The Medium

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread desktop processor from the Coffee Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1151 platform. It operates at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosts up to 4.10 GHz, with a 65 W TDP and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of The Medium, this CPU lands in the 50th percentile against all tested CPUs, indicating it is a thoroughly mid-range part for this title. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, which score within 0.2% of the i5-9400’s average benchmark, and the Intel Xeon E-2134 at a 0.4% delta. On the other side, the Intel Core i7-8809G sits 0.6% higher. This clustering around the 2300 average benchmark score shows that the i5-9400 is neither a bottleneck nor a standout; it is squarely in the pack of capable processors that can feed a modern GPU without dramatically skewing frame rates. The data suggests that in The Medium, the CPU’s 6 threads are sufficient for the horror game’s demands, but it does not provide headroom for heavy background tasks or future titles that might leverage more cores. The single-core Cinebench R23 score of 1125 is modest, which can matter for games that rely on a few heavily loaded threads, but the measured frame rates in this combo show the i5-9400 is not the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, featuring 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. It carries 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 2310 MHz, boosting to 2610 MHz, with memory running at 21 Gbps effective. This GPU sits in the 85th percentile against all tested GPUs, which is a strong position, though its nearest rivals show how tight the competition is at this tier. The RTX 5090 Mobile is just 0.6% ahead, the Intel Arc A730M is 1.5% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT is 1.6% ahead, while the AMD Radeon Pro 580 trails by 1.6%. In The Medium, the RTX 4070 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for the game’s assets at the tested settings, but the raw performance figures tell a more interesting story. The GPU’s passmark G3D score of 31624 and its FP32 compute of 40.09 TFLOPS indicate a card that can push high frame rates, but the measured FPS in this game reveal that it is not fully utilized at lower resolutions. The RTX 4070 Ti’s 285 W TDP and 600 W suggested PSU are notable, but they do not translate into a performance advantage in The Medium’s measured rows, where frame rates are surprisingly modest for a card of this caliber. The data shows that the GPU is capable, but the game’s engine or the CPU pairing is holding it back from reaching its full potential.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS across resolutions and settings paints a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies in this combo. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 84.5 FPS, which drops to 83.6 FPS at 1440p and further to 74 FPS at 4K. This is a modest decline from 1080p to 4K of about 12.4%, which is surprisingly small for a resolution jump that quadruples the pixel count. The pattern suggests that at 1080p Low, the system is not fully GPU-bound, but as resolution increases, the GPU load rises, and the frame rate scales down gracefully. Moving to High settings, the 1080p result is 67.2 FPS, 1440p is 58.8 FPS, and 4K is 54.7 FPS. Here, the drop from 1080p to 4K is about 18.6%, which is more pronounced, indicating that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor at higher settings. The Ultra preset shows the steepest decline: 59.9 FPS at 1080p, 51.4 FPS at 1440p, and 39.6 FPS at 4K, a 33.9% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This steep drop at Ultra is a strong indicator that the GPU is the primary constraint at the highest settings, as the CPU cannot compensate for the increased graphical load. The fact that the 1080p Low score of 84.5 FPS is only slightly higher than the 1440p Low score of 83.6 FPS suggests that the CPU is limiting performance at low resolutions, where the GPU has spare capacity. Once settings increase, the GPU takes over as the bottleneck, and the frame rate becomes more dependent on the GPU’s raw power. The data shows that this combo is well-balanced at Medium and High settings across resolutions, but at Ultra, the GPU is clearly the weak link, and at Low, the CPU is holding back the potential.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 67.2 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a horror game, though it is notably lower than the 84.5 FPS achieved at Low settings, indicating that the High preset adds a significant graphical load.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 44900, which places it 0.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, 1.5% behind the Intel Arc A730M, and 1.6% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT. It is 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580. These deltas are small, showing that the RTX 4070 Ti is competitive within its performance tier.

Q: Is the Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 Ti in The Medium?

A: The data suggests yes, particularly at lower settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 84.5 FPS, which is only 1 FPS higher than the 1440p Low score of 83.6 FPS. This small difference indicates that the CPU is limiting performance at 1080p, as the GPU should easily handle that resolution. The CPU’s 50th percentile ranking and its nearest rivals within 0.6% of its average score confirm it is a mid-range part that can constrain a high-end GPU.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in terms of frame rate stability?

A: The 1440p Medium setting offers a strong balance, with an average FPS of 70.7, which is only slightly lower than the 1080p Medium score of 73.3 FPS. The 4K Medium score of 65.3 FPS is also respectable, but the 1440p Medium provides a smoother experience with less variance across the board, making it the most stable choice for consistent performance.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for The Medium?

A: This Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combo ranks 664th out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the top 39.3% of all tested systems. This is a solid mid-tier ranking, reflecting the balance between the CPU’s modest performance and the GPU’s high-end capabilities.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves an average of 74 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 39.6 FPS. This is a difference of 34.4 FPS, or a 46.5% reduction in performance, showing that the Ultra preset is extremely demanding on the GPU at 4K resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 664th out of 1689 tested combinations for The Medium, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems. This ranking is driven by the CPU’s 50th percentile position, which is a below-average standing for a processor, but the GPU’s 85th percentile ranking helps lift the overall combo. The data shows that this pairing is not optimal, as the CPU is likely holding back the GPU in many scenarios. For comparison, the CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, perform within 0.2% of the i5-9400, meaning that swapping the CPU for a slightly different mid-range part would not change the ranking much. The GPU’s nearest rivals, like the RTX 5090 Mobile, are within 0.6% in average score, so the GPU is not the source of the combo’s mid-tier position. The 664th rank out of 1689 means that most other combos in the database either have a stronger CPU or a more balanced pairing, but it is not a poor result. The frame rate data supports this, as the combo delivers playable performance at most settings, but it does not excel at any particular resolution. The Ultra preset at 4K, with an average of 39.6 FPS, is the weakest point, while the Low preset at 1080p, with 84.5 FPS, is the strongest. This spread shows that the combo is versatile but not exceptional, and the ranking reflects that.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data suggests that Medium settings at 1440p provide the most balanced performance. The 1440p Medium preset delivers an average FPS of 70.7, which is smooth and only 2.6 FPS lower than the 1080p Medium score of 73.3 FPS. This makes 1440p Medium the sweet spot, as it offers a higher resolution with a minimal frame rate penalty. At 1080p, the High preset is also viable, with 67.2 FPS, but the jump to 1440p Medium provides a better visual experience without a significant cost in performance. For players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p achieves 84.5 FPS, but the difference between Low and Medium at 1080p is only 11.2 FPS, so Medium is a better trade-off. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as it drops to 59.9 FPS at 1080p and falls below 40 FPS at 4K, which is not ideal for a game that relies on atmosphere and smooth camera movement. At 4K, the Medium preset is the highest playable option, with 65.3 FPS, while High is borderline at 54.7 FPS. The data indicates that the combo is best utilized at 1440p Medium or 1080p Medium, where the CPU and GPU are more evenly matched. The 4K Low preset at 74 FPS is also an option for those with a 4K display, but it sacrifices visual quality for a playable frame rate. Overall, the measured rows show that Medium settings across all resolutions offer the most consistent experience, with the 1440p Medium being the standout choice for its balance of resolution and performance.