The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks near the bottom of the database for The Medium, placing 2581st out of 2911 tested combos. This position firmly places the pairing in the bottom 12% of all systems tested, indicating that while the platform is functional, it delivers a subpar experience for this specific horror title. The measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings confirm a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics processor, with the data showing a clear ceiling on performance that the CPU does not appear to hit.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2581 out of 2911 tested systems is a decisive indicator of its standing. This places it well into the lower quartile of all configurations tested, meaning a substantial majority of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher frame rates in The Medium. The ranking reflects the GPU's overall benchmark percentile, which sits at just 9, a figure that places the Intel Arc B390 below nearly all dedicated graphics cards and even many older integrated solutions. This low percentile is the primary driver of the combo's poor in-game ranking.

The CPU, in contrast, is not the bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 3600 holds a 71st percentile ranking among all CPUs, a solid mid-range position that indicates it has ample processing headroom for this title. The disconnect between the CPU's respectable standing and the combo's low rank underscores that the graphics solution is the limiting factor. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a more capable GPU would yield significantly better results, as the processor is clearly not the source of the low frame rates observed.

Looking at the measured data, the performance ceiling is evident. Even at the lowest settings and resolution (1080p Low), the combo manages only 51 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, but it requires the most aggressive graphical compromises. At higher settings or resolutions, the frame rate drops precipitously, confirming that the Arc B390 is struggling to keep up with the demands of the game's fixed camera angles and rendering effects. The CPU's performance metrics, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045, are far above what would be needed to support the frame rates the GPU can produce, further reinforcing the GPU-bound analysis.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best performance this combo can achieve in The Medium?*

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 51 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How much of a performance drop occurs when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 51 FPS at 1920x1080 to 34 FPS at 3840x2160, a decrease of 17 FPS. At High settings, the drop is from 23 FPS at 1080p to 15 FPS at 4K, a decrease of 8 FPS.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor or the Intel Arc B390 graphics card the limiting factor?

A: The data indicates the graphics card is the limiting factor. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking is exceptionally low, while the CPU's 71st percentile ranking is comparatively strong. The frame rates are consistently low regardless of resolution, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the Arc B390 scores 1482. This is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

Q: What is the playable settings recommendation for a smooth experience?

A: Based on the measured data, the only preset that consistently provides a frame rate near or above 30 FPS is Low. At 1080p Low, the average is 51 FPS, and at 1440p Low, it is 43 FPS. The Medium preset only offers 32 FPS at 1080p, which is below the typically desired 60 FPS target.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 3600's performance competitive with other CPUs?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 5 3600's average benchmark score of 17035 is within 0.2% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-1260P and the Intel Core i5-11400. This shows it is a well-balanced mid-range processor.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. As resolution increases, the load on the graphics card intensifies, and the average frame rates fall accordingly, while the CPU's workload remains relatively constant. This is most clearly seen in the Low settings preset, where the average FPS drops from 51 at 1920x1080, to 43 at 2560x1440, and finally to 34 at 3840x2160. This represents a 33% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a significant hit that underscores the GPU's limited processing power.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings, though the absolute drops are smaller at higher presets due to the already low baseline. For example, on the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 23 FPS at 1080p to 19 FPS at 1440p and 15 FPS at 4K. The 8 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K High is less than the 17 FPS difference on Low, but this is because the GPU is already saturated with the graphical workload at 1080p High, leaving little headroom for resolution scaling to have a proportionally larger impact.

This behavior is a clear indicator that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary constraint. If the system were CPU-bound, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the processor would be the limiting factor regardless of the graphical load. Instead, the data shows a strong inverse relationship between resolution and FPS, which is the definitive signature of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU, with its 12 threads and high multi-core scores, is not being taxed by the game at these frame rates, allowing the resolution to be the primary variable affecting performance.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the only viable path to a consistently playable experience is the Low settings preset. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 51 FPS, which is the only configuration in the entire dataset to break the 50 FPS barrier. While this is not ideal for a fast-paced game, it is the most fluid experience this hardware can provide in The Medium. The 1440p Low preset, at 43 FPS, is also a reasonable option for users with higher-resolution monitors who are willing to accept a lower frame rate for increased sharpness.

The Medium preset presents a significant compromise. At 1080p, it produces an average of 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS. This frame rate is on the edge of playability, and the 27 FPS minimum suggests there will be noticeable stutters during more demanding scenes. At 1440p and 4K, the Medium preset drops to 27 FPS and 21 FPS respectively, making it a poor choice for those resolutions. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended, as they produce average frame rates below 24 FPS even at 1080p, rendering the game effectively unplayable.

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data suggests that 1080p Low is the optimal configuration. It provides the highest average frame rate and avoids the sub-30 FPS dips seen in other settings. Users who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness might consider the Medium preset at 1080p, but they will have to tolerate a frame rate that frequently dips below 30 FPS. The data does not support any other preset as a reasonable choice for a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data is as follows:

1920x1080

• Low: Average 51 FPS
• Medium: Average 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 37 FPS
• High: Average 23 FPS
• Ultra: Average 18 FPS

2560x1440

• Low: Average 43 FPS
• Medium: Average 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS
• High: Average 19 FPS
• Ultra: Average 15 FPS

3840x2160

• Low: Average 34 FPS
• Medium: Average 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS
• High: Average 15 FPS
• Ultra: Average 12 FPS

These numbers paint a clear picture of a system that is severely limited by its graphics processor. The step from Low to Medium at any resolution incurs a substantial penalty, with the average frame rate dropping by roughly 37% at 1080p. The step to High and Ultra further compounds this issue, pushing the frame rates into single digits at higher resolutions. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset, such as 27 FPS at 1080p and 18 FPS at 4K, indicate that the experience will not be smooth, with visible hitches during intense graphical sequences.

The data shows no scenario where the combo achieves a 60 FPS average, and the only preset to average above 40 FPS is 1080p Low. Even 1440p Low, which is often a sweet spot for modern hardware, only manages 43 FPS. This indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is fundamentally not suited for this game at higher graphical loads, and users must make significant sacrifices in visual quality to achieve a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. It features 32 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance, scoring 15045 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4605 in 3DMark's 16-thread test. Its single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2124.

These specifications and scores indicate that the Ryzen 5 3600 is more than capable of feeding the Intel Arc B390 with data. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking shows it is a well-above-average processor, and its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-1260P and the Intel Core i5-11400, all within a 0.2% margin. This suggests that the CPU is not a weak link in the system.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. Given that the frame rates are consistently low across all resolutions, it is clear that the CPU is not the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see frame rates that are independent of resolution, as the processor would be working at its maximum capacity regardless of the graphical settings. The data instead shows a strong correlation between resolution and FPS, which is a direct result of the GPU's performance limits. The Ryzen 5 3600 is simply waiting for the Arc B390 to catch up, and its powerful multi-core capabilities are underutilized in this pairing for this particular game.