The Medium

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT combination sits near the lower-middle of the pack for The Medium, ranking 2491 out of 3724 tested combos. This places it in roughly the 33rd percentile, meaning about two-thirds of tested systems deliver higher average frame rates in this horror title. The pairing is workable, but the data clearly shows that its position is driven by a strong GPU held back by a modest six-core processor, and the measured results reflect a system that needs careful settings management to stay smooth.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2491 out of 3724 is a direct indicator of where this hardware lands in the game’s overall performance hierarchy. This is not a top-tier pairing; the data suggests it sits in the lower third of tested configurations. For context, the CPU itself holds a 47th percentile ranking against all tested processors, while the GPU ranks in the 65th percentile. That gap — a GPU performing above average paired with a CPU performing slightly below average — explains why the combo does not climb higher. The CPU is the limiting factor in many scenes, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom to push more frames but the processor cannot keep up with the game’s logic and draw calls.

Benchmark results for the CPU reinforce this. In Cinebench R23, the i5-9400 scores 6629 multi-core and 935 single-core. The multi-core figure is solid for a six-thread part, but the single-core score is what matters more in a game like The Medium, which relies heavily on a few threads for its fixed-camera horror scenes. The GPU, meanwhile, posts a Passmark G3D score of 17166, which is strong, but its nearest rivals in the database include professional workstation cards like the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 and AMD FirePro W7000, with deltaPct values of 0.8 and -0.7 respectively. That means the RX 6650 XT is essentially trading blows with those older pro cards in raw compute, which is impressive for a consumer part but also shows it is not a top-end gaming GPU.

In practical terms, this rank means the system will run The Medium, but users should expect to dial settings down from maximum. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 34 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target most builders prefer. The ranking also implies that many other combos — particularly those with newer eight-core CPUs and higher-tier GPUs — will deliver a smoother experience without requiring the user to compromise on visual fidelity. For a builder with this specific hardware, the takeaway is that the GPU is capable, but the CPU will prevent the system from reaching its full potential in this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the stronger half of this pairing, and its specifications explain why it handles the game’s visual load well. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 280.3 GB/s of bandwidth. In a game like The Medium, which uses split-screen rendering for its dual-reality mechanic, memory bandwidth is critical because the engine must stream two perspectives simultaneously. The 8 GB capacity is also sufficient for the game’s textures at 1080p and 1440p, though the measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the card runs out of headroom, averaging just 22 FPS.

Clock speeds are high. The GPU runs at a 2055 MHz base clock, a 2410 MHz game clock, and a 2635 MHz boost clock. These frequencies allow the card to sustain high throughput in sustained gaming sessions, and the 10.79 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is more than enough to handle the game’s DirectX 12 rendering. The card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which includes hardware ray tracing via 32 RT cores. However, the measured data does not include ray tracing results, so it is unclear how much of an impact those cores have in The Medium. What is clear is that the GPU alone is responsible for the playable frame rates at medium settings.

The GPU’s 65th percentile ranking against all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19765, puts it ahead of the CPU in relative performance. Its nearest rivals in the database — the NVIDIA Tesla K40m and AMD FirePro D300 — have avgScore values of 19885 and 19637, with deltaPct of -0.6 and 0.7 respectively. This shows the RX 6650 XT is a mid-range performer in the broader GPU landscape, but for this game, it is the component that carries the combo. At 1440p Medium, the combo hits 50 FPS, and at 1080p Medium it reaches 59 FPS, both of which are near playable thresholds. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth are the key enablers here, as they allow the game to load both reality streams without stuttering.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 68. This is the only settings level at 1080p that stays above 60 FPS on average, and the minimum of 51 FPS ensures that dips remain tolerable. High settings at 1080p drop the average to 43 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth. Low settings at 1080p hit 87 FPS, but that preset likely sacrifices too much visual quality for the small gain from Medium.

At 1440p, Medium is also the recommended choice. The combo averages 50 FPS at that resolution with a minimum of 43 and a maximum of 58. While 50 FPS is below the 60 FPS ideal, it is still playable for a slow-paced horror game, and the minimum of 43 FPS is acceptable for the genre. High settings at 1440p average 36 FPS, which is marginal, and Ultra averages 28 FPS, which is too low for consistent play. Low settings at 1440p hit 80 FPS, but the visual downgrade is likely not worth it when Medium provides a stable experience.

