The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title from 2021, presents a unique challenge for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher settings but capable of delivering high refresh rates when configured appropriately. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and presets, providing a clear picture of what this hardware pair can achieve in this specific title.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 167 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 39 FPS, which is the lowest average frame rate in the measured data set.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 63 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 50 FPS, a difference of 13 FPS.

Q: Does this system maintain a 60 FPS average at 4K?

A: Yes, but only on the Low preset, where it averages 110 FPS. On the Medium preset, it averages 69 FPS, and on High it averages 49 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: For the 1920x1080 Medium preset, the minimum FPS recorded is 88, with a maximum of 120 FPS.

Q: How does this combo's overall ranking in The Medium compare to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 380th out of 2911 tested combinations, placing it in the top 13% of all recorded systems for this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rate in The Medium, especially as resolution and graphical fidelity increase. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a significant asset for this game's detailed textures and fixed-camera environments. The card's boost clock of 2475 MHz and 7168 shading units allow it to handle the game's rendering load, but the data shows that the highest settings can still push it to its limits.

At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The average frame rate of 39 FPS indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER is being overwhelmed by the combination of resolution and maximum graphical effects. This is not a case of the CPU holding the system back; rather, the raw pixel-pushing and shader work required at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings exceeds what the card can deliver for a smooth experience.

The GPU's performance scaling is also telling. Moving from Low to Medium at 4K sees the average FPS drop from 110 to 69, a substantial 41 FPS decline. This suggests that the Medium preset introduces significant graphical effects that heavily tax the GPU. The transition from Medium to High further reduces performance to 49 FPS, and finally to 39 FPS at Ultra. This progressive decline illustrates a linear relationship between settings and GPU load, confirming that the RTX 4070 SUPER's compute and memory resources are the primary bottleneck in this scenario.

The GPU's role is less dominant at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 167 FPS average suggests the GPU is still capable of doing more work, but the frame rate is likely being capped by other factors or the game's engine. However, even at 1080p, the Ultra preset drops the average to 59 FPS, indicating that the GPU's performance ceiling is still a major factor in determining the final frame rate. The data consistently points to the RTX 4070 SUPER as the component that dictates the overall performance envelope in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals a system that is increasingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At the Medium preset, the average frame rate falls from 104 FPS at 1920x1080 to 88 FPS at 2560x1440, a 16 FPS decrease. Moving further up to 3840x2160, the average plummets to 69 FPS, representing a total 35 FPS drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern is a clear indicator that the rendering resolution is the primary stressor.

The same trend is evident on the High preset. The average FPS goes from 75 at 1080p to 63 at 1440p, and finally to 49 at 4K. The percentage-wise, this is a significant reduction in performance as the pixel count increases. The Low preset shows a similar, albeit less steep, curve: 167 FPS at 1080p, 140 FPS at 1440p, and 110 FPS at 4K. Even with the lowest graphical settings, the jump to 4K still reduces the average frame rate by 57 FPS compared to 1080p.

This scaling behavior has a clear implication: the RTX 4070 SUPER's rendering capabilities are the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a much smaller performance delta between resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain relatively constant. Instead, the frame rate drops consistently with every increase in resolution, demonstrating that the GPU is struggling to fill the additional pixels. The 4K Ultra result of 39 FPS is the ultimate proof of this, as it shows the GPU is unable to maintain a playable frame rate when tasked with maximum detail at the highest resolution. The data suggests that for a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo on higher settings, with 4K requiring significant compromises in visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its full potential. The Low preset delivers an exceptional 167 FPS average, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset is still very capable, with an average of 104 FPS and a minimum of 88 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. The High preset yields 75 FPS, which is a solid 60+ FPS experience. The Ultra preset, however, brings the average down to 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset still offers a very high 140 FPS average. The Medium preset provides a strong 88 FPS average, with minimums of 75 FPS. The High preset averages 63 FPS, which is a playable but more demanding experience. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 50 FPS, indicating that even at this resolution, the highest settings are not ideal for a smooth 60 FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed to its limits. The Low preset is the only option that provides a high frame rate, with an average of 110 FPS. The Medium preset drops to a 69 FPS average, which is still playable but shows a significant performance hit. The High preset averages 49 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may be noticeable in gameplay. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with a 39 FPS average, which is likely too low for a comfortable experience in a game that relies on atmosphere and tension.

