The Medium

The Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination delivers a playable but inconsistent experience in The Medium, with frame rates that swing dramatically based on settings and resolution. The data indicates this pairing sits in the 47th percentile of all tested combos, ranking 1391st out of 2911, making it a mid-pack performer that requires careful configuration to hit smooth gameplay.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Comet Lake architecture using Intel's 14 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP. The CPU features a 12 MB shared L3 cache, 256 KB L2 per core, and 64 KB L1 per core. Memory support is limited to dual-channel DDR4 with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, and the chip connects via PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. This processor is not multiplier-unlocked, meaning overclocking headroom is restricted.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-10400F shows a clear scaling pattern from single-thread to multi-thread workloads. Its Cinebench R23 scores are 1451 for single-core and 10283 for multi-core, while Geekbench results show 1420 single-core and 6257 multi-core. The 3DMark tests reveal a progressive climb: 688 points in single-thread, 1350 in 2-threads, 2560 in 4-threads, 3929 in 8-threads, and 4748 in 16-threads. The near-identical scores between 16-threads (4748) and max-threads (4735) suggest the CPU saturates its 12 threads effectively without significant scaling beyond that point.

The processor's percentile rank against all CPUs is 68, placing it above average. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% higher), Intel Core 7 160UL (0.3% lower), AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% higher), and AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.6% lower). This clustering indicates the i5-10400F sits in a tightly contested performance band where minor architectural differences matter more than raw core counts.

For The Medium, a horror title that relies on fixed camera angles and pre-rendered environments, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU in most scenarios. However, the 6-core/12-thread configuration provides enough parallel throughput to avoid bottlenecking the RX 7700 at lower resolutions where frame rates climb toward 106 FPS. At 1080p Low settings, the CPU must feed frames quickly enough to sustain that output, and the data suggests it does so without becoming the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, where the average drops to 27 FPS, the CPU is clearly not the constraint — the GPU is fully saturated.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Medium?*

A: The 1920x1080 resolution offers the highest frame rates across all settings, with averages ranging from 41 FPS at Ultra to 106 FPS at Low. This is the only resolution where the combo can exceed 100 FPS, specifically at Low settings.

Q: How does the 4K performance compare to 1080p?

A: At 4K, average frame rates drop to roughly one-third of their 1080p counterparts. For example, High settings yield 34 FPS at 3840x2160 versus 51 FPS at 1920x1080, while Low settings produce 76 FPS at 4K compared to 106 FPS at 1080p. The scaling is not linear, indicating a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions.

Q: Which settings preset provides the highest minimum frame rate?

A: The Medium settings at 1080p provide the highest recorded minimum FPS of 61, with an average of 72 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This is the only preset/resolution combination where the minimum stays above 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 106 FPS average, suggesting the CPU can handle high frame rates. As resolution increases to 4K, frame rates halve even at the same settings (76 FPS at 4K Low vs 106 FPS at 1080p Low), which indicates the GPU becomes the limiting component at higher resolutions.

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

A: The combo ranks 1391st out of 2911 total combinations, placing it in the 47th percentile. This means slightly more than half of all tested combos perform better in The Medium.

Q: What is the frame rate variance at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the combo shows a consistent pattern across resolutions: 1080p averages 72 FPS with a range of 61-83 FPS, 1440p averages 61 FPS with a range of 51-70 FPS, and 4K averages 48 FPS with a range of 40-55 FPS. The variance of roughly 11-15 FPS between minimum and maximum is consistent across all resolutions.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling in The Medium reveals a steep performance curve that confirms the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 106 FPS at 1080p to 97 FPS at 1440p, then to 76 FPS at 4K — a 28% reduction from 1080p to 4K. High settings show a different pattern: 51 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K, representing a 33% drop from the lowest to highest resolution.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most aggressive scaling. Starting at 41 FPS in 1080p, it falls to 34 FPS at 1440p and bottoms out at 27 FPS in 4K. This represents a 34% reduction across the resolution range. Medium settings follow a similar trajectory with 72 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K — a 33% decrease.

