The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings. For the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, the data reveals a config that excels at high refresh rates in lower resolutions but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with maximum quality presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across all tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep performance curve as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound title like The Medium. At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo produces 100 FPS on average. Moving to 1440p drops that to 84 FPS, a 16% reduction. At 4K, the average falls to 66 FPS, another 21% drop from 1440p. This scaling pattern indicates the RTX 5070's rendering load grows faster than the resolution increase, which is expected given the game's fixed camera angles and heavy post-processing effects.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the spread between Low (160 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) is 103 FPS. At 1440p, that spread is 87 FPS (135 vs 48). At 4K, the spread narrows to 68 FPS (106 vs 38). This narrowing suggests that at 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck even at Low settings, reducing the relative impact of quality presets.

The 4K Medium result of 66 FPS is the only 4K configuration that comes close to a 60 FPS baseline, while High and Ultra fall well below that threshold at 47 and 38 FPS respectively. The data indicates that 4K gaming on this combo is only viable at Medium settings or lower. At 1080p and 1440p, however, even Ultra settings produce playable results above 48 FPS, with Low and Medium easily exceeding 84 FPS.

GPU Role

The RTX 5070 carries 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost clock of 2512 MHz. These specifications translate to a 30.87 TFLOPS FP32 compute rating. The 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores suggest the card is well-equipped for the horror genre's typical ray-traced effects, though The Medium's fixed camera design may not fully utilize them.

The VRAM capacity appears sufficient for all tested settings, as the benchmark results show no sudden performance collapses that would indicate memory overflow. At 4K Ultra, the 38 FPS average is more likely a compute limitation than a memory constraint, given the game's moderate texture requirements compared to open-world titles. The measured FPS at 4K Medium (66 FPS) versus 4K Low (106 FPS) shows a 40 FPS jump, which is a larger relative gain than the 1440p Medium-to-Low jump (51 FPS). This suggests that at 4K, the GPU has more headroom to exploit lower quality settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 29137. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, scores 40318 on average benchmark score, a 0.1% delta that puts the RTX 5070 slightly behind. The Radeon Pro WX 7100 is 0.8% behind, while the RTX A500 Mobile is 2% ahead. These deltas are minimal, indicating the RTX 5070 sits in a tight performance cluster.

How This Combo Ranks

The i5-14600KF + RTX 5070 combination ranks 675th out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 18% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing for a mainstream CPU paired with a mid-to-high-end GPU. The rank reflects the combo's ability to maintain solid frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while falling short of 4K Ultra viability.

The CPU itself holds a 90th percentile ranking among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 49394. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, scores 49228 with a 0.3% delta, meaning the i5-14600KF is effectively tied with that chip. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% behind, while the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is 0.8% ahead. This indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor in The Medium at lower resolutions.

The GPU's 82nd percentile ranking is lower than the CPU's 90th percentile, suggesting the RTX 5070 is the more constrained component in this pairing. The combo rank of 675 out of 3724 is consistent with this interpretation: the CPU provides ample headroom, but the GPU dictates overall performance in most scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a full range of playable configurations. Low settings produce 160 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors. Medium settings yield 100 FPS with a minimum of 85 and maximum of 115 FPS, providing a smooth experience with some visual improvements. High settings drop to 72 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS. Ultra settings bring the average down to 57 FPS, which is borderline for 60 Hz displays but playable.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably. Low settings deliver 135 FPS, maintaining high refresh capability. Medium settings produce 84 FPS with a minimum of 71 and maximum of 97 FPS, which is a good balance for 1440p gaming. High settings fall to 60 FPS exactly, making it suitable for standard 60 Hz monitors. Ultra settings drop to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable for slower-paced horror gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings achieve 106 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K and suggests the game scales well with reduced quality. Medium settings produce 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 76 FPS, making it the only 4K preset that consistently stays near 60 FPS. High settings drop to 47 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 38 FPS, both of which are below ideal playability for most users.

The minimum FPS data is only available for Medium settings across all resolutions: 85 at 1080p, 71 at 1440p, and 56 at 4K. This suggests Medium is the most stable preset in terms of frame pacing, with the minimum never dropping more than 15% below the average in any resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K with High settings smoothly?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 High is 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K delivers 66 FPS average with a 56 FPS minimum, making it the highest playable setting at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49394, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900's 49228. It is also 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245, and 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388. These deltas are negligible in real-world gaming.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming with this combo?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 160 FPS. At 1440p with Low settings, it reaches 135 FPS. Both are suitable for high refresh rate monitors, though 1080p provides the highest headroom for competitive play.

Q: Is the RTX 5070's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for The Medium?

A: The data shows no VRAM-related stuttering or crashes at any tested setting. The 12 GB GDDR7 memory with 672.0 GB/s bandwidth appears adequate for all presets, including 4K Ultra, where the 38 FPS average is more likely limited by compute performance than memory capacity.

Q: How does this combo rank relative to all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 675th out of 3724 total tested combos in The Medium. This puts it in the top 18% of all configurations, indicating strong overall performance despite not being able to max out 4K Ultra settings.

Q: What settings should I use for a stable 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: High settings at 1440p produce exactly 60 FPS average. Medium settings at the same resolution provide 84 FPS average with a 71 FPS minimum, offering more headroom for demanding scenes. If you prefer visual quality, High is the choice; for consistency, Medium is safer.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1080p monitor, the Medium preset at 100 FPS average is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 85 FPS minimum ensures no major drops, and the 115 FPS maximum leaves room for future content updates. High settings at 72 FPS are also viable if you prioritize visuals over frame rate. Ultra at 57 FPS is playable but risks dropping below 60 FPS in busy scenes.

For 1440p, the Medium preset again stands out with 84 FPS average and 71 FPS minimum. This provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. High settings at 60 FPS are acceptable for 60 Hz monitors, but the lower minimum FPS (not measured, but implied by the average) could cause noticeable hitches. Low settings at 135 FPS are ideal for high refresh rate panels.

For 4K, the Medium preset is the only recommended option. The 66 FPS average with 56 FPS minimum keeps the experience playable, though you may notice occasional dips below 60 FPS. Low settings at 106 FPS offer a much smoother experience at the cost of visual quality, which could be preferable for action-heavy sequences. High and Ultra settings are not recommended at 4K due to their sub-50 FPS averages.

The data suggests that this combo is best paired with a 1440p monitor at Medium or High settings, or a 1080p monitor at Medium or Low settings for high refresh rates. For 4K users, Medium is the ceiling, and even that requires accepting occasional frame rate dips. The RTX 5070's 12 GB VRAM and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth handle the game's memory demands well, but the GPU's raw compute power limits 4K performance to mid-range presets.