The Medium

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It runs at a 2.50 GHz base clock and boosts up to 4.40 GHz, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU scores 15,935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,249 in single-core, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its average benchmark score of 19,850 puts it within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K, while trailing the Intel Core i7-8700 by just 0.2%.

For a horror game like The Medium, which relies on fixed-camera angles and pre-rendered environments, the CPU's role is often secondary to the GPU—but the i5-12400's 12 threads provide headroom for the game's streaming and asset-loading demands. The single-thread score of 910 in 3DMark's single-thread test suggests strong per-core performance, which matters for game logic and frame pacing. Multi-threaded results, such as 5,873 in 3DMark's 16-thread test and 18,747 in PassMark's multithread test, indicate the processor can handle background tasks without stealing cycles from the game.

The benchmark data for this combo shows that at 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 26.1, while at 1080p Low it jumps to 74.8. The gap between Low and Ultra settings is roughly 2.9x, which is far larger than what a CPU bottleneck would produce. This suggests the i5-12400 is not the primary limiter at any tested resolution; instead, the GPU dictates performance. The CPU's 65 W TDP and dual-channel memory support (DDR4/DDR5) make it a flexible pairing, but the measured results confirm that even a capable mid-range processor like this one cannot compensate for the GPU's throughput ceiling in this title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a Pascal-architecture card built on TSMC's 16 nm process, featuring 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost of 1683 MHz, and it delivers 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The card sits at the 51st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12,331. Among its nearest rivals, it is 0.7% ahead of the Quadro K4200 but 1.3% behind the GTX 880M and 1.4% behind the GTX 1650 SUPER.

In The Medium, the GTX 1070's 8 GB VRAM is a critical asset. The game's high-resolution textures and detailed environments demand significant memory, and the card's 256.3 GB/s bandwidth helps feed those assets. However, the measured FPS data reveals that the GPU is the dominant bottleneck across all settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 74.8 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 26.1 FPS—a 65% reduction. This pattern holds at 1440p and 4K, where Ultra settings produce 19.8 FPS and 17.7 FPS, respectively.

The GTX 1070's DirectX 12 score in PassMark is 48, which is notably low compared to its DirectX 11 score of 100. This suggests the architecture's DX12 path may not be fully optimized, potentially explaining some of the performance degradation at higher settings. The card's 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs provide solid raw throughput, but the data shows that The Medium's Ultra preset—likely featuring volumetric lighting and high-res shadows—overwhelms the GPU. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p, but at 4K Ultra, the card's compute and memory bandwidth limits become apparent, resulting in sub-20 FPS averages.

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

Examining the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the combo goes from 74.8 FPS at 1080p, to 61.1 FPS at 1440p, then 48.7 FPS at 4K. That's a 35% drop from 1080p to 4K—significant, but not catastrophic, indicating the GPU still has some headroom at lower settings. At High settings, the progression is 34.7 FPS at 1080p, 30.3 FPS at 1440p, and 20.1 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K here is 42%, showing that as settings increase, the GPU's workload scales more steeply with resolution.

The Medium settings story is more dramatic. At 1080p, Ultra yields 26.1 FPS, while Medium yields 45.9 FPS—a 43% improvement by dropping to Medium. At 4K, Ultra drops to 17.7 FPS, while Low hits 48.7 FPS, a 2.75x difference. This pattern demonstrates that the GTX 1070 is the limiting component: the i5-12400's 12 threads and 4.40 GHz boost clock are sufficient to feed the GPU at all resolutions, but the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth cannot keep up with the game's higher presets.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at each settings level is consistent with a GPU bottleneck. For instance, at Medium, 1080p produces 45.9 FPS, 1440p produces 38.6 FPS, and 4K produces 33 FPS. The 4K figure is 72% of the 1080p value, which is a relatively mild drop compared to the settings-induced swings. This indicates that resolution scaling is less punishing than preset scaling for this combo, further confirming that the game's graphical features—not pixel count—are what strain the GPU most. A CPU-bound scenario would show minimal FPS variation across resolutions, but the data shows 4K performance is consistently lower, reinforcing the GPU as the primary constraint.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, at 1080p Low the average FPS is 74.8, and at Medium it is 45.9. At High, it drops to 34.7 FPS, while Ultra yields 26.1 FPS. For smooth gameplay, Low or Medium settings are recommended at 1080p.

