The Medium

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti delivers a performance profile in The Medium that is heavily dictated by the graphics card, with the CPU providing ample headroom. The processor, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, operates at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration, based on the Raptor Lake architecture, ensures that frame pacing is not bottlenecked by processor limitations at any of the tested settings or resolutions. The CPU’s benchmark data reinforces this; its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and single-core score of 4643 are strong indicators of its capacity to handle the game's logic and streaming demands without becoming the limiting factor. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance, as the FPS scales predictably with resolution and visual fidelity rather than showing signs of CPU constraint.

The CPU's position among its peers further confirms its capability. Its average benchmark score of 49367 places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, it trails the AMD EPYC 4345P by a small margin of -0.5%, yet it leads the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.4% and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X by 0.6%. The delta against the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is more pronounced, with the Core i5-14600KF leading by 1.4%. This indicates that in a gaming scenario, the processor is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 5070 Ti, ensuring that the measured FPS figures represent the true graphical capability of the system.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset is the clear recommendation, particularly for players targeting higher refresh rates. Benchmark results show that at 1080p, the High preset yields 79.9 FPS, while the Medium preset delivers 114 FPS. However, the drop to Ultra at 62.8 FPS indicates a significant performance cost for marginal visual gains. The data suggests that High is the sweet spot, offering a substantial improvement over the 62.8 FPS of Ultra while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the High preset produces 70.2 FPS, which is still a playable experience, but the Medium preset at 95.2 FPS provides a much smoother experience if competitive play is a priority.

The Low preset is not recommended for general play, as it produces 180.2 FPS at 1080p and 151.5 FPS at 1440p. These high numbers come at the cost of visual fidelity, which is a significant drawback in a horror game like The Medium, where atmosphere is key. The Ultra preset, while offering the best visuals, pushes the system hard, resulting in 42.5 FPS at 4K. This is below the 60 FPS target and is only advisable for players with high-refresh-rate G-Sync displays who prioritize image quality over frame rate. The measured data indicates that the High preset is the most balanced choice, providing a strong visual experience without sacrificing the responsiveness needed for a smooth, immersive session.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates that the GPU is the performance bottleneck in this configuration. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 79.9 FPS at 1080p to 70.2 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 53.4 FPS at 4K. This is a 33% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a scaling pattern typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s role is to maintain a high enough frame delivery rate, which it does with ease, given its strong single-core performance. The data suggests that the processor is not struggling to keep up, as the frame rate differences are directly proportional to the pixel count increase.

This trend is consistent across all settings. At Medium, the 1080p score of 114 FPS drops to 95.2 FPS at 1440p and 73.2 FPS at 4K. Even at Low settings, where the system is less stressed, the drop from 180.2 FPS at 1080p to 121.1 FPS at 4K shows the GPU's workload is the primary variable. The 4K Ultra result of 42.5 FPS is particularly telling, as it shows the RTX 5070 Ti is being pushed to its limits. The benchmark results indicate that players seeking 4K performance should utilize the High or Medium presets, as the 53.4 FPS and 73.2 FPS scores respectively are far more acceptable than the Ultra preset's frame rate. The limiting component is unambiguously the graphics card.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 118th out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places the system in the top 7% of all tested configurations, a strong showing that underscores the hardware's capability. This high ranking shows the balanced nature of the pairing; the CPU is powerful enough to avoid holding back the GPU, allowing the RTX 5070 Ti to operate at its full potential. The data confirms that this is a high-end configuration that can handle the game's demands at high resolutions and settings.

The combo's rank of 118 suggests that while it is not the absolute fastest system tested, it outperforms the vast majority of other hardware pairings. This is a significant achievement, given the large pool of 1689 combos. The performance is consistent with the individual components' standings; the CPU's 93rd percentile and the GPU's 87th percentile combine to create a system that is greater than the sum of its parts in this specific title. The data indicates that users with this setup can expect a top-tier experience in The Medium, with the flexibility to choose between high frame rates at lower resolutions and immersive 4K visuals at more moderate settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration. Its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a substantial 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for handling the high-resolution textures and complex scenes in The Medium. The GPU's architecture, Blackwell 2.0, features 8960 shading units and 70 RT cores, which are likely utilized for the game's fixed camera angles and atmospheric effects. The boost clock of 2452 MHz ensures that the card maintains high throughput, while the 43.94 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power provides the raw processing capability needed for the game's rendering techniques.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its performance in this game. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6604 and Passmark G3D score of 32974 place it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. When compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070 Ti is functionally tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, showing a deltaPct of 0.0%. It also leads the NVIDIA RTX A1000 by 2.5%, but trails the AMD Radeon RX 7700S by -0.8% and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M by -2.5% in average benchmark scores. This places the GPU in a competitive position, and the measured FPS in The Medium confirms that it is a formidable piece of hardware for this title, capable of delivering high frame rates even at demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest tested resolution, the system achieves its highest frame rates. With the Low preset, it hits an average of 180.2 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth. The Medium preset delivers 114 FPS, while the High preset produces 79.9 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still manages a respectable 62.8 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the combo can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors, even with the highest visual quality settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset yields 151.5 FPS, ensuring a very fluid experience. The Medium preset is also strong at 95.2 FPS, while the High preset drops to 70.2 FPS. The Ultra preset produces 58 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target, but still playable. At 3840x2160, the system is pushed harder. The Low preset still delivers a high 121.1 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. The Medium preset provides a solid experience at 73.2 FPS, and the High preset is playable at 53.4 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, is the most demanding, and the system only manages an average of 42.5 FPS, indicating that this setting is best reserved for players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting for a 60 FPS experience at 4K resolution?

A: The benchmark results show that the High preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 53.4 FPS, which is below 60. The Medium preset at the same resolution achieves 73.2 FPS, making it the recommended choice for a stable 60 FPS experience at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to the RTX 4080 in this test?

A: The performance is effectively identical. The nearest rival data shows a deltaPct of 0.0% between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in their average benchmark scores.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600KF a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 Ti in this game?

A: The data indicates no. The CPU's strong single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 score of 4643, ensures it can keep up with the GPU. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with a GPU-bound workload.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this system?

A: The highest average FPS is 180.2, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

*Q: Where does this system rank among all tested hardware combos in The Medium?*

A: This combo ranks 118th out of 1689 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems tested.

Q: What FPS can be expected at 1440p with the Ultra preset?

A: The measured average FPS for the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 is 58 FPS, which is just under the standard 60 FPS target.