The Medium

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER pairing delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, with performance heavily dictated by the GPU at higher resolutions and by settings choices at 1080p. The data indicates a system that can handle the game's fixed-camera horror with smooth frame rates at medium settings, but which requires careful compromise to maintain playability at 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to guide you on the best settings for your target resolution.

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, featuring a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 18 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile modern platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a multi-threaded score of 15,989 in Cinebench R23 and a single-thread score of 2,257, indicating strong all-around performance. Its average benchmark score of 18,683 places it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, showing that it is a solid mid-range performer.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12400’s performance is tightly clustered. It sits just 0.1% below the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.3% below the Intel Core i7-1355U, while being 0.9% faster than the Intel Core i3-14100F. This suggests that for a game like The Medium, which is not typically CPU-bound, the i5-12400 provides ample headroom. The game’s performance is far more dependent on the GPU, as evidenced by the large FPS swings when changing resolution or settings. The CPU’s 3DMark scores show strong scaling from 1,692 in the 2-thread test to 5,890 in the max-thread test, confirming that it has enough parallel processing power to feed the RTX 2070 SUPER without becoming a bottleneck in this title.

In practice, the data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 101 FPS on average, which is a scenario where the CPU is doing more of the heavy lifting relative to the GPU. However, as you increase resolution to 1440p and 4K, the average FPS drops significantly even at the same settings, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU’s role is to maintain a stable frame delivery, and its 12 threads are more than sufficient for the game’s logic and asset streaming. The i5-12400’s performance is consistent, and it does not appear to create any frame hitches or minimum FPS drops in the measured data, as the minimum FPS values are only reported for Medium settings, where they remain respectable.

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

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance for this hardware combination. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average of 101 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual compromises in a horror game might reduce the intended atmosphere. The Medium preset at 1080p yields a 63 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS, making it the ideal choice for a smooth, stable experience with better visual quality than Low. The High preset at 1080p drops to 45 FPS, which is playable but less fluid, while the Ultra preset falls to 36 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is again the sweet spot, delivering an average of 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a slow-paced horror game. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 85 FPS, but the Medium preset provides a more balanced experience. The High preset at 1440p drops to 38 FPS, and Ultra is only 30 FPS, making both less desirable. At 4K, the situation becomes more challenging. The Medium preset at 4K produces an average of 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, which is the only preset that maintains a consistent playable experience above 30 FPS. The Low preset at 4K reaches 67 FPS, but that requires a significant drop in visual quality. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they dip to 30 FPS and 24 FPS respectively.

The recommendation is clear: for the best experience, use the Medium preset across all resolutions. It provides the most consistent frame rates while retaining adequate visual detail. At 1080p, Medium offers a fluid 63 FPS, and at 1440p, it stays above 45 FPS. At 4K, Medium is the only preset that keeps the game comfortably playable, with an average of 42 FPS and a minimum of 35 FPS. Choosing High or Ultra will result in frame rates that are too low for a smooth experience, especially at higher resolutions.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component in this system. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 63 to 53, a reduction of 15.9%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings, the average FPS drops further from 53 to 42, a reduction of 20.8%. This progressive decline with increasing pixel count is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The RTX 2070 SUPER, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is being tasked with rendering more pixels, and its frame output scales accordingly.

The Low preset shows a similar trend. At 1080p, the system achieves 101 FPS, which drops to 85 FPS at 1440p (a 15.8% reduction) and then to 67 FPS at 4K (a 21.2% reduction from 1440p). The High preset shows an even steeper drop: 45 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K. This pattern confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant while the GPU’s render load increases exponentially with resolution. The fact that the FPS does not scale linearly with pixel count suggests that the GPU is also limited by other factors, such as memory bandwidth, but the overall trend is clear.

The data also indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions, as the CPU would cap the frame rate. Instead, we see a consistent drop in FPS as resolution increases, which proves that the GPU is doing all the heavy lifting. The i5-12400’s robust multi-threaded performance is more than adequate to keep up with the RTX 2070 SUPER, even at 1080p where the CPU typically has more influence. Therefore, to improve performance, the focus should be on reducing GPU load, which means lowering graphics settings or resolution, rather than upgrading the processor.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best settings preset to use at 1080p for a smooth experience?

A: The Medium preset is recommended. It provides an average of 63 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS, which is smooth and stable. The Low preset offers higher FPS (101 average) but with lower visual quality, while High (45 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are not as fluid.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, which is playable. The Low preset reaches 67 FPS, but High (30 FPS) and Ultra (24 FPS) are too slow for a consistent experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the main bottleneck. Benchmark results show a significant FPS drop when increasing resolution from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at the same settings, which is characteristic of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s performance remains consistent across these scenarios.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-14100F?

A: The i5-12400 is 0.9% faster than the i3-14100F based on average benchmark scores. Both are close in performance, but the i5-12400 has more cores and threads, which could be beneficial in other workloads.

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

A: The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings is 45 FPS. The average is 53 FPS, and the maximum is 61 FPS, indicating a stable and playable performance window.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 4K Ultra settings is 24 FPS. This is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the standard 30 FPS threshold for playability.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The GPU has 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, along with 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores. This hardware configuration gives it a theoretical FP32 performance of 9.062 TFLOPS. In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 18,169 in Passmark G3D and 1,651 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU’s performance is directly reflected in the measured FPS. Its average benchmark score of 20,282 is 1% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M and 1.2% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, showing it is a capable mid-range card. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for The Medium at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with higher settings, the memory and bandwidth become more of a constraint. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 24 average, which is likely due to the GPU’s raw compute power and memory bandwidth being overwhelmed by the high-resolution textures and effects.

The GPU’s role is clearly the dominant factor in this game. The FPS scaling across resolutions confirms that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s performance is what determines the playability. The card’s 9.062 TFLOPS of compute power is enough for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, it struggles to maintain high frame rates on High and Ultra presets. The 14 Gbps effective memory speed and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are also important, as they prevent the card from being a complete bottleneck at 4K Medium, where it still manages an average of 42 FPS. The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support is a plus for modern titles, but its performance in The Medium is what matters most.

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

1920x1080

At 1080p, the system shows a wide range of performance depending on the settings preset. With Low settings, the average FPS is 101, which is very smooth and suitable for high-refresh-rate displays. Moving to Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 63, with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 72, providing a solid balance of quality and speed. High settings yield an average of 45 FPS, which is playable but less fluid. Ultra settings are the most demanding, producing an average of 36 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a slow-paced game.

2560x1440

At 1440p, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings achieve an average of 85 FPS, which is still very good. Medium settings are the recommended option, with an average of 53 FPS, a minimum of 45 FPS, and a maximum of 61 FPS. This provides a stable and enjoyable experience. High settings drop to an average of 38 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 30 FPS, both of which are less ideal for a smooth frame rate. The data shows that 1440p Medium is the best compromise for this resolution.

3840x2160

At 4K, the GPU is pushed to its limits. Low settings deliver an average of 67 FPS, which is surprisingly high and playable. Medium settings provide an average of 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, making it the only preset that maintains a consistent playable experience above 30 FPS. High settings drop to 30 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra settings fall to 24 FPS, which is not recommended. The 4K data clearly shows that Medium is the maximum settings preset for a playable frame rate, and Low is the only way to get a consistently high FPS.