The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title with a heavily layered visual presentation, demonstrates a clear performance curve when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080. The benchmark data reveals a system that is thoroughly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering exceptional frame rates when settings are lowered. This analysis examines the measured FPS across three resolutions and four quality presets, contextualizes the combo's standing among 3,724 tested combinations, and breaks down the specific roles played by the CPU and GPU in producing these results.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and consistent across all tested settings, indicating a classic GPU-limited scenario. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 86 FPS at 1920x1080 to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 19% when moving to 1440p. Scaling further to 3840x2160, the average drops to 57 FPS, which represents a 34% decrease from the 1080p figure. This pattern is mirrored at the Ultra settings, where the 1080p average of 68 FPS drops to 57 FPS at 1440p and further to 45 FPS at 4K. The consistent proportional drop across different presets strongly suggests that the rendering workload is scaling as expected with pixel count, with the GPU being the primary bottleneck.

The Medium preset provides a more granular view, as it is the only setting tier with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values across all resolutions. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average is 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 and a maximum of 138. Moving to 2560x1440 Medium, the average drops to 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 and a maximum of 116. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 79 FPS, with the minimum at 67 and the maximum at 91. The frametime variance, as evidenced by the spread between minimum and maximum, remains relatively consistent across resolutions, with a roughly 36 FPS spread at 1080p, a 30 FPS spread at 1440p, and a 24 FPS spread at 4K. This tightening of the spread at higher resolutions is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the sole limiting factor, smoothing out frame pacing as CPU overhead becomes a smaller fraction of the total frame time.

The Low preset tells a compelling story about the system's headroom. At 1920x1080 Low, the average FPS reaches 191, which drops to 161 at 1440p and 127 at 4K. The fact that even at 4K Low, the system can maintain an average above 120 FPS highlights the sheer capability of the RTX 4080. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows a 33.5% performance reduction, which is nearly identical to the 33.7% reduction seen at High settings. This consistency reinforces the conclusion that the frame rate is almost exclusively tied to the pixel processing workload and not to any other variable.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of the entire database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 173 out of 3,724 tested combos. This places the system in the top 4.7% of all configurations tested. This ranking considers the full breadth of hardware pairings, including those with newer and more expensive components, which makes this standing particularly notable for a system built around a previous-generation GPU.

The percentile data for the individual components further illuminates this result. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is placed at the 96th percentile when compared against all CPUs, indicating that it is among the top 4% of all processors in the database. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, on the other hand, sits at the 86th percentile against all GPUs. The combo's overall rank of 173 is slightly worse than the CPU's individual percentile would suggest, which is a logical consequence of the GPU's slightly lower relative standing. The system's overall position is likely constrained by the GPU's performance ceiling in this particular title, which is not unexpected given that the game was released in 2021 and may not fully utilize the latest architectural features of either component.

The ranking also highlights that while the CPU is a top-tier performer, its advantage over the next closest data point is marginal. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is only 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's average score of 83,807. The margin over the other nearest rivals is similarly slight, with the AMD EPYC 4584PX at 83,090 (1.1% behind) and the AMD EPYC 9135 at 82,980 (1.2% behind). The only rival that scores higher is the AMD EPYC 7F72, which has an average score of 85,072, putting it 1.3% ahead. This data shows that in synthetic CPU benchmarks, the 290K Plus is essentially tied with its nearest competitor, meaning the difference in game performance will be minimal.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the primary driver of performance in The Medium for this system. The GPU's architecture and specifications are well-suited for the title's demands, and the measured frame rates reflect a component that is being pushed to its limits at higher detail settings. The RTX 4080 features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, which provides a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This is a critical metric for a game like The Medium, which is known for rendering two worlds simultaneously during its core mechanic. The ability to stream textures and geometry for two complete scenes requires substantial memory bandwidth, and the 716.8 GB/s figure is clearly sufficient, as no performance anomalies are observed in the data.

The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor. The base clock is listed at 2205 MHz, with a boost clock of 2505 MHz. The measured performance shows that the GPU can sustain high core clocks, as evidenced by the 4K Medium result of 79 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 45 FPS, which is a substantial workload. This is where the GPU's compute power, rated at 48.74 TFLOPS FP32, becomes a limiting factor. The game's rendering features, which are enabled at the Ultra preset, are clearly demanding enough to bring the RTX 4080 to its knees at 4K, resulting in a sub-60 FPS average.

The RTX 4080's benchmarks show it is a very powerful GPU. The Passmark G3D score is 34,457, which places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has an average score of 54,209, which is only 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080's average score of 54,247. This suggests that in synthetic tests, the two cards are near-identical, though the game performance data shows the 4080 is able to produce very playable frame rates. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 further confirms the GPU's strong rasterization capabilities. The GPU's launch MSRP is 1,199 USD. The GPU's role in this combo is to be the primary bottleneck at high resolution and settings, while the CPU provides ample headroom to ensure the GPU is never starved of data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. The data shows a clear hierarchy, where lower settings and lower resolutions yield higher frame rates.

