The Medium

# The Medium: Intel Core i5-11400F + AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a playable but constrained experience in The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title that places heavy demands on both processor and graphics hardware. Benchmark data shows this combo ranking 2776th out of 3724 tested configurations, placing it in the lower third of systems evaluated for this game. The 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake processor with a 4.40 GHz boost clock combines with the RDNA 1.0-based Navi 10 GPU to produce frame rates that range from a smooth 89 FPS at 1080p Low down to an unplayable 21 FPS at 4K Ultra. The measured results reveal a system that can handle the game at moderate settings and resolutions, but one that struggles when pushed toward higher visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K in The Medium is dramatic and reveals the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At Low settings, average FPS falls from 89 at 1920x1080 to 75 at 2560x1440, then plummets to 59 at 3840x2160. That represents a 33.7% reduction from 1080p to 4K, with the largest single step occurring between 1440p and 4K, where the system loses 16 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates the RX 5700 XT's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated as pixel count increases.

The Medium's fixed-camera angles and pre-rendered-style environments create consistent load across the screen, meaning resolution increases translate directly into GPU work. At Medium settings, the same pattern emerges: 56 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result includes a minimum of 31 FPS and maximum of 43 FPS, showing significant frame-time variance at the highest resolution. The gap between 1440p and 4K Medium is 10 FPS, while the gap between 1080p and 1440p is only 9 FPS, suggesting the GPU's rendering pipeline becomes increasingly inefficient as resolution climbs.

At High settings, the story worsens considerably. The system manages 40 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and just 26 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result falls below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the 14 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K High represents a 35% performance loss. Ultra settings are essentially unplayable beyond 1080p: 32 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K Ultra shows just a 6 FPS drop, indicating the system is already so GPU-bound that additional resolution has diminishing impact on absolute frame rates, though the experience remains poor at every resolution.

The data clearly shows that the RX 5700 XT is the limiting component at 1440p and above. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, where the 89 FPS Low result suggests headroom remains, but the GPU's 9.754 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 64 ROPs cannot sustain high frame rates as pixel counts grow.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F brings 6 physical cores and 12 threads from the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This processor sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 17177. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% faster) and Intel Core i5-12450H (0.4% slower), indicating the i5-11400F holds its own against a wide range of server and mobile parts.

In The Medium, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 89 FPS, which represents the best case scenario for this combo. The jump from 1080p Low to 1440p Low (75 FPS) and 4K Low (59 FPS) shows the GPU taking over as the bottleneck, but the CPU must still maintain the game's simulation and camera logic. The Medium is known for its dual-reality mechanic that renders two worlds simultaneously, which can tax processor threads. The i5-11400F's 12 threads provide enough parallelism for this workload, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates at 1080p across settings.

Benchmark data for the i5-11400F shows strong multi-threaded performance: 14340 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6022 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. Single-thread scores of 2024 and 850 in R23 and R20 respectively indicate decent per-core performance for a 14 nm part. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are adequate for feeding the RX 5700 XT, though the system's DDR4 memory support and dual-channel configuration are standard for this generation.

The nearest rival comparison is telling: the i5-11400F sits within 0.6% of the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U in average score. This means the processor is not a weak link in the system. The frame rate drops from Low to Ultra at any given resolution are primarily attributable to GPU load, not CPU limitations. At 1080p, the gap between Low (89 FPS) and Ultra (32 FPS) is 57 FPS, a scaling pattern that points squarely at the graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings on this combo. At 1080p, Medium settings deliver 56 FPS average with a minimum of 48 FPS and maximum of 64 FPS. This is the sweet spot for gameplay: it stays above the 60 FPS threshold for most of the time, and the 48 FPS minimum is acceptable for a horror title where precise timing is less critical than in competitive shooters. High settings at 1080p drop to 40 FPS average, which is playable but noticeably less smooth, while Ultra at 32 FPS risks stutter during intense scenes.

For 1440p users, Medium settings are the only viable option that maintains playability. The 47 FPS average with a 40 FPS minimum is borderline but workable for this genre, where the fixed-camera perspective and slower pacing tolerate lower frame rates. High settings at 34 FPS will feel sluggish, and the 27 FPS Ultra result is not recommended for extended sessions. At 4K, Low settings produce 59 FPS, which is the only configuration approaching smooth gameplay at that resolution. Medium at 37 FPS is technically playable but will show visible frame pacing issues, especially in the game's dual-world transition sequences.

