The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both GPU and CPU depending on resolution and settings. This analysis covers the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combo, using measured FPS data across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. The data reveals a system that is consistently playable at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain smooth framerates at 4K with high or ultra presets. The pairing shows a clear GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the 20-core processor provides ample headroom at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and tells a clear story about where the bottleneck sits. At Medium settings, the average framerate falls from 72 FPS at 1920x1080 to 61 FPS at 2560x1440, a drop of 11 FPS. Going further to 3840x2160, the average plunges to 48 FPS, which is a 33% reduction from the 1080p result. This scaling pattern indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the workload shifts heavily onto the GPU.

The trend is even more pronounced at High settings. The average framerate goes from 51 FPS at 1080p to 43 FPS at 1440p, then down to 34 FPS at 4K. That is a 17 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K, representing a 33% performance loss. At Ultra settings, the situation becomes more critical: the average drops from 41 FPS at 1080p to 34 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 27 FPS at 4K. This last result is below the threshold for a smooth experience, suggesting the GPU is fully saturated.

Interestingly, the Low preset shows a different pattern. The average framerate at 1080p is 115 FPS, dropping to 97 FPS at 1440p and 76 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 34%, which is similar to other presets, but the absolute numbers are much higher. This indicates that even at 4K Low, the RX 7700 can push out 76 FPS, meaning the resolution scaling is consistent but the starting point is high enough to keep 4K viable on lower settings.

The data shows that the RX 7700 is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K, as the framerate decreases are directly proportional to the pixel count increase. At 1080p, the Core i7-14700KF has more influence, but the GPU still governs the upper limits of each preset. The scaling from Medium to Ultra at any resolution is significant, with Ultra costing roughly 43% performance compared to Medium at 1080p. This suggests that for smooth gameplay, users should prioritize Medium or High settings over Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in The Medium?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with Medium settings provides a good balance, delivering an average of 61 FPS. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves over 70 FPS on Medium, making 1080p the safest choice for consistent high framerates. 4K is only viable on Low settings, where the average is 76 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Low, the average framerate is 76 FPS, which is playable. However, at 4K Medium, the average drops to 48 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 27 FPS. The data suggests that 4K is only recommended on Low settings for a smooth experience.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to Medium in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 1080p, Ultra yields an average of 41 FPS compared to 72 FPS on Medium, a 43% performance penalty. At 1440p, the gap is similar (34 FPS vs 61 FPS), and at 4K, Ultra produces 27 FPS versus 48 FPS on Medium. The visual upgrade may not justify this large drop in framerate.

Q: What framerate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 43 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is marginally playable, but the Medium preset at the same resolution offers a much better 61 FPS average. For smoother gameplay, Medium is the better choice at 1440p.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF holding back the AMD Radeon RX 7700?

A: At lower resolutions and settings, the CPU has more impact, but the data does not show a significant CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 115 FPS, which is high. At 4K Ultra, the framerate of 27 FPS is clearly GPU-limited. The 20-core processor provides enough headroom for this GPU in most scenarios.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The measured data only includes minimum FPS values for the Medium preset. At 1920x1080, the minimum is 61 FPS. At 2560x1440, it is 51 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it is 40 FPS. These minimums suggest that Medium settings maintain a stable experience without severe drops.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF 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. In The Medium, this CPU provides substantial headroom, as the game’s performance is largely dictated by the GPU at higher resolutions. The benchmark data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 115 FPS, which indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently without becoming a limiting factor.

The processor’s high boost clock and multi-threading capabilities are relevant for a horror title like The Medium, which may have complex scenes and AI calculations. The 28 threads allow for smooth handling of background tasks, but the measured FPS data suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. At 4K Ultra, the average framerate is 27 FPS, which is far below what the CPU could theoretically support. This confirms that the RX 7700 is the performance ceiling.

The Core i7-14700KF’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 44,167 in multi-core and 6,235 in single-core tests. These numbers place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating top-tier performance. However, in this specific game, the CPU’s role is more about maintaining minimum framerates rather than pushing average FPS. The minimum FPS values at Medium settings (61 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, 40 FPS at 4K) show that the CPU prevents stuttering, even when the GPU is under heavy load.

