The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both the GPU and CPU, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 produces a specific performance profile that is heavily dependent on resolution and quality settings. The measured data shows a combo that is firmly in the lower-middle tier of tested systems, with a combo rank of 2904 out of 3724 total combinations. This places the system in the 22nd percentile of all tested combos, indicating that while it can run the game, it will not deliver a high-refresh-rate experience at higher quality presets. The results are consistent across the board, showing a clear trend where the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases, and the CPU's mid-range capabilities are sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 achieves a combo rank of 2904 out of 3724 tested combinations in The Medium. This is a low placement, signifying that the majority of tested systems outperform this pairing. The data indicates that this is not a combination built for high-end gaming at maximum settings, but rather one that requires careful settings management to achieve playable frame rates. The GPU, which sits at the 63rd percentile among all GPUs, is a mid-range part, and the CPU, at the 72nd percentile, is a solid mainstream processor, but together they do not overcome the game's heavy demands.

When looking at the individual components' performance relative to their closest rivals, the picture becomes clearer. The CPU's average benchmark score is 18683, which is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643 (18697, a -0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i7-1355U (18730, a -0.3% difference). This places the i5-12400 in a performance tier with professional and mobile parts, showing that its multi-threaded capabilities are strong for its class. However, the GPU's average score of 19036 is statistically tied with the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030, 0% difference) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049, a -0.1% difference). This suggests that the RX 6600's raw compute performance is comparable to a professional workstation card and a mobile laptop GPU, which explains its struggles with a demanding title like The Medium at higher settings.

The low combo rank is a direct result of the GPU's performance ceiling. The CPU is not the bottleneck; it has enough headroom to push higher frame rates. The data shows that the system is GPU-limited in almost every scenario, and the RX 6600's 8 GB of VRAM and 224.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 1440p and 4K with higher quality presets. The only scenario where this combo provides a comfortable experience is at 1080p with Low settings, where it achieves an average of 84 FPS. This positions the combo as a 1080p gaming solution, and only with settings compromises.

Settings Recommendations

The measured performance data shows that the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1080p with the Low preset. This is the only configuration that consistently delivers an average frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold, hitting an average of 84 FPS. The Low preset at 1440p also provides a playable experience with an average of 71 FPS, but the visual fidelity is significantly reduced. For a balance between visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is the best choice, as it yields an average of 52 FPS, which is still smooth enough for a horror game that doesn't require twitch reflexes.

The data does not support using the High or Ultra presets at any resolution for a consistently smooth experience. At 1080p High, the average frame rate drops to 37 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it falls to 30 FPS. These are playable but not ideal, especially in a game that relies on atmosphere and tension, where frame pacing can be critical. At 1440p, the High preset only manages 32 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 25 FPS, making them borderline unplayable. The 4K resolution is not viable for this combo, with even the Low preset only achieving 55 FPS, and the Medium preset dipping to 35 FPS.

The recommendation is to prioritize the Medium preset at 1080p, as it provides the best compromise between visual detail and smoothness. The 52 FPS average with a 44 FPS minimum is a stable experience. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to Low at 1080p will yield a substantial boost to 84 FPS. Moving up to 1440p requires accepting the Low preset for a 71 FPS average, but the visual downgrade is significant. The data clearly shows that this combo is not meant for High or Ultra settings, as those presets are consistently below the 40 FPS mark. The game's fixed camera angles and heavy use of post-processing effects mean that the Low preset still looks acceptable, making it the recommended choice for a responsive experience.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals that the AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the primary limiting component in this system. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 84 FPS at 1080p to 71 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 13 FPS, and then to 55 FPS at 4K, another 16 FPS drop. This is a linear degradation that is characteristic of a GPU that is being pushed past its memory bandwidth or compute limits. The 8 GB of VRAM is likely a factor at higher resolutions, as the game's textures and effects require more memory than is available.

