The Medium

# The Medium with Intel Core i9-14900K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti produces a strikingly uneven performance profile in The Medium, where the combination of a 24-core, 32-thread CPU and an 8 GB Ampere GPU yields playable frame rates at lower settings but struggles to maintain smooth motion at higher presets. Across all three tested resolutions, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial, and the pattern of results points clearly to the GPU as the performance-limiting component, while the CPU's substantial headroom remains largely untapped by this horror title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a GPU-bound workload with predictable degradation as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the RTX 3070 Ti delivers 129 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 109 FPS at 1440p — a reduction of approximately 15.5% — and then falls to 85 FPS at 4K, which is 34.1% below the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is the primary bottleneck; a CPU-limited scenario would show much smaller differences between resolutions, as the processor's work does not scale with pixel count.

Moving to Medium settings, the same trend persists but with steeper drops. The 81 FPS at 1080p falls to 68 FPS at 1440p (a 16.0% decrease) and then to 53 FPS at 4K (a 34.6% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage reductions across Low and Medium settings suggests that the rendering pipeline scales predictably with resolution, and the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB GDDR6X memory and 256-bit bus are being taxed progressively harder as resolution increases.

At High settings, the resolution scaling becomes more punishing. The 58 FPS at 1080p drops to 49 FPS at 1440p (15.5% lower) and then to 38 FPS at 4K (34.5% below 1080p). This near-identical percentage pattern across all three quality presets is notable — it indicates that the game's resolution scaling is largely independent of the quality preset, with each resolution step costing roughly the same relative performance regardless of how demanding the settings are. The 4K Ultra result of 30 FPS, exactly half the 1080p Low result, reinforces this observation.

The limiting component at all resolutions is clearly the GPU. The Core i9-14900K, with its 24 cores and 32 threads, is not the constraint here; if it were, we would expect to see frame rates that remain relatively flat across resolutions, or at least show diminishing penalties at higher pixel counts. Instead, the consistent 15-16% penalty for stepping from 1080p to 1440p, and the additional 20-22% penalty for stepping to 4K, are hallmarks of a GPU-bound scenario where the render workload scales directly with pixel throughput.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. Its base clock of 3.20 GHz can boost up to 6.00 GHz, and it carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache along with 2 MB of L2 cache per core. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5, with a Geekbench multi-core result of 21697. Its average benchmark score of 79097 places it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, scores 79371 — a negligible 0.3% difference.

Despite this formidable processing power, The Medium's frame rate results show almost no evidence of CPU limitation. The game's performance at 1080p Low (129 FPS) versus 4K Low (85 FPS) demonstrates a 34% reduction that is entirely attributable to GPU workload. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see the 1080p frame rate capped at a level that fails to scale with lower resolution, and we would see minimal gains from reducing resolution. The data shows the opposite: lowering resolution consistently increases frame rates, confirming that the CPU is delivering frames faster than the GPU can render them at every tested configuration.

The Core i9-14900K's 32 threads provide ample headroom for The Medium's multithreaded workload. The game, released in early 2021, was designed to run on a wide range of hardware, and even a modest modern CPU would likely keep pace with the RTX 3070 Ti in this title. The data suggests that the CPU's role in this combination is to ensure that frame pacing remains stable and that no CPU-side stalls occur, even when the GPU is heavily loaded at 4K Ultra. The passmark multithread score of 58674 and physics score of 3140 indicate strong computational throughput, but these capabilities are simply not exercised to their limits by this game.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Core i9-14900K and RTX 3070 Ti ranks 1304th out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the 65th percentile of all system configurations evaluated. This ranking reflects a capable mid-to-high-tier setup that performs well in absolute terms but is outclassed by many combinations featuring more powerful GPUs or more balanced pairings.

The ranking position is somewhat lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest. The CPU sits in the 95th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 75th percentile of all graphics cards. The combined rank of 1304 out of 3724 implies a system that is solidly above average but not exceptional in this particular game. This discrepancy arises because The Medium is heavily GPU-dependent, and the RTX 3070 Ti's position in the GPU hierarchy — near the RTX 5070 Mobile (0.1% delta) and RX 6800 (-0.5% delta) — means that many systems with slower CPUs but faster GPUs will outperform this combo in actual gameplay.

