The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 pairs with the AMD Radeon RX 570 to form a combination that ranks 2793rd out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places the pairing in the bottom 5% of all tested configurations, indicating that it will struggle to deliver a smooth experience in this horror title. The data shows a system that is fundamentally limited by its graphics component at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides a stable, if unspectacular, foundation.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This is a modern desktop CPU with a 65 W TDP, and its benchmark scores reflect a capable mid-range processor. In Cinebench R23, it scores 14,769 points in multi-core and 2,085 points in single-core tests. Its PassMark multithread score stands at 37,816, while the single-thread score is 4,516, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU’s role is to manage the game’s logic, streaming, and the fixed-camera cinematic sequences that are characteristic of this genre. The data from the measured FPS suggests the processor is not the primary bottleneck at most settings. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 44 FPS average. If the CPU were severely limiting performance, we would expect this number to be much lower. The processor’s PassMark physics score of 2,570 is modest, but this game’s workload does not appear to be heavily physics-dependent.

Comparing the Ultra 5 235 to its nearest rivals, it sits within a narrow performance band. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX, 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P, and 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7303 in average benchmark scores. These deltas are negligible, indicating that the CPU’s performance is on par with several high-end mobile and server parts, despite being a desktop chip. For this game, the CPU provides more than enough headroom; the limiting factor is clearly the GPU, as the FPS scales almost directly with resolution and graphics settings rather than showing CPU-bound plateaus.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is an older graphics card built on the Polaris 20 chip, using the GCN 4.0 architecture on a 14 nm process. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective). Its compute capabilities include 2,048 shading units, and it offers 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

This GPU is the primary constraint in this pairing for The Medium. The game’s measured FPS drops sharply as resolution and settings increase, a classic sign of a GPU running out of pixel-pushing capability. The RX 570’s 4 GB VRAM is also a concern for a game released in 2021, as texture-heavy scenes at higher settings can exceed this capacity, leading to stuttering or reduced performance. The data supports this: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 10, while at 1080p Low, it reaches 44 FPS. This is a massive performance range that reflects the GPU’s struggle with the game’s rendering demands.

In benchmark comparisons, the RX 570 sits in the 74th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, is 0.4% faster, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X is 0.7% slower. The RX 470 is 0.8% faster, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 is 1.2% slower. These small deltas show that the RX 570’s performance is well-known and consistent, but it is a generation behind the requirements for modern high-resolution gaming. For The Medium, this translates to a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU can keep up with the CPU’s output.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 570 achieves a rank of 2793 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This is a poor ranking, placing the system in the bottom 4% of all configurations tested by the database. The rank reflects the GPU’s age and memory limitations rather than the CPU’s capability, as the processor is a modern, high-percentile part.

To contextualize this rank, consider the CPU’s standalone performance. The Ultra 5 235 is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors. However, the GPU is in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, which is lower, but not dramatically so. The combination’s poor rank suggests that The Medium is particularly demanding on the graphics subsystem, and even a relatively well-ranked GPU like the RX 570 is insufficient for a smooth experience. The data indicates that this combo is better suited for older titles or less demanding genres, as it fails to deliver playable framerates in The Medium beyond the lowest settings.

The rank also implies that most other tested combos, including those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, would outperform this pairing. This is a classic case of GPU bottlenecking, where the CPU’s potential is unrealized because the graphics card cannot render frames fast enough. For a user with this specific CPU, upgrading the GPU would yield significant performance gains in this game, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed a more powerful graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo in The Medium is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 44. Medium settings yield an average of 28 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 32. High settings drop the average to 20 FPS, and Ultra settings bring it down to 16 FPS. This shows a clear progression where each settings tier costs roughly 4-8 FPS on average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance declines. Low settings produce an average of 37 FPS. Medium settings drop to 23 FPS average, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27. High settings average 17 FPS, and Ultra settings average 13 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 24 FPS, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by higher graphical fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the system becomes largely unplayable. Low settings yield an average of 29 FPS. Medium settings drop to 18 FPS average, with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 21. High settings average 13 FPS, and Ultra settings average just 10 FPS. These numbers are all below the typical 30 FPS threshold for playable console-like performance, and far below the 60 FPS target for smooth PC gaming.

