The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT delivers a playable, but not universally smooth, experience. Benchmark results place this specific pairing at rank 1827 out of 2911 tested combos, indicating that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it sits comfortably within the middle of the pack for this game. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom even at 1080p, making the graphics card the primary determinant of frame rates across all tested settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT in The Medium places this combo at rank 1827 out of 2911 tested combinations. This positioning, roughly in the 63rd percentile of all tested pairings, suggests a configuration that is capable of running the game but is not optimized for maximum fidelity or frame rates. The ranking implies that a significant portion of other tested hardware combinations will deliver higher average FPS, but it also means this setup outperforms over a third of all tested combos, making it a viable, if not exceptional, choice for this specific title.

The GPU itself holds a percentile rank of 60 against all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17083. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, which scores 17037, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M at 17019, both of which are within a fraction of a percent of the RX 7600 XT’s score. Conversely, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208, a delta of -0.7% relative to the RX 7600 XT, indicating the AMD card trails the RTX 3070 by a very narrow margin in general compute benchmarks. This context is crucial: while the RX 7600 XT is not a market leader, it is positioned competitively against older and some current mid-range offerings.

On the CPU side, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 holds an 85th percentile rank against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, has an identical average score of 36945, showing a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a mere 0.2% slower, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 is 0.4% slower. This data suggests the Ultra 5 225 is a very competitive mid-range processor, performing on par with these well-known alternatives in general compute tasks. The combination of a high-performing CPU with a mid-tier GPU means that, in The Medium, the system's overall rank is likely dragged down by the GPU's limitations at higher settings and resolutions, while the CPU ensures that frame rates are not bottlenecked by processing power.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in The Medium?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT ranks at 1827 out of 2911 tested combos for this game, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the performance spectrum for this specific title.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 7600 XT has an average benchmark score of 17083. Its closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, scores 17037, a delta of 0.3%. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, a 0.4% delta, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208, meaning the RX 7600 XT trails it by 0.7%.

Q: What is the best average FPS the combo can achieve at 1920x1080 resolution?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves its highest average FPS of 96. With Medium settings, the average drops to 60 FPS, and with High settings, it is 43 FPS. The lowest average at this resolution is 34 FPS on Ultra settings.

Q: What kind of frame rates can be expected at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: At 2560x1440, the measured average FPS ranges from 81 on Low settings to 29 on Ultra settings. Medium settings produce an average of 51 FPS, and High settings yield an average of 36 FPS.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo fail to maintain a consistent 60 FPS average?

A: The only setting that achieves an average of 60 FPS or higher is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which hits 96 FPS average. The next closest is 2560x1440 on Low with 81 FPS. All other tested settings and resolutions fall below the 60 FPS average threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals, and what does that mean for this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is virtually identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, -0.2% delta). Its high percentile rank of 85 indicates it is a strong performer, suggesting the CPU is not a limiting factor in The Medium's frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for The Medium reveals a clear scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This scaling is consistent across all four settings presets, demonstrating that the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is the primary constraint on performance. For instance, at Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 96 FPS at 1080p to 81 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 15 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings further reduces the average to 64 FPS, another 17 FPS drop. The total decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 32 FPS, representing a 33% reduction in average frame rate.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 60 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p, and then to 40 at 4K. This represents a 20 FPS difference between the lowest and highest resolutions tested. At High settings, the drop is from 43 FPS at 1080p to 36 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 28 FPS at 4K. The most severe scaling is observed at Ultra settings, where the average FPS plummets from 34 at 1080p to 29 at 1440p, and then to 23 at 4K. The difference between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is 11 FPS, a 32% reduction.

