The Medium

The Medium presents a demanding workload that scales dramatically with both resolution and image quality settings. For the combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, the measured data reveals a system that can deliver smooth frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings, but one that struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K on higher presets. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is well-balanced for the game, with the CPU providing ample headroom and the GPU acting as the primary performance limiter as resolution increases.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and expected trend: average frame rates decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the system delivers 57.8 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 43.5 FPS at 1440p, and further to 35.8 FPS at 4K. This represents a 24.7% performance drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 17.7% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, indicating that the GPU is becoming progressively more saturated as pixel count rises.

The pattern holds across other settings. At Medium, the frame rate falls from 80.1 FPS at 1080p to 65.8 FPS at 1440p, then to 50.3 FPS at 4K. The Low preset shows the most resilience, with 124.2 FPS at 1080p, 102.1 FPS at 1440p, and 82 FPS at 4K. The relatively smaller percentage drops at Low settings suggest that the CPU is capable of maintaining high frame rates, but the GPU's workload at higher resolutions and settings becomes the bottleneck.

The Ultra preset exhibits the steepest decline. At 1080p, the system manages 46.6 FPS, which falls to 37.5 FPS at 1440p and 32.1 FPS at 4K. This suggests that Ultra settings impose a heavy load on the GPU, and the RTX 3070’s 8 GB of VRAM and compute resources are being taxed heavily. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 49.9 FPS, illustrating how much headroom exists in the graphics settings for users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip. It features a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz. The memory configuration consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications directly influence the measured results in The Medium. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game at these tested resolutions, but the data shows that the GPU's raw throughput is the limiting factor at 4K.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers is captured by its percentileVsAllGpus score of 72, and its average benchmark score of 28238. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT with an average score of 27985, a deltaPct of 0.9, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti with an average score of 27956, a deltaPct of 1. The RTX 3070 sits slightly above these cards in synthetic benchmarks, but the gaming data shows it is not enough to maintain 60 FPS at 4K with High or Ultra settings in The Medium. The GPU's DirectX 12 benchmark score of 85, while not directly comparable to in-game FPS, reinforces that it is a mid-to-high-range part that excels at lower resolutions.

The RTX 3070 has 5888 shading units and 184 texture mapping units, which contribute to its performance. The pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s are high, but the game's complex rendering at 4K overwhelms these capabilities. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the GPU can keep up with the CPU, but at 4K, the frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU's fill rate and shader performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 holds a combo rank of 748 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the upper-middle tier of systems, indicating that it outperforms a majority of tested configurations but is not near the top. The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus score of 77 suggests it is a strong processor, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9700 with an avgScore of 19831 and a deltaPct of 0.1, and the Intel Core i5-11600K with an avgScore of 19771 and a deltaPct of 0.4. This means the i5-12400 is statistically near-identical in synthetic performance to these older or higher-clocked parts.

The GPU's rank is similarly solid, but the combo's overall position in this specific game is influenced by the demanding nature of The Medium. The data shows that many other combinations achieve higher frame rates, likely due to more powerful GPUs. The combo rank of 748 out of 1689 suggests that while this system is capable, users seeking high-refresh-rate 4K gameplay would need to consider a more potent GPU. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is better suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates with most presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates: 124.2 FPS on Low, 80.1 FPS on Medium, 57.8 FPS on High, and 46.6 FPS on Ultra. The spread of 77.6 FPS between Low and Ultra shows a wide range of performance scaling, giving users significant control over the visual-to-performance trade-off.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are lower but still playable on most presets. The Low preset delivers 102.1 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Medium delivers 65.8 FPS, High delivers 43.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 37.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 64.6 FPS, indicating that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings yield 82 FPS, which is smooth, but Medium drops to 50.3 FPS, High to 35.8 FPS, and Ultra to 32.1 FPS. The data shows that only the Low preset provides a consistently smooth experience at 4K, while higher presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold. This indicates that the RTX 3070 is not sufficiently powerful for high-fidelity 4K gaming in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in The Medium?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 124.2, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: No. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the measured average FPS is 43.5. To achieve over 60 FPS at this resolution, the Medium preset must be used, which yields 65.8 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, has a score of 19831, representing a deltaPct of 0.1. This means the i5-12400 is effectively on par with the i7-9700 in overall synthetic performance.

Q: What is the lowest frame rate recorded at 4K?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded at 3840x2160 is 32.1, which occurs with the Ultra settings preset.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rate drops significantly from 82 FPS on Low to 32.1 FPS on Ultra, indicating that the graphics card's processing power is the bottleneck, not the CPU.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 748 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and frame rate priority. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 57.8 FPS offers a good balance of visual quality and performance. For users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the Medium preset at 80.1 FPS provides a significant frame rate boost with a modest reduction in visual fidelity, while the Low preset at 124.2 FPS is ideal for maximum smoothness.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 65.8 FPS is the best choice for a smooth experience, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 43.5 FPS may be acceptable for users who prioritize visuals over frame rate, but it is not ideal for fast-paced gameplay. The Low preset at 102.1 FPS is recommended for competitive play where high frame rates are essential.

At 4K, the data indicates that only the Low preset at 82 FPS provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 50.3 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid, while the High and Ultra presets at 35.8 FPS and 32.1 FPS, respectively, are best avoided for any action-oriented gameplay. Users who own a 4K display should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or reducing settings to Low to maintain a playable frame rate. The benchmark results clearly show that this combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can deliver high performance across most presets.