The Medium

The Medium, a horror title from 2021, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates the capabilities of its components. This analysis focuses on the combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER graphics card. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, but the specific performance characteristics vary significantly depending on the settings chosen.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 92 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings reduces performance to 77 FPS, a drop of 15 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 61 FPS. This progression demonstrates that even at the lowest quality preset, the rendering load scales heavily with pixel count, and the RTX 2060 SUPER’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed.

The scaling behavior changes dramatically when the settings are increased. At High settings, the average frame rate at 1080p is 41 FPS. This drops to 35 FPS at 1440p and then to 27 FPS at 4K. The difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings is a 14 FPS reduction, which is proportionally similar to the Low setting drop but starts from a much lower baseline. This indicates that the increased graphical complexity of the High preset, which includes more demanding shading and texture work, limits the headroom available at higher resolutions.

The Medium preset provides the most complete data set, including minimum and maximum frame rates. At 1080p, the average is 57 FPS with a minimum of 49 and a maximum of 66. At 1440p, the average drops to 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 and a maximum of 55. At 4K, the average is 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 43. The consistency of the frame pacing, as shown by the relatively narrow gap between minimum and maximum, suggests that the system is not experiencing sudden stutters, but rather a steady, progressive load increase.

The Ultra preset shows the most severe impact of resolution scaling. The average frame rate at 1080p is 33 FPS, which is already below the standard 60 FPS target. At 1440p, it drops to 27 FPS, and at 4K, it reaches a low of 21 FPS. This data indicates that the Ultra preset is simply too demanding for this GPU at any resolution, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K results in a 12 FPS loss, pushing the experience into unplayable territory. The limiting component in all scenarios is clearly the GPU, as the CPU’s performance metrics, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5, are far beyond what this game requires.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER achieves a rank of 2606 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the lower third of all systems tested, a direct consequence of the GPU’s age and tier. The RTX 2060 SUPER, with a benchmark percentile of 62 among all GPUs, is the limiting factor in this pairing.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a top-tier performer. Its benchmark percentile of 95 places it above nearly all other processors. The nearest rivals to the CPU in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which scores 0.3% higher, and the AMD EPYC 7413, which scores 1.2% higher. The Core i9-14900K is also 1.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. This massive processing power is largely underutilized in The Medium, as the frame rate data shows the GPU struggling to keep up.

The disparity between the CPU’s high ranking and the combo’s overall low rank highlights a significant imbalance. The data suggests that the i9-14900K is capable of far more than the RTX 2060 SUPER can deliver in this title. The combo’s rank of 2606 is not a reflection of the CPU’s capabilities, but rather a direct measure of the GPU’s performance ceiling. This pairing is effectively a high-end CPU bottlenecked by a mid-range GPU from a previous generation.

When compared to other potential pairings, the data implies that a system with a more modern or higher-tier GPU would achieve a much better rank, as the CPU would not be the limiting factor. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 for the GPU reinforces its position, showing it is a capable but not high-end performer. The combination’s performance is ultimately defined by the GPU’s 62nd percentile standing, not the CPU’s 95th.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience for this hardware combination is found at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This configuration yields an average of 57 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target, and the minimum of 49 FPS ensures that the experience remains largely smooth. Moving up to High settings at the same resolution reduces the average to 41 FPS, which is a noticeable step down in fluidity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a playable experience, producing an average of 48 FPS. While this is below 60 FPS, it is still a smooth and consistent experience for a horror game, which often relies more on atmosphere than fast-paced action. The High preset at this resolution drops to 35 FPS, which is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 27 FPS is not recommended.

For 3840x2160, the data shows that only the Low preset is playable, with an average of 61 FPS. This is surprising, as it matches the frame rate of the Low preset at 1080p, but the visual quality will be significantly lower. The Medium preset at 4K is the only other option above 30 FPS, with an average of 38 FPS, but this is still below the ideal threshold for a smooth experience.

The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely. It fails to reach 60 FPS at any resolution, and at 4K, it produces an average of just 21 FPS. The performance cost of the Ultra preset is not justified by the visual improvements in this title, given the hardware’s limitations. The data clearly indicates that Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p provide the best balance between visual fidelity and performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed view of the system’s performance. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 92 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this combo. The Medium preset averages 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 and a maximum of 66. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 33 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 77 FPS. The Medium preset provides a 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 and a maximum of 55. The High preset averages 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 27 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction of approximately 15-20% across all settings.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 61 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 77 FPS at 1440p. The Medium preset averages 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 43. The High preset averages 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 21 FPS. The 4K resolution imposes a heavy load on the GPU, with the High and Ultra presets falling below 30 FPS.

The data shows a clear trend: the RTX 2060 SUPER is capable of high frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p is 59 FPS, which demonstrates the massive performance cost of the higher-quality graphics. The minimum frame rate data for the Medium preset shows that the system maintains stable performance without significant dips, which is a positive indicator for gameplay consistency.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the determining factor in this system’s performance in The Medium. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is sufficient for the game’s textures, but the 256-bit memory bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely saturated at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU’s boost clock of 1650 MHz and base clock of 1470 MHz are standard for the card, but they are not enough to overcome the demands of the Ultra preset.

The GPU’s 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs are responsible for the pixel and texture processing, and the data shows they are the bottleneck. The pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s are moderate figures that limit the fill rate at high resolutions. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS is a key indicator of its traditional rendering capability, which is being fully utilized here.

The RTX 2060 SUPER’s 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores are present, but their impact on performance in this title is indirect. The Medium does not appear to be heavily reliant on ray tracing, as the frame rate drops are consistent with traditional rendering load. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 16462 places it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs, confirming its mid-range status. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, scores only 0.4% higher, showing that the desktop 2060 SUPER is still competitive with newer entry-level mobile parts.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a high-end desktop processor that far exceeds the requirements of The Medium. With 24 cores and 32 threads, it provides immense parallel processing power. Its boost clock of 6.00 GHz and base clock of 3.20 GHz are among the highest available. The CPU’s 36 MB of shared L3 cache is more than adequate for the game’s data.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i9-14900K achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. These scores place it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The Geekbench multi-core score of 21697 and single-core score of 2655 further demonstrate its dominance. The CPU’s PassMark multi-thread score of 58674 and single-thread score of 4697 show that it is not a limiting factor in any gaming scenario.

The data shows that the CPU’s role in The Medium is to feed the GPU with data, and it does so without any signs of strain. The measured frame rates are entirely dependent on the GPU’s performance, as the CPU has ample headroom. The nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks are within a 1.7% delta, confirming that the i9-14900K is at the top of its class. However, this power is wasted in this specific pairing, as the RTX 2060 SUPER cannot utilize it to produce higher frame rates.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Medium settings provides the best balance, with an average of 57 FPS and a minimum of 49 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 48 FPS, which is also playable.

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

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 61 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 38 FPS, and the High and Ultra presets fall to 27 and 21 FPS, respectively.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The RTX 2060 SUPER has a benchmark percentile of 62, while the i9-14900K has a percentile of 95. The frame rates are limited by the GPU’s rendering capabilities.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU is 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile and 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5700. It is 1.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 460 and 1.6% behind the Intel Arc A770M.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 92 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 33 FPS. This represents a 59 FPS difference, showing a significant performance cost for the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 SUPER’s 8 GB VRAM limit performance?

A: While the 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is a factor, the data suggests the GPU’s processing power is the primary limitation. The frame rate drops are consistent with the resolution and settings scaling, indicating that the memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s and the shading units are being maxed out.