The Medium

The Medium, a horror title built around fixed camera angles and narrative-driven exploration, presents a specific performance profile for the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination. The measured data for this pairing shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides a stable foundation that allows the GPU to stretch its legs at lower settings. The benchmark results indicate that the experience is a balancing act between visual fidelity and frame rate, with the RTX 2060’s 6 GB of VRAM and the i5-12400’s solid multi-threaded capability dictating the outcome across the tested presets.

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, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This configuration provides a robust foundation for gaming, as the benchmark scores suggest a strong balance between single-threaded responsiveness and multi-threaded throughput. In the 3DMark suite, the processor scores 910 in the single-thread test and 5,890 in the max-threads test, indicating that it can handle both the primary game logic and background tasks without becoming a bottleneck in a title like The Medium, which is not known for extreme CPU demands.

The processor’s performance in Cinebench R23 is particularly telling, with a multi-core score of 15,989 and a single-core score of 2,257. This places the i5-12400 in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms a significant majority of processors on the market. When compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight grouping: it is -0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7643, -0.3% behind the Intel Core i7-1355U, and -0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, while being 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F. These negligible deltas confirm that the i5-12400 is a very capable mid-range part, and in the context of The Medium, it is unlikely to be the primary factor limiting frame rates.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 83 FPS, which is the highest score recorded in the entire dataset. This suggests that when the GPU is not under heavy load, the CPU is more than capable of feeding it frames. The processor’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4 and DDR5) also contribute to its ability to maintain consistent performance. However, as the resolution increases and the GPU load grows, the CPU’s role diminishes, and the frame rate becomes more dependent on the graphics card. The data shows that the i5-12400 provides a stable platform, but it is the GPU that ultimately determines the playability of The Medium at higher visual settings.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU with a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, paired with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. This memory configuration provides a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, which is a critical factor in a game like The Medium that relies on high-resolution textures and streaming assets. The GPU’s 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores are present, but the benchmark data suggests that the game’s performance is more heavily influenced by raw rasterization and memory capacity than by ray tracing features.

The RTX 2060’s benchmark scores show a mixed picture. It ranks in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 14,111 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,242. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (0.6% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (0.8% delta). These comparisons indicate that the RTX 2060 is positioned in the mid-range tier, and its performance in The Medium reflects this. The 6 GB VRAM is a notable limitation, as the game’s Ultra preset at 4K pushes the system to just 20 FPS, likely due to memory pressure and shader complexity.

At 1080p, the RTX 2060 shows its strengths, achieving 37 FPS on High, 52 FPS on Medium, and 83 FPS on Low. The jump from Medium to Low is substantial, suggesting that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are sufficient for lower-fidelity settings. However, the move to 1440p reveals a clear decline, with High dropping to 31 FPS and Ultra to 25 FPS. This pattern is consistent with a GPU that is being pushed beyond its comfortable envelope at higher resolutions, where the 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit bus become constraints. The data indicates that the RTX 2060 is best suited for 1080p gaming in The Medium, with 1440p requiring compromises on settings.

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

The resolution scaling data provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies in this configuration. When moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops by approximately 16-19% across all settings. For example, at High settings, the FPS falls from 37 to 31, a 16.2% reduction, while at Low settings, it drops from 83 to 70, a 15.7% reduction. This relatively uniform scaling suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as the increased pixel count directly impacts the render workload.

The transition from 1440p to 4K (3840x2160) is more severe, with frame rates falling by 19-24%. At High settings, the FPS drops from 31 to 25, a 19.4% reduction, and at Low settings, from 70 to 55, a 21.4% reduction. This steeper decline at 4K is typical for a GPU like the RTX 2060, which lacks the raw compute power and memory bandwidth to handle 8.3 million pixels effectively. The Ultra preset at 4K yields only 20 FPS, which is a 20% drop from the 25 FPS at 1440p, indicating that the GPU is heavily saturated.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck in this game, as the frame rate scales consistently with resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see less variation between resolutions, particularly at low settings where the GPU load is lighter. The fact that the FPS drops by roughly the same percentage at each resolution step points to the RTX 2060 as the component that determines performance. The i5-12400 is capable of delivering higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep pace as the pixel count increases, leading to the observed decline.

