The Medium

The Medium is a horror game that leans heavily on fixed camera angles and pre-rendered environments, which shifts the performance burden in specific ways. For the pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, the measured data shows a system that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at lower settings, but which begins to show its limits when pushing for maximum visual fidelity at 4K. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, provides specific settings guidance, and contextualizes the combo’s standing against 2,910 other tested configurations.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. It is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP, supporting DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, it demonstrates strong single-thread performance, scoring 4,648 in Cinebench R23 single-core, and a 4,394 in PassMark single-thread tests. Its multi-core results are equally solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,924, placing it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU’s role is less about brute-force physics or massive simulation and more about maintaining a stable frame pipeline. The game’s fixed camera angles mean that the CPU is primarily responsible for feeding draw calls and managing the game’s logic, which can become demanding in scenes with many interactive objects or the game’s signature dual-reality mechanic. The data shows that at 1080p, which is typically the most CPU-bound resolution, the combo achieves 192 FPS on Low settings. This high frame rate indicates that the Ultra 5 245’s single-thread performance is more than adequate to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5080 at lower resolutions.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ultra 5 245 is a well-rounded performer. Its average benchmark score of 48,995 is nearly identical to that of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49,196, a -0.4% difference) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49,228, a -0.5% difference). It slightly edges out the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48,698, a +0.6% difference) and the Intel Core i5-14600K (48,618, a +0.8% difference). These margins are small, meaning that in a game like The Medium, the choice between these CPUs is unlikely to yield a meaningful difference in frame rates, as the GPU will become the limiting factor at higher settings.

The CPU’s 14 threads are sufficient for the game’s threading model. The measured results show a clear scaling from Low to High settings, but the frame rate drop from High to Ultra at 4K is significant, suggesting that the GPU is the primary constraint there. For a game that is not heavily threaded, the Ultra 5 245 provides ample headroom, and its performance in the PassMark physics test (2,569) and integer math (91,187) suggests it can handle the background tasks without introducing stutter.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a massive 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2617 MHz, with memory running at an effective 30 Gbps. Its core configuration includes 10,752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 render output units. It also has 84 ray tracing cores and 336 tensor cores, which are relevant for the game’s use of DX12 Ultimate features.

The RTX 5080’s memory bandwidth and capacity are crucial for The Medium at high resolutions. The game’s detailed textures and the potential for rendering two worlds simultaneously can quickly fill VRAM. The 16 GB capacity ensures that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is not spilling over into system memory, which would cause severe frame drops. The measured frame rates confirm this: at 4K Medium, the combo maintains an average of 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, indicating a stable experience. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 47 FPS, which is the only setting where the game becomes less than smooth.

The GPU’s raw compute power, rated at 56.28 TFLOPS for FP32, is what drives the higher frame rates at lower settings. The data shows a clear linear progression: 192 FPS at 1080p Low, 167 FPS at 1440p Low, and 131 FPS at 4K Low. This scaling suggests that the GPU is not bandwidth-limited at these settings and that the rendering load is the primary factor. The RTX 5080’s percentile ranking of 87th among all GPUs underscores its high-end status. Its nearest rivals show a tight grouping: the AMD Radeon 8060S is 0.6% slower, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 0.7% slower, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 2.3% slower. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is 2.2% faster, which is a notable but not overwhelming margin.

For The Medium, the RTX 5080 provides a definitive experience. It can easily handle 1440p with maximum settings, as evidenced by the 59 FPS average at 1440p Ultra. The transition from High to Ultra at 1440p shows a significant performance cost, dropping from 75 FPS to 59 FPS. This indicates that the Ultra preset includes demanding effects that disproportionately impact the GPU, likely related to ray-traced lighting or reflections.

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

The measured data provides a clear picture of the performance trade-offs across four presets and three resolutions. The goal is to find a setting that delivers a stable, playable frame rate without unnecessary visual sacrifices.

At 4K (3840x2160), the Medium preset is the only option that provides a consistently smooth experience. The average of 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS is well above the 60 FPS target, ensuring no noticeable dips during gameplay. The High preset, at 59 FPS, is borderline, and the lack of a minimum FPS figure makes it a riskier choice for those who prioritize stability. The Ultra preset, at 47 FPS, is not recommended for 4K, as it falls below the threshold for comfortable play. The Low preset, at 131 FPS, is playable but sacrifices too much visual quality for a game that relies on atmosphere and detail.