The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, has an average benchmark score of 69,996, which is only 0.2% lower than the Intel chip’s 70,163. This close margin indicates that in CPU-bound scenarios, the difference would be negligible. However, the data for The Medium does not show a CPU-bound scenario, as the framerates scale predictably with resolution and settings. The 125W TDP and 28 threads make this processor a solid choice for gaming, but the RX 7700 will be the deciding factor for playability in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest framerates. On Low settings, the average is 115 FPS, which is excellent for fast-paced gameplay. Medium settings reduce this to 72 FPS, with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. High settings drop the average to 51 FPS, while Ultra settings yield 41 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is well-handled by the RX 7700, with only the Ultra preset falling below the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases noticeably. Low settings still produce an average of 97 FPS, which remains smooth. Medium settings average 61 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. High settings drop to 43 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 34 FPS. At this resolution, Medium is the best option for a consistent experience near 60 FPS, while High and Ultra require compromises.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles to maintain high framerates. Low settings average 76 FPS, which is surprising and indicates the renderer is not overly demanding at this preset. Medium settings average 48 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. High settings drop to 34 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 27 FPS. The 4K data shows a clear divide: Low is playable, Medium is borderline, and High/Ultra are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data, with minimum and maximum FPS values at all three resolutions. The consistency between these values is notable. At 1080p, the range is 61-83 FPS, at 1440p it is 51-70 FPS, and at 4K it is 40-55 FPS. This tight range suggests that the game’s performance is stable, with no severe frame time spikes. For users prioritizing smoothness, the Medium preset is the most reliable choice across all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1307 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the 45th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms about 45% of other combinations. This ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-range positioning, as the CPU is powerful but the framerates are limited by the RX 7700’s performance.

The GPU’s benchmark percentile is 58, which indicates it is slightly above average compared to all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, has an average score of 15,862, which is only 0.1% lower than the RX 7700’s 15,852. This is a negligible difference, suggesting that the RX 7700 is closely matched with older or lower-tier cards in synthetic tests. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, with a score of 16,129, is 1.7% higher, showing a slight edge for the NVIDIA card.

For the CPU, the Core i7-14700KF ranks in the 94th percentile, which is excellent. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, is only 0.2% behind in average benchmark score. This means the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo’s ranking. The low combo rank is primarily due to the GPU’s performance in this specific game, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions.

The combo rank of 1307 out of 2911 suggests that there are many faster systems, but also many slower ones. For a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU, this result is expected. The data indicates that to improve the rank, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, as the CPU has significant headroom. In practical terms, this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not a top-tier performer in The Medium.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the clear winner. It delivers an average of 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without sacrificing too much visual quality. High settings drop to 51 FPS, which is still playable but less consistent. Ultra settings at 41 FPS are not recommended, as the visual improvement does not justify the 31 FPS loss compared to Medium. Low settings at 115 FPS are viable for competitive play, but Medium offers a better balance.

At 2560x1440, Medium is again the optimal choice. The average framerate is 61 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS, which keeps the experience mostly smooth. High settings at 43 FPS are playable but may cause noticeable stuttering in demanding scenes. Low settings at 97 FPS are excellent for high refresh rate monitors, but the visual downgrade is significant. Ultra at 34 FPS is below the acceptable threshold for most players, so it should be avoided.

For 3840x2160, the recommendations change drastically. Low settings average 76 FPS, which is the only preset that provides a smooth 4K experience. Medium settings at 48 FPS are playable for slower-paced horror gameplay, but the minimum of 40 FPS may cause discomfort. High and Ultra settings at 34 FPS and 27 FPS respectively are not suitable for gaming, as they fall well below the 60 FPS target. If 4K is a priority, Low settings are the only viable option.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions. It provides the most consistent framerates, with minimum FPS values above 40 at 4K and above 50 at 1440p. For users with 1080p or 1440p monitors, Medium offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. For 4K users, the choice between Low and Medium depends on tolerance for lower framerates, but the measured minimums indicate that Medium is risky, while Low is safe.