The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile shows a configuration that is clearly limited by its GPU at higher resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that this combo delivers a playable experience primarily at 1080p with adjusted settings, while 4K gaming remains out of reach for smooth frame rates. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, the roles of each component, and how this specific pairing ranks among other tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in The Medium?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, the best playable experience is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves an average of 80 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 1920x1080 with Medium settings delivers a solid 50 FPS average, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 57 FPS.

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

A: No, not at playable frame rates. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 19 on Ultra settings to 53 on Low settings. Even at Low settings, the 53 FPS average is inconsistent, and at Medium settings, the average drops to 33 FPS with a minimum of 28 FPS, indicating a stutter-prone experience.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 Mobile's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5050 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 43268. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, scores 43262, showing a 0% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER scores 43223, putting it 0.1% behind the RTX 5050 Mobile, while the RTX 4090 Mobile is 0.9% ahead with a score of 43667.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H a high-performing CPU in general benchmarks?

A: Yes, the data shows the Core Ultra 7 155H has a percentile rank of 83, meaning it outperforms 83% of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 32697, which is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, which scores 32707.

Q: What is the difference in performance between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium settings preset yields an average of 50 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 42 FPS. This 8 FPS decrease shows that the GPU is being taxed more as the resolution increases, but the game remains playable at both resolutions with this preset.

Q: How many cores and threads does the CPU have for this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H has 16 cores and 22 threads. This high thread count can assist with the game's background tasks and system overhead, but The Medium's performance is shown to be heavily reliant on the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a mobile processor built on the Meteor Lake architecture using a 7 nm process. It features 16 cores and 22 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The CPU has a 24 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. While its TDP is rated at 28 W, the benchmark results show it is a capable processor for gaming, ranking in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to handle the game's logic, physics calculations, and asset streaming. The benchmark data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 155H is more than sufficient for this task, as the performance bottlenecks appear at the GPU level, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance is evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 points and a Passmark multi-thread score of 24873. Its single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1743 points, which is important for games that rely heavily on a single main thread.

Comparing it to its nearest rivals, the CPU's average benchmark score of 32697 places it in a tight pack. It scores virtually identically to the Intel Core i5-14600T (32707, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (32662, 0.1% delta). The performance is also close to the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F (32750, -0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (32812, -0.4% delta). This indicates that the Core Ultra 7 155H offers mid-to-high-end CPU performance that is not a limiting factor in this game. The measured FPS data, which shows significant scaling with resolution and GPU load, further confirms that the CPU is providing ample headroom.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile is a 50-series mobile GPU based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It has 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. The GPU clock speeds are listed with a base of 1020 MHz and a boost of 1500 MHz. It features 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, along with 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. Its compute power is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is a key consideration for The Medium. At 4K resolution with higher settings, the game may require more than 8 GB of memory, which can lead to texture pop-in or stuttering. However, the measured FPS data shows a more direct correlation between resolution and frame rate, pointing to the GPU's raw processing power as the primary constraint. The RTX 5050 Mobile ranks in the 83rd percentile for all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43268.

The benchmark data shows this GPU is a mid-range performer. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, has a nearly identical average score of 43262, a 0% delta. The GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is a close competitor with a score of 43223, which is 0.1% less. Even the high-end RTX 4090 Mobile is only 0.9% ahead with a score of 43667. This shows that in synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5050 Mobile is positioned within a competitive performance tier. In The Medium, this translates to a card that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles significantly at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile combination is ranked 2987 out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the lower portion of the benchmark database, indicating that while it is a functional gaming setup, many other hardware combinations will deliver higher frame rates. The rank is a reflection of the GPU's mid-range positioning and the game's high hardware demands.

This ranking is more indicative of the GPU's performance than the CPU's. The Core Ultra 7 155H's strong benchmark scores suggest it is not a bottleneck. The combo's position is likely pulled down by the RTX 5050 Mobile, which, despite its modern architecture and features, is outclassed by larger, more powerful GPUs that other tested systems might use. The data shows that the RTX 5050 Mobile's closest rivals in the GPU benchmark are older or different-tier cards, which reinforces its position as a mid-pack performer. For a builder, this ranking signals that this combo is suited for mainstream gaming at 1080p, rather than high-refresh-rate or high-resolution gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for The Medium shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. This scaling is critical for understanding where the bottleneck lies. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario.

At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 80 at 1920x1080 to 67 at 2560x1440, and finally to 53 at 3840x2160. This shows a steady decline of 13 FPS and then 14 FPS with each resolution step. A similar pattern is seen at Medium settings, where the average FPS goes from 50 at 1080p, to 42 at 1440p, and down to 33 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 8 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 9 FPS. At High settings, the averages are 36 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K.

This consistent decline across all settings indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would be more similar across resolutions, as the CPU's workload would not change much. The increasing pixel count places a heavier load on the GPU's shading units, ROPs, and memory bandwidth. The RTX 5050 Mobile's 384.0 GB/s of bandwidth and 7.680 TFLOPS of compute power are simply not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The data suggests that for a smooth experience, the resolution must be kept at 1920x1080, or the settings must be lowered to Low at 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides the exact measured frame rates for the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile in The Medium.

At 1920x1080, the performance is the most varied. With Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 80 FPS, making it the only preset to cross the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset yields a solid 50 FPS average, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 57 FPS, providing a playable and relatively smooth experience. High settings drop the average to 36 FPS, which is still playable but will have noticeable dips. The most demanding Ultra preset results in an average of 28 FPS, which is on the edge of playability and will feel choppy.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which remains playable. The Medium preset shows an average of 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, indicating a playable but more inconsistent frame rate. High settings drop to an average of 30 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is largely unplayable at this resolution, with an average of 24 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050 Mobile is clearly overwhelmed. The Low preset manages an average of 53 FPS, but this is the only playable option. The Medium preset drops to an average of 33 FPS, with a minimum of 28 FPS and a maximum of 38 FPS, which will result in significant stuttering. High settings average only 24 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively a slideshow at 19 FPS. The data conclusively shows that 4K gaming with this hardware is not a viable option for The Medium, and users should target 1080p or 1440p with appropriate settings for a proper experience.