The Medium preset data is the only one that includes min and max FPS values. At 1080p, the frame rate ranges from 88 to 120 FPS, showing a 32 FPS variance. At 1440p, the range is 75 to 101 FPS, a 26 FPS variance. At 4K, the range is tighter at 59 to 79 FPS, a 20 FPS variance. This suggests that the frame pacing becomes more stable as the resolution increases, likely because the GPU is consistently saturated with work, reducing the impact of scene complexity fluctuations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset is an excellent choice, delivering a 104 FPS average with a minimum of 88 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. The High preset at 75 FPS is also a viable option for those prioritizing visual fidelity, but it comes with a 29 FPS penalty compared to Medium. The Ultra preset should be avoided at 1080p, as it drops below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset remains the best balance, with an 88 FPS average and a 75 FPS minimum. This is a very smooth experience for a horror game. The High preset at 63 FPS is still playable, but it is closer to the 60 FPS line and might experience dips in more complex scenes. The Ultra preset at 50 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience. For users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, the Low preset offers 140 FPS, but the visual quality sacrifice is substantial.

For 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset at 110 FPS is the only way to achieve a very high frame rate, but it severely compromises the game's visuals. The Medium preset, with a 69 FPS average and a 59 FPS minimum, is the recommended choice for 4K. It provides a playable frame rate that is generally above 60 FPS, while still offering a significant improvement in visual quality over Low. The High and Ultra presets at 49 FPS and 39 FPS, respectively, are too demanding for this GPU at 4K and should be avoided.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best overall experience across all three resolutions. It consistently provides an average frame rate at or near the 60 FPS target, with minimums that remain playable. It represents a sweet spot where the RTX 4070 SUPER can maintain good performance without being overwhelmed by the game's highest graphical effects. For a 60 FPS target, Medium at 4K and High at 1440p are the highest settings that can be reliably maintained.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a supporting role in this configuration, as the benchmark results indicate that it is not the primary bottleneck in The Medium. The CPU's specifications are robust, with 14 cores and 14 threads, a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. Its performance in general benchmarks is strong, ranking in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, but the game's frame rates are clearly dictated by the GPU.

The evidence for a GPU bottleneck is the consistent frame rate scaling with resolution. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 167 FPS, which shows the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to maintain a very high frame rate. However, as the resolution increases, the frame rate drops, indicating that the GPU's rendering work is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see the frame rates plateau or drop significantly at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do.

The CPU's single-threaded performance is also relevant for a game like The Medium, which relies on a fixed-camera perspective and may not heavily utilize all 14 cores. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 is strong, suggesting it can handle the game's main game logic and rendering thread without issue. The multi-core score of 14769 also shows it has ample processing power for background tasks and any additional game systems.

The comparison to its nearest rivals further contextualizes its performance. The Core Ultra 5 235's average benchmark score of 46062 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, +0.1%) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, -0.1%). It is also on par with the AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303. This indicates that its processing capabilities are in line with other high-end CPUs, and it is not a weak link. In this game, the CPU provides a solid foundation, but the RTX 4070 SUPER is the component that ultimately determines the playable settings and resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER performs admirably in The Medium. The combo is ranked 380th out of 2911 tested combinations, placing it in the top 13% of all systems. This is a strong showing, indicating that this hardware pairing is well-suited for the game's demands.

The ranking is likely influenced by the GPU's overall performance. The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223 and sits in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262, -0.1%) and the GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (43268, -0.1%). This places the GPU in a competitive tier, but it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy. The combo's rank of 380 reflects that there are 379 other configurations that deliver higher frame rates in this specific title.

The CPU's contribution to this rank is also positive. The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. This ensures that the system has sufficient processing power to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios. The combination of a high-performing CPU and a strong GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for gaming. The 380th rank out of 2911 combos confirms this balance, showing that it outperforms the vast majority of other tested systems. While it is not a top-tier enthusiast build, it is a very capable configuration that delivers a solid gaming experience in The Medium.