The data indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti's average benchmark score of 29945 places it close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti (29783, a 0.5% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30433, a -1.6% delta). In The Medium, this GPU tier delivers playable frame rates at medium settings across all resolutions, but the 4K Ultra result of 30 FPS is marginal, and even 1440p Ultra at 39 FPS fails to meet the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the baseline for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 3070 Ti produces its strongest results. Low settings deliver 129 FPS average, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate displays. Medium settings drop to 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS — the 12 FPS spread between minimum and maximum indicates some frame pacing inconsistency, but the average remains comfortably above 60 FPS. High settings reduce performance to 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable for most users. Ultra settings at 1080p produce 46 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth and suggests that the GPU is reaching its limits at this quality level.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably. Low settings yield 109 FPS, which remains excellent for 1440p gaming. Medium settings produce 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS and maximum of 78 FPS — the 20 FPS range between minimum and maximum is wider than at 1080p, suggesting that the increased resolution amplifies frame time variance. High settings drop to 49 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced scenes. Ultra settings at 1440p produce 39 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for acceptable gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3070 Ti struggles at higher settings. Low settings still deliver a respectable 85 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU can handle 4K when quality settings are reduced. Medium settings produce 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 61 FPS — the 16 FPS range indicates that some scenes push the GPU harder than others, but the average remains above 50 FPS. High settings drop to 38 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings at 4K produce 30 FPS exactly, which is the minimum for console-style 30 FPS gaming but falls short of the 60 FPS standard.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is an Ampere-architecture GPU built on Samsung's 8 nm process node, with a die size of 392 mm² containing 17,400 million transistors. Its base clock of 1575 MHz boosts to 1770 MHz, and the 8 GB of GDDR6X memory runs at 19 Gbps effective, delivering 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth across a 256-bit bus. The GPU's 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs provide a balanced compute configuration, with 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores for ray tracing and AI workloads. Its FP32 performance of 21.75 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s place it comfortably in the upper-mid range of the GeForce 30-series lineup.

The data shows that the RTX 3070 Ti is the definitive limiting factor in this combination. At every resolution and settings level, the frame rates are consistent with a GPU that is working at or near full capacity. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is particularly relevant in The Medium, a game that can be memory-hungry at high resolutions and quality settings. At 4K Ultra, the 30 FPS result suggests that the GPU is not only compute-bound but may also be constrained by memory bandwidth and capacity, as the 608.3 GB/s bandwidth is taxed heavily by 4K textures and effects.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its mid-high positioning. A Passmark G3D score of 23356 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3478 place it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the RTX 5070 Mobile (29928, a 0.1% delta) and the RX 6800 (30095, a -0.5% delta), indicating that the RTX 3070 Ti sits at a performance tier where 4K gaming at maximum settings is not consistently achievable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Medium settings at 81 FPS provide a smooth experience that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold, with the minimum of 69 FPS ensuring that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid. High settings at 58 FPS are acceptable for users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, but the drop below 60 FPS may be noticeable on high-refresh displays. Ultra at 46 FPS is not recommended for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings at 68 FPS are the clear recommendation. The 58 FPS minimum ensures that frame rates rarely dip below playable levels, and the 78 FPS maximum shows that less demanding scenes can exceed 75 FPS. Low settings at 109 FPS are ideal for users with 1440p high-refresh monitors who want maximum smoothness, while High at 49 FPS and Ultra at 39 FPS are both below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for action-heavy sequences.

At 3840x2160, Low settings at 85 FPS provide the only consistently smooth experience, with frame rates well above 60 FPS. Medium at 53 FPS is acceptable for users who can tolerate occasional drops below 50 FPS, but the minimum of 45 FPS indicates that some scenes may feel less fluid. High at 38 FPS and Ultra at 30 FPS are playable in the sense that they maintain minimum frame rates above 30 FPS, but they fall short of the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for acceptable comfort.

The data supports a clear recommendation: at 1080p and 1440p, Medium settings offer the best combination of visual quality and frame rate stability, while at 4K, Low settings are the only option that consistently delivers smooth gameplay. Users who are willing to accept lower frame rates can use Medium at 4K, but the 53 FPS average and 45 FPS minimum suggest that this is a borderline experience.

FAQ

Q: Why does the 4K Ultra preset only achieve 30 FPS?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB GDDR6X memory and 608.3 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain higher frame rates at 4K with all settings maxed. The 30 FPS result indicates that the GPU is fully saturated at this configuration, and the Core i9-14900K's substantial processing power cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K a bottleneck in The Medium?

A: No. The consistent frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets demonstrates that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, frame rates would remain relatively flat regardless of resolution, but the data shows a 34-35% reduction from 1080p to 4K at every settings level.

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

A: This combination ranks 1304th out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the 65th percentile. The CPU's 95th percentile standing and GPU's 75th percentile standing suggest that the GPU is holding back an otherwise high-performing processor.

Q: What is the best settings preset for smooth gameplay at 1440p?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver 68 FPS average with a 58 FPS minimum, making it the only preset that consistently exceeds 60 FPS. High and Ultra presets fall below 50 FPS, which is noticeable in this game's horror-driven pacing.

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

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce 85 FPS. Medium settings at 4K drop to 53 FPS, while High and Ultra fall below 40 FPS. Users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate can use Medium at 4K, but should expect frame rates to dip into the 40s during demanding scenes.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti's average benchmark score of 29945 is nearly identical to the RTX 5070 Mobile (29928, a 0.1% delta) and slightly below the RX 6800 (30095, a -0.5% delta). It outperforms the RTX 2080 Ti (29783) by 0.5% and trails the RX 6700 (30433) by 1.6%.