The Medium

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a stark contrast in capabilities, positioning this combo at rank 2681 out of 2911 tested configurations for The Medium. The CPU is a top-tier performer, operating in the 94th percentile against all processors, while the GPU sits in the 5th percentile, creating a significant bottleneck. Benchmark results indicate that this system is fundamentally limited by its graphics solution, with the powerful processor unable to compensate for the discrete-class GPU's low throughput in this horror title.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in The Medium?*

A: This configuration ranks 2681st out of 2911 tested combinations for the game. This places it in the bottom percentile of systems, indicating that while the CPU is strong, the overall gaming experience is heavily constrained by the graphics adapter.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its closest rivals in raw graphics compute?

A: The Arc B370's average benchmark score of 1184 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.2% slower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770, and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. It performs 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000.

Q: What is the best playable FPS result recorded for this system?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 46 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The next best result is 39 FPS at 2560x1440 with Low settings, showing the GPU's limitations even at lower graphical presets.

Q: Can this system achieve 4K gaming performance?

A: At 3840x2160, the system produces an average of 30 FPS on Low settings. However, at Medium settings, the average drops to 19 FPS, and at High settings, it falls to 14 FPS. These results indicate that 4K is only marginally playable at the lowest settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-14700K's processing power compare to its competitors?

A: The i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 69355. This places it 0.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9115 and 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. It is 0.7% slower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and 0.9% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS values recorded at 1080p Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the system achieved an average of 29 FPS, with a minimum recorded frame rate of 24 FPS and a maximum of 33 FPS. This data provides a frame time variance that suggests a somewhat consistent, though low, performance level.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive factor in this system's performance, and its specifications reveal why. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its role in The Medium is severely hampered by its memory configuration, which is "System Shared." This means the GPU does not have dedicated VRAM and must rely on the system's main memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This architecture creates a fundamental bottleneck for a game like The Medium, which requires rapid texture streaming and memory access for its dual-reality rendering mechanic.

The GPU's compute capabilities are limited by its 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. These figures translate to a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. The raw floating-point performance is 6.144 TFLOPS for FP32 operations and 12.29 TFLOPS for FP16. While these numbers are not negligible, they are extremely low for a modern gaming workload, especially at higher resolutions. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, confirms its position as an entry-level solution that is outclassed by dedicated discrete graphics cards.

In the context of the measured FPS, the GPU's limitations are clear. At 1080p, dropping from Low to Medium settings causes a significant performance penalty, indicating that the GPU is already saturated. The boost clock of 2400 MHz and base clock of 300 MHz are insufficient to overcome the lack of dedicated memory bandwidth. The data shows a system where the GPU is the clear limiting component, unable to translate the CPU's high-end processing power into playable frame rates at mid-to-high settings. The Arc B370's nearest rivals are all legacy ATI/AMD parts, with performance deltas of less than 1.5%, solidifying its standing as a legacy-tier performer in this specific workload.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a high-end desktop processor that provides a stark contrast to the GPU. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it is built for heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Its architecture is Raptor Lake, manufactured on a 10 nm process. The CPU's base clock is 3.40 GHz, which can boost up to 5.60 GHz, ensuring that any single-threaded or lightly-threaded tasks are handled with maximum responsiveness. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and its 33 MB of shared L3 cache provides a large pool of fast storage for frequently accessed data.

In terms of processing power, the i7-14700K is a top-tier performer. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5 and single-core score of 2160 demonstrate its capability in both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads. The PassMark multi-thread score of 52392 and single-thread score of 4472 further corroborate its high performance. The CPU's average benchmark score of 69355 places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, from which it trails by a mere 0.2%.

However, in this gaming configuration, the CPU's role is largely relegated to feeding the GPU. In The Medium, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The data supports this, as the system's frame rates are consistently low regardless of the resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a significant drop in performance when moving from a high-resolution (GPU-bound) scenario to a low-resolution (CPU-bound) scenario. Instead, the FPS scales linearly with resolution changes, which is a hallmark of a GPU-bound system. The CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic, AI, and physics, but the GPU cannot keep up with the rendering demands, leaving the i7-14700K's vast potential largely untapped in this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance envelope across different settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves its best results. On Low settings, it averages 46 FPS. This is the only playable configuration for a smooth experience. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 29 FPS, with a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 33 FPS. High settings yield an average of 21 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an unplayable 16 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades further. The Low settings preset provides an average of 39 FPS. The Medium preset averages 24 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 28 FPS. High settings drop the average to 17 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 14 FPS. This pattern shows a consistent penalty for increasing graphical fidelity, with the GPU struggling to maintain frame rates above 30 FPS at this resolution except on the lowest preset.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmed. The only remotely playable result is on Low settings, which yields an average of 30 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 19 FPS, with a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 22 FPS. High settings average 14 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to an average of 11 FPS. These numbers confirm that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this hardware, as even the lowest settings are on the edge of playability, and any increase in quality results in a slideshow.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling across resolutions is a direct indicator of the system's bottleneck. When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS on Low settings drops from 46 to 39, a decrease of approximately 15%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 39 to 30, a further decrease of about 23%. This scaling pattern is more gradual than what would be expected from a CPU-bound system. In a CPU-bound scenario, lowering the resolution would not improve FPS, as the CPU would remain the limiting factor. Here, lowering the resolution does improve FPS, but the gains are relatively small.

This behavior strongly suggests that the system is GPU-bound. The GPU is working at its maximum capacity in all scenarios, and increasing the resolution simply adds more work for it, causing the FPS to drop. The fact that the FPS does not halve when moving from 1080p to 4K is interesting. A pure GPU-bound system with no other bottlenecks would often see a more dramatic drop. This could indicate that the "System Shared" memory configuration is also adding a layer of latency and bandwidth constraints that become more pronounced at higher resolutions. The GPU is not just limited by its compute units but also by the speed of the system memory it must share.

The data shows a system where the limiting component is unequivocally the graphics processor. The CPU's performance is so far above the GPU's that it never becomes the constraining factor. The scaling pattern is consistent with a graphics card that is saturated at 1080p and becomes increasingly more strained as the pixel count increases. The Intel Arc B370 is the performance ceiling for this system, and the i7-14700K is simply along for the ride, waiting for the GPU to catch up.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system prioritize resolution and preset trade-offs. The only configuration that consistently achieves an average frame rate above 30 FPS is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 46 FPS. This should be the target for a "playable" experience, as it provides the smoothest frame pacing and best responsiveness. While 2560x1440 on Low settings averages 39 FPS and could be considered, the lower pixel density at 1080p will yield a more stable experience.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1920x1080 on Medium settings is the next step up. It averages 29 FPS, which is just below the 30 FPS threshold, but it offers improved textures and effects. The minimum FPS of 24 indicates that there will be noticeable stutters during intense scenes. The Medium preset at 1440p is not recommended, as its 24 FPS average and 21 FPS minimum will feel sluggish. High and Ultra settings at any resolution should be avoided, as they produce average frame rates in the teens, which are not suitable for a game that relies on atmosphere and timing.

The data suggests that the "best experience" is a compromise. The system cannot handle high resolutions with high settings. The most effective approach is to lock the resolution to 1080p and use the Low preset to achieve a consistent 46 FPS. If the user can tolerate occasional frame drops, the Medium preset at 1080p offers a richer visual experience. Any attempt to run the game at 1440p or 4K will require the Low preset and will still result in a sub-optimal experience. The performance data indicates that this system is best suited for 1080p gaming at the lowest graphical presets, with any attempt to increase quality resulting in significant performance degradation.