The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a dominant 1080p and 1440p experience in The Medium, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and settings. The data shows that the CPU provides ample headroom, allowing the GPU to become the primary bottleneck at higher graphical presets, while the RTX 4090's sheer horsepower ensures that even demanding Ultra settings remain playable at 4K.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core, alongside 192 KB of L1 cache per core. This configuration is more than sufficient for The Medium, a game that does not exhibit extreme multi-threading demands.

Benchmark data places this CPU in the 85th percentile of all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (avg score 36945, deltaPct 0), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (avg score 37018, deltaPct -0.2), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (avg score 37093, deltaPct -0.4). The performance delta among these is negligible, indicating that the Ultra 5 225's processing power is squarely in the mid-range desktop tier, despite its modern architecture.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 185, which is the highest recorded in the dataset. This suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is capable of pushing frame rates well beyond typical display refresh rates. However, as resolution increases to 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 174 and 140 respectively at Low settings. The decrease from 1080p to 1440p is 11 FPS (about 6%), and from 1440p to 4K is another 34 FPS (about 20%), indicating that even at Low settings, the GPU begins to take on more of the workload as pixel count rises.

The single-thread performance of the Ultra 5 225, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4412, is robust. This is beneficial for The Medium, which likely relies on a few heavily loaded threads for rendering and physics. The multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891, is also strong, but the game's frame rates do not scale with core count beyond a certain point; the data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher settings.

Overall, the CPU's performance is not a bottleneck in any measured configuration. The smallest margin between CPU and GPU-bound scenarios is at 1080p Low, where the 185 FPS average suggests the CPU is working harder, but it still delivers a smooth experience. The processor's 20 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock help maintain consistent frame delivery, as seen in the minimum FPS values at Medium settings across all resolutions.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship of the GeForce 40-series, based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It is equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The card has 16384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores. Its compute capabilities include 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

This GPU is rated in the 88th percentile of all tested graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the Intel Arc Pro A60 (avg score 60326, deltaPct 0), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (avg score 60140, deltaPct 0.3), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (avg score 61896, deltaPct -2.5). While these rivals show similar average scores, the RTX 4090's real-world gaming performance is far superior, as evidenced by the measured FPS in The Medium.

The RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM is a significant asset for The Medium, which is a horror game with detailed environments and potential high-resolution textures. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS is 50, which is playable but not ideal for a smooth experience. The 24 GB frame buffer ensures that there is no memory-related stuttering or texture pop-in, even at the highest settings. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s is also crucial for handling the data throughput required at 4K resolution.

The data shows that the GPU is the primary performance driver in this combination. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 185, but this drops to 75 at 1080p Ultra, a reduction of 110 FPS (about 59%). This indicates that the graphical settings have a massive impact on performance, far more than resolution changes. For example, at 1440p, the average FPS at Low is 174, which is only 11 FPS less than 1080p Low, but at 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is 63, which is 12 FPS less than 1080p Ultra. The pattern is consistent: settings changes cause a larger FPS swing than resolution changes, confirming the GPU's dominance.

The RTX 4090's boost clock of 2520 MHz and 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute allow it to handle The Medium's rendering demands efficiently. The measured FPS at 4K Medium is 87, with a minimum of 74 and a maximum of 101, showing that the GPU maintains a stable frame rate even with variance. The 4K High setting yields 63 FPS average, while 4K Low reaches 140 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU has enough headroom to push high frame rates at lower settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo in The Medium?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 185, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the maximum performance point in the measured data.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, deltaPct 0) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, deltaPct -0.2). It is slightly behind the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112, deltaPct -0.5).

Q: Is the RTX 4090's VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in this title?

A: Yes, the 24 GB of GDDR6X memory is more than sufficient. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 50, and there are no indications of VRAM-related performance issues in the data.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 174 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 63 FPS. This represents a decrease of 111 FPS, or about 64%, when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4090's average score of 60347 is essentially tied with the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, deltaPct 0) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, deltaPct 0.3). It is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58657, deltaPct 2.9).

Q: Does the CPU's 10-core configuration limit performance in The Medium?

