The Medium

# The Medium with Intel Core i5-12600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers a thoroughly capable experience in The Medium, a horror title from January 2021. Benchmark data shows the combo achieves playable frame rates across most settings, with the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM and the CPU's 10-core design proving well-matched for this game's demands. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and ranking against other tested configurations.

FAQ

*Q: What is the combo's overall rank in The Medium?*

A: This configuration ranks 184th out of 1,689 tested combos for this game, placing it in the top 11% of all systems benchmarked.

Q: What is the best measured average FPS for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 163.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the combo delivers 74.5 FPS on Medium settings and 49.4 FPS on High, indicating 4K is viable with adjusted settings for smoother gameplay.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF scores 27,827 in the average benchmark, matching the Intel Core i9-10900K at a 0% delta, and trailing the Intel Core i5-12600K by only 0.1%.

Q: What GPU memory capacity does this configuration use?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory with a 256-bit bus and 672.3 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the game scale well with resolution changes?

A: Yes, the data shows clear scaling: at Medium settings, average FPS drops from 112.3 at 1080p to 90.6 at 1440p and 74.5 at 4K, a predictable performance curve.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the primary driver of The Medium's visual performance. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, this GPU contains 8,448 shading units, 264 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, paired with a 256-bit memory bus, provides 672.3 GB/s of bandwidth — a substantial pool that prevents texture streaming bottlenecks in the game's detailed horror environments. The GPU's base clock of 2340 MHz and boost clock of 2610 MHz allow it to sustain high throughput during intense scenes.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 5,569, while Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores reach 223,091 and 206,035 respectively. Passmark G3D testing yields 31,811, and GPU compute scores 18,372. These figures place the GPU at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,704. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, scores 49,071 (0.7% higher), while the RTX A2000 trails at 47,915 (1.6% lower).

In The Medium, the GPU's VRAM capacity proves critical. The game's fixed-camera angles and detailed textures demand substantial memory, and 16 GB ensures no stuttering from VRAM overflow even at 4K Ultra settings. The measured FPS data shows the GPU's strength: at 2560x1440, it delivers 149 FPS on Low, 90.6 on Medium, 66.2 on High, and 54.7 on Ultra. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution is consistent — roughly 2.7x at 1080p (163.6 vs 62.3) and 2.9x at 4K (115.8 vs 40.6) — indicating the GPU scales predictably with graphical load.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF provides the processing foundation for this combo. With 10 cores and 16 threads, this Alder Lake-S architecture CPU operates at a 3.70 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.90 GHz. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache, alongside 1.25 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core, ensures fast data access for game logic and physics calculations. The CPU's 125 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it a mainstream desktop part, released in November 2021.

Benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance. Cinebench R23 multicore scores 23,444, while R20 multicore reaches 9,846 and R15 multicore hits 2,363. Single-core results are equally solid: R23 single-core scores 3,309, and Geekbench single-core reaches 2,529. The CPU's average benchmark score of 27,827 places it at the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, scores nearly identically at 27,829 (0% delta), while the Intel Core i5-12600K scores 27,851 (0.1% higher) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H scores 27,872 (0.2% higher).

In The Medium, the CPU's role is supportive but essential. The game's horror pacing and environment interactions rely on consistent frame delivery, and the 10-core design ensures background tasks don't interfere with rendering. The 16 threads provide ample headroom for the game's fixed-camera rendering pipeline, which can be CPU-heavy when loading new scenes. The measured FPS data shows no obvious CPU bottleneck: even at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 163.6 FPS, suggesting the CPU keeps pace with the GPU's output.

How This Combo Ranks

This configuration ranks 184th out of 1,689 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the top 10.9% of all systems. This rank reflects a balance of high-end GPU performance and mid-range CPU capability. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's 86th percentile GPU ranking contributes most to this position, while the i5-12600KF's 84th percentile CPU ranking ensures no significant bottleneck.

The combo's rank is particularly strong given the game's horror genre, which typically favors GPU-bound rendering over CPU-heavy simulation. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1440p Medium, the combo achieves 90.6 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K, the rank holds up well — 74.5 FPS at Medium settings demonstrates that this combo can handle high-resolution horror without sacrificing playability.

Compared to other combos in the database, this configuration sits in the upper tier. The 1,689 total combos include both lower-end and enthusiast systems, and ranking 184th means this setup outperforms roughly 89% of tested configurations. The closest CPU rivals (i9-10900K, i5-12600K) would likely place similarly when paired with equivalent GPUs, but the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER's 16 GB VRAM gives it an edge in texture-heavy scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results: Low settings produce 163.6 FPS, Medium reaches 112.3 FPS, High hits 78 FPS, and Ultra drops to 62.3 FPS. The 1080p results show that even Ultra settings remain playable, with the 62.3 FPS figure staying above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows expected scaling. Low settings yield 149 FPS, a modest 9% drop from 1080p. Medium delivers 90.6 FPS, a 19% reduction. High reaches 66.2 FPS, a 15% decrease. Ultra falls to 54.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS mark but still acceptable for slower-paced horror gameplay. The 1440p results indicate that High settings offer the best balance — 66.2 FPS is smooth, while Ultra's 54.7 FPS may be preferable for visual fidelity at the cost of some fluidity.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM becomes crucial. Low settings produce 115.8 FPS, showing the combo's raw power at 4K. Medium reaches 74.5 FPS, comfortably playable. High drops to 49.4 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay. Ultra falls to 40.6 FPS, indicating that 4K Ultra is not viable for this combo. The 4K scaling shows a 2.9x difference between Low and Ultra, highlighting the GPU's performance envelope at high resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, Ultra settings at 62.3 FPS provide the best visual experience while staying above the 60 FPS threshold. Players prioritizing higher refresh rates can use High settings at 78 FPS or Medium at 112.3 FPS.

At 2560x1440, High settings deliver 66.2 FPS, making it the recommended preset for smooth, visually rich gameplay. Ultra at 54.7 FPS is playable but may show noticeable frame pacing in fast-moving scenes. Medium at 90.6 FPS offers a substantial headroom for those who prefer higher frame rates over maximum fidelity.

For 3840x2160, Medium settings at 74.5 FPS are the clear recommendation, providing a smooth experience with good visual quality. High at 49.4 FPS is playable for patient players but risks stuttering in action-heavy sequences. Low at 115.8 FPS is excellent for competitive play or for those who prioritize frame rate over graphics. Ultra at 40.6 FPS is not recommended for general play, as the frame rate falls well below the 60 FPS standard.

The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1440p High or 4K Medium gameplay in The Medium. The 16 GB VRAM ensures texture quality remains high even at 4K, while the CPU's 10 cores prevent any processing bottlenecks. For a horror game that emphasizes atmosphere over fast action, the 74.5 FPS at 4K Medium strikes an ideal balance between immersion and smoothness.