The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination delivers a playable, though not flawless, experience in The Medium, a horror title built around fixed camera angles and heavy atmosphere. The data shows a system that is clearly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The benchmark results indicate a pairing where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides enough headroom to avoid significant frame pacing issues. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, component roles, and what the numbers suggest for players.

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. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz and it boosts up to 5.00 GHz. This CPU sits in the 89th percentile of all processors tested on the benchmark database, indicating it is a high-performing part. In synthetic tests, it scores 14,769 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,085 in single-core, while its Passmark single-thread score is 4,516. The data suggests this is a strong processor for gaming, as its single-core performance is robust enough to handle game logic and draw calls.

In The Medium, the CPU's role is to manage the game's dual-reality mechanic, where two worlds are rendered simultaneously. This is a compute-heavy task that can stress even modern processors. However, the measured FPS data reveals that at lower resolutions, the system's frame rate scales significantly with GPU settings, not CPU settings. For instance, at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 115, while at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 41. This performance delta is far too large to be attributed to CPU limitations, as the CPU would have to handle similar workloads regardless of graphical preset. Therefore, the data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The Core Ultra 5 235 is keeping up with the demand, allowing the GPU to be the limiting factor across all settings and resolutions tested.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 235 shows excellent parity. Its average benchmark score of 46,062 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, a 0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, a -0.1% difference). It also edges out the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 by 0.2%. This means that for this game, any of these CPUs would likely perform within a few frames of each other, reinforcing the idea that the Core Ultra 5 235 is not holding the system back. The 14 threads and 24 MB of shared L3 cache are sufficient for the game's demands, and the lack of a multi-threaded bottleneck is evident in the consistency of the FPS scaling.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a RDNA 3.0 graphics card based on the Navi 32 chip. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1900 MHz, a boost clock of 2459 MHz, and a game clock of 2041 MHz. With 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the card also includes 40 ray accelerators for hardware ray tracing. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 20,974.

The 16 GB VRAM buffer is a significant asset for The Medium, a game known for its high-resolution textures and the simultaneous rendering of two worlds. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the card achieves 48 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 27 FPS. This steep drop suggests that the Ultra preset demands more memory bandwidth and compute power than the card can deliver at that resolution. The GPU's 96 ROPs and 25.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are being saturated by the game's effects and post-processing at higher settings. The fact that the card scores 2,865 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a modern benchmark, indicates it is a capable DirectX 12 performer, but The Medium's specific rendering load proves challenging.

The GPU's nearest rivals highlight its positioning. It is virtually tied with the AMD Radeon R9 370X (a -0.1% difference in average score), but sits 1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9060 and 1.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. This suggests that the RX 7700 is a mid-range card that, while not a top-tier performer, is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The measured FPS confirms this, as the card delivers smooth performance at those resolutions on Medium settings (72 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p). However, the move to 4K exposes its limitations, where it cannot maintain a steady 60 FPS even on Medium. The data implies that the 16 GB of VRAM is not the primary constraint; rather, the raw shader and texture processing power is what limits high-resolution performance.

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

Examining the scaling across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system's bottleneck. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 72 at 1080p, to 61 at 1440p, and down to 48 at 4K. This represents a 15% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 21% drop from 1440p to 4K. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. As the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render multiplies, placing a heavier load on the ROPs and memory system. The CPU's workload remains relatively constant, so the frame rate scales inversely with pixel count.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (115 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) is 74 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (76 FPS) and Ultra (27 FPS) is 49 FPS. While the absolute difference shrinks, the percentage drop from Low to Ultra is steeper at 4K (a 64% reduction) compared to 1080p (a 64% reduction as well). This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive at higher resolutions, further confirming that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU is feeding the GPU fast enough, but the GPU cannot process the increased visual complexity at 4K.

If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain similar across different resolutions, or for the gap between Low and Ultra to be much smaller. The data shows the opposite, with FPS declining consistently as resolution climbs. This is a textbook example of a GPU-limited system. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has enough headroom to handle the game's logic at any resolution, but the AMD Radeon RX 7700's compute and memory bandwidth are exhausted by 4K demands. Players targeting 4K will need to make significant compromises, while 1080p and 1440p users can enjoy the game with much higher fidelity.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 powerful enough for The Medium?*

A: Yes. The CPU's benchmark scores are in the 89th percentile of all processors, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-13900HX and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, with performance deltas of under 0.2%. The FPS scaling across resolutions indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX 7700 have enough VRAM for this game?

