The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B580 produces a specific performance profile in The Medium, one that is heavily dictated by the GPU. This combination ranks 2191st out of 2911 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower half of the database. This ranking underscores that while the CPU is a powerhouse, the overall experience in this title is anchored by the graphics card's capabilities. The data indicates a system that can handle the game’s atmospheric horror at playable framerates, but only by making deliberate compromises on graphical fidelity, particularly at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 2191 out of 2911 in The Medium, this pairing sits in the 25th percentile of all tested configurations. This is a low ranking that reflects the Arc B580's position as a mid-range graphics solution rather than a top-tier performer. The benchmark results show that the system is not designed for maximum settings or 4K gaming; instead, it appears optimized for 1080p and 1440p gameplay with adjusted presets. The ranking suggests that in the broader ecosystem of tested hardware, this combo will struggle in the most demanding scenarios, but it also implies a level of consistency that makes it a viable option for the game's core experience. The data shows a clear hierarchy: at 1080p, the combo achieves its best performance, while at 4K, it falls below the threshold for smooth, consistent gameplay. The 2911 total combos tested gives context to the 2191 rank, showing that a substantial number of systems outperform it, but it is not at the very bottom of the pile either.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the decisive component in this combo's performance. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a 456.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is sufficient for the textures and assets in The Medium, but the GPU's raw compute power is the limiting factor. The card's base and boost clocks are both set at 2670 MHz, and it features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. The measured results show that the GPU's rendering capabilities dictate the framerate in a way that the CPU does not. For instance, at 1080p with Medium settings, the average FPS is 55, but at 4K with the same settings, it drops to 37. This scaling is a direct result of the GPU's pixel throughput and shading rate. The Arc B580's 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the engine driving these numbers. The data shows that the GPU’s performance is the bottleneck, as the framerate changes are proportional to the resolution and settings changes, which are primarily GPU-bound tasks. The 80 ROPs are responsible for the final pixel output, and their performance is what ultimately caps the frame rate at higher resolutions. The GPU’s percentile of 68 versus all other GPUs in the database places it in the upper-mid range, but within the context of this specific game, its performance is clearly not sufficient for the highest tiers of settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant drop in performance as resolution increases, clearly identifying the GPU as the limiting component. At Medium settings, the average framerate scales from 55 FPS at 1920x1080, to 47 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 37 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 33% reduction in performance from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 21% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The trend is even more pronounced at High settings, where the average FPS falls from 40 at 1080p to 33 at 1440p, and then to 26 at 4K. This pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior. The CPU is not being saturated; instead, the GPU is working harder to fill the increasing number of pixels. The framerate drops are not linear with the pixel count increase, but they are consistent, indicating that the Arc B580 is hitting its limits. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at any given resolution is also steep, with the 4K Ultra preset producing an average of just 21 FPS, a 64% drop from the 58 FPS seen at 4K Low. This scaling behavior suggests that users aiming for 4K will need to use the Low preset to achieve a playable framerate, while 1080p users can afford to use more demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured results provides a detailed picture of the combo's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. With the Low preset, it achieves an average of 88 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 55 FPS, with a minimum of 47 and a maximum of 64, showing a stable frame time. The High preset drops to an average of 40 FPS, while the Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding only 31 FPS on average. Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases across the board. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which remains smooth. The Medium preset averages 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 54. High settings average 33 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 26 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high framerates. The Low preset is the only one that approaches a playable level, with an average of 58 FPS. The Medium preset averages 37 FPS, with a minimum of 31 and a maximum of 42. The High preset drops to 26 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 21 FPS. These numbers show that the 4K resolution is only viable with the lowest settings, and even then, the framerate is not consistently above 60 FPS. The data reveals a clear gradient of performance that is directly tied to the workload placed on the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is an exceptionally powerful processor, but its role in this game is secondary to the GPU. With 24 cores and 24 threads, it has ample processing power for The Medium. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.80 GHz provide high single-threaded performance, which is often important for game logic and physics. The CPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. Its percentile versus all CPUs is 96, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. However, the measured FPS in The Medium clearly shows that this CPU is not the bottleneck. The consistent framerate drops at higher resolutions are a signature of a GPU limitation, not a CPU one. The CPU is likely delivering frames as fast as the GPU can render them, but the GPU's processing speed is the limiting factor. In the nearestRivals comparison, the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX, showing its position at the top of the CPU hierarchy. The 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth ensure that the CPU can feed data to the GPU without causing a stall. In this context, the CPU's power is a surplus; the system is not CPU-bound in any of the tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this combo for a smooth experience?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the most reliable resolution. At Medium settings, it achieves an average of 55 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 88 FPS. Higher resolutions like 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 see significant framerate drops, making 1080p the preferred choice for consistent performance.

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

A: Yes, but with significant limitations. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset reaches a playable average framerate of 58 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 37 FPS, High to 26 FPS, and Ultra to 21 FPS, which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck for this system in The Medium?

A: The Intel Arc B580 GPU is the limiting factor. Evidence for this is the sharp decrease in FPS as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's high benchmark scores and 96th percentile ranking indicate it is not being fully utilized.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003. This is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which has a score of 83807, and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX, which has a score of 83090.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 74 FPS, while the Ultra preset only manages 26 FPS. This represents a 65% performance decrease when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the system maintain consistent framerates, or are there significant drops?

A: The data for the Medium preset shows some variance. At 1080p, the FPS fluctuates between 47 and 64. At 1440p, it fluctuates between 40 and 54. At 4K, it fluctuates between 31 and 42. This indicates that while the average is stable, there are moments of higher and lower demand that cause the framerate to vary.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience is achieved by balancing visual quality with a stable framerate. For users with a 1920x1080 monitor, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it provides a solid average of 55 FPS, with a minimum of 47 FPS, ensuring a mostly smooth experience without the significant visual downgrade of the Low preset. The High preset is also playable at 40 FPS, but the drop below 60 FPS may be noticeable to some users. The Ultra preset at 31 FPS is not recommended for a comfortable experience. For 2560x1440 displays, the Low preset is the only one that offers a consistently high framerate, with an average of 74 FPS. The Medium preset, at 47 FPS, is a compromise that may be acceptable to players who prioritize visual detail, but it carries a risk of occasional stutter. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at this resolution due to their sub-40 FPS averages. At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option, delivering a 58 FPS average. All other presets fall below 40 FPS, which is not a good experience for a horror game that relies on atmosphere and smooth camera movement. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best combination of visual fidelity and performance for this hardware configuration. This preset maintains a framerate above 47 FPS, which is the most consistent playable option across the tested settings. For users who prioritize framerate over visuals, the Low preset at 1440p is a superior alternative, offering a 74 FPS average, which is a significant improvement over the Medium preset's 47 FPS. The key takeaway is that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with moderate settings, and users should avoid the Ultra preset at any resolution, as it consistently results in an average framerate below 32 FPS.