The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the data for the Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT shows a combo that is capable but requires careful settings management to hit smooth frame rates. The measured results across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system where the GPU is the primary driver of performance, but the older six-core processor still holds its own without becoming a severe bottleneck. This analysis breaks down the component roles, scaling behavior, and optimal settings based strictly on the provided benchmark data.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 10th Gen desktop processor built on the Comet Lake architecture using a 14 nm process. It offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. This configuration is typical for a mid-range CPU from its generation, and its benchmark scores place it in the 73rd percentile against all CPUs, indicating it sits above the median for overall processing power. The cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 12 MB L3 cache, which helps with data reuse in threaded workloads.

In terms of raw performance, the i5-10400F shows a strong multithreaded capability relative to its single-threaded showing. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 10297, while the single-core score is 1453, a ratio that suggests the processor scales well with additional threads. The 3DMark results reinforce this: the 16-thread score is 4748, nearly identical to the max-thread score of 4735, meaning the 12 threads are fully utilized without significant overhead. For a game like The Medium, which is known for fixed camera angles and heavy atmosphere rather than fast-paced physics, this level of multithreading is sufficient to keep the frame pipeline fed, though the data shows the CPU is not the limiting factor in most cases.

The nearest rivals for this CPU include the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% faster), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% slower), Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% slower), and AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 (1.2% slower). These deltas are small, meaning the i5-10400F performs in a tight band around these processors. The practical implication is that the CPU is not a standout component, but it is also not a weak link that would drag down the RX 7800 XT in this title. The game's measured FPS at 1080p Low, which is the most CPU-bound scenario in the data, reaches 107.9 FPS, showing the processor can push high frame rates when the GPU has less work to do.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is a RDNA 3.0 architecture GPU built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The memory clock is listed as 2438 MHz with 19.5 Gbps effective, and the GPU has a base clock of 1295 MHz, a game clock of 2124 MHz, and a boost clock of 2430 MHz. With 3840 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units, the card is designed for high-resolution gaming, and its 37.32 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial.

The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its strong position, as it sits in the 76th percentile against all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score is 24176, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 143060, both indicating solid DirectX 12 and Vulkan performance. The nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (0.2% faster), NVIDIA P104-100 (0.4% slower), NVIDIA T600 Mobile (0.7% slower), and AMD FirePro S10000 (0.7% faster). These are all workstation-class cards, which suggests the RX 7800 XT is competitive with professional hardware in raw compute, but its gaming performance is what matters here.

In The Medium, the GPU is clearly the dominant component. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 107.9 FPS, but as settings increase to Ultra at the same resolution, the frame rate drops to 48.2 FPS, a reduction of more than half. This drop is far larger than what a CPU bottleneck would cause, indicating the GPU's shading and memory bandwidth are being taxed heavily by the game's visual effects. The 16 GB VRAM is more than enough for this title, as even at 4K Ultra the frame rate is 32.6 FPS, which is limited by compute rather than memory capacity. The GPU's 624.1 GB/s bandwidth is likely the key factor in how the game scales with resolution, as higher resolutions demand more texture and buffer data.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming more of a bottleneck at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 107.9 at 1080p to 102.9 at 1440p and then to 89 at 4K. This is a relatively mild drop, with the 4K figure being about 82.5% of the 1080p figure, suggesting that at Low settings the game is not heavily taxing the GPU's memory or compute, and the CPU is able to keep up with the frame pacing.

At High settings, the scaling is steeper: 61 FPS at 1080p, 49.6 FPS at 1440p, and 41.6 FPS at 4K. The 4K figure is about 68.2% of the 1080p figure, showing that the GPU is starting to struggle with the increased pixel workload. At Ultra settings, the drop is even more pronounced: 48.2 FPS at 1080p, 42.1 FPS at 1440p, and 32.6 FPS at 4K, with the 4K figure being 67.6% of the 1080p figure. This consistent pattern across settings indicates that the RX 7800 XT is the limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU's performance would not change with resolution, yet the frame rates are clearly falling.

