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that can comfortably exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold at 1080p and 1440p, but requires a compromise at 3840x2160.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Medium, which delivers a measured 69.8 FPS average. The data shows that stepping up to High drops the average to 49.6 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold, while Ultra is even more demanding at 39.8 FPS. Low settings are surprisingly playable at 104.3 FPS, but Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance that keeps the frame rate above the target.

For 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High, producing an average of 63.9 FPS. This is a marginal victory over the 60 FPS line, and the data suggests it is the sweet spot for this resolution. Medium runs much faster at 84.4 FPS, but High provides superior visuals while still clearing the threshold. Ultra at 1440p falls short at 47.9 FPS, and Low is overkill at 138.6 FPS for those seeking maximum frame rates.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are also High, which achieves a comfortable 71.7 FPS average. This is a significant margin above the 60 FPS requirement, giving the system headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra is technically playable at 59.3 FPS, but it sits just below the threshold, making High the recommended choice for a stable experience. Medium and Low produce 101.3 FPS and 162 FPS respectively, showing that the combo is far from stressed at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run The Medium at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the measured average frame rate is 39.8 FPS, which is well below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The highest playable preset at 4K is Medium, averaging 69.8 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high refresh rate?

A: At 1920x1080, the system can push 162 FPS on Low settings and 101.3 FPS on Medium. Even on High, it maintains 71.7 FPS, indicating that 1080p is the resolution where the frame rate headroom is greatest.

Q: How does the RTX 5070’s performance compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 5070’s average benchmark score is 40377, which places it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100. It is 1.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 and 2% behind the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile in synthetic tests, though these are not direct gaming comparisons.

Q: Is the i7-14700F a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 in this game?

A: The data does not show a CPU bottleneck. The i7-14700F’s multi-threaded score of 35122 in Cinebench R23 and its 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs suggest it has ample headroom. The frame rate scaling across resolutions points to the GPU as the limiting factor, especially at 4K.

Q: What is the playable threshold for this game, and how does the combo fare?

A: The playable threshold is 60 FPS. The combo clears this at 1080p and 1440p on High settings, and at 4K on Medium settings. At 4K Ultra and 1440p Ultra, the average frame rates of 39.8 FPS and 47.9 FPS respectively fail to meet this standard.

Q: How does this combo rank overall among tested systems for The Medium?

A: The combo ranks 597th out of 3724 tested combinations, placing it in the top 16% of all tested systems. This indicates it is a high-performing configuration for this title, despite its struggles at the highest 4K preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160: The data shows a steep performance curve across presets. Low settings produce an average of 104.3 FPS. Medium drops to 69.8 FPS, which is the only other playable preset at this resolution. High falls to 49.6 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 39.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 64.5 FPS, demonstrating the extreme cost of higher quality settings at 4K.

2560x1440: Performance is stronger here. Low settings average 138.6 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. Medium delivers 84.4 FPS, offering a smooth experience. High drops to 63.9 FPS, which just clears the 60 FPS line. Ultra is the only non-playable preset at 47.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 90.7 FPS difference, indicating that 1440p is still heavily GPU-bound at higher presets.

1920x1080: This is where the combo shines. Low settings hit 162 FPS, providing an exceptionally smooth experience for high-refresh displays. Medium averages 101.3 FPS, and High manages 71.7 FPS. Ultra falls just short of the target at 59.3 FPS. The data shows that even the most demanding preset is nearly playable, with only a 0.7 FPS deficit from the 60 FPS threshold.

The Verdict

The benchmark results make it clear that this PC can run The Medium, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is a strong performer, with High settings delivering 71.7 FPS and Low settings reaching 162 FPS. The verdict for 1080p is unequivocally positive, with three presets clearing the 60 FPS threshold and Ultra just missing it by 0.7 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the combo remains playable, but with less headroom. High settings average 63.9 FPS, which is above the threshold, while Low and Medium provide 138.6 FPS and 84.4 FPS respectively. Ultra is not playable at 47.9 FPS. The verdict is that 1440p is viable, but users should stick to High or lower for a consistent frame rate.

The situation changes at 3840x2160. Medium is the only high-quality preset that clears 60 FPS, averaging 69.8 FPS. Low is also playable at 104.3 FPS, but High and Ultra fall to 49.6 FPS and 39.8 FPS respectively. The verdict for 4K is that the game is playable, but only with reduced settings. Users seeking maximum visual fidelity at 4K will be disappointed, as the GPU lacks the headroom for Ultra.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor between the two components. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary driver, but the CPU’s performance is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking. The frame rate drops from 162 FPS on Low to 59.3 FPS on Ultra, a 63% reduction, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios. The i7-14700F’s 20 cores and 28 threads provide ample processing power, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122, allowing the RTX 5070 to operate at full capacity.

At 2560x1440, the GPU’s role becomes more pronounced. The frame rate scales from 138.6 FPS on Low to 47.9 FPS on Ultra, a 65% reduction. This indicates that the RTX 5070 is increasingly the limiting factor as resolution increases. The CPU’s influence wanes, but its strong single-threaded score of 4958 in Cinebench R23 ensures that frame pacing remains consistent even when the GPU is under heavy load.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is almost entirely responsible for performance. The frame rate drops from 104.3 FPS on Low to 39.8 FPS on Ultra, a 62% reduction. The i7-14700F’s role is minimal at this resolution, as the RTX 5070’s 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth are stretched thin by the pixel count. The data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield far greater gains at 4K than upgrading the CPU, which already ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 597th out of 3724 tested combos. This places it in the top 16% of all systems, which is a strong showing for a mainstream desktop configuration. The rank reflects the combination’s ability to handle the game well at 1080p and 1440p, while its 4K performance is limited by the GPU’s capabilities.

The individual components also perform well in their respective fields. The i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620, placing it 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and 0.8% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P in synthetic tests. The RTX 5070, with an average score of 40377, is 2% behind the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile but 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580. These scores indicate that the combo is well-matched, with neither component dragging the other down significantly.

Given the rank and the measured frame rates, this system is a reliable choice for playing The Medium at high settings on 1080p and 1440p displays. It is not a top-tier 4K machine for this title, but its performance is respectable for a mid-to-high-end build. The 597th rank out of 3724 combos underscores that while many systems outperform it, the majority of tested configurations are slower.