The Medium

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a solid, but uneven, experience in The Medium. The data indicates that this combination is fully capable of smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with medium settings, but it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K on higher presets. The benchmark results show a clear pattern: the game is demanding, and the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 4K, the combo only manages an average of 43.1 FPS on High settings, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold, while at 1440p and 1080p, it comfortably exceeds that mark on medium and high presets respectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this hardware combination were captured across three resolutions and four quality presets, with the average FPS being the primary metric. The data reveals a wide performance envelope, from a high of 148.4 FPS at 1080p on Low settings to a low of 35.8 FPS at 4K on Ultra settings.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the performance is heavily taxed. The Ultra preset yields an average of 35.8 FPS, which is not smooth. High settings improve this to 43.1 FPS, but this is still below the playable threshold. The Medium preset is the first to cross the 60 FPS line, achieving an average of 62.5 FPS. The Low preset provides the best performance at this resolution, with an average of 98.1 FPS, indicating a significant performance headroom when visual fidelity is reduced.

For 2560x1440 (1440p), the results are more balanced. The Ultra preset averages 46.5 FPS, which is not quite playable. High settings bring the average up to 56.2 FPS, still just shy of the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset delivers a comfortable 79.9 FPS average, and the Low preset reaches 125.7 FPS. This shows that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combo, provided the user is willing to use medium settings for a fluid experience.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combination shows its strength. The Ultra preset averages 50.8 FPS, which is below the target. However, High settings achieve an average of 68.3 FPS, making it playable. The Medium preset offers a strong 95.9 FPS average, and the Low preset hits 148.4 FPS. The data confirms that 1080p is the most forgiving resolution for this game, allowing for high settings without compromising frame rates.

It is important to note the scaling between presets. At each resolution, the jump from Low to Ultra is substantial, with the most significant drop occurring between Medium and High settings. For instance, at 4K, the average FPS drops from 62.5 on Medium to 43.1 on High, a reduction of over 30%. This pattern suggests that the High and Ultra presets introduce rendering features that are particularly demanding on the GPU.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data provides a clear recommendation for optimal settings at each resolution, based on the criterion of maintaining an average frame rate at or above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that remains playable is Medium, with an average FPS of 62.5. This is the only high-fidelity option that stays above the threshold. The Low preset is also playable but offers reduced visual quality. The High and Ultra presets are not viable for smooth gameplay at this resolution, as they average 43.1 and 35.8 FPS respectively.

For 2560x1440, the best playable setting is also Medium, achieving an average of 79.9 FPS. This provides a significant margin above the 60 FPS target, ensuring a smooth experience. While the High preset averages 56.2 FPS, it falls below the threshold and is not recommended for consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 46.5 FPS is similarly unsuitable.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 68.3 FPS. This allows for a good balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset is also an excellent choice, offering a higher average of 95.9 FPS for those who prioritize frame rate over visual effects. The Ultra preset at 50.8 FPS is not playable, and the Low preset, while fast, sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a 1080p experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for both components provides context for how other hardware might perform in this game. The CPU and GPU scores from the FACT PACK indicate that the tested combo is well-matched, but alternatives exist.

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163, placing it in the 94th percentile. The nearest rivals are very close in performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F has an average score of 69996, a delta of 0.2%, meaning it is essentially equal in performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a delta of 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, a delta of 0.9%. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is slightly ahead with a score of 70879, a delta of -1%, indicating it is about 1% faster. In practice, any of these CPUs would likely deliver nearly identical frame rates in The Medium, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at higher resolutions.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, placing it in the 81st percentile. Its nearest rivals show similar performance levels. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 has an average score of 37628, a delta of 0.1%, making it a very close match. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, a delta of 0.4%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is about 1.3% faster with a score of 38135, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is 1.3% slower with a score of 37157. Based on these scores, users with a GPU in this performance class can expect similar frame rates in The Medium, with the RTX 4070 sitting right in the middle of this group.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K with high settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 43.1, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Medium preset at 62.5 FPS is the highest playable setting at this resolution.

Q: What is the best quality setting for 1440p to maintain 60 FPS?

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 79.9 FPS. The High preset averages 56.2 FPS, which does not meet the playable threshold.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever playable with this hardware?

A: No. The Ultra preset fails to reach 60 FPS at any resolution tested. The highest average FPS on Ultra is 50.8 at 1080p, which is below the target. At 1440p it drops to 46.5, and at 4K it falls to 35.8.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there between High and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 68.3 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 50.8 FPS. This represents a reduction of 17.5 FPS, or roughly 26%, when moving from High to Ultra.

Q: Which component, CPU or GPU, is more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has a high benchmark score of 70163 (94th percentile), while the GPU scores 37648 (81st percentile). The sharp frame rate drops from Low to High settings at 4K, from 98.1 to 43.1 FPS, indicate that graphical load is the primary constraint, which is handled by the GPU.

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

A: Based on the data, 1440p with Medium settings offers an excellent balance, providing an average of 79.9 FPS. This gives a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining a higher resolution than 1080p. Alternatively, 1080p with High settings yields 68.3 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the balance of workload shifts between the CPU and GPU across different resolutions. At lower resolutions, the CPU has a more significant role, while at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the dominant factor.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high across all presets, suggesting that the system is not entirely GPU-bound. For instance, the Low preset hits 148.4 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. The CPU, with its strong single-thread performance (a Geekbench single-core score of 2578), is capable of feeding the GPU at this resolution. The difference between Medium (95.9 FPS) and High (68.3 FPS) is substantial, indicating that the GPU is still handling a significant load, but the CPU is not a limiting factor.

At 2560x1440, the GPU's load increases. The frame rates drop across all presets compared to 1080p. The Low preset goes from 148.4 to 125.7 FPS, and the Medium preset drops from 95.9 to 79.9 FPS. This scaling indicates that the GPU is starting to become the primary bottleneck, as the resolution increase demands more pixel processing. The CPU still has enough headroom to keep up, but the GPU's performance is now the main driver of the frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. The frame rates show a massive drop, especially at higher presets. The Low preset at 98.1 FPS is still high, but the High preset at 43.1 FPS and Ultra at 35.8 FPS show that the GPU is overwhelmed by the 4K pixel count and the demanding effects of those presets. The CPU's role is diminished, as the GPU is unable to render frames fast enough to saturate the CPU's capabilities. The data shows that the CPU's performance is consistent across resolutions, but the GPU's output scales down significantly, confirming that the RTX 4070 is the bottleneck at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, this specific pairing of Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has a rank of 817 out of 3724 total combos. This places it in the top 22% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing.

This rank is a reflection of the overall performance observed in the measured FPS data. The combo is capable of playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings, and it can even manage 4K on lower presets. The high rank is supported by the individual component scores: the CPU is in the 94th percentile and the GPU is in the 81st percentile. The combination of a top-tier CPU and a strong mid-to-high-range GPU results in a system that handles a demanding game like The Medium well, particularly at mainstream resolutions. However, the rank also indicates that there are many other combinations that perform better, likely those with higher-end GPUs, as the data shows the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.