Q: How does the GTX 1070's VRAM affect performance at higher resolutions?

A: The 8 GB GDDR5 memory with 256.3 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra the card averages 17.7 FPS. The VRAM capacity is not the main issue; rather, the GPU's compute throughput and memory bandwidth become limiting factors at 4K.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate no. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15,935 and single-core score of 2,249 place it in the 77th percentile, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, is within 0.1% in average score. The FPS scaling across resolutions and settings points to the GPU as the limiting component.

Q: What settings should I use for a balance of visuals and performance at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings yield 61.1 FPS, Medium yields 38.6 FPS, and High yields 30.3 FPS. Ultra drops to 19.8 FPS. For a target of 30+ FPS, Medium is the highest recommended preset at 1440p.

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

A: This combo ranks 1,433 out of 1,689 tested combos in The Medium. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19,850 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-8700 (19,894), while the GPU's average score of 12,331 is just 1.4% behind the GTX 1650 SUPER.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this setup?

A: Only at Low settings, where 4K produces 48.7 FPS. At Medium, it drops to 33 FPS, at High to 20.1 FPS, and at Ultra to 17.7 FPS. For a consistent 30+ FPS experience, 4K Low is the ceiling for this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1,433 out of 1,689 tested combinations in The Medium, placing it in the bottom 15% of all configurations. This low ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU's performance ceiling. The CPU is a strong performer—its 77th percentile standing and average benchmark score of 19,850, which is within 0.4% of the Core i5-11600K, indicate it is not the weak link. The GPU, however, sits at the 51st percentile with an average score of 12,331, and its nearest rivals include the GTX 1650 SUPER, which is just 1.4% faster.

The ranking reflects the game's demanding nature. At 1080p Ultra, this combo manages 26.1 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold many consider playable. Even at 1440p Low, the 61.1 FPS result is respectable, but the GPU's inability to handle higher presets at higher resolutions drags the overall ranking down. Compared to the CPU's rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, the i5-12400's 0.1% delta in average score means swapping processors would yield negligible gains. The bottleneck is squarely on the GTX 1070, and the data confirms that any meaningful performance improvement would require a GPU upgrade.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers four resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings levels (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1080p, the combo achieves 74.8 FPS on Low, 45.9 FPS on Medium, 34.7 FPS on High, and 26.1 FPS on Ultra. The 48.7 FPS gap between Low and Ultra represents a 65% performance loss, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to graphical presets.

At 1440p, performance scales down predictably: Low yields 61.1 FPS, Medium 38.6 FPS, High 30.3 FPS, and Ultra 19.8 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is roughly 18-24%, which is moderate and consistent with a GPU-bound workload. At 4K, the results are more constrained: Low produces 48.7 FPS, Medium 33 FPS, High 20.1 FPS, and Ultra 17.7 FPS. The 4K Ultra figure is the lowest recorded, representing just 24% of the 1080p Low performance.

Notably, the gap between Medium and High settings is consistent across resolutions—roughly 10-13 FPS at 1080p, 8 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. This suggests that High adds significant visual fidelity without a disproportionate cost, while Ultra imposes a steeper penalty. For example, at 1080p, the difference between High (34.7 FPS) and Ultra (26.1 FPS) is 8.6 FPS, a 25% drop. The data indicates that this combo's sweet spot is 1080p Medium (45.9 FPS) or 1440p Low (61.1 FPS), depending on whether the user prioritizes resolution or visual quality.