The Medium

The Medium is a demanding title, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER shows a clear performance ceiling. The data indicates that 1080p is the only resolution where this pairing consistently delivers a smooth experience, as the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The benchmark results place this combination in the 1241st position out of 1689 tested combos, highlighting that while it is functional, it is not a top-tier performer for this specific horror title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and revealing. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo produces an average of 58.3 FPS, which is a playable baseline. Moving to 1440p at the same Medium preset, the average falls to 51 FPS, a modest decline that suggests the system is still managing the load. However, the transition to 4K at Medium is drastic, with the average plummeting to 37.2 FPS. This 21.1 FPS loss from 1440p to 4K, compared to the 7.3 FPS loss from 1080p to 1440p, indicates that the GPU is being overwhelmed by the pixel count.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At High, the average frame rate goes from 41.5 FPS at 1080p, down to 32.8 FPS at 1440p, and further to 25.9 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is even more punishing, with averages of 29.6 FPS at 1080p, 25.4 FPS at 1440p, and a nearly unplayable 20 FPS at 4K. The data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 SUPER’s rendering capabilities are the limiting factor here; the CPU’s performance is not the cause of these steep declines. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings confirms this, as the average drops from 88.8 FPS to 62.9 FPS, a 25.9 FPS reduction that still shows the GPU struggling to fill the extra pixels.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Medium settings. This preset delivers an average of 58.3 FPS, which is a good balance between visual fidelity and smoothness. Dropping to Low at 1080p yields 88.8 FPS, a significant jump that provides a large headroom for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but it comes at the cost of visual quality. High at 1080p is borderline, with an average of 41.5 FPS; this is acceptable for a slower-paced horror game, but it is not ideal for consistent motion.

At 1440p, the choices are more constrained. Low settings produce a very playable 78.6 FPS average, making it the only 1440p preset that can be recommended without hesitation. Medium at 1440p, with a 51 FPS average, is playable but leaves little margin for drops in more intense scenes. High and Ultra at 1440p are not recommended, as their averages of 32.8 and 25.4 FPS respectively fall below the threshold for a comfortable experience. At 4K, the data shows that only Low settings are viable, with a 62.9 FPS average; all other presets at this resolution result in averages below 40 FPS, which is not suitable for a game that relies on atmosphere and tension.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the star of this pairing, but its limitations are well-documented in the benchmarks. It comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1470 MHz, with a boost clock of 1650 MHz. In terms of raw compute, it offers 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The benchmark scores place it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, which it beats by 0.3%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, which it trails by 0.5%.

The GPU’s memory capacity and bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results show a clear wall. The 21.1 FPS drop between 1440p and 4K at Medium settings is not a CPU issue; it is the GPU running out of pixel throughput. The card’s 64 ROPs and 224.4 GTexel/s texture rate are simply not enough to handle the 3840x2160 resolution with high detail settings. The data suggests that this GPU is best suited for 1080p gaming in this title, where it can maintain respectable averages across most presets.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1241st out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the lower third of all systems tested, indicating that many other configurations will offer a better experience in this game. The ranking is a holistic measure of the combo’s ability to handle the game’s demands across all tested resolutions and settings. Given the GPU’s 63rd percentile standing and the CPU’s much higher 93rd percentile, the ranking is clearly dragged down by the graphics card’s performance.

The CPU itself is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 49367, but it is not the deciding factor here. The combo’s rank suggests that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU, the RTX 2060 SUPER cannot translate that into high frame rates at demanding resolutions. Users with this combo should expect a mid-pack experience, with the potential for high frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a formidable processor, architecturally based on Raptor Lake-R. It has 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample data storage for gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 32889 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4643 in single-core, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600K, which it trails by 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which it leads by 0.6%.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is not starved of data. The fact that frame rates drop significantly at higher resolutions, while the CPU has ample headroom, confirms that the processor is not the bottleneck. The CPU’s high multi-threaded performance is useful for the game’s loading and physics calculations, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s lack of raw fill rate. The data shows that the CPU is more than capable of handling the game’s logic; the limiting factor is clearly the graphics card, especially at 1440p and 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Medium?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the most consistent resolution. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 58.3, which provides a good balance between quality and performance. Higher resolutions result in significant frame rate drops.

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

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves an average of 62.9 FPS. At Medium, High, and Ultra settings, the averages fall to 37.2, 25.9, and 20 FPS respectively, which are not suitable for a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck for this combo?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting component. The CPU is in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU is in the 63rd. The steep frame rate declines from 1080p to 4K are typical of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: It is 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN and 0.5% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070. Its average benchmark score is 19774.

Q: What settings are recommended for a 1440p experience?

A: Low settings are recommended, as they yield an average of 78.6 FPS. Medium settings drop to 51 FPS, which is playable but less stable. High and Ultra settings should be avoided at this resolution.

Q: What is the combo’s overall ranking among tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 1241st out of 1689 tested combinations for The Medium, placing it in the lower portion of the performance spectrum.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for this combo across all tested resolutions and settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|---|---|---|

| 3840x2160 | High | 25.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 62.9 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 37.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 20 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 32.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 78.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 51 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 25.4 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 41.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 88.8 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 58.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 29.6 |

The data confirms that the playable envelope for this combo is centered on 1080p. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Medium costs 30.5 FPS, but the visual improvement is often worth it for a horror game. The Ultra preset at 1080p is a poor choice, as it only produces 29.6 FPS on average, which is a significant drop from Medium. At 1440p and 4K, the frame rates become increasingly inconsistent, with only the Low preset offering a comfortable margin. This breakdown underscores the need to manage settings carefully to achieve a playable frame rate in The Medium.