The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that stresses both the CPU and GPU heavily, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 lands in the middle of the pack for tested systems. With a combo rank of 1566 out of 2911 tested combinations, this pairing sits near the 46th percentile, meaning slightly more than half of all tested combos deliver higher frame rates in this game. The data shows a system that is capable but not dominant, with performance heavily dependent on resolution and graphics settings. The RTX 5070, with its 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Core Ultra 9 275HX brings 24 cores and 24 threads with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Together, they produce playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K requires significant settings compromises, as the measured FPS data demonstrates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1566 out of 2911 tested combinations places this system in the lower-middle portion of the database for The Medium. This is not a top-tier pairing for this specific title; the data indicates that many other CPU-GPU combinations achieve higher average frame rates. The percentile position suggests that while the RTX 5070 is a current-generation GPU, The Medium’s demands at higher resolutions and settings are substantial. The CPU, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, performs well in synthetic benchmarks, ranking in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, but its contribution to gaming performance in this title is moderated by the GPU’s capabilities. The GPU itself ranks in the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, which is respectable but not elite. In practical terms, this combo is better suited to 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain higher frame rates, rather than 4K, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system hits 107 FPS average, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 25 FPS average. This wide spread indicates that the combo’s ranking is heavily influenced by the settings and resolution chosen. Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing is neither a standout performer nor a weak one; it sits in a zone where users must tune settings to achieve their target frame rates. The measured FPS values across all resolutions and settings confirm that the combo’s rank reflects a balanced but not exceptional gaming experience in The Medium.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of frame rates in The Medium, especially at higher resolutions. The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory, which is ample for this game’s textures and assets, and a memory bus width of 192 bits delivers 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock is 2325 MHz, with a boost clock of 2512 MHz, and the memory operates at 1750 MHz, or 28 Gbps effective. These specifications translate into measurable performance differences across settings. At 1080p, the GPU’s capabilities are not fully stressed, as the CPU can keep up with the frame rendering demands. The data shows 107 FPS average at Low settings, 67 FPS at Medium, 48 FPS at High, and 38 FPS at Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 69 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s rasterization and shading units are increasingly taxed as settings rise. At 1440p, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers: 90 FPS at Low, 56 FPS at Medium, 40 FPS at High, and 32 FPS at Ultra. The RTX 5070’s 6144 shading units and 80 ROPs handle the workload, but the game’s horror environments, with their fixed camera angles and detailed lighting, require consistent GPU throughput. At 4K, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 are 71 FPS at Low, 44 FPS at Medium, 32 FPS at High, and 25 FPS at Ultra. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient, but the 192-bit bus and the GPU’s raw compute power (30.87 TFLOPS FP32) are not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher settings. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, users would need to rely on Low or Medium settings to stay above 30 FPS, which is a significant compromise. The GPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 29137 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077, place it in the 82nd percentile, but The Medium’s specific engine optimizations or lack thereof, mean that these synthetic results do not always translate to high frame rates at demanding settings. The RTX 5070’s role is clear: it is a strong 1080p and 1440p performer, but at 4K, it falls short of delivering a smooth experience at higher quality presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 25 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data shows that this resolution and settings combination is not viable for a consistent experience.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in The Medium?

A: The highest average FPS is 107 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This indicates that the combo can handle competitive frame rates when graphics demands are minimized.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the GPU is the limiting factor. The data shows average FPS ranging from 32 FPS at Ultra to 90 FPS at Low, which is a wider variance than what would be seen if the CPU were the bottleneck. The GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints at this resolution.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 48 FPS, with an average of 56 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. This shows that the combo can maintain playable frame rates but with occasional dips.

Q: How does the RTX 5070’s memory configuration affect performance?

