The Medium

The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination presents a fascinating case study in The Medium, a horror title known for its fixed-camera angles and dual-reality rendering. The data reveals a system that is clearly capable of delivering smooth gameplay, but only under specific conditions, with performance scaling that points heavily toward the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) to understand exactly where this pairing excels and where it struggles.

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 built on the Rocket Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and can boost up to 4.40 GHz, which provides a solid foundation for gaming workloads. While The Medium is not typically considered a CPU-intensive title, the processor’s performance in synthetic benchmarks helps contextualize its role. For instance, its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14372 and single-core score of 2029 indicate a balanced performer, placing it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs.

When examining the FPS data, the CPU’s influence becomes apparent at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU is less strained. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 102.8 FPS, a figure that is likely near the upper limit of what the CPU can feed to the GPU. However, the data shows that the i5-11400F does not become a significant limiting factor until the graphical load is reduced. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and Intel Core i7-1260P, have nearly identical average benchmark scores (17189 and 17212, respectively, with a deltaPct of 0 and -0.2), indicating that the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are sufficient for this game’s demands, as the bottleneck clearly shifts to the GPU when settings are increased.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, it offers 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for a game like The Medium that often renders two simultaneous worlds. The GPU’s base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz, combined with 2560 shading units, provide substantial raw compute power. Its Turing architecture includes 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores, though the impact of ray tracing is not directly measured in this data.

The GPU’s performance is the primary driver of the FPS variations across settings. At 1080p Ultra, the system drops to 34.2 FPS, while at 1080p Low it reaches 102.8 FPS. This massive swing of 68.6 FPS from Low to Ultra at the same resolution demonstrates that the RTX 2070 SUPER is heavily taxed by the game’s higher preset requirements. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 18169 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22307 with a deltaPct of -0.5, meaning the RTX 2070 SUPER is only slightly behind. This indicates that at its core, the GPU is a solid mid-to-high-end performer, but The Medium’s Ultra settings likely push its 8 GB VRAM and compute capabilities to their limits, particularly when rendering two perspectives simultaneously.

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

The resolution scaling data is revealing. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at the same settings shows predictable, yet steep, declines that confirm the GPU is the bottleneck. At High settings, the FPS drops from 42.5 at 1080p to 37.9 at 1440p (a decrease of 4.6 FPS) and then to 29.9 at 4K (a further drop of 8.0 FPS). This pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the drop is more dramatic: 102.8 FPS at 1080p falls to 83.4 FPS at 1440p and then to 66.3 FPS at 4K. The percentage decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is roughly 35%, whereas at High settings it is around 30%.

This scaling behavior indicates that the CPU is not the primary constraint. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat or even increase at higher resolutions as the GPU takes on more work. Instead, the consistent decline with resolution suggests that the RTX 2070 SUPER is being pushed harder at each step up. The fact that 4K Ultra yields only 24.4 FPS, while 4K Low yields 66.3 FPS, shows that the game’s settings have a more profound impact than resolution alone, but the GPU is undeniably the limiting component in this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for The Medium, this pairing ranks 1043 out of 1689 total combos. This places it in the bottom half of all tested systems, which is surprising given the individual components’ performance. The rank suggests that while the CPU and GPU are capable on their own, the combination is not optimized for this specific game’s demands.

The combo’s rank of 1043 indicates that there are 646 other combinations that perform better, which implies that many systems with more balanced or higher-end components achieve superior FPS. However, it is important to note that this rank is based on the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, meaning that the poor performance at 4K Ultra and 1440p Ultra drags down the overall standing. In the context of its nearest rivals, the CPU and GPU are well-matched, but The Medium’s heavy GPU load at higher presets means this combo is better suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming at Medium settings rather than pushing for maximum visual fidelity.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a playable frame rate?

A: Based on the data, 1080p is the most viable resolution. At Medium settings, the system achieves 65.5 FPS, which is smooth, while High settings yield 42.5 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings (83.4 FPS) provide a comfortable frame rate, as Medium drops to 53.5 FPS and High falls to 37.9 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 66.3 FPS. At Medium settings, the frame rate drops to 40.4 FPS, and at High it falls to 29.9 FPS. Ultra settings are not recommended, as the average FPS of 24.4 is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F’s average benchmark score is 17181, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17189) and Intel Core i7-1260P (17212). The deltaPct values of 0 and -0.2 indicate that the i5-11400F is statistically on par with these processors.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER a bottleneck for the i5-11400F in this game?

A: Yes. The FPS drops from 102.8 at 1080p Low to 34.2 at 1080p Ultra, a 66.7% decrease, while the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant. This suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor, especially at higher settings.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings yield 83.4 FPS, while Ultra settings produce only 30.8 FPS. This represents a 52.6 FPS difference, highlighting the significant performance cost of the Ultra preset.

Q: Does the combo rank improve at lower resolutions?

A: While the overall combo rank is 1043 out of 1689, the data suggests that the system’s relative performance is much better at 1080p, where it can achieve over 100 FPS on Low settings, compared to 4K where even Medium settings struggle.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 102.8 FPS on Low, 65.5 FPS on Medium, 42.5 FPS on High, and 34.2 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear linear progression, with each preset step costing roughly 20-25 FPS. At 2560x1440, the performance drops to 83.4 FPS on Low, 53.5 FPS on Medium, 37.9 FPS on High, and 30.8 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 52.6 FPS, which is slightly narrower than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is beginning to saturate.

At 3840x2160, the system manages 66.3 FPS on Low, 40.4 FPS on Medium, 29.9 FPS on High, and 24.4 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Ultra figure is particularly notable, as it is only 5.5 FPS higher than the 1440p Ultra result, suggesting that the game is hitting a hard performance wall. The data shows that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s 8 GB VRAM and compute power are insufficient for 4K Ultra, but the system does provide a playable experience at 4K Low. Across all resolutions, the Low preset offers the most significant FPS headroom, while Ultra consistently halves the frame rate compared to Low.

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

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired smoothness. For a 1080p display, Medium settings at 65.5 FPS offer the best balance between visual quality and fluidity, as High drops to 42.5 FPS, which may feel less responsive for a horror game requiring precise camera movements. If a higher frame rate is preferred, Low at 102.8 FPS is an option, but it sacrifices significant visual detail.

At 1440p, the recommendation is Low settings, which yield 83.4 FPS. Medium at 53.5 FPS is playable but borders on the edge of smoothness, while High at 37.9 FPS may introduce noticeable stutter in fast-paced scenes. For 4K, Low is the only viable preset, delivering 66.3 FPS, which is surprisingly playable given the resolution. Medium at 40.4 FPS is borderline, and High at 29.9 FPS is too low for a consistent experience.

The data implies that the RTX 2070 SUPER is best utilized with Medium settings at 1080p or Low settings at higher resolutions. Ultra settings are not recommended for any resolution, as the frame rate drops below 35 FPS at 1080p and below 31 FPS at 1440p, which detracts from the game’s atmospheric tension. For players prioritizing a stable frame rate, the Low preset at 1440p provides the best combination of visual clarity and performance, while 1080p Medium offers a richer visual experience without sacrificing playability.