The Medium

The Medium presents a severe challenge for this pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the AMD Radeon RX 580, with benchmark results showing a combination that is fundamentally constrained by the graphics card at every measurable setting. The data indicates that while the processor provides adequate computational headroom, the GPU's performance ceiling is so low in this title that the experience is largely defined by the graphics card's limitations, resulting in a configuration that ranks in the bottom percentile of all tested combinations.

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

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, running on a 14 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, drawing a 65 W TDP. The processor features a 12 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This specification set places the CPU in the 71st percentile of all processors, indicating it is a moderately capable part for general workloads.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU's limitations. The benchmark data for the processor shows strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14340 and a Passmark multithread score of 16908. However, the measured FPS results in the game do not scale in a way that suggests CPU bottlenecking. For example, at 1080p Low settings, the average FPS is 49, while at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 17. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see less variation between settings at the same resolution. Instead, the massive drop from Low to Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint, as higher settings increase the graphical load without a corresponding increase in CPU workload.

The processor's single-thread performance, as evidenced by a Geekbench singlecore score of 1777 and a Cinebench R23 singlecore score of 2024, is adequate for modern game logic and physics. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing, as the FPS figures are consistently low even at the lowest settings where the CPU would have the most relative influence. The combination's rank of 3394 out of 3724 combos further supports the notion that the processor is not the primary issue; rather, the GPU is holding back the system's overall performance in this specific horror title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 3394 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places the pairing in the bottom 9% of all configurations tested, a position that reflects the GPU's age and performance tier rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The data shows that this is a low-performing combo for this game, with the rank suggesting that the vast majority of other processor and graphics card pairings deliver higher frame rates.

To contextualize this rank, consider the individual benchmark percentiles of the components. The CPU sits in the 71st percentile of all processors, meaning it outperforms 71% of CPUs in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU, however, sits in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, which is a lower relative standing. The delta between these two percentiles is telling: the CPU is a mid-to-high-tier part, while the GPU is a middle-of-the-road component that has aged significantly since its release. In a game like The Medium, which is graphically demanding, the GPU's lower percentile is the dominant factor in the combo's poor ranking.

The combo's rank of 3394 is not a reflection of the CPU's capability, as the processor's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD EPYC 7H12, which has an average score just 0.3% higher, and the Intel Core i5-12450H, which is 0.4% lower. These rival CPUs are all in a similar performance envelope to the i5-11400F, yet the gaming results for this combo are poor because of the GPU. The data strongly suggests that pairing this CPU with a more capable graphics card would yield a dramatically better rank in this game, as the processor has the headroom to support higher frame rates.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of degradation as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 22 at 1080p to 18 at 1440p and further to 14 at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction in FPS from 1080p to 4K, a substantial drop that aligns with the increased pixel count and the GPU's inability to keep up with the rendering demands.

At Low settings, the scaling is similar in percentage terms but with higher absolute numbers: 49 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 35%, which is slightly less than at High settings, but the trend is consistent. At Medium settings, which include min/max FPS data, the average goes from 31 at 1080p (min 26, max 35) to 26 at 1440p (min 22, max 30) and 20 at 4K (min 17, max 23).

This resolution scaling behavior points directly to the GPU as the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions at the same settings, because the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the FPS drops proportionally with the number of pixels rendered, which is a hallmark of a GPU that is saturated. The data indicates that the RX 580 is the primary constraint, and the CPU is not being fully utilized in this game, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS scales with resolution rather than remaining flat.

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

The measured FPS data for this combo is presented below, broken down by resolution and settings. All figures are average FPS unless otherwise noted.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are uniformly low. Low settings yield an average of 32 FPS. Medium settings provide an average of 20 FPS, with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 23. High settings drop to an average of 14 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 11 FPS, which is effectively unplayable. The data shows that even at the lowest settings, 4K resolution is only marginally playable, and any increase in quality makes the experience untenable.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance improves but remains limited. Low settings achieve an average of 41 FPS. Medium settings deliver an average of 26 FPS, with a minimum of 22 and a maximum of 30. High settings drop to an average of 18 FPS. Ultra settings yield an average of 15 FPS. This resolution offers a slightly better experience than 4K, but the frame rates are still below the threshold for smooth gameplay at higher settings.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the best results are observed. Low settings reach an average of 49 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combo. Medium settings provide an average of 31 FPS, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 35. High settings drop to an average of 22 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 17 FPS. The data indicates that 1080p Low is the only configuration that approaches a playable frame rate, while all other settings fall short of the 60 FPS target.

The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: the FPS halves from Low to Ultra settings, and the absolute numbers are low across the board. The min/max data for Medium settings shows a narrow range, indicating stable frame times, but the averages are too low for a satisfactory experience in a horror game that relies on atmosphere and pacing.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is a 14 nm graphics card based on the GCN 4.0 architecture, featuring the Polaris 20 chip. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz, with memory running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The card has 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units, delivering 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

In The Medium, the GPU's specifications directly explain the measured FPS results. The card's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS does not collapse due to memory swapping. However, the compute throughput of 6.175 TFLOPS is clearly insufficient for the game's rendering demands, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s are low by modern standards, and the data shows that these limitations translate directly to the low frame rates observed.

The GPU's benchmark scores further illustrate its position. It has a Passmark G3D score of 8813 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1005, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, has an average score 0.1% higher, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is 0.4% higher. These rivals are all in a similar performance tier, and the RX 580's age (released in 2017) is apparent in its inability to handle The Medium's demands.

The GPU's TDP of 185 W and dual-slot design are secondary to its performance characteristics in this analysis. The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combo, as its raw compute and memory bandwidth are not sufficient to maintain playable frame rates at any resolution above 1080p Low. The 8 GB VRAM is a bright spot, as it prevents memory-related stuttering, but the overall performance is limited by the GPU's computational capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 580 in The Medium?

A: No, the data indicates the opposite. The CPU is in the 71st percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 53rd percentile. The FPS scales heavily with resolution and settings, which is a sign of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one.

Q: What is the best settings and resolution combination for this hardware in The Medium?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1080p with Low settings is the only configuration that achieves a playable average of 49 FPS. All other settings at 1080p, and all settings at higher resolutions, result in averages below 41 FPS, with most below 31 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 3394 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the bottom 9% of all configurations. This rank is primarily due to the GPU's performance limitations.

Q: Does the GPU's 8 GB of VRAM cause any issues in this game?

A: The data does not show any VRAM-related issues. The FPS figures are consistently low but stable, with the min/max ranges at Medium settings being narrow, suggesting that memory capacity is not causing stutters or frame drops.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 22 at 1080p to 14 at 4K, representing a 36% reduction in performance. This is a direct result of the increased pixel count overwhelming the GPU.

Q: Is this a good combo for playing The Medium at 1440p?

A: The data shows that 1440p performance is not adequate. The highest average FPS at 1440p is 41 at Low settings, but this drops to 18 at High and 15 at Ultra, which are below playable thresholds for a smooth experience.