The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that stresses both CPU and GPU heavily, but the benchmark data for the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 reveals a system where the graphics card is the dominant factor in determining frame rates. Across all tested resolutions, the jump from Low to Ultra settings produces a consistent and significant performance penalty, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capabilities ensure that it is rarely the bottleneck. The data shows a clear picture: this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming with medium-to-high settings, while 4K Ultra is only playable for those who prioritize visuals over smoothness.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This CPU, part of the Core 12th Gen series, features a 25 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838 and a single-core score of 4071, indicating strong performance across both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. In the context of The Medium, which is a horror game that relies on fixed-camera angles and pre-rendered environments, CPU demands are moderate, and the i7-12700KF’s capabilities are more than sufficient to feed the GPU without introducing a significant bottleneck.

The processor’s multi-threaded strength is evident in its 3DMark results, where it scores 9983 on max threads and 9282 on 16 threads. This suggests that even if The Medium were to utilize multiple cores for tasks like physics or AI, the CPU has ample headroom. The single-thread score of 1043 in 3DMark is also respectable, ensuring that the game’s main logic thread is handled efficiently. However, the benchmark data for the game itself shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor. For example, at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 115, which is a high frame rate that would likely be even higher if the GPU were not capping it. The fact that the CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-12700K, has an average benchmark score of 35287 with a deltaPct of 0.2, means the i7-12700KF is virtually identical in performance, with its own average score of 35365. This places the CPU in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, confirming its high-end status.

The data indicates that the CPU’s role in this game is to provide a stable platform that does not hinder GPU performance. At 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops to 27, the CPU is clearly not the cause; the GPU is overwhelmed by the resolution and settings. The i7-12700KF’s 12 cores and 20 threads, combined with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, ensure that frame pacing remains consistent, but the measured FPS values across all settings show a pattern that is directly tied to GPU load. For instance, at 1440p Medium, the average FPS is 61, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 70, which shows a stable experience that is characteristic of a system where the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output. The CPU’s cache hierarchy, with 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, also contributes to low latency, but these details are secondary to the overarching conclusion: the i7-12700KF is not a bottleneck in The Medium.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the primary driver of performance in The Medium, and its specifications are central to understanding the measured FPS. This GPU is based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 346 mm² and 28,100 million transistors. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The core clocks are a base of 1900 MHz, a boost of 2459 MHz, and a game clock of 2041 MHz. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the RX 7700 is a capable mid-to-high-end card, but its performance in The Medium shows that it struggles at higher resolutions and settings.

The GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset, as The Medium is known for its detailed textures and memory-hungry environments. However, the benchmark data shows that VRAM capacity is not the limiting factor here; rather, it is the raw compute power of the GPU. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 41, which is a playable but not smooth experience, while at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 27, which is below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 58 places it in the middle of the pack, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with an average score of 16129 and a deltaPct of -1.7, meaning the RX 7700 is about 1.7% slower than that card. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is also close, with a score of 16014 and a deltaPct of -1, indicating the RX 7700 is 1% faster than that card.

The GPU’s compute performance, as measured by its 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, is consistent with its benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 20974. These numbers translate directly to the game’s FPS values. For example, at 1440p High, the average FPS is 43, which is a 28% drop from the 1080p High average of 51. This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the card’s pixel and texture fill rates are the limiting factors. The RX 7700’s 236.1 GPixel/s pixel rate and 393.4 GTexel/s texture rate are sufficient for 1080p gaming, but at 4K, the demands double and quadruple, respectively, leading to the low FPS observed. The GPU’s 40 RT cores also support ray tracing, but The Medium’s implementation is not heavily reliant on this feature, so the data does not highlight a significant RT-specific bottleneck. Overall, the GPU is the component that determines the experience, and its performance ceiling is clearly defined by the measured results.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how The Medium scales with resolution, and the pattern is consistent across all settings: a significant drop in average FPS as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. This is a classic sign of GPU limitation, as the CPU’s workload does not increase proportionally with resolution. For Medium settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 72, dropping to 61 at 1440p, and then to 48 at 4K. This represents a 15% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 33% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, but it is substantial, and the minimum FPS values follow the same trend: 61 at 1080p, 51 at 1440p, and 40 at 4K.