The scaling is even more dramatic at the Medium preset. The average frame rate goes from 52 FPS at 1080p to 44 FPS at 1440p, a drop of 8 FPS, and then to 35 FPS at 4K, a further drop of 9 FPS. The frame rate at 4K Medium is 35 FPS, which is below the minimum for a smooth experience. The High preset shows a similar pattern, with 37 FPS at 1080p, 32 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is roughly 33% for the Low preset, 33% for the Medium preset, and 32% for the High preset, indicating that the GPU's performance scales consistently with resolution.

This scaling pattern points to a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would not drop as sharply with resolution increases, as the CPU's workload remains relatively constant. The Intel Core i5-12400, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is capable of handling the game's logic and rendering calls, but the RX 6600 simply cannot keep up with the increasing pixel count. The game's use of fixed camera angles and pre-baked lighting does not reduce the GPU load enough to make higher resolutions viable. The conclusion is that the combo is strictly a 1080p gaming setup, and any attempt to play at higher resolutions will result in a significant performance penalty.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance across all resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 84 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this combo. The Medium preset at 1080p yields an average of 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at an average of 30 FPS. These results show that the 1080p resolution is the only one where the combo can achieve a consistently playable frame rate, but only at the Low and Medium presets.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset delivers a solid average of 71 FPS, which is surprisingly high and suggests that the game is well-optimized for lower settings. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 44 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS. This is a playable experience but not ideal for a game that requires immersion. The High preset at 1440p averages 32 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 25 FPS. These are below the threshold for a smooth experience and should be avoided.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to remain playable. The Low preset averages 55 FPS, which is technically playable but with significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 4K averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS, which is a stuttery experience. The High preset averages 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 20 FPS. The data clearly indicates that 4K is not a viable resolution for this pairing, and the game is best played at 1080p. The lack of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra presets suggests that the frame pacing is consistent enough that the average is the most telling metric, but the Medium preset's data shows a 11 FPS range, indicating some variance.

FAQ

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

A: The best experience is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which delivers an average of 84 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is recommended, yielding an average of 52 FPS.

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

A: No. At 4K, the Low preset only manages an average of 55 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 35 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are unplayable at 20-25 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The Intel Core i5-12400 has enough headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the RX 6600 cannot keep up at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RX 6600 compare to its closest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RX 6600's average benchmark score of 19036 is essentially equal to the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030, 0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049, -0.1% delta). This shows it is performance-wise in a similar tier to those parts.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The average FPS is 44, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 51 FPS. This is a playable but not ideal frame rate for a horror game.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-12400's 6 cores and 12 threads provide enough performance for this game?

A: Yes, the CPU's performance is sufficient. Its average benchmark score of 18683 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643 (18697, -0.1% delta), indicating strong multi-threaded capabilities. The performance bottleneck is the GPU, not the CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has 18 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In the context of The Medium, this CPU provides a solid foundation for the game's logic, AI, and rendering calls. The benchmark results show that it is a capable processor, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a single-core score of 2257. This indicates that it has both the multi-threaded throughput and the single-thread speed required for a modern game.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. The frame rates are consistently GPU-bound, as evidenced by the significant drops when resolution increases. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to handle the game's workload, and it does not appear to be a bottleneck even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU is pushing 84 FPS. The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is strong; its average benchmark score of 18683 is only 0.1% lower than the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.7% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330. This places it in a performance tier with high-end server and mobile processors, which is impressive for a mainstream desktop part.

The CPU's 65W TDP and 10nm process node indicate that it is an efficient part, but this does not directly translate to gaming performance. The game is not CPU-intensive in a way that would challenge the i5-12400's capabilities. The measured FPS data shows that the system's performance is dictated by the GPU's ability to render frames. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data, and it does so effectively. The only scenario where the CPU might become more relevant is if the GPU were significantly faster, but with the RX 6600, the CPU is never the bottleneck. The conclusion is that the i5-12400 is a competent mid-range CPU that does its job well, allowing the RX 6600 to be the primary determinant of performance in The Medium.