A: The RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is sufficient for The Medium at all tested settings, as no VRAM capacity issues are indicated. The memory bandwidth does contribute to the GPU’s overall throughput, but the primary performance constraints come from the GPU’s compute capabilities at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in The Medium covers three resolutions and four settings levels, providing a comprehensive view of performance. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 107, which is the highest across all tests. Medium settings drop the average to 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 77 FPS. High settings yield an average of 48 FPS, and Ultra settings reduce the average to 38 FPS. This progression shows a steady decline as settings increase, with a 69 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings produce an average of 90 FPS, Medium settings yield 56 FPS (minimum 48, maximum 65), High settings average 40 FPS, and Ultra settings average 32 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 58 FPS, which is slightly less than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor. At 3840x2160, the highest resolution, the frame rates take a significant hit. Low settings average 71 FPS, Medium settings average 44 FPS (minimum 37, maximum 51), High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra settings average 25 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 46 FPS, but the absolute numbers are much lower. The data shows that at 4K, only Low settings approach a smooth 60 FPS experience, while Medium settings hover around 44 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. High and Ultra settings are below 32 FPS, which may cause noticeable stuttering in a horror game where atmosphere and pacing are important. The Medium settings at 1080p and 1440p offer the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, with 67 FPS and 56 FPS averages respectively. For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, Low settings at 1080p or 1440p provide the headroom needed for a consistently smooth experience. The data also shows that the combo’s performance is predictable, with no anomalies or unexpected spikes, suggesting stable hardware behavior across all tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals how this combo’s performance degrades as pixel count increases. At 1080p with Medium settings, the average FPS is 67. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average drops to 56 FPS, a decrease of 11 FPS or roughly 16%. At 4K with Medium settings, the average falls to 44 FPS, which is 23 FPS lower than 1080p and 12 FPS lower than 1440p. This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the dominant limiting component, as the CPU has sufficient headroom to handle the increased render workload. The Core Ultra 9 275HX, with its 24 cores and 36 MB of L3 cache, is more than capable of feeding the GPU at these resolutions. The data supports this conclusion: at 1080p Low, the system hits 107 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would stress the CPU in many games, but here the GPU is still the bottleneck. At 4K Low, the average is 71 FPS, which is a 36 FPS drop from 1080p Low. This 34% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute throughput are being fully utilized. The RTX 5070’s 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth is not sufficient to maintain the same frame rates at 4K, even with lower graphics settings. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep. At Medium settings, the drop from 56 FPS to 44 FPS is 12 FPS, a 21% reduction. At High settings, the drop is from 40 FPS to 32 FPS, an 8 FPS or 20% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 32 FPS to 25 FPS, a 7 FPS or 22% reduction. These consistent percentage drops across settings indicate that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the workload scales with pixel count. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate differences between resolutions are proportional to the GPU’s fill rate and shading capabilities. For users with this combo, the data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for high refresh rates, 1440p is viable for medium-to-high settings, and 4K is only playable at Low settings. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that the RTX 5070 is a mid-range GPU that cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K in The Medium, regardless of the CPU’s strength.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a high-end mobile processor, but in The Medium, its role is secondary to the GPU. The CPU has 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process and features 36 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications place it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 67469. In synthetic tests, it performs strongly, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589 and a single-core score of 2204. However, The Medium’s frame rates are not primarily limited by the CPU, as the measured FPS data shows. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 107 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would typically require a capable CPU. The fact that the combo reaches this level indicates that the Core Ultra 9 275HX has sufficient single-thread performance to handle the game’s logic and draw calls. At higher resolutions, the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant, while the GPU’s workload increases. This is reflected in the frame rate scaling: at 4K Ultra, the average is 25 FPS, which is a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s 24 threads are more than enough for The Medium, which is not known for heavy multi-threading. The game’s fixed camera angles and linear progression mean that the CPU does not need to process complex open-world AI or physics, reducing its impact on overall performance. The nearest rivals to the Core Ultra 9 275HX in synthetic benchmarks, such as the Intel Xeon w5-3525 (0.3% faster) and AMD EPYC 4484PX (0.5% faster), have similar average scores, but these are workstation CPUs, not mobile gaming processors. In gaming, the Core Ultra 9 275HX’s boost clock of 5.40 GHz provides strong single-thread performance, which is crucial for maintaining frame times. The data shows that at 1080p, where the CPU is more likely to be a factor, the combo still achieves higher frame rates than at 1440p or 4K, indicating that the CPU is not holding back the GPU. The L3 cache of 36 MB helps with data access, but the game’s requirements are modest. Overall, the CPU role in this combo is to provide a stable foundation without bottlenecking the RTX 5070. The measured FPS across all resolutions and settings demonstrates that the Core Ultra 9 275HX is not the limiting component; the GPU is. For users considering this combo, the CPU’s strength ensures that future games with higher CPU demands will still be handled well, but in The Medium, the GPU’s capabilities dictate the frame rates.