The Medium

The Medium presents a demanding fixed-camera horror experience, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 yields a performance profile that is heavily dictated by resolution and graphics presets. The measured data indicates a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but one that requires careful settings management to maintain smooth gameplay at higher resolutions. The benchmark results show a clear scaling pattern that shifts the bottleneck between the CPU and GPU depending on the workload.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario at higher settings, with the CPU's influence becoming more apparent at lower presets. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 73.5 FPS to 62.4 FPS, a reduction of approximately 15%. The scaling to 3840x2160 is more aggressive, with the average falling to 48.3 FPS, which is about 34% lower than the 1440p result. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 5070's rendering workload is the primary limiting factor at these settings.

However, the scaling behavior changes dramatically when the preset is lowered. At Low settings, the 1080p average of 153.6 FPS drops to 133.9 FPS at 1440p, a modest 13% decrease. The jump to 4K at Low settings yields 105.2 FPS, which is still a considerable drop from the 1440p figure but represents a smaller relative loss than what is seen at High settings. This pattern suggests that at Low presets, the Intel Core i5-14400F is better able to feed the GPU, and the performance scaling is more linear.

The most telling data point for bottleneck analysis is the gap between Medium and High settings at 4K. The Medium preset produces 68 FPS, while High drops to 48.3 FPS, a difference of nearly 20 FPS. This large delta indicates that the higher graphical fidelity features at High settings impose a significant load on the GPU. At 1080p, the gap between Medium (103.5 FPS) and Low (153.6 FPS) is 50 FPS, which shows that the CPU is capable of pushing very high frame rates when the GPU is less burdened, but the GPU becomes the definitive constraint as resolution and fidelity increase.

How This Combo Ranks

In the aggregate database of tested configurations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a combo rank of 317 out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium. This places the system in the top 20% of all configurations tested for this title, indicating a strong overall performance level. The rank is a composite measure that accounts for performance across all tested resolutions and settings.

The CPU itself holds an 88th percentile ranking against all processors in the database, with an average benchmark score of 32508. Its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-12800H and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645, are within a 0.2% performance delta, showing that the i5-14400F is positioned in a tightly contested performance tier. The GPU, meanwhile, sits at the 83rd percentile against all graphics cards, with an average score of 41687. Its closest competitors, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, are within a 0.6% delta, confirming that the RTX 5070 is a high-end part that competes with previous generation flagship hardware.

The combination of a top-quintile CPU and a top-quintile GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for this title. The rank of 317 suggests that while many combinations outperform it, there are over 1300 configurations that deliver worse performance in The Medium. This indicates that the i5-14400F does not bottleneck the RTX 5070 to a significant degree, and the system operates as a cohesive unit for this horror title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for achieving the best balance between visual fidelity and playable frame rates. For a standard 60 FPS target, the optimal configuration is the High preset at 2560x1440, which produces an average of 62.4 FPS. This delivers a smooth experience while maintaining substantial graphical enhancements over the Medium preset. At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 73.5 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and allowing for smoother camera movements in the game's fixed-perspective scenes.

For users with 4K displays, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a playable experience, yielding 68 FPS. The High preset at 4K falls to 48.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in perceptible stutter. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution for 60 FPS play, as it only achieves 55.8 FPS at 1080p and drops to 37.2 FPS at 4K. The Low preset, while capable of high frame rates, is best reserved for competitive play or for users who prioritize maximum frame rates above all else, as it delivers 153.6 FPS at 1080p and 105.2 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for 4K, while High is optimal for 1440p and 1080p. The performance gap between Medium and High at 1440p is 24.3 FPS (86.7 vs 62.4), which is significant, but the visual improvements at High may justify the frame rate cost for many users. At 1080p, the gap narrows to 30 FPS (103.5 vs 73.5), making High the clear choice for those with 1080p displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show a wide spread of performance across presets. The Low preset delivers the highest average at 153.6 FPS, followed by Medium at 103.5 FPS, High at 73.5 FPS, and Ultra at 55.8 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent and substantial reduction in frame rate, with the Ultra preset costing nearly 100 FPS compared to Low.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 133.9 FPS for Low, 86.7 FPS for Medium, 62.4 FPS for High, and 47.2 FPS for Ultra. The relative ordering remains the same, but the gaps between presets compress slightly. The difference between Low and Medium at this resolution is 47.2 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 15.2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. The Low preset averages 105.2 FPS, which is still very playable, while Medium drops to 68 FPS. High manages 48.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37.2 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows a reduction from 153.6 FPS to 105.2 FPS, a 31% decrease, while at Ultra settings the drop is from 55.8 FPS to 37.2 FPS, a 33% decrease. This consistency suggests that the RTX 5070's performance scales predictably with resolution regardless of the preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for playing The Medium with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 at High settings provides the best balance, with an average of 62.4 FPS. This resolution and preset combination offers a solid frame rate while maintaining higher visual fidelity than Medium.

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Medium or Low presets. The Medium preset averages 68 FPS at 3840x2160, while the High preset falls short at 48.3 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to the RTX 3090 in this context?

A: The RTX 5070's average benchmark score is 41687, while the RTX 3090's is 41441. This represents a 0.6% performance delta in favor of the RTX 5070, indicating they are closely matched in overall compute performance.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5070?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a major limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 153.6 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The frame rate drops are more attributable to GPU load as resolution and settings increase.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The High preset averages 62.4 FPS, while Ultra averages 47.2 FPS. This is a difference of 15.2 FPS, making High the more sensible choice for smoother gameplay.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 317th out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium, placing it in the top 20% of all systems tested for this game.