The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title, and this pairing of an Intel Core i7-12700KF with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 produces a classic bottleneck scenario. The data shows a CPU with substantial headroom paired with a GPU that is clearly the limiting factor in most configurations. This combination ranks 1409th out of 1689 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower percentile of systems. The benchmark results indicate that while the processor is more than capable of feeding frames, the graphics card struggles to keep up, especially at higher resolutions and quality settings.

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, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 25 MB shared L3 cache. This is a high-end desktop part from the Core 12th Gen series, and its benchmark scores reflect that. For instance, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979 and a single-core score of 4091, alongside a Geekbench multi-core score of 13596.

In the context of The Medium, this CPU is not the primary constraint. The game's performance is heavily influenced by the graphics card, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. Even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU load is typically highest relative to the GPU, the system only reaches 77.8 FPS. This suggests the GTX 1070 is still the limiting factor, as the i7-12700KF has far more processing power than what is being utilized. The processor's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs further confirms its strength; it sits within 0.3% of rivals like the Intel Core i5-13600T and Intel Core i9-12900HX in average benchmark score, showing it is a top-tier performer that will not hold back the GTX 1070 in this title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is built on the Pascal architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz, and it offers a FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS. This card sits in the middle of the pack, with a 51st percentile ranking among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 12331 is a mere 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 and 1.4% lower than the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER.

For The Medium, this GPU is the decisive component. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops significantly, which is a hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. The 8 GB VRAM is also a factor at higher settings. While the card can handle the game at lower presets, its performance collapses under the load of Ultra settings. At 4K Ultra, it manages just 17 FPS, which is essentially unplayable. This indicates that the GTX 1070's raw compute power and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the game's most demanding visual configurations, even though the CPU is ready to deliver more.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a textbook case of GPU limitation. Moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings shows a dramatic performance penalty. For example, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 33.5 at 1920x1080 to 26.2 at 2560x1440, and finally to 25.1 at 3840x2160. This is a relatively small drop from 1440p to 4K, which suggests that the GPU is already saturated at 1440p and cannot scale down effectively.

The story is clearer at Low settings, where the frame rates are higher but the scaling pattern is more pronounced. At 1920x1080 Low, the system achieves 77.8 FPS. This drops to 62.5 FPS at 2560x1440, a 19.7% decrease, and then to 50.2 FPS at 3840x2160, a further 19.7% decrease from 1440p. This consistent, proportional drop with resolution is a strong indicator that the GTX 1070 is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions, as the processor's workload does not change as drastically. Instead, the data shows the GPU struggling to fill more pixels, confirming that the graphics card is the primary constraint in this combo.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific configuration, the Core i7-12700KF paired with the GTX 1070, ranks 1409th out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the bottom 17% of all systems tested, which is a low position for a CPU that is in the top 11% of all processors. The disparity between the CPU and GPU performance tiers is stark. The processor is a high-end part, while the GPU is a mid-range card from an older generation.

The ranking reflects the overall system performance in this game, which is dragged down by the GPU. The data shows that this combo is not well-balanced for a demanding title like The Medium. The CPU's potential is largely wasted because the GPU cannot keep up. This is a clear case where upgrading the graphics card would yield a massive improvement in performance, while upgrading the CPU would provide almost no benefit in this specific game. The combo's rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's 51st percentile standing, which is not sufficient for the game's high-end requirements.

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

The following data represents the exact average FPS measurements for this combo in The Medium:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 77.8 FPS
• Medium: 48.1 FPS
• High: 33.5 FPS
• Ultra: 27.1 FPS

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 62.5 FPS
• Medium: 39.6 FPS
• High: 26.2 FPS
• Ultra: 22.9 FPS

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 50.2 FPS
• Medium: 32.9 FPS
• High: 25.1 FPS
• Ultra: 17 FPS

At 1080p, the system is playable on Low and Medium settings, with frame rates above 48 FPS. High and Ultra settings dip below 34 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience. Moving to 1440p, only Low settings provide a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. Medium is borderline at 39.6 FPS, while High and Ultra are too slow. At 4K, the system is only playable on Low settings, and even then, it barely breaks 50 FPS. Ultra at 4K is a slideshow at 17 FPS. The data clearly shows that to get a consistent 60 FPS experience, the user must play at 1080p with Low settings, or accept lower frame rates at higher quality presets.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a good match for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 in The Medium?

A: No, the data indicates a significant bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 89th percentile, but the GPU is only in the 51st percentile. In this game, the GPU limits performance, as shown by FPS drops across resolutions.

Q: What is the best setting to play The Medium with this combo for a playable frame rate?

A: For a smooth experience above 60 FPS, the only option is 1080p with Low settings, which achieves 77.8 FPS. At 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 62.5 FPS, which is still playable but less comfortable.

Q: How does the GTX 1070's performance compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 12331. It is 0.7% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 and 1.4% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER. This shows it is a mid-range card, closely matched with its peers.

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

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 50.2 FPS. At Medium, it drops to 32.9 FPS, and at Ultra, it is unplayable at 17 FPS. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and compute power are insufficient for higher presets at 4K.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 33.5 at 1080p to 25.1 at 4K. This is a 25% reduction, which is a smaller drop than at Low settings, indicating the GPU is already heavily loaded at 1080p High.

Q: Is the CPU's high multi-core performance useful for this game?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28979 is excellent, but it does not translate to higher FPS in this title. The game is limited by the GPU, so the CPU's extra headroom goes unused.