The Medium

The Medium presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700K with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT produces a specific set of performance characteristics. This analysis examines the measured frame rate data for this combination, placing it in context within the broader database of tested configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific combination at rank 1204 out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium. This percentile positioning, roughly in the 71st percentile of all tested systems, indicates that while this hardware pairing is capable of running the game, it does not deliver top-tier performance. The rank reflects a system that is positioned in the upper-middle segment of the performance spectrum, with a significant number of more powerful combinations ahead of it. The data shows that the CPU and GPU pairing, while balanced for many titles, lands in a position where the GPU's age limits the overall experience in this particular horror title. The rank of 1204 suggests that users with this configuration will need to make compromises in settings or resolution to achieve their desired frame rate, as the hardware is not among the elite performers in this specific game's benchmark results.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K serves as the processing foundation for this configuration, bringing substantial multi-threaded capability to the table. This processor features 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for gaming workloads, as it allows the processor to rapidly execute the single-threaded tasks that often dominate game logic. The processor's benchmark scores reinforce its strength; it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29241 and a single-core score of 4128, alongside a Geekbench single-core score of 2561.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the game's simulation. The 3DMark scores show a clear scaling pattern: 2065 for 2 threads, 4011 for 4 threads, 7202 for 8 threads, and 9979 for max threads. This indicates that while the processor can handle heavily threaded workloads, the game's performance scaling benefits from the high single-thread performance. The processor's 25 MB of shared L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency. Compared to its direct rivals, the i7-12700K shows a marginal deltaPct of -0.3% against the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, 0.6% against the Intel Core i7-13700T, -0.7% against the Intel Core i5-14500HX, and 0.8% against the Intel Core i7-13800H. These small percentage differences indicate that the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck in this system, as its performance is closely matched with other contemporary processors.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the graphics workhorse of this combination, and its specifications reveal both its capabilities and its limitations for The Medium. Built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture with the Navi 10 chip, this GPU features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It operates at a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but can become a limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The GPU's compute performance is rated at 9.754 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. Its benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 16277 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 77773, place it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show very tight competition: the NVIDIA RTX A5000 Mobile has a deltaPct of -0.1%, the Intel Arc A350M shows 0.3%, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile shows 0.6%, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 shows 0.9%. This clustering suggests that the RX 5700 XT is a mid-range performer in the current landscape. For The Medium, the GPU's role is paramount, as the game's visual effects and rendering resolution directly tax the shading units and memory bandwidth. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a crucial factor, as the game's high and ultra settings at higher resolutions will likely approach this limit, potentially causing performance degradation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combination provide a clear picture of its performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 91.6 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 55.8 FPS on Medium, 41.6 FPS on High, and 29.8 FPS on Ultra. This shows a steep decline as settings increase, with the Ultra preset delivering a playable but not smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates are 76.4 FPS on Low, 48 FPS on Medium, 33.5 FPS on High, and 28.1 FPS on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, with the Low setting losing approximately 15 FPS and the High setting losing about 8 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p becomes marginal for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the performance degrades further. The system manages 62.7 FPS on Low, 38.4 FPS on Medium, 29.1 FPS on High, and 21.7 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the worst case, dipping below 22 FPS, which is not suitable for comfortable play. The data reveals that the combination is most comfortable at 1080p with Medium or High settings, or at 1440p with Low settings, to maintain frame rates above 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of frame rates from 1080p to 4K highlights the GPU as the primary limiting component in this configuration. When moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average frame rate across all settings drops by a factor of roughly 0.83, while moving from 1080p to 4K results in a drop to about 0.68 of the original performance. For instance, on High settings, the frame rate goes from 41.6 FPS at 1080p to 33.5 FPS at 1440p, then to 29.1 FPS at 4K. This is a 30% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K.

This pattern indicates that the RX 5700 XT's rendering throughput and memory bandwidth are being saturated as the pixel count increases. The 8 GB VRAM buffer becomes a bottleneck at 4K, particularly with higher texture quality settings. The CPU's performance is relatively constant across resolutions, as its workload does not scale with pixel count. Therefore, the data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in resolution. The fact that the Low settings at 4K (62.7 FPS) outperform the Ultra settings at 1080p (29.8 FPS) further confirms that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the key constraints, not the CPU's processing power.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a smooth experience with this hardware?

A: The data shows that to maintain a frame rate above 60 FPS, users should target 1920x1080 with Low settings (91.6 FPS) or Medium settings (55.8 FPS). At 2560x1440, only Low settings achieve a playable average of 76.4 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p Medium is the highest settings option that stays near the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K's average benchmark score of 35684 is closely matched with its rivals. It is 0.3% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, 0.6% faster than the Intel Core i7-13700T, 0.7% slower than the Intel Core i5-14500HX, and 0.8% faster than the Intel Core i7-13800H. These differences are minimal, indicating the CPU is not a differentiator in performance.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more responsible for the frame rate drops at higher resolutions?

A: The scaling data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rate drops by approximately 30% from 1080p to 4K, which correlates with the increased pixel load on the GPU. The CPU's performance does not scale with resolution, so the RX 5700 XT's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor at 1440p and 4K.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and how does it affect expectations?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. This means it performs better than 68% of the graphics cards in the database, but it is outclassed by the top 32% of GPUs. This explains why the combination ranks 1204th out of 1689 combos, as the GPU's mid-range position holds back the system in a demanding title like The Medium.

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

A: The data indicates that 4K gaming is only viable on Low settings, where the average frame rate is 62.7 FPS. At Medium settings, the frame rate drops to 38.4 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold. High and Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as they produce 29.1 FPS and 21.7 FPS, respectively, which are too low for a responsive experience.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the difference is substantial. Low settings deliver 91.6 FPS, while Ultra settings deliver 29.8 FPS. This represents a performance drop of approximately 67% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset, showing the significant graphical load that Ultra settings place on the RX 5700 XT.