The Medium settings also show an interesting anomaly: at 4K Low, the FPS is 89, which is higher than the 1440p High FPS of 49.6 and the 1080p Ultra FPS of 48.2. This indicates that the game's Low preset reduces graphical load so significantly that the GPU is no longer the bottleneck, and the system can achieve high frame rates even at 4K. The data suggests that for this combo, the CPU is only a limiting factor at very low settings and high frame rates, while the GPU dominates at higher presets and resolutions. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Medium is 82.5 FPS vs 54.4 FPS, a 34% drop, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT ranks 665 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the 60.6th percentile of all system pairings. This means it outperforms roughly 60% of the tested configurations, which is a solid result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The rank is likely held back by the CPU's older architecture, as the RX 7800 XT is capable of much higher frame rates with a more powerful processor, but the data shows the combo is still competitive.

The fact that the combo ranks in the top 40% is notable given the CPU's age. The i5-10400F's 73rd percentile CPU score is lower than the GPU's 76th percentile, but the gap is small enough that the system does not suffer from a massive imbalance. In practical terms, a rank of 665 out of 1689 means that this configuration will handle The Medium at playable frame rates on most presets, but it will not be among the top performers. The measured FPS at 1080p High (61 FPS) and 1440p Medium (70.9 FPS) are both above the 60 FPS threshold, which is a common target for smooth gameplay, but at 4K Ultra the 32.6 FPS falls below that target.

The data also shows that the combo's performance is highly dependent on settings, with a wide spread from 32.6 FPS at 4K Ultra to 107.9 FPS at 1080p Low. This flexibility means users can adjust the experience to prioritize visual quality or frame rate, and the rank reflects this average performance across all tested configurations. The 1689 total combos include both weaker and stronger pairings, so the 665 rank indicates that this system is above average but not exceptional, which aligns with the component specifications.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 60 FPS in The Medium?

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p High settings deliver 61 FPS, and 1440p Medium delivers 70.9 FPS, both above 60 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings reach 89 FPS, while Medium drops to 54.4 FPS, so 1440p is the highest resolution that offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS on Medium or High presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which is 0.4% slower than the AMD EPYC 7552, 0.8% faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i5-8500, and 1.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546. These differences are minimal, meaning the CPU performs within a narrow band of its competitors.

Q: Is the RX 7800 XT the main bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: Yes, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the combo achieves 32.6 FPS. The CPU's performance does not change with resolution, so the significant drop from 1080p Ultra (48.2 FPS) to 4K Ultra (32.6 FPS) is attributed to the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth being saturated.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and how does it compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 7800 XT is in the 76th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 32619, which is 0.2% slower than the AMD FirePro S9300 X2, 0.4% faster than the NVIDIA P104-100, 0.7% faster than the NVIDIA T600 Mobile, and 0.7% slower than the AMD FirePro S10000.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 107.9 FPS, and at 4K Low it achieves 89 FPS. The relatively small drop (about 18%) suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is not a significant bottleneck, as the GPU is still able to render frames quickly. The CPU's 12 threads and 4.30 GHz boost clock are sufficient for this workload.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 82.5 at 1080p to 54.4 at 4K, a reduction of 28.1 FPS, or about 34%. This shows that the GPU is heavily taxed by the resolution increase, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

Settings Recommendations

For the Intel Core i5-10400F and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combo, the measured data shows that the best balance of visual quality and frame rate depends on the resolution you target. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 61 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, while Medium delivers 82.5 FPS, offering a smoother experience with only a minor visual downgrade. If you prefer maximum fluidity, Low at 107.9 FPS is the best option, but it sacrifices the game's atmospheric effects that are central to the horror experience.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 70.9 FPS is the sweet spot, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while retaining decent visual fidelity. High at 49.6 FPS is playable but may feel less smooth, and Ultra at 42.1 FPS is only suitable for players who prioritize visuals over performance. For 4K, the data shows that only Low settings at 89 FPS are viable for smooth gameplay, as Medium at 54.4 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, and High at 41.6 FPS or Ultra at 32.6 FPS are too demanding for this GPU.

The measured rows indicate that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher presets, so reducing settings is more effective than lowering resolution for maintaining frame rate. For example, 4K Low at 89 FPS outperforms 1080p Ultra at 48.2 FPS, meaning that if you have a 4K display, using Low settings is a better choice than dropping to 1080p with Ultra settings. The best overall experience for most users is likely 1440p Medium, which offers a high frame rate and acceptable visual quality, or 1080p High if you want a balance of both. The data does not support using Ultra settings at any resolution if you want to stay above 60 FPS, as the highest Ultra score is 48.2 FPS at 1080p.