The Medium

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER holds the 546th position out of 3,724 tested combinations for The Medium, placing it in the top 15% of all system pairings. This rank underscores a substantial performance tier, though the data reveals that the experience is heavily dependent on the chosen resolution and quality preset. The combo demonstrates its strength in delivering high refresh rates at more modest settings, while the most demanding 4K Ultra configuration pushes it to the edge of playability. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, the role of each component, and how the data guides configuration choices.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 546 out of 3,724 combos indicates a system that is firmly above the median but not at the absolute top of the charts. This positioning reflects a balance where the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capabilities and the GPU’s high-end rasterization power combine to handle a game like The Medium, which is known for its fixed-camera angles and dual-reality rendering. The data shows that this pairing is more than capable of exceeding 60 FPS at 1080p and 1440p with medium to high settings, but it falls below that threshold at 4K with high or ultra presets.

In terms of raw component benchmarks, the CPU’s average score of 46,881 places it within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, indicating that the i7-13700K is competitive with these rivals in general compute tasks. The GPU’s average score of 43,223 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (0.1% difference) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (0.1% difference), though it lags 1% behind the RTX 4090 Mobile. These benchmark scores suggest that the components perform as expected for their class, but the in-game FPS data provides a clearer picture of real-world performance.

The rank also implies that many other combinations—3,178 of them—deliver higher frame rates in The Medium. This is not a criticism of the hardware, but rather a reflection that the game’s engine scales heavily with GPU power at higher resolutions. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (39 FPS) is the primary bottleneck, dragging the overall rank down, while the 1080p Low result (167 FPS) shows the system’s ceiling. The data suggests that users prioritizing high refresh rates should avoid the most demanding settings, while those targeting 1440p will find a sweet spot.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a consistent 60+ FPS?

A: The measured data shows that at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 88 FPS, with a minimum of 75 FPS. This is the highest resolution and quality combination where the average FPS comfortably exceeds 60, making it the optimal choice for smooth gameplay.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 110, which is playable. However, at High settings, the average drops to 49 FPS, and at Ultra it falls to 39 FPS, indicating that 4K requires significant compromises in visual fidelity to maintain good frame rates.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46,881, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375. It is 0.5% higher than both the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and the Intel Xeon w3-2535, placing it in a very tight performance cluster.

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 43,223. This indicates it is in the top 17% of graphics cards, though its nearest rivals, such as the RTX 4090 Mobile, are slightly faster.

Q: Is there a notable difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, Low settings yield an average of 167 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 59 FPS. This represents a 108 FPS difference, highlighting that the game’s visual effects have a massive impact on performance.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 63 FPS. This is slightly above the 60 FPS threshold, but the lack of a reported minimum frame rate suggests that users may experience occasional dips below that level.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rates in The Medium, especially at higher resolutions. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for the game’s textures and dual-scene rendering. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1980 MHz allow it to maintain high throughput, while its 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores are present but not heavily utilized by this title, which is not a ray-tracing showcase.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 43,223 places it in the 83rd percentile, but its nearest rivals show that it is not a class leader. The RTX 4090 Mobile is 1% faster, while the Quadro M6000 24 GB is 0.1% slower, indicating that the 4070 SUPER sits in a narrow performance band. In The Medium, the GPU’s role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 167 FPS, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately. However, at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 39, demonstrating that the GPU is the limiting factor at high pixel counts.

