The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and Intel Arc B390 combination delivers playable frame rates in The Medium only at 1080p with Low settings, and even then it narrowly misses the 60 FPS threshold. The recorded data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited, with the Intel Arc B390 operating far below the performance levels required for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions or quality presets. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, the component roles, and how this combo compares to other tested hardware configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the highest preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is none. The best recorded average at 4K is 34 FPS on Low settings, which falls well short of the playable threshold. Medium settings produce 21 FPS, High produces 15 FPS, and Ultra drops to 12 FPS. No preset at this resolution reaches even half of the required 60 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the situation is similar. No settings preset achieves 60 FPS. The highest average is 43 FPS on Low, followed by 27 FPS on Medium, 19 FPS on High, and 15 FPS on Ultra. While Low at 1440p is closer to the threshold than at 4K, it still remains 17 FPS below the playable target.

At 1920x1080, the best recorded average is 51 FPS on Low settings. This is the highest frame rate observed across all tested configurations, yet it still sits 9 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings yield 32 FPS, High yields 23 FPS, and Ultra yields 18 FPS. The data indicates that this combination cannot sustain 60 FPS at any resolution or preset, with the closest approach being 1080p Low.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run The Medium at 60 FPS on 1080p?

A: No. The best recorded average at 1920x1080 is 51 FPS on Low settings, which is 9 FPS below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra produce 32 FPS, 23 FPS, and 18 FPS respectively.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: There is no playable setting at 2560x1440. The highest average FPS at this resolution is 43 on Low, which does not meet the 60 FPS requirement. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall further behind.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 (1.3% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M with 1460 (1.5% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM with 1446 (2.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 with 1443 (2.7% lower). The Arc B390 leads this group by a narrow margin.

Q: What is the performance percentile of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F ranks in the 94th percentile among all CPUs tested in the database. Its average benchmark score is 69996, placing it near the top of the CPU hierarchy.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for this combo at 1080p Medium?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the recorded data shows an average of 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. This is the only preset at 1080p with reported min/max values.

Q: Does the combo rank higher or lower in The Medium compared to other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 3314 out of 3724 tested combinations for this game. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, roughly in the 11th percentile of all tested combos.

How This Combo Ranks

The database records this CPU-GPU pairing at rank 3314 out of 3724 total tested combinations for The Medium. This rank places the combo in the bottom 11% of all tested configurations, indicating that the majority of other hardware pairings deliver better performance in this specific title. The low ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows that no resolution or preset reaches the 60 FPS playable threshold.

The rank reflects the combined effect of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and the Intel Arc B390. The CPU is a high-end processor, ranking in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, but the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, and its benchmark score of 1482 is comparable to entry-level graphics solutions from over a decade ago. This imbalance between a strong CPU and a weak GPU results in a combo rank that is far below what the CPU alone would suggest.

When examining the measured FPS across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: as resolution increases, frame rates drop significantly. At 1080p Low, the average is 51 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 43 FPS. At 4K Low, it falls to 34 FPS. This scaling shows that the GPU is saturated even at the lowest settings, and the CPU has ample headroom that cannot be utilized due to the graphics bottleneck.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F in CPU benchmark scores are the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX with an average score of 69875 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i7-14700KF with 70163 (0.2% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X with 69515 (0.7% lower), and the Intel Core i7-14700K with 69355 (0.9% lower). These processors deliver nearly identical benchmark performance, so swapping the Ryzen 7 9700F for any of these would result in negligible changes to the game's FPS, since the GPU remains the bottleneck.

For the Intel Arc B390, the nearest rivals in GPU benchmark scores are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with 1463 (1.3% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M with 1460 (1.5% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM with 1446 (2.5% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 with 1443 (2.7% lower). These GPUs are all within a few percentage points of the Arc B390's score, meaning they would behave similarly in The Medium. A system using any of these GPUs paired with a comparable CPU would likely produce FPS results within the same range as the measured data, with all of them failing to reach 60 FPS at any resolution.

The practical implication is that the CPU can be swapped among its nearest rivals without meaningful performance changes, but the GPU's performance class is the decisive factor. Upgrading the GPU to a higher-tier model would be required to achieve playable frame rates, as the current GPU class is fundamentally insufficient for this game's demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides average FPS for all tested combinations of resolution and settings, with min and max values available for Medium settings at each resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 34 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS. High settings produce an average of 15 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 12 FPS. The range from Low to Ultra represents a drop of 22 FPS, or roughly a 65% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, the results are: Low settings produce an average of 43 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS. High settings produce an average of 19 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 15 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 28 FPS, which is a 65% reduction.

At 1920x1080, the results are: Low settings produce an average of 51 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. High settings produce an average of 23 FPS. Ultra settings produce an average of 18 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 33 FPS, a 65% reduction.

Across all resolutions, the relative performance scaling between presets is consistent: Low is roughly 60% faster than Medium, Medium is roughly 40% faster than High, and High is roughly 25% faster than Ultra. The min and max values for Medium settings show a spread of about 10 FPS in all cases, indicating stable frame pacing within that preset.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC cannot run The Medium at 60 FPS at any resolution or settings preset. The verdict by resolution confirms that no playable settings exist. At 3840x2160, the highest average is 34 FPS on Low. At 2560x1440, the highest average is 43 FPS on Low. At 1920x1080, the highest average is 51 FPS on Low. All of these values fall below the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

For users who accept lower frame rates, the best experience would be at 1080p with Low settings, where the 51 FPS average is closest to the threshold, though it still exhibits noticeable dips below 60 FPS. At 1440p Low, the 43 FPS average would be smoother than 4K but still below the target. At 4K, even Low settings produce only 34 FPS, which would feel sluggish for a horror game that relies on atmosphere and timing.

The minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings highlight the variability: at 1080p, the minimum is 27 FPS, at 1440p it is 23 FPS, and at 4K it is 18 FPS. These minimums indicate that even the average scores overstate the playability, as frame drops can be substantial. The conclusion is that this combination is unsuitable for The Medium at the standard 60 FPS target, and users would need to consider a different GPU to achieve playable performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data reveals that the Intel Arc B390 is the dominant bottleneck in this pairing. The GPU's benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU's score of 69996 places it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. This massive disparity means that the CPU is never the limiting factor in this game.

Evidence for the GPU bottleneck comes from the resolution scaling. When resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by approximately 16% at Low settings (from 51 to 43 FPS). When resolution increases from 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops by approximately 21% at Low settings (from 43 to 34 FPS). This scaling is consistent with a GPU that is fully saturated at all resolutions, as the workload increases with pixel count.

The settings scaling further confirms the GPU's role. Moving from Low to Ultra at any resolution reduces FPS by approximately 65%. This large drop indicates that the GPU is sensitive to the increased shading, texture, and post-processing demands of higher presets. If the CPU were the bottleneck, raising settings would have a smaller impact on FPS, since the CPU would still be the limiting factor.

The CPU's role is minimal in this game for this combination. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely waiting on the GPU to deliver frames, resulting in low utilization. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is heavily loaded, the CPU has more than enough headroom. The Ryzen 7 9700F's high benchmark scores and 94th percentile ranking suggest it could handle far more demanding graphics workloads if paired with a stronger GPU.

In practical terms, the data shows that upgrading the GPU would yield significant FPS improvements, while upgrading the CPU would provide no measurable benefit for this game. The Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance ceiling, and any analysis of this combo's performance in The Medium must attribute the low frame rates to the graphics component. The CPU's capabilities are effectively wasted in this configuration, as the GPU cannot keep pace even at the lowest settings.