The Medium

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a strong performance profile in The Medium, ranking 124th out of 1689 tested combos. This places the configuration in the top 7.3% of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not the absolute peak performer, it sits well above the median and offers a substantial capability margin for this horror title. The ranking reflects a balanced pairing where the GPU’s high-end specifications are well-supported by the CPU’s solid multi-threaded and single-threaded scores, resulting in frame rates that are generally smooth across most settings and resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 124 out of 1689 tested combinations places it firmly in the upper echelon of systems tested for The Medium. This is a strong result, demonstrating that the combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is well-suited for the game’s demands. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 19850 places it just 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K, while being only 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700. This shows the i5-12400 is a highly competitive processor for this title, providing ample compute headroom without bottlenecking the GPU.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 53610 puts it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, while leading the AMD Radeon RX 7700S by 2.1% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti by 2.9%. This indicates the RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier graphics solution, and its performance in this combo is consistent with its high benchmark standing. The data suggests that the system is neither CPU-limited nor GPU-limited, but rather operates in a harmonious balance that maximizes the potential of both components.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications directly influence the measured frame rates. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This high bandwidth is critical for The Medium, which likely loads large textures and assets, ensuring that data can be fed to the processing cores without stuttering. The GPU’s boost clock of 2550 MHz, combined with its 10240 shading units, delivers substantial raw compute power, which is reflected in its ability to push high frame rates even at demanding settings.

The GPU’s architecture, based on Ada Lovelace, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which the game can leverage for advanced rendering features. The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern tied to the GPU’s capabilities. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 48.1, indicating that the game’s most demanding settings are near the limit of what the GPU can handle at that resolution. However, at 4K Low, the average FPS jumps to 126.3, showing that the GPU has significant headroom when graphical load is reduced. This pattern is consistent across all resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the primary driver of performance in this title, with the CPU providing sufficient support to avoid creating a bottleneck.

FAQ

*Q: What is the combo’s overall ranking in The Medium compared to other tested systems?*

A: The combo ranks 124th out of 1689 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7.3% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831), 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771), and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894).

Q: How does the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 53610. It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (53489), 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (53414), 2.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7700S (52505), and 2.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (52086).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS at Low settings is 148, while at Ultra settings it drops to 67.4. This represents a performance reduction of approximately 54.5% when moving from Low to Ultra.

*Q: Is the GPU or the CPU more likely to be a bottleneck in this configuration for The Medium?*

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary performance driver. While the CPU’s scores are competitive, the GPU’s high benchmark scores and the significant FPS scaling across settings suggest that graphical load is the main variable affecting frame rates, not CPU compute.

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achieved by this combo in the measured data?

A: The maximum average frame rate recorded is 148 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 148, which drops to 118.3 at Medium and 83 at High. The most demanding Ultra preset still achieves a playable 67.4 average FPS. This demonstrates that at 1080p, the system can easily handle the game at high refresh rates, with even the most demanding settings remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset yields an average of 135 FPS, while Medium produces 101.4 FPS and High produces 72.3 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 59.2 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target but still smooth enough for a horror game where a steady frame rate is more important than a high one. At this resolution, the GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth become more critical, and the data shows that the system handles the increased pixel count effectively.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limits become more apparent. The Low preset produces a very high average of 126.3 FPS, indicating that the GPU has substantial headroom when texture and shading workloads are minimized. The Medium preset drops to 81.2 FPS, and High falls to 53.7 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 48.1 FPS. This suggests that 4K Ultra is the only setting where the system struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS, but it remains playable, especially given the genre’s slower pacing.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience for a balance of visual fidelity and frame rate is the High preset at 2560x1440, which delivers an average of 72.3 FPS. This setting provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS target, ensuring smooth gameplay. For players who prioritize a higher refresh rate, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 offers 101.4 FPS, which is excellent for a fast-paced experience, though it sacrifices some visual detail.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice, offering 83 FPS with strong visual quality. For those who want to maximize visual fidelity on a 1080p display, the Ultra preset at 67.4 FPS is still viable, as the frame rate remains comfortably playable. The data shows that the Ultra preset at 1080p provides a better experience than the High preset at 4K, as the latter’s 53.7 FPS average may feel less consistent during intense scenes.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the optimal choice, delivering 81.2 FPS and providing a good balance between image quality and performance. The High preset at 53.7 FPS is acceptable for players who prefer higher visual detail, but the Medium setting ensures a smoother experience that is more likely to maintain a consistent frame rate. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided for a consistently smooth experience, as its 48.1 FPS average is below the standard playability threshold. The Low preset is generally not recommended for any resolution, as it sacrifices significant visual quality for a marginal FPS gain, particularly at 1080p where the High preset already delivers a high frame rate.