A: The card has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The data shows that the card's performance drops significantly at 4K, but this is more likely due to compute limitations rather than VRAM capacity, as even Low settings at 4K only reach 76 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p Medium provides a good balance, with an average FPS of 61 and minimum FPS of 51. 1080p is also excellent, with 72 FPS on Medium and 115 FPS on Low. 4K should be avoided for smooth gameplay, as even Medium only yields 48 FPS.

Q: How does this GPU compare to an RTX 3060 Ti?

A: In terms of average benchmark score, the RX 7700 is 1.7% behind the RTX 3060 Ti. This suggests they are in the same performance class, though the RX 7700 has more VRAM (16 GB vs an unspecified amount for the rival).

Q: Will the game run smoothly on Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, Ultra settings produce an average of 41 FPS, which may be playable but is not ideal for a smooth experience. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 34 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 27 FPS. The data suggests that High or Medium presets are more appropriate for this card.

*Q: Is this system more CPU-bound or GPU-bound in The Medium?*

A: The benchmark results strongly indicate a GPU-bound scenario. The FPS drops by roughly 33% from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings, while the CPU's workload remains constant. This is a classic sign of the GPU being the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo is achieved by prioritizing Medium or High settings over Ultra. The Ultra preset is punishing, causing an average FPS of 41 at 1080p and 34 at 1440p, which is below the threshold for fluid gameplay in a horror title where quick reactions are sometimes necessary. The data shows that the jump from Medium to Ultra costs a significant amount of performance for marginal visual gains in this game.

At 1080p, Medium settings deliver 72 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, with a minimum FPS of 61 ensuring no major stutters. High settings at 1080p yield 51 FPS, which is still playable but less consistent. For players with 1440p monitors, Medium is the clear choice, offering 61 FPS with a minimum of 51. This provides a stable frame rate that is suitable for the game's atmospheric pacing. High at 1440p drops to 43 FPS, which is on the edge of playability.

The Low preset is also a viable option for competitive or highly responsive play, delivering 115 FPS at 1080p and 97 FPS at 1440p. However, the visual compromise is substantial. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot, as it offers a 50% performance increase over High at 1440p (61 vs 43 FPS) while likely retaining most of the visual fidelity. For 4K users, even Low settings only achieve 76 FPS, so it is recommended to stick with 1440p for this game unless the player is willing to accept sub-50 FPS averages. The measured rows show that Medium is the only preset that consistently provides a playable experience across 1080p and 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination. The data is presented as measured, with no interpolation.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 115 FPS. Medium settings yield 72 FPS, with a minimum of 61 and a maximum of 83. High settings average 51 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 41 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down. Low settings average 97 FPS. Medium settings produce 61 FPS, with a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 70. High settings average 43 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 34 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily taxed. Low settings average 76 FPS. Medium settings yield 48 FPS, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 55. High settings average 34 FPS. Ultra settings produce 27 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: each settings tier costs roughly 20-25% of the frame rate at any given resolution. For example, moving from Low to Medium at 1080p reduces the average from 115 to 72 FPS, a 37% drop. The absolute FPS values show that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the performance degradation is uniform across all settings levels.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1307 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the 55th percentile of all systems tested. This is a solid mid-pack ranking, indicating that while the system is not a top-tier performer, it is by no means a weak one. The ranking reflects the fact that the GPU is a mid-range card, as its own percentile ranking is 58th, while the CPU is much higher at 89th percentile.

This ranking suggests that the bottleneck is the GPU, as the system's overall performance is dragged down by the graphics card's limitations at higher resolutions. If this CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo rank would likely be much higher. The data indicates that the CPU is capable of supporting a more powerful graphics card without becoming a bottleneck itself. The 1307th rank of 2911 combos means there are 1604 other tested systems that perform worse, and 1306 that perform better. This is a clear indication that the system is a competent 1080p and 1440p gaming machine, but it is not built for 4K gaming or maximum settings. The combo's rank is directly correlated with the GPU's performance in the game, which is the determining factor for the frame rates achieved.