The Medium

# The Medium with Intel Core i7-14700F + AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT

This combination places 1089th out of 1689 tested system configurations in The Medium, putting it in the lower third of the database. The pairing of Intel's 20-core Raptor Lake refresh CPU with AMD's RDNA 3.0 GPU produces a system that can handle the game at playable framerates, but only when settings are managed carefully. The CPU sits in the 94th percentile among all processors, while the GPU lands in the 63rd percentile, indicating a significant imbalance where the graphics card is the primary constraint in this horror title's demanding scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1089 out of 1689 tested combinations places this system in the bottom 35% of all recorded configurations for The Medium. This ranking reflects the GPU's modest standing among graphics cards — the RX 7600 XT sits at the 63rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 20146. Its nearest rivals in the GPU database include the AMD Radeon RX 460 (0.3% higher average score), the RX 7600 (0.6% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER (1.9% lower), and the RTX 3070 Mobile (1.9% higher). These margins are tight, showing the RX 7600 XT is competitive with a narrow band of mid-range GPUs, but none of them are positioned to deliver high-refresh experiences in a game as demanding as The Medium.

The Intel Core i7-14700F, by contrast, is far more capable relative to its peers. With a 94th percentile ranking and an average benchmark score of 54097, it sits within 1.7% of its nearest rivals: the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (0.6% higher), Ryzen 9 9900X3D (1.1% higher), Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (1.2% lower), and AMD EPYC 7313P (1.7% lower). The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35443 and single-core score of 5003 demonstrate substantial headroom for gaming workloads. In The Medium specifically, this headroom goes largely unused because the GPU becomes the bottleneck at every resolution and settings level, which explains why the combo ranks so far down the list despite having a top-tier processor.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset to use based on the target experience. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 98.2 FPS average, which is the only settings level that approaches high-refresh territory. Medium drops to 56.9 FPS, High falls to 45.4 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 33.3 FPS. For a smooth experience on standard 60Hz displays, Medium at 1080p is the reasonable choice, offering a 56.9 FPS average that stays above the 30 FPS floor seen in more demanding scenes.

At 1440p, the Low preset produces 80.2 FPS, which remains playable, while Medium yields 48.7 FPS and High drops to 33.4 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is marginal at 29.9 FPS, dipping below the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for playable horror experiences. For 4K, only the Low preset is viable, delivering 65.7 FPS; Medium falls to 37.2 FPS, High to 30.5 FPS, and Ultra is effectively unplayable at 20.6 FPS. The data suggests that players targeting 4K should stick with Low, while 1440p users can comfortably use Medium or Low depending on their framerate preferences. At 1080p, Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average framerate drops from 98.2 FPS at 1080p to 80.2 FPS at 1440p (an 18.3% reduction) and then to 65.7 FPS at 4K (a further 18.1% reduction from 1440p). This gradual decline is characteristic of a system where the graphics card is handling most of the rendering load, with the CPU providing ample frame delivery at all resolutions.

The scaling pattern becomes steeper at higher settings. With Medium settings, the drop from 1080p (56.9 FPS) to 1440p (48.7 FPS) is 14.4%, and then from 1440p to 4K (37.2 FPS) is 23.6%. At High settings, the decline is more pronounced: 45.4 FPS at 1080p falls to 33.4 FPS at 1440p (26.4% reduction), and then to 30.5 FPS at 4K (8.7% further reduction). The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling, with 33.3 FPS at 1080p, 29.9 FPS at 1440p, and 20.6 FPS at 4K. The fact that even 1080p Ultra cannot maintain 30 FPS confirms the GPU is the limiting component — the i7-14700F has more than enough compute headroom, but the RX 7600 XT's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth cannot keep pace with the game's high-end visual effects.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RX 7600 XT delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 98.2 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire test matrix that breaks the 90 FPS barrier. Medium averages 56.9 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 30 FPS minimums. High averages 45.4 FPS, still playable but showing the game's appetite for GPU resources. Ultra averages 33.3 FPS, hovering just above the threshold of playability and indicating that the highest preset is only suitable for players who prioritize visual quality over smoothness.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades predictably. Low averages 80.2 FPS, which remains smooth for most display configurations. Medium averages 48.7 FPS, a solid 60Hz experience. High averages 33.4 FPS, which is marginal for action sequences. Ultra averages 29.9 FPS, falling below 30 FPS and making it unsuitable for consistent play. The 1440p results show that this resolution is the practical ceiling for the GPU when using medium-tier settings.

At 3840x2160, the limitations become severe. Low averages 65.7 FPS, which is surprisingly playable given the resolution. Medium averages 37.2 FPS, acceptable for slower-paced horror exploration but risky during intense scenes. High averages 30.5 FPS, right at the edge of playability. Ultra averages 20.6 FPS, which is too low for a game that relies on atmospheric tension and sudden scares. The 4K data shows that the RX 7600 XT can handle 4K only at the lowest settings, and even then, the 65.7 FPS average suggests the game's dual-reality rendering mechanic is not fully taxing the GPU at Low.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700F the bottleneck in this system for The Medium?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile among all processors with an average benchmark score of 54097, while the GPU ranks in the 63rd percentile with an average score of 20146. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K at all settings shows the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: Medium at 1080p delivers 56.9 FPS average, which is the best balance of visual quality and performance. Low offers 98.2 FPS for higher refresh rates, while High (45.4 FPS) and Ultra (33.3 FPS) trade away too much smoothness.

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produces 65.7 FPS average. Medium drops to 37.2 FPS, High to 30.5 FPS, and Ultra to 20.6 FPS — the latter is not recommended for playable frame rates.

Q: How does the RX 7600 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 20146. The AMD Radeon RX 460 scores 0.3% higher, the RX 7600 scores 0.6% lower, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER scores 1.9% lower, and the RTX 3070 Mobile scores 1.9% higher.

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

A: High settings at 1440p produce an average of 33.4 FPS. This is playable but close to the 30 FPS threshold, making Medium (48.7 FPS) a safer choice for consistent performance.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i7-14700F scores 35443 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, has an average benchmark score 0.6% higher, while the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is 1.1% higher and the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 is 1.2% lower.