A: No, the data does not show CPU limitations. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 185, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output. The performance scales with resolution and settings, indicating the GPU is the bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 63rd out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 2.2% of all configurations, indicating a very high-performing system. The rank reflects the overall capability of the combo to deliver high frame rates across resolutions and settings.

The ranking is likely driven by the RTX 4090's exceptional gaming performance, as the CPU is more mid-range in synthetic benchmarks. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all processors is respectable, but the GPU's 88th percentile ranking, combined with its massive VRAM and bandwidth, makes it the standout component. The combo's rank of 63 suggests that only a few other CPU-GPU pairings can outperform it, likely those with even higher-end CPUs like the Core i9 or Ryzen 9 series paired with the same GPU.

In practical terms, this rank means that users of this combo will have a top-tier experience in The Medium. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the average FPS is 87, which is well above the playable threshold. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 50, which is still playable but may require some settings adjustments for a smoother experience. The combo's high rank is justified by its ability to maintain high frame rates even at demanding settings.

The rank also suggests that the CPU is not holding back the GPU significantly. If the CPU were a major bottleneck, the combo would rank lower relative to other RTX 4090 pairings. The fact that it ranks 63rd out of 2911 indicates that the Ultra 5 225 provides sufficient performance to let the RTX 4090 shine, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU workload is heavier.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium settings provide the best balance of performance and visual quality for this combo. At 1920x1080, Medium settings yield an average of 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 and maximum of 152. This is a substantial improvement over High settings (95 FPS average) and Ultra settings (75 FPS average), while still offering a significant visual upgrade over Low settings (185 FPS average).

At 2560x1440, Medium settings produce an average of 111 FPS, with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 128. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and it represents a 31 FPS improvement over High settings (80 FPS) and a 48 FPS improvement over Ultra settings (63 FPS). The Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot for this resolution, providing high frame rates without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 101. This is the only 4K preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS, as High settings drop to 63 FPS and Ultra settings fall to 50 FPS. While High is technically playable at 4K, the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin for frame rate dips, as evidenced by the minimum FPS of 74.

The data suggests that Medium settings are the recommended choice for this combo across all resolutions. It provides the highest average FPS that remains above 60 at 4K, and it offers a significant boost over High and Ultra settings at lower resolutions. For users with high refresh rate monitors at 1080p or 1440p, Medium settings will allow the system to leverage those refresh rates, with 132 FPS and 111 FPS averages respectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). All measurements are average FPS, with minimum and maximum values only recorded for Medium settings.

At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 185 at Low to 75 at Ultra. The Low setting delivers the highest performance, with a 185 FPS average. Medium settings average 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 and maximum of 152. High settings average 95 FPS, while Ultra settings average 75 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline: Low to Medium is a 53 FPS drop (29%), Medium to High is a 37 FPS drop (28%), and High to Ultra is a 20 FPS drop (21%).

At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 174 at Low to 63 at Ultra. Low settings average 174 FPS, which is only 11 FPS less than 1080p Low, showing that resolution has a minor impact at this setting. Medium settings average 111 FPS, with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 128. High settings average 80 FPS, and Ultra settings average 63 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 63 FPS (36%), Medium to High is 31 FPS (28%), and High to Ultra is 17 FPS (21%).

At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 140 at Low to 50 at Ultra. Low settings average 140 FPS, which is a 34 FPS drop from 1440p Low and a 45 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 and maximum of 101. High settings average 63 FPS, and Ultra settings average 50 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 53 FPS (38%), Medium to High is 24 FPS (28%), and High to Ultra is 13 FPS (21%).

Across all resolutions, the percentage drop from Low to Medium is consistent (29-38%), Medium to High is 28%, and High to Ultra is 21%. The minimum FPS values at Medium settings are 112 at 1080p, 95 at 1440p, and 74 at 4K, all of which are above 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience. The maximum FPS values at Medium settings are 152 at 1080p, 128 at 1440p, and 101 at 4K, showing that the combo has headroom for frame rate spikes. The data confirms that this combo is capable of delivering a high-quality experience in The Medium, with Medium settings being the optimal choice for balancing performance and visuals.