The Medium

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers a playable experience in The Medium primarily at lower resolutions and settings, with the data indicating a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card. The measured results show a clear hierarchy where graphical presets have a more significant impact on frame rates than resolution changes, suggesting the GPU is the primary bottleneck across all tested configurations. The combo ranks in the 2321st position out of 2911 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database and indicating that while the hardware is capable, it is not optimized for high-end performance in this specific title.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory position it as a solid mid-range desktop CPU. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor shows a clear strength in multi-threaded workloads, scoring 23,391 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 9,824 points in Cinebench R20 multi-core, which is consistent with its hybrid core design.

However, the game’s performance data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 78, while dropping to 4K with Ultra settings yields only 18 FPS. This scaling pattern is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a much smaller performance delta between resolution and settings changes, as the processor’s workload would remain relatively constant. The fact that the frame rate drops by over 75% from the lowest to the highest stress configuration points directly to graphics processing limitations.

The CPU’s 3DMark scores further support this conclusion. With a 16-thread score of 7,956 and a max-thread score of 7,952, the processor demonstrates that it can handle significant parallel workloads. The single-thread score of 1,016 in 3DMark and 3,302 in Cinebench R23 single-core are also respectable, ensuring that the game’s main thread has sufficient processing power. The benchmark data indicates that the i5-12600KF has enough headroom to feed the Arc B570 in most scenarios, as the frame rate differences between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings are relatively modest compared to the differences between Low and Ultra presets.

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

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture and features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with 2,304 shading units and 144 texture mapping units. Its 80 ROPs and 18 ray tracing cores provide the raw compute power for rendering, and the card’s FP32 performance is rated at 11.52 TFLOPS. The 10 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in The Medium, which is known for its detailed environments and high-resolution textures.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 65th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20,556, places it in the mid-range tier. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and the Intel Arc A750, with the B570 performing within 0.1% of both. This indicates that the Arc B570 is a competitive mid-range option, but its performance in The Medium is clearly constrained by the game’s demanding graphical load. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p with High settings, the average frame rate is only 35 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold considered smooth for most players.

The GPU’s memory bandwidth and capacity are likely the primary bottlenecks. At 4K resolution with High settings, the average FPS drops to 23, and with Ultra settings, it falls to a slideshow-like 18 FPS. The 10 GB VRAM may be sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with high-quality textures, the card may be exceeding its memory limits, causing significant performance degradation. The data shows a clear pattern: increasing the graphical settings has a much larger impact on performance than increasing the resolution, which suggests that the GPU’s compute and memory resources are being saturated by the game’s effects and texture quality rather than raw pixel count.

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

Q: What is the best performance setting for this combo at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 yields the highest average frame rate of 78 FPS. The Medium preset provides 49 FPS, while High and Ultra drop to 35 FPS and 28 FPS, respectively. For a smooth experience, Low is the only setting that consistently achieves over 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: The i5-12600KF’s multi-threaded performance is significantly stronger, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391 compared to a single-core score of 3,302. This indicates a roughly 7x improvement in multi-threaded workloads, which is typical for a 10-core, 16-thread processor.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more likely to bottleneck this system in The Medium?

A: The data strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 78 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 18 FPS, a 77% reduction. This dramatic scaling with graphical settings indicates the Arc B570 is saturated, while the CPU has sufficient headroom.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 41, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. This indicates a frame time variance of about 12 FPS, which is relatively consistent and should provide a stable, albeit not high-refresh-rate, experience.

Q: How does the Arc B570’s overall GPU benchmark score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20,556, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20,534) and 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750 (20,582). This places it in a tight performance band with these two GPUs.

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achievable with this combo at any resolution?

