The Medium

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 desktop processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It runs at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boosts to 5.00 GHz, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This CPU sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested, placing it well above average for gaming workloads.

Benchmark results show this processor is a strong all-rounder. In Cinebench R23, it scores 14,769 in multi-core and 2,085 in single-core. The single-core performance is particularly relevant for The Medium, a horror title that relies heavily on frame pacing and consistent rendering. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,516 further confirms solid per-core capability.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Ultra 5 235 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (0.1% ahead) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.1% behind) in average benchmark score. It also edges out the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 by 0.2% each. This means the CPU is not a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, including this title.

For The Medium, the 14 threads are adequate for the game's engine, which does not appear to scale heavily beyond 8 threads based on the measured results. The high boost clock of 5.00 GHz helps maintain minimum frame rates, as seen in the 1080p Medium setting where the average FPS is 57 with a minimum of 49. The CPU's 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient headroom for this game's data streaming needs.

The data indicates that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU becomes more relevant, as the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 92 FPS average, showing no obvious CPU limitation. Even at 1440p Low with 77 FPS, the processor keeps up. The Ultra 5 235's performance profile suggests it is not the limiting factor in this configuration; the GPU governs the frame rate in most measured scenarios.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is based on the Navi 33 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, manufactured on a 6 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 1720 MHz, a game clock of 2250 MHz, and a boost clock of 2655 MHz. It has 2,048 shading units and 32 ray tracing cores.

This GPU sits in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, which is a mid-range position. Its average benchmark score of 15,171 places it just 0.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM and 0.7% behind the AMD Radeon 680M. It is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 560X (by 0.6%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti (by 0.7%). This makes the RX 7600 a capable 1080p card, but its performance drops significantly at higher resolutions in The Medium.

The 8 GB VRAM is a critical factor in this game. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 22, while at 4K High it is 27. The VRAM capacity appears insufficient for the highest settings at 4K, causing severe frame rate degradation. At 4K Medium, the average improves to 38 FPS, indicating that texture and memory demands are the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is modest for 4K workloads. The measured data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the card handles all settings reasonably well, from 92 FPS at Low to 33 FPS at Ultra. At 1440p, the range is 77 FPS at Low down to 27 FPS at Ultra. The 4K results are the weakest, with only the Low preset achieving a playable 61 FPS average.

The RX 7600's ray tracing cores (32) are present but do not appear to provide a meaningful advantage in this title, as the game's performance is primarily limited by raw rasterization and memory capacity. The GPU's 21.75 TFLOPS FP32 compute is adequate for the game's effects, but the 8 GB memory cap becomes the deciding factor at higher resolutions.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across most resolutions. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 57 FPS average with a minimum of 49 FPS, which is smooth for a horror game that benefits from consistent frame pacing. The High preset at 1080p drops to 41 FPS, while Ultra falls to 33 FPS — both are playable but less fluid.

At 1440p, the Medium preset provides 48 FPS average with a minimum of 41 FPS. This is the recommended choice for this resolution, as High drops to 35 FPS and Ultra to 27 FPS, which may feel stuttery during intense scenes. The Low preset at 1440p reaches 77 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant for a game that relies on atmosphere and lighting.

For 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset yields 38 FPS average with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that approaches playability, though it requires some tolerance for frame rate dips. The Low preset at 4K achieves 61 FPS, which is smooth, but the visual downgrade is substantial. The High and Ultra presets at 4K (27 and 22 FPS respectively) are not recommended for a playable experience.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo in The Medium. At 1080p, it maintains 57 FPS, which is 39% higher than High and 73% higher than Ultra. At 1440p, the Medium preset's 48 FPS is 37% above High and 78% above Ultra. At 4K, the Medium preset's 38 FPS is 41% above High and 73% above Ultra.

For players prioritizing smoothness, the Low preset at 1080p (92 FPS) or 1440p (77 FPS) provides the most headroom, but the Medium preset offers the best visual fidelity without sacrificing minimum frame rates below 40 FPS at any resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2,571 out of 3,724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the lower third of all configurations, which is consistent with the GPU's mid-range position in the overall benchmark hierarchy.

