The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both CPU and GPU heavily, and this pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a very specific set of trade-offs. The data shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates only when settings are carefully managed, with resolution playing a massive role in the final experience. This analysis breaks down exactly what the benchmark results mean for anyone considering this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware?

A: 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system achieves consistently playable frame rates across multiple settings. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset reaches above 57 FPS, while 3840x2160 is largely impractical for smooth gameplay.

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at Ultra settings?

A: No. At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 25.7 FPS, and at 2560x1440 Ultra it falls to 24 FPS. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the system manages just 19.8 FPS, making the Ultra preset effectively unplayable at every resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in general benchmark performance?

A: The Core i3-12100F sits at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13516. It is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which scores 13534 (a 0.1% difference), and is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1250U, which scores 13462.

Q: Is the GPU's performance profile similar to its nearest competitors?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER holds the 55th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14286. It is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, which scores 14314 (a 0.2% difference), and trails the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT by only 0.7%, which scores 14389.

Q: What is the CPU's launch MSRP?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core i3-12100F is $97.

Q: How large is the gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1920x1080?

A: The difference is substantial. The Low preset achieves 71.6 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 25.7 FPS, a performance reduction of roughly 64% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a thermal design power (TDP) of 58 W. The CPU features a shared 12 MB L3 cache, and its benchmark scores reveal a strong single-thread capability, with a 3dmark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681.

For a game like The Medium, which is a horror title that relies on fixed camera angles and complex scenes, the CPU's multi-threaded performance becomes relevant. The processor's 3dmark 8-thread score of 4026 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 indicate it can handle the game's background tasks, but the core count is modest. The data suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU is less burdened, the CPU’s performance is sufficient to push frame rates higher, as seen in the jump from 30.2 FPS at 1080p High to 71.6 FPS at 1080p Low.

However, the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The benchmark results across all resolutions show that frame rates scale predictably with GPU load, meaning the i3-12100F provides a stable foundation without artificially limiting the system. Its general benchmark standing, ranking at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, confirms it is a capable mid-range part that does not hold back the GTX 1660 SUPER in this specific game. The 0.6% performance advantage over the Intel Core i3-10105 and the 1.8% lead over the Intel Core i7-7700K in average scores further contextualize its position as a solid entry-level choice.

How This Combo Ranks

In the specific database for The Medium, this combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1442 out of 1689 tested combos. This places it in the lower 15% of all system configurations for this particular title, indicating that it is not a high-end setup for this game. The rank is a direct reflection of the measured FPS data, which shows the system struggling to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings.

The ranking is a result of the GPU's limitations more than the CPU's. While the CPU sits at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, the GPU is at the 55th percentile of all GPUs. The combination of a mid-tier CPU with a lower-tier GPU results in a system that is fundamentally constrained by graphics processing power. The benchmark scores for the GPU support this, with a PassMark G3D score of 12699 and a 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1278, which are modest figures. This rank of 1442 is a clear signal that for The Medium, this hardware is best suited for low-to-medium settings at 1080p, rather than for high-fidelity experiences.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 71.6 FPS, which is smooth and playable. Moving to Medium drops the frame rate to 45.3 FPS, still acceptable for a slower-paced horror game. High settings yield 30.2 FPS, which is borderline, while Ultra falls to 25.7 FPS, which is too low for a comfortable experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades noticeably. The Low preset delivers 57.4 FPS, which remains playable, but Medium drops to 39.7 FPS. High settings produce 28.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 24 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1440p gaming is only viable with the Low preset. At 3840x2160, the system is clearly overmatched. Low settings manage 46.1 FPS, but Medium drops to 30.1 FPS, High falls to 23.6 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 19.8 FPS. The data shows a consistent pattern: lower resolutions and lower settings yield higher frame rates, with the scaling being largely linear.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the central component determining this system's performance in The Medium. It is built on the Turing architecture using a 12 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 284 mm² containing 6,600 million transistors. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s.

The GPU's specifications directly explain the measured frame rates. With 1408 shading units and 48 ROPs, the card delivers a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s, but its FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS is limited for modern titles. In The Medium, the game's high-resolution textures and effects place a heavy load on the 6 GB VRAM buffer, which is reflected in the steep performance drop when moving from Low to High settings. For instance, at 3840x2160, the difference between Low (46.1 FPS) and High (23.6 FPS) is dramatic, showing that the GPU cannot sustain high-quality rendering at that resolution.

The GPU's general benchmark scores, such as its PassMark G3D score of 12699, place it at the 55th percentile, and the measured data confirms that it is the primary bottleneck. The nearest rivals in terms of average score are all within 0.7% of the GTX 1660 SUPER, showing it is a mid-tier card. This means that for The Medium, the GPU dictates that the user must sacrifice visual fidelity to achieve playable frame rates, particularly at 1440p and above.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience with this hardware is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which delivers an average of 71.6 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a frame rate high enough for consistently smooth gameplay, with a significant margin above the 30 FPS threshold that is often considered the minimum for a playable experience. The Medium is a game that emphasizes atmosphere over fast action, so a stable 71.6 FPS at Low settings will provide a responsive and visually coherent experience.

For players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is a viable alternative, offering 45.3 FPS. This is still playable and represents a balance between fidelity and performance. However, the High preset at 1080p, which produces 30.2 FPS, is on the edge of playability and may result in noticeable stuttering. At 2560x1440, the only sensible option is the Low preset at 57.4 FPS; any higher setting yields frame rates below 40 FPS, which is not recommended. At 3840x2160, no preset provides an acceptable experience, with even Low settings only reaching 46.1 FPS, and higher settings dropping below 30 FPS. The data strongly suggests that 1080p is the intended resolution for this hardware, and users should stick to Low or Medium settings to ensure a smooth experience.