The data for High settings shows a similar pattern, with average FPS of 51 at 1080p, 43 at 1440p, and 34 at 4K. The percentage drops are 16% and 21% respectively, which is slightly less severe than Medium settings, but still indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck. For Low settings, the average FPS is 115 at 1080p, 97 at 1440p, and 76 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 16%, and from 1440p to 4K is 22%. Interestingly, the Low settings at 4K still achieve 76 FPS, which is playable, but the trend is clear: as resolution increases, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are stretched, leading to lower frame rates.

The Ultra settings show the most dramatic drops, which underscores the GPU’s limitations. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 41, dropping to 34 at 1440p (a 17% drop) and then to 27 at 4K (a 21% drop from 1440p). The fact that even at 1080p Ultra, the FPS is below 60, suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that are particularly demanding on the GPU, such as higher-quality shadows, reflections, and post-processing. The resolution scaling data strongly indicates that the RX 7700 is the limiting component in this system. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions at a given setting, but the data shows a clear decrease, which is a hallmark of GPU-bound performance. The CPU’s strong benchmark scores, such as a Geekbench multi-core score of 14367, further confirm that it is not the constraint.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combination is comprehensive, covering four resolutions and four settings, resulting in 12 distinct data points. At 1920x1080, the performance ranges from an average of 115 FPS on Low settings to 41 FPS on Ultra. The Medium settings at 1080p produce an average of 72 FPS, with a minimum of 61 and a maximum of 83, which is a smooth and consistent experience for most players. High settings at 1080p average 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Low setting at 1080p, with an average of 115 FPS, is well above the refresh rate of most monitors, indicating that the system has headroom for higher refresh rates if the user is willing to compromise on visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases across all settings. Low settings average 97 FPS, which is still excellent, while Medium settings average 61 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 70, providing a solid 60 FPS experience for most of the time. High settings at 1440p average 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra settings average 34 FPS, which is only suitable for players who prioritize visuals over frame rate. The data shows that 1440p Medium is the sweet spot for this resolution, offering a good balance between visual quality and performance.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly, with Low settings averaging 76 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium settings average 48 FPS, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 55, which is a noticeable step down. High settings at 4K average 34 FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The data reveals that 4K is only viable for this GPU on Low settings, or for users who are willing to accept sub-30 FPS on Ultra. The combo’s rank in the game’s benchmark database is 1307 out of 2911 combinations, placing it in the top half of tested systems, which is a reasonable position for a mid-to-high-end pairing. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings at all resolutions show a consistent pattern: 61 at 1080p, 51 at 1440p, and 40 at 4K, which indicates that the GPU’s performance is stable and predictable, with no sudden drops or stutters.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution for this combo. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 72, with a minimum of 61, which provides a smooth experience. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 61, which is still playable, but 1080p offers more headroom.

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

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 76. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 48, and at Ultra, it falls to 27, which is not recommended for a comfortable experience.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365, which is 0.1% slower than the Intel Core i7-13700T and 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i5-13600T. It is also 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i7-12700K.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, which is 1.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and 1% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 9060. It is 0.1% slower than the AMD Radeon R9 370X and 1.1% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500.

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

A: At 1080p, Low settings average 115 FPS, while Ultra settings average 41 FPS. This is a 74 FPS difference, or a 64% reduction in performance, which highlights the significant impact of the Ultra preset on the GPU.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, which is a sign of GPU limitation. The CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28838, ensures it is not the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience. For players targeting a smooth 60 FPS experience, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the optimal choice, with an average FPS of 72 and a minimum of 61. This ensures that the frame rate rarely dips below 60, providing a consistent and responsive experience. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset also delivers an average of 61 FPS, with a minimum of 51, which is acceptable for most players, but the occasional dip below 60 may be noticeable in fast-paced scenes. For those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p offers an average of 115 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, and even at 1440p, Low settings maintain an average of 97 FPS.

The High preset is not recommended for this hardware, as it produces average FPS below 60 at both 1080p (51 FPS) and 1440p (43 FPS), which can lead to a less fluid experience. The Ultra preset is only suitable for players who are willing to sacrifice performance for the highest visual quality, as it averages 41 FPS at 1080p and 34 FPS at 1440p, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K, the only viable option is Low settings, with an average of 76 FPS, as Medium settings drop to 48 FPS and Ultra to 27 FPS. Overall, the data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p is the best balance of visual quality and performance, while 1440p Medium is a viable alternative for those with a 1440p monitor. The system’s 16 GB of VRAM ensures that texture quality is not a limiting factor at any setting, but the GPU’s compute power is the primary constraint.