The rank is primarily driven by the GPU's performance ceiling. While the CPU is in the 89th percentile, the GPU is only in the 57th percentile, meaning the overall combo performance is heavily weighted toward the graphics card in this title. The measured FPS data confirms this: the CPU can easily keep up, but the GPU struggles at higher resolutions.

Relative to other combos, this ranking indicates that many configurations with stronger GPUs will outperform this setup in The Medium. The combo's performance is competitive at 1080p, where it achieves a solid 57 FPS at Medium settings, but falls behind at 4K where the 8 GB VRAM becomes a limiting factor.

The rank of 2,571 out of 3,724 means that approximately 69% of tested combos perform better in this game. This is not surprising given the RX 7600's mid-tier status and the game's demanding nature at higher resolutions. However, the combo does outperform its raw component scores suggest, thanks to the CPU's strong single-thread performance that helps maintain frame consistency.

For users with this setup, the data suggests that targeting 1080p or 1440p with Medium settings is the optimal use case. Pushing to 4K will result in a subpar experience compared to other combos in the database, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra average of 22 FPS being among the lower scores for this resolution.

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

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Medium?

A: Based on measured FPS, 1080p is the best resolution. At Medium settings, it achieves 57 FPS average with a minimum of 49 FPS, which is the highest playable frame rate with balanced visuals.

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

A: Only at Low settings (61 FPS average) or Medium settings (38 FPS average with a 32 FPS minimum). High and Ultra at 4K deliver 27 and 22 FPS respectively, which are not smooth enough for a responsive experience.

Q: How does the RX 7600 compare to its nearest GPU rival?

A: The RX 7600 has an average benchmark score of 15,171, which is 0.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM and 0.7% behind the AMD Radeon 680M. It is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 560X and 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in The Medium?

A: No. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores 4,516 in PassMark single-thread and 14,769 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, placing it in the 89th percentile. The measured FPS drops at higher resolutions align with GPU limitations, not CPU constraints.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium is 41 FPS, with an average of 48 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS. This is the lowest minimum among the playable settings at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2,571 out of 3,724 combos in The Medium. The GPU's 57th percentile position (average score 15,171) is the primary factor limiting the overall ranking.

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

The measured FPS data for this combo in The Medium covers three resolutions and four settings presets. All values are measured averages unless noted otherwise.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 92 FPS average
• Medium: 57 FPS average, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS
• High: 41 FPS average
• Ultra: 33 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo delivers a strong range of performance. The Low preset at 92 FPS is exceptionally smooth, while the Medium preset's 57 FPS with a 49 FPS minimum ensures consistent gameplay. The High preset at 41 FPS is playable but shows a significant drop from Medium, and Ultra at 33 FPS is the weakest option.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 77 FPS average
• Medium: 48 FPS average, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 27 FPS average

At 1440p, the performance scales down predictably. The Low preset at 77 FPS remains excellent. The Medium preset at 48 FPS is the best balanced option, maintaining a 41 FPS minimum. High at 35 FPS and Ultra at 27 FPS are increasingly less fluid, with Ultra approaching the lower threshold of playability.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 61 FPS average
• Medium: 38 FPS average, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS
• High: 27 FPS average
• Ultra: 22 FPS average

At 4K, the combo struggles with higher settings. The Low preset at 61 FPS is the only smooth option. The Medium preset at 38 FPS has a minimum of 32 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter in scenes with heavy effects. High at 27 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are not recommended for a comfortable gaming experience.

The data reveals a clear trend: the Medium preset provides the most consistent frame times across all resolutions, with minimum FPS values that remain above 30 at 4K and above 40 at 1080p and 1440p. The gap between Medium and High is substantial, with High averaging 28% lower FPS at 1080p, 27% lower at 1440p, and 29% lower at 4K. This suggests that the Medium preset's visual settings avoid the most demanding effects that disproportionately impact performance.