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

The measured FPS data for this combo is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 83 FPS, which is the highest score in the dataset and indicates a smooth, playable experience. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60, showing some frame time variance but still within an acceptable range. The High preset drops to 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 30 FPS, both of which are borderline for a horror game that benefits from consistent frame pacing.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades as expected. The Low preset averages 70 FPS, which is still playable, while the Medium preset averages 44 FPS, with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50. The High preset drops to 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 25 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is viable only at Low or Medium settings, as the higher presets push the RTX 2060 into territory where frame rates become inconsistent and potentially detrimental to the experience.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset averages 55 FPS, which is surprisingly high given the resolution, but the Medium preset drops to 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 and a maximum of 40. The High preset averages 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 20 FPS. These figures suggest that 4K gaming is only feasible at Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is not ideal for a game that relies on atmosphere and tension. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the sweet spot, 1440p requires sacrifices, and 4K is largely impractical for this hardware combo.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2,948th out of 3,724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the bottom 20% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU’s limitations, as the CPU is a mid-range part that performs well in isolation. The combo’s percentile rank is not explicitly stated, but the position suggests that many other pairings with more powerful graphics cards achieve higher frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions.

The ranking is influenced by the fact that The Medium is a visually demanding game, and the RTX 2060’s 6 GB VRAM and Turing architecture are not sufficient for the game’s highest presets. The data shows that the combo is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p with Low to Medium settings, but it struggles to maintain 60 FPS at any resolution with High or Ultra presets. This places it below many combos that feature GPUs with more memory and higher compute throughput.

However, the ranking does not tell the whole story. The combo’s performance is consistent with its component specifications, and it offers a viable path for gamers who are willing to adjust settings. The i5-12400 ensures that the system does not suffer from CPU-related stutters, while the RTX 2060 provides a baseline for 1080p gaming. The rank of 2,948 out of 3,724 indicates that this is not a high-end setup, but it is functional for the game’s core experience at lower fidelity.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rates, with the Low preset achieving 83 FPS and the Medium preset reaching 52 FPS. Higher resolutions like 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 result in significant frame rate drops, making 1080p the most practical choice.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings in The Medium?

A: The Ultra preset yields average frame rates of 30 FPS at 1080p, 25 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. These numbers are below the threshold for smooth gameplay, so Ultra settings are not recommended for this hardware.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and High settings?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 83 FPS while High averages 37 FPS, a difference of 46 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is 39 FPS (70 vs. 31), and at 4K, it is 30 FPS (55 vs. 25). This indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by higher quality settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck for this combo?

A: The resolution scaling data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rate drops consistently as resolution increases, which is a sign of GPU limitation, while the CPU’s benchmark scores (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core of 15,989) indicate it is capable of higher performance.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only preset with a minimum FPS value is Medium, which records a minimum of 44 FPS at 1080p, 37 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The other presets do not have min FPS data in the dataset.

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

A: The combo ranks 2,948th out of 3,724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the lower portion of the rankings. This is due to the GPU’s performance limitations at higher resolutions and settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset, which averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60. This provides a good balance between visual quality and performance, as the frame rate is mostly stable and the game’s horror atmosphere is preserved. The Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average frame rate at 83 FPS, which is ideal for players who prioritize smoothness over visuals, but the Medium preset adds enough detail to enhance the game’s mood without sacrificing playability.

For those who prefer higher resolutions, the 2560x1440 Low preset averages 70 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset at 44 FPS is a more reasonable choice if visual fidelity is important. The 4K Low preset at 55 FPS is surprisingly playable, but the Medium preset at 34 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets are not recommended due to frame rates below 30 FPS. The data indicates that the best overall experience is 1080p Medium, as it offers a stable frame rate and acceptable visuals, while higher presets or resolutions introduce noticeable performance degradation.