At 1920x1080, the system is capable of extremely high frame rates. The Low setting produces an average of 191 FPS. Moving to the Medium setting, the average drops to 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS. The High setting produces an average of 86 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1080p yields an average of 68 FPS. This data indicates that even with all settings maxed at 1080p, the system maintains a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold, but the jump from Medium to High is significant, a 34 FPS drop, and from High to Ultra is another 18 FPS drop.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low setting produces an average of 161 FPS. The Medium setting yields an average of 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 116 FPS. The High setting produces an average of 72 FPS. The Ultra setting at this resolution matches the 1080p High setting at 57 FPS. The 1440p resolution is the sweet spot for High settings, as it maintains a 72 FPS average, but that number is not far from the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes increasingly demanding. The Low setting produces an average of 127 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. The Medium setting yields an average of 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS. The High setting drops to an average of 57 FPS. The Ultra setting produces an average of 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and indicates that the Ultra preset is not optimal for 4K with this hardware. The data shows that the step from Medium to High at 4K is a 22 FPS drop, and from High to Ultra is a 12 FPS drop.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo at 4K?

A: The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 127 FPS, which is achieved at the Low settings preset. At the Medium preset, the average is 79 FPS.

Q: Is the system capable of 60 FPS at 4K with High settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 57 FPS. This falls just short of a stable 60 FPS target. To achieve a 60+ FPS average at 4K, the user must select the Medium settings preset, which yields 79 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Medium and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 101 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields an average of 57 FPS. This represents a 44 FPS difference, or a 43.6% reduction in average frame rate when switching from Medium to Ultra.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the Low setting at 1080p and the Low setting at 4K?

A: The Low setting at 1920x1080 produces an average of 191 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low setting produces an average of 127 FPS. The difference is 64 FPS, indicating a 33.5% reduction in performance when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination shows the highest minimum FPS?

A: The highest minimum FPS is recorded at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, where the minimum is 102 FPS. This is the only setting tier with recorded min/max data at all resolutions, but the 1080p Medium record is the highest minimum among those measured values.

Q: How much faster is the Ultra 9 290K Plus compared to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's average score of 83,807. The difference is negligible, making them effectively tied in synthetic performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows that the system has a significant amount of performance headroom at lower resolutions, but becomes GPU-bound at 4K with higher settings.

For a 4K display, the Medium settings preset provides the best balance. The measured average FPS of 79 at 3840x2160 Medium is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the minimum FPS of 67 ensures there are no noticeable drops below a stable level. The High preset at 4K falls to an average of 57 FPS, which is too close to the 60 FPS target to be considered a safe choice. The Ultra preset at 4K yields an average of 45 FPS, which is a significant sacrifice in smoothness and is not recommended. The Low preset at 4K yields a very high 127 FPS average, but the visual quality reduction may not be worthwhile when Medium provides such a strong result.

At 2560x1440, the High settings preset is the recommended choice. It produces an average of 72 FPS, which is comfortable, and the higher visual quality is a notable step up from Medium. The Ultra preset at 1440p produces an average of 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and thus not ideal. The Medium preset at 1440p, with its 101 FPS average, is a great option for users with high refresh rate monitors, but the High preset offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra settings preset is the best choice. The system is powerful enough to maintain an average of 68 FPS at the highest settings. The High preset at 1080p yields 86 FPS, which is also good, but the Ultra preset provides the most complete visual experience. The Medium preset at 1080p is not necessary, as the system can handle the increased load of the Ultra preset without dropping below 60 FPS.

In summary, the data suggests that users with a 4K display should select Medium for the best balance of performance and visual quality. For 1440p, the High preset is optimal, and for 1080p, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core processor with 24 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its massive core count and high clock speeds make it an exceptionally strong CPU, as evidenced by its synthetic benchmark scores. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 51,731, and the single-core score is 7,303. The Passmark multi-thread score is 60,860, with a single-thread score of 4,823. These numbers show that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this configuration.

The role of the CPU in The Medium is to process game logic, physics, and the data feeding the two simultaneous worlds. The high single-thread performance is crucial for these tasks, and the measured frame rates confirm that the CPU is able to keep up with the GPU at all tested settings. The fact that the average FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings indicates that the CPU is never the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system is hitting 191 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that still does not show any significant CPU limitation.

The CPU's performance against its rivals also confirms its capability. The nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, has an average benchmark score of 83,807, which is 0.2% lower than the 290K Plus's score of 84,003. This means the 290K Plus offers a negligible performance advantage over its closest sibling. The data suggests that the CPU is a high-end part, but the GPU is the part that determines the final frame rate in this game, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU is a very strong supporting component that provides the overall system with the necessary compute headroom.