The consistent ~30-34% performance drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings is a classic sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect frame rates to remain relatively flat or even improve at higher resolutions as the GPU becomes the bottleneck. Instead, the proportional decrease in FPS matches the increase in pixel count, indicating that the RX 7700 is fully utilized at all resolutions. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU even at 4K Ultra where the average is only 27 FPS.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings also widens with resolution. At 1080p, Low beats Ultra by 65 FPS (106 vs 41). At 4K, that gap narrows to 49 FPS (76 vs 27). This compression suggests that at lower resolutions, the GPU has spare capacity that can be consumed by higher settings, while at 4K the GPU is so heavily loaded that even dropping to Low cannot fully compensate for the pixel count increase.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-10400F + AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination holds a rank of 1391 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it at the 47th percentile, meaning 47% of all tested configurations achieve lower frame rates, while 53% perform better. This is a middle-of-the-pack result that aligns with the CPU's 68th percentile ranking and the GPU's 58th percentile ranking.

The GPU's nearest rivals in average benchmark score provide context for its performance tier. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 on average, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon R9 370X at 15862 (0.1% difference). It sits slightly below the AMD Radeon RX 9060 at 16014 (1% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129 (1.7% faster), while edging out the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 at 15679 (1.1% slower). This tight clustering around the 15800-16100 score range suggests the RX 7700 is competitive with several previous-generation cards but does not stand out as a high performer.

The CPU's rival comparison shows a similar pattern of close grouping. The i5-10400F's average benchmark score of 14185 is bracketed by the Intel Xeon 6756E at 14163 (0.2% lower) and the Intel Core 7 160UL at 14232 (0.3% higher). The AMD EPYC 7552 at 14115 is 0.5% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C at 14277 is 0.6% faster. These minimal deltas indicate that the i5-10400F performs within a narrow band of its immediate competitors, with no significant advantage or disadvantage.

Given these component-level rankings, the combo's 47th percentile position in The Medium is slightly lower than either component's individual percentile. This suggests the game may be more demanding on the specific combination of CPU and GPU than average workloads, or that the game's optimization favors other architectures. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1080p Ultra, the combo only manages 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target most players would consider smooth.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium settings preset at 1920x1080 provides the most balanced experience for this combo. It achieves an average of 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This is the only resolution/settings combination where the minimum frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS, ensuring consistent smoothness without dips into stutter territory.

For players prioritizing visual quality over raw frame rate, High settings at 1080p deliver 51 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal for a horror game that benefits from fluid motion. At 1440p, Medium settings are the best option, yielding 61 FPS average with a 51 FPS minimum — still playable but with occasional drops. The 4K resolution is only viable at Low settings, where the average is 76 FPS, but this sacrifices most visual fidelity.

The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution. Even at 1080p, it only achieves 41 FPS average, and at 4K it plummets to 27 FPS. This preset appears to be too demanding for the RX 7700, likely due to heavy use of ray tracing or other advanced effects that the GPU's 40 ray accelerators struggle to process in real time. The game's horror atmosphere relies on lighting and shadows, but the frame rate cost of Ultra settings outweighs the visual benefit for this hardware.

The Low preset offers the highest frame rates at all resolutions (106 FPS at 1080p, 97 FPS at 1440p, 76 FPS at 4K), but this comes at the cost of reduced visual detail. For players with high-refresh-rate monitors, Low at 1080p is the way to maximize smoothness. However, for the best balance of visuals and performance, Medium at 1080p is the clear winner in the measured data.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce an average of 106 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this configuration. Medium settings follow at 72 FPS average, with minimum and maximum values of 61 and 83 FPS respectively. High settings drop to 51 FPS average, while Ultra settings bottom out at 41 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 65 FPS, showing significant headroom for settings adjustment at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings yield 97 FPS average, a 9 FPS drop from 1080p. Medium settings produce 61 FPS average with a range of 51-70 FPS, representing an 11 FPS decrease from the 1080p result. High settings average 43 FPS, and Ultra settings average 34 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 63 FPS, nearly identical to the 1080p spread, indicating that settings have a similar relative impact at both resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates become marginal for smooth gameplay. Low settings still manage 76 FPS average, which is playable, but Medium settings drop to 48 FPS with a range of 40-55 FPS. High settings average 34 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 27 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 49 FPS, narrower than at lower resolutions. This compression suggests the GPU is reaching its limits, and even dropping to Low cannot fully compensate for the 4K pixel count.

The data shows that Medium settings have the most complete dataset, with minimum and maximum values recorded at all three resolutions. This preset provides the clearest picture of performance consistency: at 1080p, the range is 61-83 FPS; at 1440p, it is 51-70 FPS; and at 4K, it is 40-55 FPS. The variance across resolutions is consistent, with roughly a 12-15 FPS spread between minimum and maximum in each case. This consistency suggests the combo handles frame pacing well, without sudden spikes or drops that would indicate instability.