At 1440p (2560x1440), the High preset is the sweet spot. It averages 75 FPS, which is a solid frame rate for a horror game. The Medium preset, at 104 FPS, is faster and offers a good balance, but the visual jump to High is generally worth the 29 FPS cost, as it likely includes better texture filtering and shadow quality. The Ultra preset, at 59 FPS, is playable but sits right at the edge of the smoothness threshold. For a game like this, where immersion is key, the High preset provides a more stable experience than Ultra, with only a minor visual penalty. The Low preset, at 167 FPS, is overkill for the refresh rates of most monitors and should be avoided.

At 1080p (1920x1080), the High preset, at 89 FPS, is the recommended choice. It provides a high frame rate that is well-suited for a game with slower pacing. The Medium preset, at 124 FPS, is also excellent, but the extra 35 FPS is less beneficial than the visual fidelity gained from High. The Ultra preset, at 70 FPS, is perfectly playable and offers the best image quality, but it does not provide a significant enough advantage over High to justify the 19 FPS drop. The Low preset, at 192 FPS, is only useful for extremely high refresh rate displays, which are not typical for this genre.

The recommendation is to use the Medium preset at 4K, the High preset at 1440p, and the High preset at 1080p. These choices balance visual quality with frame rate stability, ensuring that the game remains immersive without hitting performance lows.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 achieves a rank of 107th out of 2,911 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the top 3.7% of all configurations tested, which is a strong result given the high-end nature of the GPU. The ranking reflects the system’s ability to deliver high frame rates at most settings, with the only exception being 4K Ultra.

This ranking is impressive, but it is important to interpret it correctly. The RTX 5080 is a new, high-end GPU, and its pairing with a mid-range to upper-mid-range CPU like the Ultra 5 245 results in a system that is well-balanced for gaming. The rank indicates that the combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, including those with older flagship GPUs or weaker CPUs. The fact that it ranks 107th suggests that there are 106 combos that perform better, likely featuring even more powerful GPUs like the RTX 5090 or the Radeon RX 9070 XT, or perhaps CPUs with higher single-thread performance.

The data shows that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck in this pairing. If it were, the rank would be lower, as the GPU would be held back. The Ultra 5 245’s performance, while not top-tier, is sufficient to feed the RTX 5080 in most scenarios. The only place where the CPU might limit performance is at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is 192 FPS. This is high enough to suggest that the CPU is still capable, but it is possible that a faster CPU could push this number higher.

Overall, this combo is a strong performer for The Medium, offering a smooth experience at high settings across all resolutions. The rank of 107th out of 2,911 reflects its capability, and it is a pairing that will not disappoint for this title.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: The data shows an average of 47 FPS at 4K Ultra. While this is technically playable, it falls below the 60 FPS threshold for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 4K, which averages 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, is the recommended choice for 4K gaming.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 a bottleneck for the RTX 5080 in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU provides ample performance. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 192 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is not holding back the GPU. The CPU’s single-thread score of 4,648 in Cinebench R23 is strong enough for the game’s logic.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 107th out of 2,911 tested combinations for The Medium. This places it in the top 3.7% of all systems, indicating excellent performance relative to the broader database.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 averages 75 FPS, which is a good balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset averages 59 FPS, which is playable but less stable, while the Medium preset averages 104 FPS but with reduced visual fidelity.

Q: Is 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 5080 sufficient for this game?

A: Yes, the 16 GB of GDDR7 memory is more than enough for The Medium. The game’s textures and dual-reality rendering are demanding, but the 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth ensures that the GPU is not bottlenecked by memory capacity at any tested setting.

Q: Will the game run smoothly on a 1080p monitor with this setup?

A: Yes, absolutely. At 1080p High, the combo averages 89 FPS, and at Medium it averages 124 FPS. Even the Ultra preset, at 70 FPS, provides a smooth experience. The Low preset reaches 192 FPS, which is only useful for very high refresh rate displays.

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

The following table presents the exact measured average frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination in The Medium. Minimum and maximum FPS data is only available for the Medium preset.

3840x2160 (4K)

• High: 59 FPS average
• Low: 131 FPS average
• Medium: 82 FPS average (minimum 70 FPS, maximum 94 FPS)
• Ultra: 47 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• High: 75 FPS average
• Low: 167 FPS average
• Medium: 104 FPS average (minimum 89 FPS, maximum 120 FPS)
• Ultra: 59 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p)

• High: 89 FPS average
• Low: 192 FPS average
• Medium: 124 FPS average (minimum 105 FPS, maximum 143 FPS)
• Ultra: 70 FPS average

The data demonstrates a consistent pattern: the RTX 5080 scales well with resolution, and the Ultra preset incurs a significant performance penalty compared to High. The Medium preset offers the best frame time consistency, as evidenced by the available minimum FPS data, making it the safest choice for preventing stutters in a horror game where smoothness is critical for immersion.