The 12 GB VRAM is a key asset for this game, as The Medium’s detailed environments and high-resolution textures can consume significant memory. The data does not show VRAM usage, but the absence of stuttering in the measured minimum frame rates at Medium settings (e.g., 88 FPS at 1440p) suggests that the memory capacity is adequate. The GPU’s 220 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class, and its 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power provides ample raw throughput for the game’s fixed-camera rendering style.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). The most complete data set includes minimum and maximum frame rates for Medium settings at each resolution, providing a range for stability analysis.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest performance. Low settings produce an average of 167 FPS, Medium settings average 104 FPS (with a range of 88–120 FPS), High settings average 75 FPS, and Ultra settings average 59 FPS. This shows a clear linear scaling: each step up in quality reduces the average FPS by roughly 20–30%, with the gap between Low and Medium being the largest at 63 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 140 FPS for Low, 88 FPS for Medium (range 75–101 FPS), 63 FPS for High, and 50 FPS for Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, with a reduction of approximately 16% to 20% depending on the preset. The Medium settings at 1440p still offer excellent playability, while Ultra dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the system shows its limits. Low settings achieve 110 FPS, Medium settings average 69 FPS (range 59–79 FPS), High settings drop to 49 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 39 FPS. The 4K resolution requires significantly more GPU horsepower, and the RTX 4070 SUPER struggles to maintain high frame rates with quality presets above Medium. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 59, which is just at the edge of smoothness, indicating that any scene complexity could push it below 60 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the scaling behavior of this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS decreases from 167 at 1080p to 140 at 1440p (a 16% drop) and then to 110 at 4K (a 21% drop from 1440p). This indicates that even at low graphical loads, the GPU is beginning to become the bottleneck at 4K, as the CPU has less work to do but the pixel count increases fourfold.

For Medium settings, the progression is 104 FPS (1080p) to 88 FPS (1440p) to 69 FPS (4K). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 15%, and from 1440p to 4K is 22%, showing that the scaling is not linear and the GPU’s load increases disproportionately at higher resolutions. At High settings, the FPS goes from 75 to 63 to 49, with a 16% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 22% drop from 1440p to 4K.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 59 FPS at 1080p, 50 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 15% and 22%, respectively. This pattern suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution, as the frame rates scale consistently with pixel count. The data implies that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary constraint, especially at 4K, where even the lowest settings produce a 110 FPS average, which is still above 60 but not as high as the 167 FPS seen at 1080p. The scaling behavior indicates that for users targeting 4K, the GPU will need to be paired with lower quality presets to achieve acceptable performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the ideal settings depend on the user’s priority for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, the data points to 2560x1440 with Medium settings, which delivers an average of 88 FPS and a minimum of 75 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes.

At 1920x1080, Medium settings yield an average of 104 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors, but the 1440p Medium option offers a better balance of resolution and performance. For users with 4K displays, the only viable option is Low settings, which average 110 FPS, though this sacrifices significant visual quality. Medium settings at 4K average 69 FPS, which is playable but the minimum of 59 FPS suggests occasional dips below 60.

High settings are only recommended for 1080p, where the average is 75 FPS, providing a good visual upgrade over Medium without dropping below 60 FPS. At 1440p, High settings average 63 FPS, which is borderline and may not be stable enough for competitive play. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as the highest average FPS achieved is 59 at 1080p, which is below the 60 FPS target. The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combo is Medium settings at 1440p, offering the best combination of resolution, visual quality, and frame rate stability.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K features 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This high core count and clock speed are beneficial for The Medium, which can utilize multiple threads for its dual-reality rendering and AI-driven camera systems. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30,745 and a single-core score of 2,116, indicate strong performance in both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.

In the context of this game, the CPU’s role is to maintain a consistent frame delivery, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully saturated. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (167 FPS) suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to achieve high frame rates. However, the CPU’s percentile rank of 89 (compared to all CPUs) and its average score of 46,881 place it near the top of the performance charts, but its nearest rivals are extremely close.

The i7-13700K’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is critical for a game that loads many assets. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and the data shows no memory bottleneck in the FPS results. The fact that the FPS scales consistently with resolution indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the GPU takes over as the primary constraint at higher pixel counts. The CPU’s high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks, such as game logic and physics, are handled quickly, allowing the GPU to work without waiting. Overall, the i7-13700K provides a robust foundation for this GPU, enabling the system to achieve its measured performance without CPU-induced stuttering or frame drops.