The Medium

The Intel Core i9-14900K and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination sits at rank 615 out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium, placing it in the upper portion of the database. This pairing demonstrates that the GPU handles the primary rendering workload while the CPU provides ample headroom, though the measured averages reveal that the graphics card is the limiting factor at higher settings. The data indicates a system that is well-suited for high-refresh 1080p play, but one that will require settings adjustments to maintain smooth performance at 1440p or 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 615 out of 1689 tested configurations means it falls in the 64th percentile of all pairings tested for this game. This is a solid mid-to-upper tier result, but it is not a top-tier combination. The data suggests that while the CPU is exceptionally strong, the GPU’s performance ceiling prevents the combo from breaking into the top quartile. The ranking reflects a balance where the RX 7800 XT is the bottleneck in demanding scenes, but the i9-14900K ensures that frame pacing remains consistent without CPU-related dips. For context, this placement indicates that many other GPU-centric builds will outperform this one in pure average FPS, but few will match its consistency in CPU-bound scenarios. The gap between this combo and the top performers is likely due to the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than any CPU deficiency. Benchmark results show that the system is not a flagship killer, but it comfortably sits above the median tested configuration, making it a dependable choice for this specific horror title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the dominant factor in this combo’s performance. It features a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2430 MHz, with a game clock of 2124 MHz, which provides the raw throughput for the measured frame rates. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for The Medium’s asset streaming and texture loading. With 60 RT cores and 96 ROPs, the GPU is capable of handling the game’s visual effects, but the data shows that its 37.32 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is not enough to sustain maximum settings at higher resolutions. The GPU’s percentile rank of 76 compared to all other GPUs confirms that it is a strong mid-range part, but not a high-end one. The measured FPS drop from Low to Ultra settings at every resolution highlights how the GPU’s compute and memory resources are taxed by the game’s higher preset levels. The 5 nm process node and 28,100 million transistors give it efficiency, but the power draw of 263 W and suggested 600 W PSU indicate that it is not a low-power part. In this game, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, and its limitations at 4K Ultra are evident in the sub-30 FPS result.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the Low preset offers the best experience for players prioritizing high frame rates. At 1920x1080, Low produces 134.9 FPS, which is more than double the 57.9 FPS seen at High settings. This makes Low the only preset that consistently exceeds 100 FPS across all resolutions, with 113 FPS at 2560x1440 and 89.3 FPS at 3840x2160. For a horror game where smoothness can impact immersion, this is the most reliable choice. However, the Medium preset provides a better visual quality to performance trade-off for most users. At 1080p, Medium yields 86.7 FPS, which is playable, and at 1440p it drops to 72.2 FPS, still maintaining a playable framerate. The High preset is only viable at 1080p with 57.9 FPS, as it falls to 50 FPS at 1440p and 39.2 FPS at 4K, which may be too stuttery for some. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as it only achieves 50 FPS at 1080p and drops to 29.6 FPS at 4K, making it unplayable at higher resolutions. The data strongly suggests that Medium is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low while keeping frame rates above 60 FPS at 1080p and near 60 at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce 134.9 FPS, which is the highest average in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 86.7 FPS, while High drops to 57.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p matches the 1440p High result exactly at 50 FPS, showing a steep performance cliff. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages scale predictably: Low gives 113 FPS, Medium gives 72.2 FPS, High gives 50 FPS, and Ultra gives 40.5 FPS. The 1440p results show a 16% performance hit from 1080p at Low settings, but the gap widens to a 19% hit at Medium, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth becomes more stressed. At 3840x2160, the numbers fall off dramatically. Low settings still manage 89.3 FPS, which is impressive for 4K, but Medium drops to 52.8 FPS, High to 39.2 FPS, and Ultra to 29.6 FPS. The 4K data reveals that the RX 7800 XT’s 16 GB frame buffer is sufficient, but its compute throughput is not enough to maintain high preset levels. The jump from Low to Medium at 4K represents a 41% performance loss, showing how sensitive this game is to the settings preset changes.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 with Low settings gives the highest average at 134.9 FPS, but 2560x1440 with Medium settings at 72.2 FPS provides a balanced experience. For 4K, only Low settings with 89.3 FPS are recommended.

Q: Why does the Ultra preset perform so much worse than Low?

A: The measured FPS shows Ultra drops to 29.6 FPS at 4K and 40.5 FPS at 1440p, compared to 89.3 FPS and 113 FPS on Low respectively. This indicates the GPU’s shading units and ROPs are overwhelmed by the preset’s additional effects.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K holding back the RX 7800 XT?

A: No, the CPU has a boost clock of 6.00 GHz and 24 cores, with a 97th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The benchmark results show the GPU is the limiting factor, as the FPS scales more with settings changes than with CPU load.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 615 out of 1689 total configurations, placing it in the 64th percentile. This indicates it outperforms most tested combos but is not at the top tier.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce 89.3 FPS at 3840x2160. Medium settings at 4K drop to 52.8 FPS, and Ultra is not playable at 29.6 FPS.

Q: What is the total memory bandwidth of the GPU?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This is sufficient for the game’s high-resolution textures but not enough to prevent FPS drops at Ultra settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K plays a supporting role in this combo. With 24 cores and 32 threads, it provides massive parallel processing capability, but The Medium is not a CPU-intensive title. The CPU’s base clock of 3.20 GHz and boost clock of 6.00 GHz ensure that single-threaded performance is exceptional, which helps with game logic and physics. The 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per core L2 cache reduce memory latency, but the measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU’s 97th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 49872 confirm that it is not limiting performance. In fact, the i9-14900K is so powerful that it could drive a much faster GPU without issue, but with the RX 7800 XT, it ensures that frame times remain stable even when the GPU is maxed out. The processor’s 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile choice, but for this game, the CPU’s role is to provide a solid foundation without introducing any stutter. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s performance is more than adequate, as the FPS differences between settings are entirely attributable to GPU load. The data shows that this CPU-GPU pairing is well-matched, with the CPU ensuring that no CPU-side bottleneck occurs in any of the 12 measured configurations.