The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly unusual performance profile for running The Medium. The CPU is a top-tier desktop processor, while the GPU is an integrated-class part aimed at low-power mobile or embedded scenarios. The recorded data shows that the combination fails to reach the 60 FPS playable threshold at every tested resolution and preset, making the overall experience severely constrained by the graphics component.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database groups the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X with other high-end server and desktop processors based on its average benchmark score of 57,498. The closest rivals are the AMD EPYC 9015 with an average score of 57,555 (0.1% faster), the AMD EPYC 7313 at 57,399 (0.2% slower), the Intel Core i9-14900 at 58,115 (1.1% faster), and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M at 58,323 (1.4% faster). For pure CPU compute, these four parts would deliver nearly identical performance in The Medium, meaning the processor is not the limiting factor in this pairing.

On the GPU side, the Intel Arc B390 scores 1,482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. This puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating very low graphics capability. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (score 1,463, 1.3% slower), the GeForce 800M (score 1,460, 1.5% slower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1,446, 2.5% slower), and the GeForce GT 710 (score 1,443, 2.7% slower). In terms of raw 3D performance, any of these four GPUs would behave almost identically to the Arc B390. The difference between the fastest and slowest of these rivals is only about 2.7%, so swapping the Arc B390 for any of them would not meaningfully change frame rates in The Medium.

Because the CPU and GPU are so far apart in capability, the database suggests that nearby system configurations would be those pairing a very fast modern processor with a very weak legacy GPU. The CPU would handle all scene logic, while the GPU would bottleneck every frame. Users considering this combo should expect the same sub-60 FPS experience across all settings, regardless of which of the five comparable GPUs is installed.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 1080p with Low settings?

A: No. The recorded average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold defined by the database. The verdict by resolution lists no playable settings for 1920x1080.

Q: What is the strongest preset that stays above 60 FPS at any resolution?

A: There is none. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 34 at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the best average is 43 at Low. At 1920x1080, the best average is 51 at Low. Every preset, including Low, falls short of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 57,498. The AMD EPYC 9015 scores 57,555 (0.1% higher), the AMD EPYC 7313 scores 57,399 (0.2% lower), the Intel Core i9-14900 scores 58,115 (1.1% higher), and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M scores 58,323 (1.4% higher). All are within 1.4% of the 9900X.

Q: What GPU performance level does the Intel Arc B390 represent?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1,463, which is 1.3% lower. The GeForce GT 710 is the slowest comparable part at 1,443, 2.7% lower than the Arc B390.

Q: Is there any resolution where the Medium preset reaches 60 FPS?

A: No. The data for 3840x2160 shows averages from 12 FPS at Ultra to 34 FPS at Low. At 2560x1440, averages range from 15 FPS at Ultra to 43 FPS at Low. At 1920x1080, averages range from 18 FPS at Ultra to 51 FPS at Low. None of the twelve tested configurations reaches 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best case scenario for frame rates?

A: The highest recorded average is 51 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The lowest average is 12 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The minimum FPS recorded anywhere is 18 at 3840x2160 Medium, and the maximum is 37 at 1920x1080 Medium.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that the GPU dominates the performance ceiling in every configuration. Across all three resolutions, the frame rate scales heavily with graphical settings rather than with resolution changes, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 33 FPS (51 versus 18). At 2560x1440, the same setting change yields 28 FPS (43 versus 15). At 3840x2160, it yields 22 FPS (34 versus 12). These setting-based gaps dwarf the resolution-based gaps.

For example, moving from 1920x1080 Low (51 FPS) to 2560x1440 Low (43 FPS) costs 8 FPS, a 15.7% drop. Moving from 2560x1440 Low to 3840x2160 Low (34 FPS) costs another 9 FPS, a 20.9% drop. The GPU's limited pixel throughput becomes more apparent as pixel count rises, but the absolute numbers remain low at every step.

The CPU's role is difficult to isolate because the GPU never allows high frame rates. The Ryzen 9 9900X has 12 cores, 24 threads, and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, but The Medium's rendering demands are not met by the Arc B390. The database's CPU benchmark scores (e.g., 32,172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) confirm the processor is far more capable than what the GPU can feed. In practical terms, the CPU is likely idle-waiting for the GPU at all times. The verdict is clear: the GPU determines everything, and the CPU contributes almost nothing to the final FPS numbers.

The Verdict

This system cannot run The Medium at the 60 FPS playable threshold at any resolution or preset. The database's verdict by resolution lists no playable settings for 3840x2160, 2560x1440, or 1920x1080. The best average FPS is 51 at 1920x1080 Low, which is 9 FPS short of the threshold.

At 3840x2160, the highest average is 34 FPS (Low), and the lowest is 12 FPS (Ultra). At 2560x1440, the highest average is 43 FPS (Low), and the lowest is 15 FPS (Ultra). At 1920x1080, the highest average is 51 FPS (Low), and the lowest is 18 FPS (Ultra). No combination of resolution and settings reaches 60 FPS. Users seeking a playable experience would need to replace the Intel Arc B390 with a substantially more powerful GPU, as the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the data shows four settings. High produces an average of 15 FPS. Low produces an average of 34 FPS. Medium produces an average of 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 24. Ultra produces an average of 12 FPS. The spread from best to worst is 22 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the same four settings are recorded. High averages 19 FPS. Low averages 43 FPS. Medium averages 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31. Ultra averages 15 FPS. The spread is 28 FPS.

At 1920x1080, High averages 23 FPS. Low averages 51 FPS. Medium averages 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37. Ultra averages 18 FPS. The spread is 33 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: Low settings always provide the highest average, followed by Medium, then High, then Ultra. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, indicating the database captured a full frame-time window for those runs. The lack of min/max for other presets suggests those runs were capped or the data was averaged only.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and Intel Arc B390 combo ranks 3,314 out of 3,724 tested combinations for The Medium. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems in the database. The rank reflects the GPU's severe limitation: the Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU sits in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. The combination of a very strong processor and a very weak graphics part results in a system that is far below average for this game.

For context, the CPU's nearest rivals (all within 1.4% in average score) would not change the ranking if swapped in, because the bottleneck is the GPU. Likewise, swapping the Arc B390 for any of its four nearest GPU rivals (all within 2.7%) would produce nearly identical rankings. The 3,314th position is essentially a GPU-driven result, and the CPU's high percentile does little to lift the combo's standing.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, no preset maintains 60 FPS. The best average is 34 FPS at Low settings, but that fails the threshold. The database's verdict field confirms there is no best settings entry for this resolution, as all settings fall below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the same situation applies. Low settings yield 43 FPS, which is the highest average, but it is still 17 FPS short of the playable threshold. No preset is viable.

At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 51 FPS, the highest average in the entire dataset. However, this is 9 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. There is no playable preset at any resolution. The database lists no best settings for any of the three resolutions, confirming that the system cannot achieve the target frame rate under any tested configuration. Users would have to lower the resolution below 1920x1080 or reduce graphical fidelity beyond the Low preset to approach 60 FPS, but the data does not include such tests.