The data does not support Ultra settings at any resolution. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 22 FPS, and at 1440p Ultra it averages 28 FPS. Even at 1080p Ultra, the average is only 34 FPS. For this hardware, Ultra is not a viable option. Medium is the clear best choice for a balance of frame rate and visual fidelity, with High as a fallback for users who prioritize image quality over smoothness and are willing to accept sub-60 FPS averages.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four settings levels. At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings average 63 FPS, which is playable, but that is the only 4K preset that breaks 60 FPS. Medium averages 39 FPS with a minimum of 33 and a maximum of 45. High averages 28 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. None of these are ideal for a game that relies on atmosphere and tension, as frame drops below 30 FPS can be jarring.

At 2560x1440, the results improve significantly. Low settings average 80 FPS, Medium averages 50 FPS with a minimum of 43 and a maximum of 58, High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra averages 28 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is the most balanced, offering a playable experience without dropping below 43 FPS. Low settings are smooth but visually compromised, while High and Ultra are too demanding for the GPU at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the combo shows its best performance. Low settings average 87 FPS, Medium averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 68, High averages 43 FPS, and Ultra averages 34 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is the highest settings level that maintains an average above 55 FPS, making it the default recommendation. Low settings are the only level that consistently stays above 80 FPS, but the visual difference between Low and Medium is substantial enough that most users will prefer Medium. The data also shows diminishing returns from Medium to High, with a 16 FPS drop in average, and from High to Ultra, with a 9 FPS drop.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p Low, where the average is 87 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average is 59 FPS, which is just below 60, and at 1440p Low, the average is 80 FPS. No other settings level reaches 60 FPS on average.

Q: Is the RX 6650 XT's 8 GB of VRAM enough for this game?

A: Based on the measured data, yes. The game runs at 1080p Medium with 59 FPS and 1440p Medium with 50 FPS, which suggests the 8 GB capacity and 280.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game’s dual-reality rendering at these settings. At 4K Ultra, the 22 FPS average indicates the GPU is overwhelmed by compute demand, not necessarily VRAM capacity.

Q: Why does the combo rank so low if the GPU is above average?

A: The GPU ranks in the 65th percentile, but the CPU ranks in the 47th percentile. The i5-9400’s six cores and six threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629, limit the system in scenes where the CPU must process the game’s logic. The combo’s rank of 2491 out of 3724 reflects this CPU bottleneck, especially at lower resolutions.

Q: Should I use High or Medium settings at 1080p?

A: The data favors Medium. At 1080p Medium, the average is 59 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS. At High, the average drops to 43 FPS. The 16 FPS difference is significant, and the visual upgrade from Medium to High is not worth the frame rate loss for a smoother experience.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, where the average is 63 FPS. Medium at 4K averages 39 FPS, and High averages 28 FPS. For most users, 4K is not a practical choice unless they are willing to play at Low settings and accept the visual compromise.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The i5-9400 has six cores and six threads, with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 is modest, and the game’s fixed-camera design can stress single-thread performance. At 1080p Low, the GPU has headroom, but the CPU likely prevents the average from exceeding 87 FPS, indicating a bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake architecture, running at a 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock. It has 9 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode, with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. For a game released in 2021, this CPU is adequate but not exceptional. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 place it in the 47th percentile of all tested CPUs, which is below the GPU’s 65th percentile ranking.

In The Medium, the CPU’s role is to manage the game’s two simultaneous reality streams. The game renders two perspectives at once, which increases draw calls and CPU load. The i5-9400’s six threads are enough to handle this, but the data suggests it struggles to keep up at higher frame rates. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 87 FPS, but the GPU is capable of far more — its Passmark G3D score of 17166 suggests it could push well over 100 FPS in lighter scenes. The CPU is likely limiting the system at this settings level, as the game’s logic becomes the bottleneck beyond 80-90 FPS.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i7-10710U and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, with avgScore values of 2248 and 2246 and deltaPct of 0.3 and 0.4 respectively. This means the i5-9400 performs nearly identically to those parts in general benchmarks. For The Medium, this puts the CPU in a position where it can deliver playable frame rates at Medium settings, but it cannot push the GPU to its limits. The 65-watt TDP and end-of-life production status indicate this is a mature platform, and builders with this CPU should focus on GPU-bound settings to get the best experience. The measured FPS at 1080p Medium — 59 FPS average — is a direct result of the CPU and GPU working in balance, but pushing to High or Ultra shifts the load back to the GPU, which cannot compensate for the CPU’s limitations in CPU-intensive scenes.