The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a top-tier experience. The data shows this pairing ranks 19th out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the 98.9th percentile of all configurations. This is a flagship-level setup that delivers high frame rates even at 4K Ultra, though the measured results reveal distinct bottlenecks depending on resolution and settings. The following analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, optimal settings, and the exact performance figures from the benchmark database.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. It features a 33 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. While The Medium is not typically considered a CPU-bound title, the processor’s high single-thread performance is crucial for maintaining consistent frame pacing, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the limiting factor.

Benchmark results show the i7-14700K scores 6287 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 44534 in multi-core, with a PassMark single-thread score of 4472 and multithread score of 52392. These figures place the CPU in the 96th percentile versus all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-14700K is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-14700KF (0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (-0.5% delta), while leading the AMD EPYC 9115 by 0.3% and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 by 1.4% in average benchmark score.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU’s role becomes evident when examining frame rates at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 187.7 FPS, which is the highest measured result across all resolutions and settings. This indicates that at lower graphical loads, the i7-14700K provides enough headroom to push frame rates to their maximum, but the GPU still manages to keep up. The processor’s 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier make it a capable partner for the RTX 4090, ensuring that the GPU is not starved for data in most scenarios.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 50.1 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a smooth experience. The High preset at 4K improves this to 61.2 FPS, while the Medium preset jumps to 85.2 FPS. The Low preset at 4K achieves 139.2 FPS, but this comes at a significant visual cost.

For the best experience, the Medium preset is the recommended choice across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium yields 135 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth gameplay experience. At 2560x1440, Medium delivers 113.5 FPS, and at 4K, it maintains 85.2 FPS. These numbers suggest that Medium offers a substantial performance boost over High (which drops to 92.9 FPS at 1080p and 81.3 FPS at 1440p) while still providing acceptable visual quality.

The High preset is a viable alternative for players prioritizing visuals over frame rate, as it stays above 60 FPS at 4K (61.2 FPS) and reaches 92.9 FPS at 1080p. However, the Ultra preset is not recommended, as it drops below 60 FPS at 4K (50.1 FPS) and only reaches 74.1 FPS at 1080p, making it the only preset that fails to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at the lowest resolution tested.

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

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound pattern, but with notable exceptions. At Medium settings, performance drops from 135 FPS at 1080p to 113.5 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 21.5 FPS (or 15.9%). From 1440p to 4K, the drop is steeper: 113.5 FPS to 85.2 FPS, a reduction of 28.3 FPS (or 24.9%). This scaling indicates that the RTX 4090 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the GPU’s workload increases with pixel count.

The Low settings preset shows a different pattern. At 1080p, the combo achieves 187.7 FPS, which drops to 180.2 FPS at 1440p (a mere 4.0% decrease) and then to 139.2 FPS at 4K (a 22.8% decrease from 1440p). This suggests that at Low settings, the CPU becomes more relevant at 1080p and 1440p, as the GPU is not fully utilized. The i7-14700K’s high single-thread performance (6287 Cinebench R23 single-core) helps maintain high frame rates even when the GPU has less work to do.

At Ultra settings, the resolution scaling is more pronounced. Performance drops from 74.1 FPS at 1080p to 63.1 FPS at 1440p (a 14.8% decrease) and then to 50.1 FPS at 4K (a 20.6% decrease from 1440p). This steep decline confirms that the RTX 4090 is the bottleneck at Ultra settings, as the GPU’s rendering load dominates the frame time.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i7-14700K with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 19th out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places the setup in the top 1.1% of all configurations, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of systems tested. The rank reflects the overall performance across all resolutions and settings, with the combo consistently delivering high frame rates.

The CPU’s percentile ranking (96th versus all CPUs) and the GPU’s percentile ranking (91st versus all GPUs) both contribute to this strong result. The i7-14700K’s average benchmark score of 70074 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the i7-14700KF (70104, 0% delta), and slightly above the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (70420, -0.5% delta). The RTX 4090’s average benchmark score of 66473 is similarly competitive, with its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, scoring 66733 (-0.4% delta).

This high ranking suggests that the combo is well-balanced for The Medium, with neither component severely bottlenecking the other. The 20-core CPU and 24 GB GPU work together to deliver a smooth experience, even at demanding 4K Ultra settings where the combo still manages 50.1 FPS. For players seeking the highest possible performance, this configuration is among the best available, though it does not top the charts, leaving room for even more extreme setups.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a flagship GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2235 MHz with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and it contains 16384 shading units, 128 RT cores, and 512 tensor cores. The GPU’s 76,300 million transistors on a 5 nm process give it a massive 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

In The Medium, the RTX 4090’s role is to handle the game’s graphical demands, which include complex lighting and shadow effects typical of horror titles. The 24 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for any resolution tested, ensuring that texture loading is never a bottleneck. The GPU’s high memory bandwidth (1.01 TB/s) contributes to smooth performance at 4K, where the measured results show 85.2 FPS at Medium settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores support its strong performance. It achieves a PassMark G3D score of 38194 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 270615. Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4090 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (-0.4% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 (-0.9% delta), while leading the NVIDIA Tesla P40 by 0.5% and the NVIDIA Quadro P6000 by 1.3% in average benchmark score. This indicates that the RTX 4090 is a top-tier GPU, though its performance in The Medium is also influenced by the CPU’s ability to feed it data.

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

The benchmark data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are: 187.7 FPS (Low), 135 FPS (Medium), 92.9 FPS (High), and 74.1 FPS (Ultra). This shows a clear progression, with Low settings nearly tripling the Ultra frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the results are: 180.2 FPS (Low), 113.5 FPS (Medium), 81.3 FPS (High), and 63.1 FPS (Ultra). The drop from 1080p to 1440p is modest at Low settings (7.5 FPS) but more significant at Ultra settings (11 FPS), indicating that the GPU becomes more stressed as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the measured values are: 139.2 FPS (Low), 85.2 FPS (Medium), 61.2 FPS (High), and 50.1 FPS (Ultra). The 4K results show that the combo can maintain playable frame rates at all settings, with even the Ultra preset staying above 50 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 89.1 FPS, highlighting the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

Overall, the data shows that the combo is capable of exceeding 60 FPS at 4K with Medium settings, which is the recommended configuration for a smooth experience. At 1440p, all presets except Ultra exceed 60 FPS, while at 1080p, even Ultra remains above 70 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo in The Medium?

A: The Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering 135 FPS at 1080p, 113.5 FPS at 1440p, and 85.2 FPS at 4K, all well above 60 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the combo achieves 50.1 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is playable but below the 60 FPS threshold for a smooth experience.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 187.7 FPS, indicating that the i7-14700K’s high single-thread performance (6287 Cinebench R23 single-core) helps maintain high frame rates when the GPU is less stressed.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 135 FPS at 1920x1080 to 85.2 FPS at 3840x2160, a decrease of 49.8 FPS (36.9%).

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 19th out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the top 1.1% of all configurations.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the main bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes, the resolution scaling data shows a steep performance drop from 1440p to 4K (e.g., 113.5 to 85.2 FPS at Medium), indicating that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions.