The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that relies on fixed camera angles and a split-world mechanic, which places a heavy load on the GPU. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 580, using measured frame rate data across three resolutions and four quality presets. The combination ranks 2654 out of 2911 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower tier of systems. The CPU is a modern 14-core Arrow Lake part with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the GPU is a Polaris 20 chip from 2017 with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory. The benchmark results show a system that is firmly GPU-limited, with frame rates that struggle to reach playable levels at higher settings and resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 49 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 41 FPS, a reduction of 8 FPS or roughly 16%. At 4K, the same Low preset yields only 32 FPS, which is 35% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput, as the RX 580’s 32 ROPs and 256-bit memory bus are tasked with filling increasingly large frame buffers.

The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory. At 1080p, the average is 31 FPS with a minimum of 26 FPS and a maximum of 35 FPS. At 1440p, the average falls to 26 FPS, with the range tightening to 22-30 FPS. At 4K, the average drops to 20 FPS, with the frame time variance becoming more pronounced at 17-23 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K for Medium is about 35%, matching the Low preset’s scaling almost exactly. This suggests that the game’s rendering load at these settings is scaling linearly with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

High settings amplify the resolution sensitivity. The 1080p High result is 22 FPS, 1440p High is 18 FPS, and 4K High is 14 FPS. That is a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a further 22% reduction from 1440p to 4K, totaling a 36% drop from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with 1080p yielding 17 FPS, 1440p dropping to 15 FPS, and 4K falling to 11 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K for Ultra is 35%, similar to the other presets.

The consistent 35% performance hit when moving from 1080p to 4K across all settings indicates that the limiting component is the GPU’s raw fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RX 580 has a pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s, which are modest figures by modern standards. The CPU, with its 14 cores and boost clock of 5.00 GHz, is not the bottleneck here; the data shows that even at 1080p Low, the system only reaches 49 FPS, which is far below what this CPU could push in a less graphically demanding title. The resolution scaling curve is smooth and predictable, a hallmark of a GPU-limited workload.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 2654 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the 9th percentile of all systems tested, meaning approximately 91% of configurations deliver higher average frame rates in this game. The rank is a direct reflection of the GPU’s age and performance class. The RX 580’s average benchmark score is 12928, and it sits at the 53rd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which scores 12940 (a 0.1% difference), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which scores 12986 (a 0.4% difference). These are all closely matched parts, but none are particularly fast by current standards.

The CPU, in contrast, is a strong performer. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, placing it at the 89th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (score 46030, delta 0.1%), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (score 46098, delta -0.1%), and the AMD EPYC 4364P (score 45970, delta 0.2%). The CPU’s multi-threaded performance is excellent, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085. This means the processor is capable of far more than the GPU can deliver in this game.

The discrepancy between the CPU’s high percentile and the combo’s low rank underscores that The Medium is not CPU-sensitive at the resolutions and settings tested. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would have the least work relative to the GPU, the system only achieves 49 FPS. A combo with a weaker CPU but a stronger GPU would almost certainly rank higher. The data indicates that the RX 580 is the primary constraint, and the Ultra 5 235’s capabilities are largely untapped in this title. The 2654 rank is a poor showing, but it is not a reflection of the CPU’s performance; it is a statement about the GPU’s limitations.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the defining component in this system’s performance. It is built on the Polaris 20 chip using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. The GPU has 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. Its base clock is 1257 MHz, with a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, running at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. These specifications place it in the mid-range of the 2017 GPU market, but by 2025 standards, it is a legacy part.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are modest: it delivers 6.175 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and the same for FP16 (1:1 ratio). Its pixel rate is 42.88 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 193.0 GTexel/s. These numbers explain the frame rates observed in The Medium. The game’s fixed camera angles and detailed environments require significant pixel shading and texture work, which the RX 580 handles with difficulty at higher settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game’s textures at 1080p and 1440p, but the sheer fill rate required for 4K overwhelms the GPU.

The GPU’s benchmark results reinforce this view. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1005, and its Passmark G3D score is 8813. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 37453, with Vulkan at 45173 and Metal at 45235. These are not competitive numbers against modern GPUs. The nearest rivals in the database are the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (score 12940, delta -0.1%), the GTX 1660 SUPER (score 12986, delta -0.4%), and the AMD Radeon 740M (score 12870, delta 0.5%). The RX 580 is essentially tied with these parts, but all of them are entry-level or mobile-oriented GPUs. The GPU’s power draw is 185 W, and it requires a 450 W PSU, which is high for its performance level.

In The Medium, the GPU’s clock speeds and VRAM are the limiting factors. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 31, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 35. This is below the 60 FPS target that most gamers expect. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 17 FPS, which is nearly unplayable. The GPU simply does not have the compute throughput to handle the game’s advanced lighting and post-processing effects at higher presets. The 8 GB VRAM is not the issue; rather, it is the GPU’s raw shader and ROP performance that holds it back.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system’s capabilities across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 49. This is the highest frame rate achieved in any configuration. The Medium preset at the same resolution yields 31 FPS average, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 35. High settings at 1080p produce 22 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 17 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a decline of 32 FPS, or 65%, which highlights the significant cost of the higher-quality presets.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops across the board. Low settings average 41 FPS, which is a 16% reduction from the 1080p Low result. Medium averages 26 FPS, with a range of 22 to 30 FPS. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 26 FPS, a 63% reduction. The 1440p results are consistently about 15-20% lower than the 1080p results for the same preset, which is expected given the 78% increase in pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system is severely strained. Low settings average 32 FPS, which is the only configuration at 4K that approaches playability. Medium averages 20 FPS, with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 23. High averages 14 FPS, and Ultra drops to 11 FPS. The 4K results show a 65% reduction from Low to Ultra, matching the 1080p scaling. However, the absolute numbers are so low that none of the higher presets are usable. The 4K Medium result of 20 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the 4K High and Ultra results are essentially slideshows.

The frame time data for Medium settings is notable. At 1080p, the minimum FPS is 26 and the maximum is 35, giving a spread of 9 FPS. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 8 FPS (22 to 30). At 4K, the spread is 6 FPS (17 to 23). This tightening of the frame time range as resolution increases suggests that the GPU is consistently saturated, with no headroom to produce faster frames. The average FPS figures are the most useful for comparison, but the min and max values indicate that the experience is stable, if slow.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this system depend on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset is the only one that delivers a playable experience, with an average of 49 FPS. This is still below the 60 FPS ideal, but it is within the range that most gamers would consider acceptable for a horror title where atmosphere matters more than twitch reflexes. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 31 FPS, which is a significant drop and may cause noticeable stuttering in fast-moving scenes. High and Ultra at 1080p are not recommended, as they produce 22 FPS and 17 FPS, respectively, which are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 41 FPS. This is playable but not smooth. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 26 FPS, which is borderline. High and Ultra at 1440p are not recommended, with averages of 18 FPS and 15 FPS, respectively. The measured data suggests that users with a 1440p monitor should stick to Low settings to maintain a consistent frame rate, and even then, they will experience occasional dips.

At 4K, no preset is truly playable. The Low preset averages 32 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS minimum that most consider acceptable for a cinematic game. Medium averages 20 FPS, High averages 14 FPS, and Ultra averages 11 FPS. These numbers are all too low for a satisfying experience. Users with a 4K display would need to either reduce the resolution to 1080p or upgrade the GPU. The data clearly shows that the RX 580 is not capable of handling The Medium at 4K, regardless of settings.

The best experience per the measured rows is achieved at 1080p with Low settings, yielding 49 FPS. This configuration provides the highest frame rate and the most consistent gameplay. If a user is willing to accept lower frame rates for better visuals, the Medium preset at 1080p (31 FPS) is the next best option, but the drop of 18 FPS from Low is substantial. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as the frame rates fall below 20 FPS, which will likely cause noticeable judder. The data suggests that this system is best suited for 1080p gaming with reduced settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The CPU’s TDP is 65 W, and it uses the Intel Socket 1851. It has an integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 24EU, but this is not used for gaming when a discrete GPU is present.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 14769, and its single-core score is 2085. In Cinebench R20, it scores 6202 multi-core and 875 single-core. The Passmark multi-thread score is 37816, and the single-thread score is 4516. These figures place it at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46062. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, 0.1% delta), the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, -0.1% delta), and the AMD EPYC 4364P (45970, 0.2% delta). The CPU is clearly not a bottleneck in any gaming scenario.

In The Medium, the CPU’s role is minimal. The game’s split-world mechanic and fixed camera angles are primarily GPU-intensive. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, the system only reaches 49 FPS, which is far below what this CPU could support. The CPU’s 14 cores and 5.00 GHz boost clock are more than sufficient to handle the game’s physics and AI calculations. The bottleneck is entirely on the GPU side, as evidenced by the resolution scaling pattern.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and DDR5 support are also not limiting factors in this game. The RX 580’s 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is the relevant figure for texture streaming and frame buffer access. The CPU’s 24 MB of L3 cache is ample for the game’s data requirements. The data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield significant performance gains, while upgrading the CPU would have no measurable impact on frame rates in this title. The combo rank of 2654 out of 2911 is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s age and performance class, not the CPU’s capabilities.