A: The maximum average frame rate recorded is 78 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. No other configuration in the measured data exceeds this value, and the next highest is 66 FPS at 2560x1440 with Low settings.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Low preset is the only viable option for achieving a high frame rate across all resolutions. At 1080p, Low delivers 78 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. At 1440p, Low drops to 66 FPS, still maintaining a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. Even at 4K, Low manages 52 FPS, which is borderline playable but may be acceptable for a slower-paced horror game. The data indicates that Low settings are the optimal choice for players who prioritize frame rate consistency over graphical fidelity.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with 49 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. While the 1080p and 1440p results are playable, the 4K performance is below the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for a playable experience. The High preset is less favorable, yielding 35 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 23 FPS at 4K, all of which are below 60 FPS and may result in noticeable stuttering in a game with a tense atmosphere.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for any resolution, as it produces an average of 28 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. These frame rates are too low for a smooth experience, and the visual fidelity gains do not justify the performance cost. The data shows a clear recommendation: use the Low preset for the best balance of playability and visual quality, or Medium if you are willing to accept a lower frame rate at 1080p or 1440p. For 4K, Low is the only sensible choice.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the Intel Arc B570 ranks 2321st out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the bottom 20% of all configurations, which aligns with the measured FPS data showing that the system struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher settings and resolutions. The rank is not a reflection of the CPU’s capabilities, which are solid for a mid-range processor, but rather the GPU’s inability to keep up with the game’s demands.

The CPU itself is ranked in the 79th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27,799. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core i9-10900K, which scores 27,872, a mere 0.3% difference. This suggests that the i5-12600KF is a high-performing processor in its own right. However, the GPU is ranked in the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 20,556, placing it closer to the mid-range. The disparity between the CPU’s high percentile and the GPU’s lower percentile confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The combo’s low rank in-game is a direct result of the GPU’s performance. In a game like The Medium, which relies heavily on fixed camera angles and pre-rendered lighting, the GPU’s rasterization and texture processing capabilities are paramount. The data shows that the combo is capable of delivering playable frame rates, but only at lower settings, which is consistent with its ranking among the lower half of the database. This is not a high-end configuration, but it is a functional one for players who are willing to adjust settings.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 78 FPS, Medium settings produce 49 FPS with a minimum of 41 and a maximum of 56, High settings produce 35 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 28 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Medium is 29 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 14 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 7 FPS. This shows diminishing returns as settings increase, with the largest jump occurring when moving from Low to Medium.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 66 for Low, 41 for Medium (with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47), 29 for High, and 23 for Ultra. The difference between Low and Medium is 25 FPS, while the difference between Medium and High is 12 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 6 FPS. The pattern is similar to 1080p, but the absolute frame rates are lower, indicating that the GPU is working harder to render more pixels.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values drop significantly: 52 for Low, 32 for Medium (with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37), 23 for High, and 18 for Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium is 20 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 9 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 5 FPS. The 4K results show that even the Low preset struggles to maintain 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable. The data demonstrates a consistent trend across all resolutions: the GPU’s performance scales linearly with settings, but the absolute frame rates are always limited by the resolution.

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

The resolution scaling data reveals a complex relationship between pixel count and performance. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 78 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p, a 15.4% decrease, and then to 52 at 4K, a 33.3% decrease from 1440p. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 26 FPS, or a 33.3% reduction. This scaling is not linear, which suggests that the GPU is becoming more constrained as the pixel count increases, but it is not completely overwhelmed.

At Medium settings, the FPS drops from 49 at 1080p to 41 at 1440p, a 16.3% decrease, and then to 32 at 4K, a 21.9% decrease from 1440p. The total drop is 17 FPS, or a 34.7% reduction. At High settings, the FPS drops from 35 at 1080p to 29 at 1440p, a 17.1% decrease, and then to 23 at 4K, a 20.7% decrease. The total drop is 12 FPS, or a 34.3% reduction. At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 28 at 1080p to 23 at 1440p, a 17.9% decrease, and then to 18 at 4K, a 21.7% decrease, for a total drop of 10 FPS, or a 35.7% reduction.

The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is remarkably consistent across all settings, hovering around 33-36%. This consistency is a strong indicator that the bottleneck is the GPU’s raw pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, rather than a specific setting or effect. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the percentage drop to be much smaller, as the CPU’s workload is largely independent of resolution. The data shows that the Arc B570’s performance scales predictably with resolution, confirming that it is the primary constraint. The 10 GB VRAM and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the card is likely hitting its memory limits, causing the frame rate to drop proportionally to the increase in pixel count.