The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 offers a distinct performance profile in The Medium, a horror title that demands a balanced system. This combination, ranking 1479th out of 2911 tested combos, places it in the upper half of the database, but the measured frames per second (FPS) reveal a system that is heavily influenced by the graphics settings and resolution chosen. The data indicates a platform where the GPU’s substantial memory and compute resources are often held back by the older CPU’s architectural limits, especially at lower resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen+ architecture, running on the AM4 socket. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, and it features 16 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of The Medium, a game that heavily utilizes fixed camera angles and complex lighting, the CPU’s role is to manage the game’s simulation and scripted events. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 2600 provides a sufficient, though not exceptional, foundation for this title.

Benchmark results show the processor has a multi-threaded score of 1248 in Cinebench R15 and a single-core score of 157.3 in the same test. Its Geekbench scores are 5648 for multi-core and 1154 for single-core. The CPU’s percentile ranking versus all CPUs is 75, meaning it outperforms a majority of processors in the database. However, its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V and Intel Core i9-11900H, with average scores within 0.5% of the Ryzen 5 2600, indicating that its raw compute power is competitive with much newer mobile and laptop parts, but it lacks the architectural efficiency of those newer designs.

This performance is crucial when looking at the measured FPS. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 94 FPS, but this drops to 51 FPS at High settings. This 43 FPS difference (a 45.7% reduction) is primarily driven by the GPU, but the CPU’s single-thread performance, as indicated by its 157.3 Cinebench R15 score, may become a bottleneck at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster. The fact that the system cannot maintain a locked 60 FPS at 1080p High (averaging 51 FPS) suggests that the CPU’s Zen+ architecture, despite its six cores, struggles to keep up with the game’s draw calls and physics calculations when the GPU is not the primary limiter. The data implies that overclocking the processor, which is unlocked and has a 65W TDP, could potentially improve these 1% low and average FPS figures, but the stock performance is what is measured here.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a modern graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5nm process. It comes equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1900 MHz, with a boost clock of 2459 MHz and a game clock of 2041 MHz. This substantial memory allocation is particularly relevant for The Medium, which is known for rendering two worlds simultaneously.

The GPU’s performance metrics are strong, with a Passmark G3D score of 20974 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2865. Its percentile ranking versus all GPUs is 58, placing it slightly above the median. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (with a delta of -1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (with a delta of -1.7%), indicating that it sits in a competitive performance tier. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant component in this pairing, as it is capable of producing high frame rates when the CPU is not a limiting factor.

The most telling evidence is the FPS scaling across settings. At 4K Ultra, the system averages only 27 FPS, but at 4K Low, it jumps to 76 FPS. This massive 49 FPS swing (a 181% increase) is almost entirely attributed to the GPU’s workload. The RX 7700’s 16 GB of VRAM is a clear asset here, as even at 4K Ultra settings, the card is not likely to run out of memory, allowing the performance to be dictated by compute and shading. The game clock of 2041 MHz provides the raw throughput needed for the complex volumetric effects and high-resolution textures, but the data demonstrates that Ultra settings are too demanding for this card to maintain playable frame rates at 4K. The GPU’s role is therefore one of high potential that is consistently capped by the CPU at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured FPS data, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with frame rate stability. The 1080p Medium preset is the clear winner, delivering an average of 72 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This is the only preset at any resolution that achieves an average above 60 FPS while also maintaining a minimum frame rate that stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 1080p averages 51 FPS, which is playable but not consistently smooth, while the Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS, which is too low for a horror game that relies on atmosphere and reaction time.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is also the most balanced, averaging 61 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. However, the minimum frame rate dips below 60, which might cause noticeable stutters in fast-paced scenes. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 88 FPS, but it sacrifices visual quality that is important for the game’s moody lighting. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, averaging 76 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 48 FPS, which is borderline, and the High preset at 34 FPS is not recommended for a good experience.

Therefore, the data recommends the Medium preset as the baseline for this hardware. It provides the best combination of frame rate and visual detail. For users with a 1080p display, the Medium preset is the definitive choice. For 1440p, it is acceptable, but users may need to accept occasional dips below 60 FPS. The Low preset is reserved for 4K gaming or for those who prioritize frame rate above all else.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1479th out of 2911 total tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the 49th percentile (roughly the middle) of all hardware pairings in the database. This rank is a holistic measure that takes into account performance across all settings and resolutions. The ranking is lower than the individual percentile rankings of the components (CPU at 75 and GPU at 58), which indicates that the pairing is not as effective as the sum of its parts.

