The Medium

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 presents a striking asymmetry in The Medium. The data shows a CPU that is solidly mid-range for its generation being paired with a GPU that remains one of the most powerful ever produced. This combination creates a bottleneck situation that shifts dramatically depending on the resolution and settings selected. The measured results reveal a system that can deliver excellent frame rates, but the balance of work between the processor and graphics card is far from equal. The following analysis breaks down how these two components interact specifically within the context of this horror title, based strictly on the measured data.

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. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This configuration is a standard mainstream desktop part, and its benchmark scores reflect a capable but not top-tier performer. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, it scores 15989 points, while its single-core score is 2257 points. Its overall average benchmark score is 18683, which places it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs tested. This positions it as a strong mainstream option, but it is not a halo product.

In The Medium, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The game is not known for being particularly CPU-intensive, but the data suggests that at lower resolutions, the i5-12400 can become a limiting factor. Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the i5-12400's average score is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643, which has a deltaPct of -0.1%. It is also comparable to the Intel Core i7-1355U and AMD Ryzen AI 5 330, with deltas of -0.3% and -0.7% respectively. It is slightly ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F by 0.9%. This indicates that the i5-12400 is performing exactly as expected for its class.

The 12 threads are fully utilized by modern games, and The Medium is no exception. The difference between the 3dmark_2_threads score of 1692 and the 3dmark_8_threads score of 4745 shows that scaling is present, but the jump from 8 threads to 16 threads (score of 5873) is smaller, suggesting diminishing returns. For this game, the six physical cores provide enough throughput to avoid major stutters, but the processor's overall ceiling is much lower than the GPU's. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS of 145 is likely near the CPU's maximum output for this title. The processor is the primary constraint at this setting, as the GPU is being underutilized.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz. The raw compute power is staggering, with 16384 shading units and an FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS. Its average benchmark score is 60347, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. This is a card designed to obliterate any resolution or settings combination thrown at it.

In The Medium, the RTX 4090's role is to render the game's fixed-camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds with high fidelity. The 24 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for any settings at any resolution, meaning memory capacity is never a bottleneck. The GPU's raw power is evident in the results. At 4K with High settings, it achieves 63 FPS. When settings are dropped to Low at 4K, the average FPS jumps to 126. This massive jump of 63 FPS indicates that the settings presets heavily influence the GPU load, but the card has the headroom to handle even the most demanding scenarios.

The RTX 4090's nearest rivals in the database are interesting. Its average score is nearly identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60 (deltaPct of 0%), and it is only 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48. This seems counterintuitive given the 4090's reputation, but it reflects the specific benchmark suite composition. The data shows that in synthetic tests, the 4090 is not as far ahead of these professional workstation cards as one might expect. However, in a gaming context like The Medium, its dominance is clear. The GPU is the undisputed master of this pairing; the question is always whether the CPU can keep up.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions is the most telling data in this analysis. At Low settings, the progression is 145 FPS at 1080p, 137 FPS at 1440p, and 126 FPS at 4K. This is a relatively small drop of 19 FPS from 1080p to 4K. This pattern indicates that at Low settings, the system is heavily CPU-bound even at 4K. The GPU is so powerful that it can render the low-detail scenes at 4K nearly as fast as the CPU can deliver the frames.

At Medium settings, the scaling changes. The average FPS is 121 at 1080p, 111 at 1440p, and 87 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 24 FPS, which is a more significant decline. This suggests that the load is shifting towards the GPU as the settings increase, but the CPU is still contributing to the bottleneck at lower resolutions. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is only 10 FPS, while the gap to 4K is much larger, showing that the GPU is starting to feel the pressure of the higher pixel count.

At High settings, the scaling is more pronounced: 95 FPS at 1080p, 80 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 32 FPS. This is a clearer sign of the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor. The RTX 4090 is still delivering excellent performance, but the increased workload from the higher resolution is now the main constraint. Finally, at Ultra settings, the scaling is steepest: 75 FPS at 1080p, 63 FPS at 1440p, and 50 FPS at 4K. The i5-12400 is no longer the main bottleneck; the RTX 4090 is being pushed to its limits by the combination of high resolution and maximum settings. The data shows a clear transition from CPU-bound at Low settings to GPU-bound at Ultra settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in The Medium?

A: Yes, but only at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 145, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit. As resolution and settings increase, the bottleneck shifts to the GPU, making the pairing more balanced.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: The data suggests High settings at 4K yields an average of 63 FPS, which is playable. Ultra settings at 4K drops to 50 FPS. If you prioritize higher frame rates, Low settings at 4K provide 126 FPS, but with a significant visual quality trade-off.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its closest rivals in the database?

A: Its average benchmark score of 18683 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 7643 and Intel Core i7-1355U, with a deltaPct of -0.1% and -0.3% respectively. It is 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM matter for this game?

A: The data does not indicate any VRAM limitation. The 24 GB capacity is far beyond what The Medium requires, so memory size is not a performance factor in these results.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings produce an average of 137 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 63 FPS. This is a difference of 74 FPS, showing the significant performance cost of the Ultra preset.

Q: Is this combo better suited for 1440p or 4K gaming?

A: The data shows that at 1440p with High settings, the system achieves 80 FPS, which is a smooth experience. At 4K with High settings, it drops to 63 FPS. For higher refresh rate monitors, 1440p is the better target. For 60 FPS gaming, 4K High is viable.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 220th out of 3724 total combos. This places it in the top 5.9% of all tested systems. This is an excellent ranking, but it is important to note that the CPU is holding the combo back from an even higher position. The RTX 4090 is capable of much more, but the i5-12400's performance ceiling prevents the system from reaching the absolute top tiers.

The ranking reflects the overall average performance across all tested games and workloads. In a game like The Medium, the specific results will vary based on the bottleneck analysis above. A system with a faster, higher-core-count CPU would likely rank higher, as it would be able to feed the RTX 4090 more effectively at lower resolutions. However, this combo still delivers a very strong performance profile, and the high ranking confirms the raw power of the GPU. The fact that it is in the 220th position out of 3724 shows that it is a high-end setup, even if it is not the absolute best pairing possible. The data indicates that the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, and the CPU is a competent but secondary partner.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for The Medium across all tested resolutions and settings. The data shows a clear pattern of performance scaling.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 145 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 121 | 103 | 139 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 95 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 75 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 137 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 111 | 95 | 128 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 80 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 63 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 126 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 87 | 74 | 101 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 63 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 50 | - | - |

The 1080p results show that the CPU limits performance at Low settings, with a 145 FPS average. Moving to Medium settings at the same resolution drops the average to 121 FPS, and High settings yield 95 FPS. Ultra settings at 1080p produce 75 FPS. The 1440p results follow a similar pattern, with Low settings at 137 FPS, Medium at 111 FPS, High at 80 FPS, and Ultra at 63 FPS.

At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. Low settings still produce a very high 126 FPS, but the cost of higher settings is severe. Medium settings drop to 87 FPS, High settings to 63 FPS, and Ultra settings to just 50 FPS. The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings, showing 103 FPS at 1080p, 95 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K. This suggests that even the minimum frame times are generally stable, with no major stuttering events recorded. The data confirms that for a 60 FPS target, 4K High settings is the ceiling for this combo, while 1440p allows for much higher frame rates.