The Medium

The Medium, a horror title released in early 2021, presents a demanding dual-reality rendering challenge. This analysis examines the performance of the combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F processor with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, using measured FPS data to evaluate its capabilities across resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for this specific game, the pairing of the RTX 3080 Ti and Core i5-11400F holds a combined rank of 1007 out of 3724 tested combos. This places the configuration in the top 27% of all systems evaluated, indicating a strong performer that sits above the majority of setups. The ranking reflects the inherent strength of the high-end GPU, which compensates for the mid-range CPU in this specific title.

The data shows that this combo is not at the absolute top of the hierarchy, but it is comfortably positioned within the upper echelon of performers. The 1007th rank out of 3724 combos suggests that while there are many systems with more powerful processors or multiple graphics cards that achieve higher frame rates, this configuration is capable of delivering a robust gaming experience. The percentile positioning confirms that users with this setup are likely to encounter few performance-related issues relative to the broader spectrum of hardware.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications are central to understanding the frame rates achieved. The GPU is built on the Ampere architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a substantial 912.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This high bandwidth is critical for a game like The Medium, which often renders two perspectives of the world simultaneously, placing a heavy load on the memory subsystem.

The card's core clock specifications list a base of 1365 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz. With 10,240 shading units and 80 RT cores, the GPU has ample raw compute power. The benchmark data shows the GPU's overall strength, with a percentile rank of 83 against all other GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 41187 places it in close competition with other high-end cards, such as the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which scores 40870 (a 0.8% difference), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, which scores 40377 (a 2% difference). This indicates the 3080 Ti remains a very capable graphics processor.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F serves as the supporting component in this configuration. It is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. While not the most powerful CPU on the market, its role in this game is to feed the GPU with enough data to keep it busy. The CPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, shows it to be a capable mid-range part.

Its percentile ranking against all CPUs is 71, and its average benchmark score of 17177 is closely matched by its nearest rivals, including the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120, 0.3% faster) and the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239, 0.4% faster). The data suggests that in The Medium, the CPU is less likely to be the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU's rendering load increases. The 12 threads are sufficient for the game's logic and streaming, allowing the RTX 3080 Ti to operate near its full potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the resolution where the CPU has the most influence, the combo delivers an average of 125 FPS on Low settings. Moving up to Medium settings drops the average to 93 FPS, with minimum and maximum readings of 79 and 107 FPS respectively. High settings yield 67 FPS average, while the demanding Ultra preset brings the average down to 53 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a more significant role. Low settings produce an average of 118 FPS, which is only a slight drop from the 1080p result. Medium settings average 78 FPS (min 67, max 90), while High settings average 56 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 45 FPS, which is a playable but not fluid experience for a horror game that benefits from smooth motion.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU's workload becomes the defining factor. Low settings still manage an impressive 98 FPS average. However, the higher presets show a steep decline. Medium settings average 61 FPS (min 52, max 71), High settings drop to 44 FPS, and Ultra settings result in an average of just 35 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming is only feasible with lower or medium settings for a consistently smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the balance between the CPU and GPU. From 1080p to 1440p on Low settings, the average FPS only decreases from 125 to 118, a modest 5.6% reduction. However, when scaling from 1440p to 4K on the same settings, the frame rate drops from 118 to 98 FPS, a more significant 16.9% reduction. This pattern confirms that the RTX 3080 Ti is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is more drastic. The transition from 1080p (53 FPS) to 1440p (45 FPS) is a 15.1% drop, and the move to 4K (35 FPS) represents another 22.2% decline from the 1440p result. This steep falloff at Ultra settings highlights the immense graphical demand of The Medium's simultaneous world rendering. The CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p, where the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 72 FPS, while at 4K, the difference narrows to 63 FPS, showing the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the "Medium" preset offers the most balanced experience across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium settings deliver 93 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and provides a significant visual upgrade over Low. At 1440p, the Medium preset produces 78 FPS, which is a good target for high-refresh-rate monitors. Even at 4K, Medium settings achieve an average of 61 FPS, which is playable and a substantial improvement over the 44 FPS of High settings.

For users prioritizing maximum visual fidelity, the High preset is viable at 1080p (67 FPS) and 1440p (56 FPS), but it falls short at 4K. The Ultra preset is only recommended for users with 1080p displays who value image quality over frame rate, as the 53 FPS average is the lowest playable result. The data clearly indicates that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this hardware combination, providing a significant performance headroom over High and Ultra while maintaining a good level of graphical detail. For a horror game, consistent frame pacing is crucial, and the Medium preset's minimum FPS values of 52 at 4K and 67 at 1440p suggest a more stable experience than the lower minimums implied by the High and Ultra averages.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination run The Medium at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, it can, but with caveats. The data shows an average of 61 FPS on Medium settings and 44 FPS on High settings at 3840x2160. For a consistently smooth experience, Medium settings are the recommended choice at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset provides the best balance, achieving an average of 78 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS. This offers a fluid experience with a notable visual improvement over Low settings, which average 118 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The Core i5-11400F is less of a bottleneck at higher resolutions. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings is only 7 FPS (from 125 to 118), indicating the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for the game's demands.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable with this hardware?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 53 FPS. While this is technically playable, it is not ideal for a smooth experience. At 1440p and 4K, the average drops to 45 FPS and 35 FPS respectively, which are not recommended for a game requiring frequent camera movements and atmospheric tension.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 41187. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, scores 40870, which is 0.8% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 scores 40377, which is 2% lower. This shows the 3080 Ti is slightly ahead of these alternatives.

Q: What is the performance drop from 1080p to 4K on Medium settings?

A: On Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 93 FPS at 1920x1080 to 78 FPS at 2560x1440, and then to 61 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 34.4% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K, highlighting the significant increase in GPU load.