The data suggests prioritizing Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p over High or Ultra at lower resolutions. The jump from Medium to High costs 16 FPS at 1080p (56 to 40) and 13 FPS at 1440p (47 to 34), a significant penalty for visual improvements that may not be noticeable during fast camera cuts. Conversely, the jump from Low to Medium only costs 33 FPS at 1080p (89 to 56) and 28 FPS at 1440p (75 to 47), while providing substantial visual quality gains. The RX 5700 XT's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for Medium textures at all resolutions, and the 2560 shading units can handle the game's lighting effects without exceeding memory limits.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT ranks 2776th out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the 25th percentile of all systems benchmarked. This ranking reflects the GPU's age and mid-range positioning rather than any CPU deficiency, as the i5-11400F's 71st percentile CPU ranking is significantly higher than the RX 5700 XT's 59th percentile GPU ranking. The GPU's average benchmark score of 16361 places it near the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (0.1% faster) and NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell (0.3% slower), showing that the RX 5700 XT is competitive with much newer professional and high-end consumer parts in synthetic tests.

However, The Medium's specific demands reveal the GPU's limitations. The measured frame rates at 4K Ultra (21 FPS) and 1440p Ultra (27 FPS) are among the lowest in the database for this game, indicating that the title's rendering techniques are particularly punishing on RDNA 1.0 architecture. The lack of ray tracing cores on the RX 5700 XT does not directly impact this game, but the 64 ROPs and 304.8 GTexel/s texture rate are insufficient for the game's high-resolution textures and post-processing effects.

The combo's rank of 2776 out of 3724 means that approximately 75% of tested systems outperform it in this game. This is not surprising given the GPU's 2019 release date and the game's 2021 launch, which came at a time when newer GPUs like the RTX 30 series and RX 6000 series were available. The i5-11400F, released in March 2021, is newer than the GPU and provides solid CPU performance, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's age in a graphically intensive title like The Medium.

FAQ

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

A: 1920x1080 at Medium settings provides the best balance, with 56 FPS average and a 48 FPS minimum. This resolution keeps the frame rate near playable levels while maintaining visual quality.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves 59 FPS. At Medium, High, or Ultra settings, 4K performance falls to 37, 26, or 21 FPS respectively, which is below smooth gameplay thresholds.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck at 1440p and 4K. At 1080p, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient, as shown by the 89 FPS Low result, but the RX 5700 XT cannot maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 2776th out of 3724 combos, meaning about 75% of tested systems perform better in The Medium. The CPU alone ranks in the 71st percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 59th percentile.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 48 FPS and maximum is 64 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 40-54 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 31-43 FPS.

Q: Is the i5-11400F's performance competitive with other CPUs?

A: Yes, its average benchmark score of 17177 is within 0.6% of rivals like the AMD EPYC 7H12 and Intel Core i5-12450H, showing it remains competitive despite being an older architecture.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers 89 FPS on Low settings, 56 FPS on Medium (with a 48 FPS minimum and 64 FPS maximum), 40 FPS on High, and 32 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p results show a clear progression where each settings tier costs approximately 15-25% performance, with the largest single drop occurring between Low and Medium (33 FPS difference).

At 2560x1440, performance falls to 75 FPS on Low, 47 FPS on Medium (40 minimum, 54 maximum), 34 FPS on High, and 27 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results demonstrate the GPU's limitations more clearly, as the gap between Low and Medium narrows to 28 FPS and the drop from High to Ultra is just 7 FPS, suggesting diminishing returns at higher settings.

At 3840x2160, the system manages 59 FPS on Low, 37 FPS on Medium (31 minimum, 43 maximum), 26 FPS on High, and 21 FPS on Ultra. The 4K results show that even Low settings barely achieve 60 FPS, and every other setting falls below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium minimum of 31 FPS indicates significant frame drops during demanding scenes, which could lead to noticeable stuttering in a horror game that relies on atmosphere and tension.

Comparing across resolutions, the data shows that the RX 5700 XT loses approximately 30-35% performance when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 20-25% when moving from 1440p to 4K, depending on the settings tier. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that has 8 GB of VRAM and a 256-bit memory bus, which becomes increasingly stressed as pixel count and texture detail increase. The i5-11400F's 12 threads ensure that no CPU-related bottlenecks appear at any resolution, as evidenced by the relatively smooth frame pacing at 1080p even at Ultra settings, where the 32 FPS average is purely GPU-limited.