The Medium

The Medium presents a demanding fixed-camera horror experience, and the measured data for the Intel Core i5-14600KF with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 shows a system that is capable but requires careful settings management to achieve smooth gameplay across different resolutions. The benchmark results indicate a configuration where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to offer precise settings recommendations and a detailed look at the system's performance characteristics.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings preset for this configuration depends entirely on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. The measured data shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and performance across the four available presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra.

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its most versatile performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 115 FPS, which is well above the threshold for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset delivers a respectable 72 FPS average with a minimum of 61 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience without major dips. The High preset drops to 51 FPS average, which is still playable but starts to show the strain of higher graphical demands. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced horror title but is not ideal for smooth camera movement.

For 1080p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for most users. It provides a 72 FPS average, which is 21 FPS higher than High and 31 FPS higher than Ultra. The minimum FPS of 61 ensures that the game rarely stutters below the 60 FPS mark. Players with high-refresh-rate monitors who prioritize smoothness above all else should select the Low preset, which nearly doubles the Medium preset's frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the performance scaling becomes more pronounced. The Low preset maintains a strong 97 FPS average. The Medium preset drops to 61 FPS average, with a minimum of 51 FPS. This is the borderline for a smooth 60 FPS experience. The High preset falls to 43 FPS, and Ultra drops further to 34 FPS. The data suggests that 1440p users should stick with the Medium preset to maintain playability. The 61 FPS average is acceptable, though the 51 FPS minimum indicates occasional dips below the ideal threshold. The Low preset is the only option that provides a significant performance buffer at this resolution.

The 4K (3840x2160) results show that this combo is severely GPU-limited. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a playable frame rate, averaging 76 FPS. The Medium preset averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The High preset averages 34 FPS, and Ultra drops to 27 FPS, both of which are not recommended for a playable experience. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option from the measured data. The substantial drop from Low to Medium at this resolution highlights the GPU's inability to handle the increased rendering load.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved by selecting the Medium preset at 1080p, the Medium preset at 1440p (with the understanding that the minimum FPS is close to the limit), and the Low preset at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 with the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering a 72 FPS average with a 61 FPS minimum. This is the only resolution/preset combination that consistently stays above 60 FPS while maintaining higher than the Low visual quality.

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

A: The data shows that 4K is only playable at the Low preset, which averages 76 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 48 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 27 FPS. Therefore, 4K requires accepting the Low preset for a smooth experience.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. The Low preset averages 115 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. This represents a 74 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset is 64% slower than Low at 1080p.

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

A: The Medium preset at 1440p has an average FPS of 61, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 70. The 10 FPS gap between the average and minimum suggests occasional frame dips, which could be noticeable in a horror game requiring precise timing.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The frame rate drops significantly when moving from 1080p to 4K, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU's high core count and boost clock provide sufficient headroom for the game's logic.

Q: How does the system perform in the 90th percentile of all CPUs and 58th percentile of all GPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF ranks in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, placing it in the mid-range tier. This combination suggests a strong CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, which explains the GPU-bound behavior in the game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound workload. At the Medium preset, the average FPS scales from 72 at 1080p, to 61 at 1440p, and finally to 48 at 4K. This represents a 15% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 21% drop from 1440p to 4K.

The Low preset shows a similar trend but with higher absolute numbers. The average FPS goes from 115 at 1080p, to 97 at 1440p, and down to 76 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 16%, and from 1440p to 4K is 22%. This consistent pattern across presets confirms that the rendering resolution is the dominant factor in determining performance.

This scaling behavior strongly suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the limiting component. The frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel count. For instance, moving from 1080p (approximately 2 million pixels) to 4K (approximately 8.3 million pixels) quadruples the pixel count, but the frame rate at the Low preset only drops from 115 to 76 FPS, a 34% reduction. This non-linear scaling indicates that while the GPU is stressed, other factors like memory bandwidth and fill rate are also being taxed.

The 16 GB of VRAM on the GPU is likely sufficient for the game's textures, even at 4K, as the frame rate drops are consistent with computational load rather than memory capacity issues. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor here, as the high core count and boost clock of the i5-14600KF can easily feed the GPU at all resolutions. The game's performance is therefore dictated by the GPU's ability to process the increased pixel data, making resolution the primary lever for tuning performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds a rank of 1307 out of 2911 tested combos. This places it in the 45th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms roughly 45% of the configurations in this game.