This suggests a significant bottleneck is present. The data implies that the Ryzen 5 2600 is holding the RX 7700 back from achieving its full potential. While the GPU sits in the 58th percentile for all GPUs, the combo’s rank of 1479 (out of 2911) suggests that many other pairings with similar or slightly weaker GPUs but stronger CPUs outperform this specific configuration. For example, the GPU’s nearest rival, the RTX 3060 Ti, might score lower in raw GPU benchmarks, but when paired with a modern CPU, it could yield a higher combo rank in this game due to better CPU-GPU load balancing. The 1479th rank is a warning sign that the system is not optimized for The Medium, and the CPU is the primary factor limiting the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data provides a clear picture of the system’s bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 51 at 1080p to 43 at 1440p (a 15.7% decrease) and then to 34 at 4K (a 21% decrease from 1440p). This is a relatively gentle slope, suggesting that the GPU is being stressed but not overwhelmed, and the CPU is still playing a significant role.

However, when we look at the Low settings, the pattern changes. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 94 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 88 FPS (a 6.4% decrease). At 4K Low, it drops to 76 FPS (a 13.6% decrease from 1440p). The small delta between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is highly diagnostic. If the GPU were the sole bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to drop by roughly the pixel count increase (about 78% more pixels for 1440p vs 1080p). Instead, we see only a 6.4% drop. This indicates that at 1080p Low, the CPU is the limiting factor, preventing the GPU from running at full speed.

As the resolution increases to 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 88 to 76 FPS, a 13.6% decrease, which is closer to what we would expect from the pixel count increase (4K has 2.25x the pixels of 1440p, but the drop is only 13.6% due to other memory and bandwidth factors). The data strongly suggests that the Ryzen 5 2600 cannot feed the RX 7700 enough data at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU’s rendering workload becomes the primary limiter. This is a classic sign of a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions that gradually shifts to a GPU bottleneck as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that 1080p with Medium settings is the only configuration that consistently averages above 60 FPS (72 FPS average, 61 FPS minimum). At 1440p Medium, the average is 61 FPS, but the minimum dips to 51 FPS, which is not a guaranteed 60 FPS experience.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 7700 a good match for the Ryzen 5 2600?

A: The combo rank of 1479 out of 2911 suggests it is not an ideal match. The CPU’s performance, particularly its single-thread score of 157.3 in Cinebench R15, limits the GPU’s potential at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the small FPS difference between 1080p Low (94 FPS) and 1440p Low (88 FPS).

Q: How does the 16 GB of VRAM on the RX 7700 affect performance in The Medium?

A: The 16 GB of VRAM is a significant asset. While the frame rates drop to 27 FPS at 4K Ultra, the game does not appear to suffer from texture pop-in or stuttering due to memory swapping, as the performance degrades consistently across settings, indicating compute limits rather than memory limits.

Q: Which settings preset should I avoid?

A: The Ultra preset is the least suitable for this system. At 1080p, it averages 41 FPS, and at 4K, it averages 27 FPS. These frame rates are too low for a smooth experience in a game that requires precise timing.

Q: Based on the data, is this system more CPU-limited or GPU-limited?

A: The system is CPU-limited at lower resolutions and GPU-limited at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU is the bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is the bottleneck. The transition happens between 1440p and 4K, where the scaling becomes more pronounced.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 2600 compare to its closest rivals in terms of overall score?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 21484. Its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 228V, scores 21440, a 0.2% difference. Another rival, the Intel Core i9-11900H, scores 21367, a 0.5% difference. These are all extremely close in raw compute power.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following table details the average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- | :------ | :------ |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 76 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 48 | 40 | 55 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 34 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 27 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 88 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 61 | 51 | 70 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 43 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 34 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 94 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 72 | 61 | 83 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 51 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 41 | - | - |

The data clearly shows a consistent pattern: the Medium preset is the only one that provides a playable frame rate at 1080p and 1440p, while the Low preset is the only option for 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra presets is vast, with the 4K Ultra preset (27 FPS) delivering only 28.7% of the performance of the 1080p Low preset (94 FPS). This highlights the enormous performance cost of the game’s high-end graphical features. The min and max FPS data for the Medium preset also shows a consistent frame time distribution, suggesting a stable experience without major stutters, which is crucial for a game like The Medium.