The Medium

The Medium, a horror title with fixed camera angles and heavy atmosphere, presents a demanding workload that stresses both the CPU and GPU. The data for this configuration, pairing the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, reveals a system that is consistently GPU-limited across all tested settings. The benchmark results show a clear hierarchy where the GPU's rendering capabilities dictate the final frame rates, while the CPU provides ample headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck, even at lower resolutions where the graphics workload is lighter.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a TDP of 55 W. This configuration includes 30 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40,642 and a single-core score of 5,737, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 63,173 puts it in a tight competitive group; it is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13790F and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX, while being 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G.

For a game like The Medium, which relies on a fixed-camera perspective rather than sprawling open-world simulation, the demand on the CPU is moderate. The high single-thread performance, evidenced by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5,737, ensures that the game's main logic thread is well-served. The multi-core capability, with a PassMark multithread score of 47,985, is more than sufficient for background tasks and any secondary threads the game may spawn. The benchmark results across the board show that the processor does not become the limiting factor. When comparing the frame rates at 1080p Low (108 FPS) versus 4K Low (72 FPS), the drop is substantial and directly attributable to the GPU's workload, not a CPU limitation. The processor's high boost clock of 5.30 GHz and robust cache hierarchy allow it to feed the GPU efficiently, ensuring that the graphics card is the sole determinant of performance in the measured rows.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 4,608 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. It has 36 ray tracing cores and 144 tensor cores, with a base clock of 1395 MHz and a boost clock of 1695 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Its theoretical compute performance is 15.62 TFLOPS for FP32. In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 19,587 in Passmark G3D and 109,197 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 27,435 places it essentially level with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT (0% delta) and 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, while being 1.1% behind the NVIDIA RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell.

The Medium is a title that heavily taxes the GPU, particularly with its fixed cameras and pre-rendered lighting effects. The data shows that the RTX 4070 Mobile's performance scales directly with the graphics settings. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 108 FPS on Low to 49 FPS on High, a 55% reduction. This trend continues at higher resolutions, where the GPU's memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s and 8 GB VRAM capacity become increasingly stressed. The 4K Ultra setting yields an average of just 25 FPS, indicating that the GPU is fully saturated. The GPU's role is clearly the primary determinant of the experience; the variance in frame rates across settings and resolutions is a direct reflection of its rendering capabilities. The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is a notable factor, as The Medium's high-resolution textures can approach this limit, potentially causing performance dips that are not solely based on compute load.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales with resolution. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 108 FPS at 1080p to 91 FPS at 1440p, a 16% decrease, and then to 72 FPS at 4K, a 33% decrease from the 1440p figure. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at lower settings; the CPU is not holding back performance, allowing the GPU's raw pixel throughput to be the limiting factor. The drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is a 33% reduction, which is significant but not as severe as the drops seen at higher settings.

At High settings, the average frame rates are 49, 41, and 32 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 35%, and the absolute values are much lower than at Low. This indicates that the increased graphical fidelity, including more complex shading and texture work, is heavily taxing the GPU. The most telling data comes from the Medium settings, which is the only preset with recorded minimum and maximum frame rates. At 1080p Medium, the average is 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 78. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 57 FPS (min 49, max 66), and at 4K Medium, it falls to 45 FPS (min 38, max 52). The consistent drop in average FPS as resolution increases, while maintaining a similar gap between minimum and maximum, confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU is capable of maintaining the frame pacing, but it is the GPU's pixel processing and memory bandwidth that dictate the final output.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this configuration?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the data is 108 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX has an average benchmark score of 63,173. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13790F, 0.5% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P185, and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX. It trails the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G by 0.2%.

Q: Is the GPU's performance closer to the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090?

A: The RTX 4070 Mobile's average benchmark score is 27,435. This is exactly 0% different from the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, while it is 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. It is effectively tied with the Radeon RX 6700 XT.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average frame rate at 1080p is 39 FPS. At 4K, it drops to 25 FPS, a 36% reduction in performance.

Q: Does the configuration provide a stable frame rate at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS. The data shows a 17 FPS variance between the minimum and maximum.

Q: How does the GPU's synthetic benchmark percentile compare to its in-game performance?

A: The GPU is in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score. In-game, it is the clear performance limiter, as frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings, indicating that the GPU's workload is the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The configuration of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile is ranked 1,999 out of 3,724 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it is a mid-pack performer for this specific game. The ranking is a direct result of the GPU's performance, as the CPU is not a bottleneck. The data shows that while the CPU is in the 93rd percentile of all processors, the GPU is in the 73rd percentile, and the game's frame rates are primarily determined by the GPU. This rank suggests that for a horror title with high graphical demands like The Medium, this combo provides a playable experience at lower settings, but it will not compete with top-tier desktop configurations. The rank of 1,999 out of 3,724 means that over half of the tested combos deliver higher frame rates, which is consistent with the GPU's mid-range positioning in the synthetic benchmarks.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for this configuration across all tested resolutions and settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Minimum FPS | Maximum FPS |

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

| 3840x2160 | High | 32 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 72 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 45 | 38 | 52 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 25 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 41 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 91 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 57 | 49 | 66 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 32 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 49 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 108 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 68 | 58 | 78 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 39 | - | - |

The data shows a clear progression where lowering the resolution or the settings increases the average FPS. The only preset with complete min/max data is Medium, which shows a consistent 10-14 FPS spread between minimum and maximum across all resolutions. The gap between Low and High settings is substantial, with the High preset producing roughly half the frame rate of Low at every resolution. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Medium is a 37% reduction in FPS, while the jump from Medium to High is a 28% reduction. This indicates that the High preset introduces a significant additional GPU workload compared to Medium.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this configuration depend on the user's performance target. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the only settings that achieve this are 1080p Low (108 FPS) and 1440p Low (91 FPS). The 1080p Medium setting, at 68 FPS, also clears the 60 FPS bar, offering a more balanced visual quality. For users with a 1440p display, the Medium preset is the highest fidelity option that maintains a playable frame rate, averaging 57 FPS, though it dips to 49 FPS in the minimum measured frame. At 4K, the data indicates that only the Low preset (72 FPS) provides a fluid experience, as the Medium preset drops to 45 FPS and the High and Ultra presets fall well below 60 FPS.

The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for this configuration if the goal is consistent performance. At 1080p High, the average is 49 FPS, and at 1080p Ultra, it is 39 FPS. These are playable but will not provide the smoothness of the lower presets. The data shows that the Medium preset provides the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, offering a 68 FPS average at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. Given that the GPU is the limiting factor, users should prioritize lowering graphics settings over resolution to achieve a target frame rate. The Medium preset is the most consistent choice, providing a measurable improvement in frame rate over High (a 39% increase at 1080p) while still offering a significant visual upgrade over Low. For the best experience, 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, delivering a high frame rate with a moderate visual enhancement.