The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a specific performance profile in The Medium, a horror title known for its fixed-camera angles and dual-reality rendering. The data shows a system that can handle the game, but with significant limitations at higher settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) reveal a clear pattern: this combo is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher presets, while the CPU appears sufficient to push frame rates when the load is reduced.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination is straightforward, with no minimum or maximum frame times recorded, only averages. At 3840x2160, the results are starkly tiered. With Low settings, the system achieves an average of 60.8 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. Moving to Medium drops the average to 39 FPS, a significant 35.8% reduction. High settings yield 25.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 21.2 FPS, making both essentially unplayable for smooth gameplay. The gap between Low and the next step up is massive, suggesting the Intel Arc B580's 12 GB memory and 192-bit bus are overwhelmed by the higher fidelity textures and effects at 4K.

Stepping down to 2560x1440 improves the situation, but the same relative pattern holds. Low settings produce a comfortable average of 73.7 FPS. Medium settings drop to exactly 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings average 34.2 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26.2 FPS. The data indicates that at 1440p, the system has headroom only at the absolute lowest preset. The jump from Low to Medium is a 34.9% performance loss, again highlighting the GPU's struggle with increased graphical complexity.

At 1920x1080, the combo performs best, but the pattern remains. Low settings deliver an average of 88.5 FPS, offering a smooth experience. Medium settings average 55.8 FPS, just missing the 60 FPS target. High settings average 40.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 30.7 FPS. The performance delta between Low and Medium at 1080p is 36.9%, which is consistent with the other resolutions. This consistency suggests that the bottleneck is not the CPU, but rather the graphics card's raw throughput and memory bandwidth when handling the game’s rendering demands at higher presets. The data shows no scenario where High or Ultra settings are viable at any resolution, as even the best case at 1080p High is 19.2 FPS short of the playable threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of tested systems, this combination ranks 2770 out of 3724 combos for The Medium. This places it in the lower 25.6% of all tested configurations. The percentile ranking of the individual components offers insight into this overall position. The Ryzen 7 5700 sits in the 78th percentile among all CPUs tested, indicating strong processing power. In contrast, the Intel Arc B580 is in the 68th percentile among GPUs. The combination of a high-performing CPU with a mid-range GPU results in a system that is held back by its graphics solution in this particular game.

The benchmark scores for the components support this analysis. The Ryzen 7 5700's average benchmark score is 25517, while the Arc B580's is 23021. The CPU's strong performance is evident in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20655 and single-core score of 2916. However, the GPU's performance in synthetic tests like 3DMark Steel Nomad (3068) and Passmark G3D (15748) suggests it is a capable, but not top-tier, graphics processor. The game's rank of 2770 out of 3724 reflects that while the CPU is well above average, the overall system performance is dragged down by the GPU's limitations when running The Medium's more demanding presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the benchmark data, several other CPUs and GPUs would behave similarly to this pairing. For the processor, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700's average score of 25517 is closely matched by several rivals. The Intel Xeon D-2752TER scores 25530, a delta of just -0.1%. The AMD Ryzen 5 6600H scores 25550, also a -0.1% delta. The AMD Ryzen 5 7640U scores 25485, a +0.1% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U scores 25446, a +0.3% delta. These processors would offer nearly identical CPU-bound performance in this game, meaning they would not change the system's overall capability in The Medium.

On the graphics side, the Intel Arc B580's average score of 23021 is closely mirrored by a handful of cards. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, a -0.2% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, a +0.6% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, a -0.7% delta, and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, a -1% delta. This is particularly telling: the Arc B580 performs on par with both an older mid-range card (RX 580) and a previous-generation high-end card (RTX 2080) in terms of average benchmark score. The proximity to the RTX 3080, a card with substantially different specifications, indicates that in this benchmark context, the Arc B580 delivers a similar average score. A user swapping the Arc B580 for any of these alternatives could expect nearly the same frame rates in The Medium.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run The Medium is nuanced. The data shows it can, but only under specific conditions. According to the verdict by resolution, at every tested resolution—3840x2160, 2560x1440, and 1920x1080—the only playable setting is Low. The system clears the 60 FPS threshold at Low settings at all three resolutions, with averages of 60.8, 73.7, and 88.5 FPS, respectively. The benchmark results indicate that the system cannot maintain 60 FPS at Medium, High, or Ultra presets at any resolution. The best-case scenario for a smoother visual experience is at 1080p Low, which provides a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. This is not a system for high-fidelity horror; it is a system for playing the game with reduced visual effects to achieve a smooth frame rate. The data is clear: to play The Medium with this hardware, you must prioritize frame rate over visual quality.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings is 60.8, which is just above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings drop to 39 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: What is the highest graphical preset that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Low is the only preset that maintains 60 FPS at 2560x1440. The average FPS at Low is 73.7. The next step up, Medium, averages 48 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 1080p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 88.5, while Ultra averages 30.7 FPS. This represents a performance difference of 57.8 FPS, with Low being significantly faster.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher settings. The CPU has strong benchmark scores, but the GPU's average score and the large performance drops when moving from Low to Medium settings across all resolutions indicate the graphics card cannot handle the increased load.

Q: What is this system's overall rank among tested combos for The Medium?

A: This combination ranks 2770 out of 3724 tested combos. This places it in the lower portion of all tested systems, reflecting the GPU's limitations despite the CPU's above-average performance.

Q: Are there other graphics cards that would perform similarly to the Intel Arc B580 in this game?

A: Yes. Based on average benchmark scores, the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 are closely matched to the Arc B580. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 also has a very similar average score, with a delta of only -0.7%.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data provides a clear directive for the best settings at each resolution, defined as the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS.

• 3840x2160: The only playable setting is Low, which achieves an average of 60.8 FPS. This is the best and only option for a smooth experience at 4K.
• 2560x1440: The best playable setting is Low, with an average of 73.7 FPS. While this provides a solid frame rate, it forgoes all but the most basic visual enhancements.
• 1920x1080: The best playable setting is Low, with an average of 88.5 FPS. This offers the highest frame rate of any resolution and setting, providing a responsive experience. There is no scenario where Medium or higher settings can be used to maintain 60 FPS.