The Medium

The Steam page "The Medium" is a horror game, and the measured results here come from a test of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card. The data set covers four graphics presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at three resolutions, giving 12 measured average FPS values. The configuration lands as the 173rd best combo out of 3,724 tested, putting it in a high tier of all measured systems.

CPU Role

The processor in this combo is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245, a desktop chip from the Arrow Lake generation. It packs 14 physical cores and 14 threads, meaning no hyperthreading is present. The base clock runs at 3.50 GHz and can boost up to 5.10 GHz. This is an Arrow Lake-S architecture part built on TSMC’s 3 nm process, which helps to keep power consumption to 65 W (the stated TDP). The CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel interface and 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. In the database, this processor scores in the 90th percentile for all CPUs, and its average benchmark score across multiple tests is 48,995. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result is 32,924 pts, while the single-core score sits at 4,648 pts. These numbers show a capable desktop chip, though its nearest rival comparisons are telling: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G averages 49,196 pts (0.4% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 hits 49,228 (0.5% higher), while the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and Intel Core i5-14600K sit slightly below at 48,698 and 48,618. So this CPU is trailing by half a percentage point to 0.8% versus those competitors, but it's firmly in the upper echelon.

In this game, the CPU's role appears limited. At every resolution the measured FPS is high, even at Low settings. At 1080p low, the combo reaches 191 FPS, and at 4K low it still maintains 127 FPS. Such values are typically well above the CPU's threshold, suggesting the chip is not the limiting factor in these runs. The high boost clock and proper memory bandwidth certainly help keep the scene fed, especially at the highest frame rates where the CPU could become a constraint. But the large L3 cache of 24 MB and the efficient process node help the processor drive all logical cores, even if the game may not use all 14.

How This Combo Ranks

When ranked against the entire sample database, this pairing achieves a rank of 173 out of 3,724 combos. That places it in the top decile, though the percentile of the CPU and GPU separately indicate where the strength lies. The CPU's own percentile vs all CPUs is 90, while the GPU sits in the 86th percentile. The combination of two high-end components yields a score that many users would appreciate. The measured FPS numbers are high; only the ultra preset at 4K drops below 45 FPS, and that is still a playable level for a game like The Medium, which is not competitive.

Resolution Scaling

Looking at the average FPS for the Medium preset — the most informative because it is the preset that stacks between Low and High — we see a clear decline with higher resolution. At 3840x2160 (4K), the average is 79 FPS. Lowering to 2560x1440 raises it to 101 FPS, and at 1920x1080 it becomes 120 FPS. At the 4K resolution, there is a group of 57 FPS at High and 45 at Ultra, while Low manages 127 FPS. Comparing the frames to be gained between resolutions is straightforward: the 4K numbers are roughly 60-67% of the 1080p figures across Low, Medium, and High, with the exact ratio varying by preset. This measured drop is indicative of a GPU-limited workload; as the resolution increases, the pixels to be pushed multiply, and the card works harder. The CPU remains largely idle at these settings, because even the 4K ultra 45 average FPS is low enough that the CPU can easily keep up with the game logic.

Measured FPS Breakdown

| Resolution | Package | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|----------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 (4K) | High | 57 | | |

| 3840x2160 (4K) | Low | 127 | | |

| 3840x2160 (4K) | Medium | 79 | 67 | 91 |

| 3840x2160 (4K) | Ultra | 45 | | |

| 2560x1440 | High | 72 | | |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 161 | | |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 101 | 86 | 116 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 57 | | |

| 1920x1080 | High | 86 | | |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 191 | | |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 120 | 102 | 138 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 68 | | |

