The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 produces a specific performance profile across resolutions. The data shows a system capable of high frame rates, but the balance between the processor and graphics card shifts dramatically depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. This analysis breaks down the measured results for this specific hardware pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It features a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. In the broader context of all CPUs tested, this processor sits in the 90th percentile, indicating strong overall compute performance.

Benchmark results confirm its capability. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 24491 in multi-core and 2064 in single-core tests. The Geekbench multicore score is 16673, with a single-core score of 2491. The Passmark multithread score reaches 38682, and the single-thread score is 4270. These numbers place the i5-14600K in close competition with several other processors; it trails the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by a mere 0.2% in average benchmark score, while it leads the AMD EPYC 4345P by 0.3% and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX by 0.7%. It is also 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245.

In this game, the CPU's role is most apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the CPU must feed frames to the GPU as fast as possible. The measured average of 179 FPS at this setting is the highest in the entire dataset, demonstrating that the i5-14600K's high boost clock and substantial core count are sufficient to prevent a bottleneck in this scenario. The processor's single-core strength, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, is likely the key factor in maintaining these high frame rates, as The Medium's gameplay logic and draw calls often rely on a few heavily loaded threads.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a formidable graphics card built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It packs 9728 shading units, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores. The card operates at a base clock of 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz. Memory is a significant asset: 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This places the GPU in the 86th percentile among all tested GPUs.

Its benchmark scores reflect its high-end status. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 6567. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 214739, and the Vulkan score is 263779. The Passmark G3D score is 34457. The closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, which is just 0.1% faster in average benchmark score. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% slower.

The GPU's role is clearly defined by the resolution scaling data. When the CPU is not the limiting factor, the RTX 4080's performance is what determines the playable experience. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is pushed to its limits, delivering an average of just 45 FPS. This contrasts sharply with the 1080p Low result of 179 FPS, where the GPU is likely underutilized. The 16 GB VRAM buffer is more than adequate for The Medium at any tested setting, meaning the GPU's raw compute and memory bandwidth are the primary drivers of performance at higher resolutions and quality presets. The card's 76 RT cores also play a role in the game's lighting and reflections, though the exact impact is not isolated in the data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and expected trend: as resolution increases, average frame rates drop, indicating a shift from CPU-bound to GPU-bound performance. The most dramatic example is the Low preset, which drops from 179 FPS at 1920x1080 to 161 FPS at 2560x1440, and then to 127 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a 29% drop from 1080p to 4K, showing that even on the lowest settings, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The High preset shows a more linear decline. Starting at 86 FPS at 1080p, it falls to 72 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 57 FPS at 4K. This represents a 34% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. The Medium preset follows a similar pattern, with 120 FPS at 1080p, 101 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset starts at 68 FPS at 1080p, drops to 57 FPS at 1440p, and plummets to 45 FPS at 4K, a 34% drop as well.

The delta between 1080p and 1440p is smaller than the delta between 1440p and 4K for most settings, highlighting the massive pixel count increase at 4K. For instance, at Medium settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 19 FPS, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 22 FPS. This suggests that at 4K, the RTX 4080 is the dominant limiting component, as the CPU has more time to prepare frames. The data indicates that the i5-14600K can handle the game's logic at high frame rates, but the RTX 4080's fill rate and shading power are what ultimately cap performance at 4K, especially on Ultra settings where the average falls below 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo?

A: The highest measured average is 179 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is this combination capable of 4K gaming at playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with Medium settings, the average is 79 FPS, and at High settings, it is 57 FPS. However, at Ultra settings, the average drops to 45 FPS, which is below the typical 60 FPS target for smooth play.

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

A: The i5-14600K's average benchmark score is 48618. It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and 0.3% faster than the AMD EPYC 4345P, placing it in a very tight performance band.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the combo delivers 86 FPS at 1080p and 57 FPS at 4K, representing a 34% reduction in average frame rate.

Q: Does the GPU outperform its closest rival?

A: The RTX 4080's average benchmark score is 54247. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is 0.1% faster, making the two cards effectively tied in compute performance.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 holds a rank of 222 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 6% of all systems tested, a strong showing that reflects the high-end nature of both components.

The ranking is a composite of the CPU's and GPU's individual capabilities. The CPU's 90th percentile standing and the GPU's 86th percentile standing combine to put this system well above the median. The rank of 222 suggests that while there are faster combos, this pairing is significantly more powerful than the vast majority of systems in the database. The data indicates that the combo's weakness is not in either component individually, but in the balance at specific settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the system is clearly CPU-bound, leaving GPU performance on the table. At 4K Ultra, the system is GPU-bound, and the CPU's potential is untapped. The 222nd rank out of 3724 reflects the overall high performance, but the scaling data suggests that the optimal experience requires tuning settings to ensure neither component is severely underutilized.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings to choose for the best experience, depending on the target resolution and frame rate.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is playable with an average of 68 FPS, but the High preset offers a significant boost to 86 FPS with likely minimal visual difference. The Medium preset at 120 FPS is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, while Low at 179 FPS is for maximum competitive responsiveness, though it likely sacrifices too much visual fidelity for a horror game.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is a solid experience. The Medium preset at 101 FPS is the best choice for a smooth, high-quality experience, as it provides a substantial frame rate buffer above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is borderline, and players might prefer to tweak settings between High and Ultra to maintain a steadier frame rate.

For 4K, the choices are more constrained. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The High preset at 57 FPS is close to playable but may dip below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 79 FPS is the clear recommendation for 4K, as it offers a comfortable performance margin while still maintaining a high level of visual quality. The Low preset at 127 FPS is available for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual hit is considerable at this resolution. The data shows that the Medium preset at 4K provides the best balance of performance and quality for this hardware combination, allowing the RTX 4080 to flex its muscle without being overwhelmed.