The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a robust, high-refresh-rate experience in The Medium, with the data showing a clear progression from playable 4K to exceptional 1080p performance. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings, examines the role of each component, and provides actionable recommendations based on the benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in The Medium?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 190, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This represents the peak performance ceiling for this configuration in the measured data.

Q: Is this combination capable of 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: Yes, it is. At 3840x2160, the combo achieves an average of 56 FPS on High settings and 79 FPS on Medium settings. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold typically desired for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has an average benchmark score of 93785, which is essentially identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786, 0% delta). It trails the AMD EPYC 4564P by 1.5% and the AMD EPYC 9175F by 1.9%.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other GPUs?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 54209 is nearly identical to the standard RTX 4080, which trails by only 0.1%.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most balanced 1440p experience?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 72 FPS, while the Medium preset provides 100 FPS. Given the jump in smoothness, Medium offers a more fluid experience, though High remains fully playable.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1920x1080 yields an average of 190 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 68 FPS. This represents a substantial 122 FPS drop, highlighting the significant GPU load increase from the Ultra settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rates in The Medium, as evidenced by the scaling of scores with resolution and settings. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's asset streaming at high resolutions, as seen in the 4K results.

The GPU's clock speeds are a key factor in its performance. It has a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz. The higher boost clock allows for sustained performance under load, which is critical for maintaining average FPS in a demanding title like The Medium. With 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores, the GPU is well-equipped for the game's rendering requirements, though the data suggests that the Ultra preset at 4K pushes it to its limits.

The benchmark results show the GPU's capability scales predictably. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not the limiting factor, achieving 190 FPS. As settings increase to Ultra, the average FPS drops to 68, indicating the GPU is being taxed more heavily. At 4K Ultra, the average plummets to 45 FPS, confirming that the combination of high resolution and maximum settings creates a workload that the RTX 4080 SUPER cannot handle at 60 FPS. The GPU's performance relative to its peers is strong, with an average benchmark score of 54209, placing it in the 86th percentile and just 0.1% behind the standard RTX 4080.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for The Medium, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER holds a rank of 137 out of 2911 tested combos. This places it in the top 4.7% of all configurations, indicating a very high level of performance. The high rank is a direct result of the synergy between the powerful CPU and GPU, which together are able to produce high frame rates across most tested settings.

The rank of 137 is particularly impressive given the large number of possible combinations. It suggests that this pairing is significantly more capable than the vast majority of systems, making it a high-end choice for playing The Medium. The data confirms that this is not merely a mid-range setup but one that can deliver a premium gaming experience. The only scenarios where the combo falls short of the top-tier performance are at the extreme end of the spectrum, specifically 4K Ultra, where the average FPS drops below 60. Even so, the overall ranking demonstrates that this is a top-tier configuration for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 190 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset produces 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 137 FPS, offering a very smooth experience. High settings yield 85 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 68 FPS. All 1080p presets are comfortably above 60 FPS, making this resolution the most versatile for this combo.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset achieves 160 FPS, and Medium produces 100 FPS (with a min of 85 and max of 115). High settings yield 72 FPS, and Ultra drops to 57 FPS. While the Ultra preset is just below the 60 FPS mark, the other presets offer smooth gameplay, making 1440p a viable option for high-quality visuals.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly. Low settings achieve 126 FPS, and Medium produces 79 FPS (with a min of 67 and max of 90). The High preset yields 56 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset drops to 45 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience. The data shows that 4K gaming is possible with this combo, but it requires a choice between High and Medium settings for the best experience.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is a strong indicator of the GPU being the primary bottleneck. This is a common characteristic for modern games where the rendering load scales with pixel count.

Comparing the Low preset across resolutions, we see a drop from 190 FPS at 1080p to 160 FPS at 1440p, and then to 126 FPS at 4K. This is a decrease of 15.8% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 21.3% from 1440p to 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 33.7%, showing that even at low settings, the resolution increase heavily taxes the GPU.

The scaling is even more pronounced at higher settings. With the High preset, the FPS drops from 85 at 1080p to 72 at 1440p (a 15.3% decrease), and then to 56 at 4K (a 22.2% decrease from 1440p). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 34.1%. This consistent pattern across all settings clearly points to the RTX 4080 SUPER being the limiting component, as the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data at all resolutions. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its 44253 score in Cinebench R23 multicore, ensures that it is not the bottleneck in this scenario.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity.

For 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance, providing 119 FPS with a minimum of 101 FPS. This ensures a very smooth experience with better visual quality than Low. The High preset at 85 FPS is also a good choice for those wanting more visual detail, while the Ultra preset at 68 FPS is still playable and offers the highest fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. It delivers an average of 100 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and has a high minimum of 85 FPS. This provides a fluid and responsive experience. The High preset is a viable alternative for users prioritizing visual quality, but the 72 FPS average is less future-proof for demanding scenes.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the most balanced option. It achieves 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. This offers a playable 4K experience with decent visual settings. The High preset at 56 FPS may be acceptable for slower-paced games, but the risk of frame drops below 60 FPS makes Medium the safer choice for consistent performance. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus plays a supporting but crucial role in this configuration. With 24 cores and 24 threads, it ensures that the system has ample processing power to handle the game's logic and AI, preventing any CPU-related bottlenecks. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz provide high single-threaded performance, which is often critical for game simulation.

The CPU's benchmark scores indicate it is a very powerful processor. It achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 44253 and a single-core score of 2439, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 93785 is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta), showcasing its top-tier performance. This raw processing power is essential for feeding the RTX 4080 SUPER with data, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames very quickly.

In The Medium, the CPU's role is to ensure that the high frame rates seen at 1080p are actually achievable. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 190 FPS, which would not be possible if the CPU were a bottleneck. The CPU's robust multi-threading (24 threads) also helps maintain consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the relatively high minimum FPS values seen in the Medium preset across all resolutions. The CPU's high performance ensures that the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios, allowing users to push graphical settings higher without worrying about CPU-related stuttering.