The data reveals that the only configuration that approaches playability is 1080p Low, which offers 44 FPS. The 1080p Medium setting at 28 FPS is borderline, while everything else falls short. The minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings (23 at 1080p, 20 at 1440p, 15 at 4K) suggest there are noticeable frametime spikes, which can be detrimental in a horror game where smoothness is key to immersion.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K resolution?

A: No, not at playable framerates. The best 4K result is 29 FPS average on Low settings, which drops to 18 FPS on Medium, 13 FPS on High, and 10 FPS on Ultra. These are all below the 30 FPS minimum for acceptable performance.

Q: What is the best average FPS this system can achieve?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 44, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 40 FPS, making it the most fluid option available.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46,062. It is 0.1% faster than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, 0.1% slower than the Intel Core i9-13900HX, and 0.2% faster than both the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The FPS drops by more than half from 1080p Low (44 FPS) to 4K Low (29 FPS), and even at the same resolution, increasing settings from Low to Ultra at 1080p reduces FPS from 44 to 16. The CPU’s high percentile rank and minimal impact on FPS scaling confirm this.

Q: What is the system’s overall ranking among tested combos?

A: This combo ranks 2793rd out of 2911 tested combinations for The Medium, placing it in the bottom 5% of all configurations. This indicates that most other tested systems perform better in this specific game.

Q: Does the GPU’s memory size affect performance?

A: The GPU has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory. While the data does not directly measure memory usage, the significant performance drop at higher settings (e.g., 44 FPS at 1080p Low vs 16 FPS at 1080p Ultra) suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and capacity are insufficient for the game’s high-resolution textures and effects.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the only preset that delivers a consistently smooth experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 44 FPS. This is the sole configuration that stays above the 30 FPS playability threshold with a comfortable margin. The next step up, 1080p Medium, averages 28 FPS, which is below 30 and may feel stuttery in action sequences, especially considering the minimum FPS of 23 recorded.

For users who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, 1440p Low at 37 FPS is a viable alternative, offering a higher resolution with a modest FPS cost. However, the 1080p Low preset is the best overall balance, as it provides the highest frame rate, which is critical for a horror game that relies on atmosphere and timing. The Medium preset at 1080p could be considered if the user tolerates lower FPS, but the data suggests it is risky given the frametime variance.

The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution. At 1080p, they produce 20 and 16 FPS respectively, which is unplayable. At higher resolutions, the performance degrades further, with 4K Ultra producing a mere 10 FPS. The data strongly indicates that this combo should be run at the lowest settings to achieve any semblance of playability, and even then, only at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 44 at 1080p to 37 at 1440p and 29 at 4K. This is a reduction of 15.9% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 21.6% from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 34.1%. This pattern indicates that the GPU’s rendering throughput is the bottleneck, as increasing the pixel count directly impacts the frame rate.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar. The average FPS goes from 28 at 1080p to 23 at 1440p (a 17.9% drop) and then to 18 at 4K (a 21.7% drop from 1440p). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 35.7%. This consistent percentage drop across settings suggests that the GPU is working at its limit regardless of the quality preset, and the resolution is the primary factor driving performance.

The data points to the GPU as the limiting component because the CPU’s performance is relatively constant across these scenarios. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see less FPS scaling with resolution, as the CPU’s workload would remain similar while the GPU’s workload increased. Instead, the FPS scales almost linearly with the number of pixels rendered, which is a definitive sign of a GPU bottleneck. The RX 570’s 4 GB VRAM and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not sufficient for the demands of The Medium at higher resolutions, making 1080p the only viable option for this pairing.