This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the individual component performance. The CPU is a high performer, ranking in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, but the GPU, ranking in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, drags the overall system down for this GPU-intensive title. The rank suggests that while the CPU is not a bottleneck, the GPU's mid-range performance limits the combo's overall standing.

The nearest rival for the GPU is the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which has an average benchmark score that is only 0.1% lower. This close proximity in raw GPU compute power explains why the combo does not rank higher. The system is essentially held back by the GPU's performance class. For a game like The Medium, which relies heavily on fixed-camera angles and complex lighting, the GPU's shading units and ray tracing cores are more critical than the CPU's multi-threading capabilities.

The 1307th rank indicates that there are many other combinations that can deliver better performance in this title, likely those with higher-tier GPUs. The data suggests that to improve the ranking in The Medium, a GPU upgrade would be more beneficial than a CPU upgrade, as the current CPU is already in the top 10% of all processors.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded and single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 scores of 32,544 (multi-core) and 4,594 (single-core).

In The Medium, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, physics calculations, and draw calls. The measured FPS data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution. For example, at 1080p with the Low preset, the system achieves 115 FPS. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see similar frame rates across all resolutions, as the CPU workload does not scale with resolution. Instead, the frame rates drop significantly at higher resolutions, confirming the GPU is the limiting factor.

The CPU's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is beneficial for the game's single-threaded tasks, which often include the main game loop and rendering thread. The 14 cores and 20 threads provide ample headroom for background processes and the game's multi-threaded systems. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which can improve frame pacing.

Given that the CPU ranks in the 90th percentile of all CPUs and has an average benchmark score of 49,394, it is clearly a high-end part. In this specific game, the data suggests that the CPU has significant performance headroom. The frame rate differences between resolutions are almost entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering load. For users of this combo, the CPU is a solid foundation that will not hold back the GPU in this title, and it offers the potential for future GPU upgrades without requiring a platform change.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete list of measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK, organized by resolution and settings.

1920x1080:

• Ultra: 41 FPS
• High: 51 FPS
• Medium: 72 FPS (min 61, max 83)
• Low: 115 FPS

2560x1440:

• Ultra: 34 FPS
• High: 43 FPS
• Medium: 61 FPS (min 51, max 70)
• Low: 97 FPS

3840x2160:

• Ultra: 27 FPS
• High: 34 FPS
• Medium: 48 FPS (min 40, max 55)
• Low: 76 FPS

The data shows a consistent pattern where the Low preset offers the highest frame rates, followed by Medium, High, and finally Ultra. At 1080p, the spread between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS. At 1440p, the spread is 63 FPS. At 4K, the spread narrows to 49 FPS. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is becoming increasingly saturated, reducing the relative impact of the settings preset.

The Medium preset is the only one that provides minimum FPS data. At 1080p, the minimum is 61 FPS, which is close to the 72 FPS average. At 1440p, the minimum drops to 51 FPS, showing more variance. At 4K, the minimum is 40 FPS, with a maximum of 55 FPS, indicating significant frame time spikes. This data supports the recommendation to use Medium at 1080p for a stable experience, as the minimum FPS is above the 60 FPS target.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a mid-range GPU based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process. It features 2,560 shading units, 40 ray tracing cores, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s.

In The Medium, the GPU is the clear performance bottleneck. The benchmark results show a significant drop in FPS as resolution increases, which is a hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario. The GPU's performance percentile of 58% places it in the mid-range tier, and its average benchmark score of 15,852 is closely matched by its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which is only 0.1% slower.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is a key asset for this game, likely preventing texture pop-in or swapping at higher resolutions. The measured FPS at 4K, while low, is stable enough to suggest that the memory capacity is not the issue. The 624.1 GB/s memory bandwidth is also substantial, but the frame rate drops suggest that the raw compute power of the 2,560 shading units is the limiting factor when rendering at 4K.

The ray tracing cores are relevant for a horror game like The Medium, which may utilize these features for lighting and reflections. However, the measured data does not specify whether ray tracing is enabled in the presets. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 compliance ensure compatibility with modern rendering APIs.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary component determining the playable settings. The 34 FPS average at 4K High settings is a clear sign that the GPU is overburdened. The transition from 1080p to 4K at the Medium preset results in a 33% drop in FPS, from 72 to 48. This shows that the GPU's performance scales poorly with the increased pixel count, making it the definitive limiting factor for higher-resolution gaming in The Medium.