This data indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at all resolutions. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, provides sufficient processing power to maintain high frame rates, as evidenced by the 96 FPS average at 1080p Low. However, as the resolution increases, the rendering load on the RX 7600 XT becomes the bottleneck. The linear and consistent drop in FPS across all settings when moving from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain the same level of performance, leading to the observed frame rate decline. The game's fixed camera angles and detailed environments place a heavy load on the GPU's pixel and texture processing capabilities, which are taxed more as the output resolution increases. Therefore, for players prioritizing higher resolutions, the RX 7600 XT will be the deciding factor in achievable frame rates, regardless of the CPU's considerable power.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for The Medium provides a comprehensive view of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT combo's capabilities across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the benchmark shows a wide range of performance depending on the quality preset. With Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 96 FPS, which is the highest average recorded for this pairing. Moving to Medium settings, the average FPS drops to 60, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 69. High settings produce an average of 43 FPS, and Ultra settings reduce the average to 34 FPS. This demonstrates a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate at 1080p, with only the Low preset delivering a substantial margin above the 60 FPS standard.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset delivers an average of 81 FPS, which remains above 60 FPS and is a strong result for this resolution. The Medium preset yields an average of 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 and a maximum of 58, placing it just below the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 29 FPS. The data shows that at 1440p, the system can handle Low and Medium settings with playable frame rates, but it struggles with the higher presets, which fall below the smoothness threshold.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become most apparent. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a playable average, at 64 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 46, indicating noticeable dips below acceptable levels. High settings average 28 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to an average of 23 FPS. At 4K, the RX 7600 XT is unable to deliver a consistently smooth experience except at the lowest quality settings. The data across all resolutions and settings shows a predictable pattern: the combo is capable of high frame rates at 1080p Low, moderate frame rates at 1440p Low/Medium, and only marginal performance at 4K, which is typical for a GPU in this performance class. The min and max FPS values recorded for Medium settings at each resolution (51-69 at 1080p, 43-58 at 1440p, 34-46 at 4K) also indicate some frame time variance, but the averages remain representative of the overall experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and the desired balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. For a 60 FPS average target, the data shows that the only viable option is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves 96 FPS. However, this sacrifices significant visual quality. If the user prefers higher quality at 1080p, the Medium preset, with an average of 60 FPS and a minimum of 51 FPS, offers a better visual experience while still hitting the 60 FPS average target. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p, with averages of 43 FPS and 34 FPS respectively, are less desirable for smooth gameplay but may be acceptable for players who prioritize graphical detail.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the best choice for maintaining a high frame rate, averaging 81 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with a significant performance margin. The Medium preset, at 51 FPS average, is a compromise that offers better visuals but falls below the 60 FPS target. For players who can tolerate frame rates in the 40-50 FPS range, Medium at 1440p is playable, but it may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution, with averages of 36 FPS and 29 FPS, are not recommended for a comfortable experience, as they will feel sluggish and may induce motion sickness in a game with a fixed-camera perspective.

For 4K resolution, the data is clear: the Low preset, with an average of 64 FPS, is the only recommended option for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 4K averages 40 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay and may result in noticeable stuttering. The High and Ultra presets at 4K, with averages of 28 FPS and 23 FPS, are not suitable for playable frame rates. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows depends on the user's hardware and preferences. The data suggests that for a balanced experience, 1080p Medium or 1440p Low are the sweet spots, offering a good mix of visual quality and performance. For players with a 4K display, the game will need to be run at Low settings to be playable, which may undermine the benefits of the higher resolution. The measured data shows that the GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is not the issue, but rather its raw processing power is insufficient for higher settings at 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 plays a supporting but critical role in this combo's performance in The Medium. With 10 cores and 10 threads, a base clock of 3.30 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, this CPU is a strong performer in general benchmarks, holding an 85th percentile rank against all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 36938 is nearly identical to that of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018), with deltas of 0% and -0.2% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this configuration. The benchmark data for The Medium supports this conclusion, as the combo achieves a high average FPS of 96 at 1080p Low, which suggests the CPU can easily feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data at that resolution.

The CPU's architecture, Arrow Lake-S, built on a 3 nm process, provides a solid foundation for gaming. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache help to reduce memory latency and improve performance in CPU-intensive tasks. The Core Ultra 5 225's memory support for DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s ensures that the CPU can quickly access game assets, which is important for maintaining consistent frame rates. The CPU's high boost clock of 4.90 GHz is particularly beneficial for single-threaded workloads, which are common in game logic and physics calculations. In The Medium, which features a fixed-camera perspective, the CPU is likely responsible for handling the game's narrative-driven events and environmental interactions, and the data shows it performs this task without issue.

The measured FPS data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions and settings. For instance, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is just 23, which is far below what the CPU could potentially support. The fact that the frame rate scales almost linearly with resolution at each settings preset is a strong indicator of a GPU-bound workload. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at a certain level regardless of resolution. Instead, the continuous drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K shows that the RX 7600 XT is being pushed to its limits. Therefore, while the Core Ultra 5 225 is a capable processor that ensures the system does not suffer from CPU-related stutters or low frame rates, its performance is more than sufficient for this game. The bottleneck is unequivocally the GPU. Players considering this combo should be aware that upgrading the graphics card would yield significant performance gains in The Medium, while a CPU upgrade would provide little to no benefit based on the current measured data.