The Medium's highest detail preset is Ultra, which reduces performance dramatically across all resolutions. For instance, at 1080p the Ultra preset yields 68 FPS, while the Low preset gives 191. At 1440p Ultra gives 57, and at 4K Ultra only 45. The measured data shows to gain a playable experience, a user can choose the Medium preset at 4K for 79 FPS, or set the High at 1440p for 72. The minimum FPS for a few rows is listed only for Medium (67 at 4K, 86 at 1440p, 102 at 1080p), giving evidence of sustained concurrency even at lower frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the graphics adapter here. It's part of the GeForce 40 series, built on TSMC's 5 nm process with the AD103 chip. The board has 16 GB of GDDR6X video memory with a 256-bit bus, offering 716.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The base clock is 2205 MHz and the boost reaches 2505 MHz. With 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 76 RT cores, and 304 tensor cores, the 4080 houses a powerful GPU. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score is 6567, and it achieves a passmark G3D score of 34457. In the GPU rankings, it sits in the 86th percentile of all graphics cards. The nearest rival is the RTX 4080 SUPER (which scores 54209 vs the 4080's average of 54247, a 0.1% difference – the SUPER slightly lower). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is about 1.1% higher, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% lower, and the AMD Radeon 8060S is 2.7% lower. So the 4080 sits close to its successor and is a strong performer in its class.

The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory provides ample space for high-resolution textures, and the advanced features—such as ray tracing cores—are relevant for modern games. In The Medium, the measured FPS at 4K High is 57 average, which is ~45% lower than the 4K Low figure of 127. The decrease from 4K to 1080p is consistent with the GPU being the branch between. The card's boost clock ensures strong pixel rate, and the tensor cores assist in DLSS-like workloads, though that is not directly tested here.

Settings Recommendations

given the measured data, the Medium preset offers the best blend of image quality and performance. At 1920x1080 it hits an average of 120 FPS (102 minimum) and at 1440p still manages 101 FPS. For the 4K output, Medium yields 79 FPS, which is smooth enough for this title. On the other hand, the High preset is also fine at 1080p (86) but drops to 72 at 1440p and 57 at 4K – still playable, but below the 60 FPS line at 4K. The Ultra preset is not recommended at lower resolution: at 1080p it returns 68 FPS, but at 4K it dips to 45, which is a stuttery for a cinematic panic. The Low preset gives very high FPS (191 at 1080p, 161 at 1440p, 127 at 4K) but likely reduces visual fidelity too much.

If the target is a smooth 60 FPS, the Medium preset is the sweet spot at 4K. At 1440p to achieve, one could raise it to High, but that still gives 72 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS at 4K, Medium is the best choice. For 1080p gaming at the absolute highest refresh (like 120 Hz), Medium gives an average of 100, which surpasses 120.

FAQ

Q: Can this system play at 4K smoothly?

A: At the Medium preset, the measured average is 79 FPS, and at High it is 57. Ultra is only 45 FPS, so the Medium or High presets provide playable results at this resolution.

Q: What average FPS does the Low preset give at 2560x1440?

A: The Low preset at 1440p yields an average of 161 FPS, according to the measured data.

Q: How much does the FPS decrease from 1080p to 4K on Medium?

A: The Medium preset goes from 120 FPS at 1920x1080 to 101 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 79 FPS at 3840x2160.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 CPU a bottleneck?

A: The data suggests it is not. Even at 4K Low the value is 127 FPS, and the CPU has 14 cores, a 24 MB L3 cache, and a high boost clock of 5.10 GHz.

Q: What is the lowest recorded average FPS for this combo at any setting?

A: The lowest average FPS is 45 FPS, which occurs in the Ultra setting at 3840x2160 (which is the top preset).

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to the nearest competitor in the database?

A: The overall benchmark score is 54247, which is ​​0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (54209 score), while the other rivals are between 2.6% and 2.7% lower.

---

This report walks through the FPS measurements exactly as stored. The core data indicates a pair of high‑performance components with little headroom left, but the 4K High preset demands a lower resolution or a preset change to hit 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K marks the best compromise between the picture quality build and the consistent frame time. The measured FPS sample size of 12 provides a solid basis for these conclusions, and the combo ranks in the top 173 of 3724 systems.