The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title released in early 2021, presents a significant challenge for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 combination. The benchmark data shows this pairing ranks 3594th out of 3724 tested combos, placing it in the 4th percentile overall. This is a system that can run the game, but it demands careful settings management to achieve playable frame rates, especially at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, and it communicates with the rest of the system via a dual-channel DDR4 memory bus offering 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The processor features a substantial 32 MB of shared L3 cache, which is beneficial for gaming workloads that rely on rapid data access.

In terms of processing power, the Ryzen 5 3600 is a solid mid-range contender. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and single-core score of 2124 indicate a balanced performance profile. The processor sits at the 71st percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17035. Its nearest rivals, according to the data, include the Intel Core i7-1260P (scoring 17007, a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Core i5-11400 (scoring 17067, a 0.2% difference). This suggests the Ryzen 5 3600 is effectively on par with those popular chips, offering competitive multi-threaded and single-threaded performance for its class.

For The Medium, the CPU’s role is to handle the game’s logic, physics, and the dual-reality rendering system that presents two worlds simultaneously. The 12 threads are sufficient to manage these tasks without becoming a primary bottleneck at lower graphical settings. However, the measured frame rates suggest that the system’s overall performance in this title is not limited by the CPU. The Ryzen 5 3600’s compute capabilities, as evidenced by its PassMark multi-thread score of 17700, are more than adequate to feed frames to the GTX 1650. The data indicates that the GPU is the definitive limiting factor, as the frame rates remain consistently low across all resolutions and settings, even when the CPU load should be relatively high. The strong single-thread performance, shown by a Geekbench single-core score of 1536, ensures that the game’s primary rendering thread is not starved, but it cannot compensate for the GPU’s lack of raw throughput.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is built on the Turing architecture and features the TU117 chip, manufactured on a 12 nm process. It is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 128.1 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1485 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and its 896 shading units deliver a peak FP32 performance of 2.984 TFLOPS.

This GPU is positioned at the 40th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7472. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (scoring 7447, a 0.3% difference) and the Intel Arc A310 (scoring 7550, a 1% difference). This places the GTX 1650 in the entry-level performance tier. The 4 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor for The Medium, a game known for its detailed environments and the simultaneous rendering of two worlds. At higher settings and resolutions, the VRAM and memory bandwidth become severe constraints, directly impacting the ability to maintain smooth frame delivery.

The GTX 1650’s performance in The Medium is the dominant bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: the GPU is not capable of maintaining high frame rates even at 1080p. Its PassMark G3D score of 7880 and DirectX 12 score of 35 paint a picture of a part that is fundamentally underpowered for this specific title’s demands. The GPU’s 75W TDP and lack of power connectors indicate it is designed for low-power systems, but this comes at the cost of raw performance. The 128.1 GB/s of bandwidth is simply insufficient for the high-resolution textures and complex shaders used in The Medium, leading to the low average frame rates observed in the data. The GPU is the primary reason this combo ranks in the bottom 4% for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this combo?

A: The data clearly shows 1920x1080 is the only viable option for a playable experience, with an average of 44 FPS at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the highest average is 37 FPS on Low, while 3840x2160 drops to a maximum of 29 FPS on Low.

Q: How much faster is this combo at 1080p Low compared to 4K Ultra?

A: The difference is substantial. The system achieves an average of 44 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which is 34 FPS higher than the 10 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This represents a 340% performance increase.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the definitive bottleneck. The CPU, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045, is capable of handling the game's logic, but the GTX 1650 cannot render frames fast enough. This is evident from the consistently low frame rates across all resolutions, even when CPU load should be high.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p gaming in The Medium?

A: Only at the lowest settings. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average FPS is 37, which is playable but not smooth. Moving to Medium settings drops the average to 23 FPS, which is below the threshold for a comfortable experience.

Q: How does the GTX 1650 compare to its closest rival, the Intel Arc A310?

A: According to the data, the GTX 1650 has an average benchmark score of 7472, which is 1% lower than the Intel Arc A310's score of 7550. This places them in a very similar performance tier.

Q: What is the frame rate stability like at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The average FPS at this setting is 27, with a minimum of 23 FPS and a maximum of 31 FPS. This shows a relatively narrow frame time distribution, but the average is low enough that the experience will feel stuttery during intense scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which delivers an average frame rate of 44 FPS. This is the only configuration in the dataset that approaches a smooth, consistent experience. While 44 FPS is not a high refresh rate, it is far more playable than the alternatives.

At 1920x1080, the Medium preset yields an average of 27 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The High preset drops to 20 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 16 FPS. The step up in visual quality from Low to Medium is not worth the 17 FPS loss in performance. The data suggests that users should prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity.

For users who insist on higher resolutions, the data indicates that 2560x1440 on Low is the only playable option, with an average of 37 FPS. However, 1080p Low offers a better frame rate and likely a more stable experience. 3840x2160 is not a viable option for this combo, as even the Low preset only manages an average of 29 FPS, which is too low for a horror game that requires precise timing and awareness. The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally 1920x1080 with Low settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3594th out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the bottom 4% of all systems tested, indicating that it is a low-end configuration for this specific title. The ranking reflects the significant performance limitations of the GTX 1650 in this game.

The CPU, while a competent performer in general benchmarks (71st percentile), is not the cause of this low ranking. The GPU, which sits at the 40th percentile overall, is the primary constraint. The data shows that the GPU’s average benchmark score of 7472 is what drags the combo down. In the context of The Medium, which is a graphically demanding game, this entry-level GPU is simply out of its depth. The combination’s rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s inability to maintain high frame rates, even at lower resolutions and settings. The Ryzen 5 3600’s robust multi-threaded and single-threaded scores are effectively wasted in this pairing, as the GPU cannot translate that CPU potential into on-screen performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a clear performance hierarchy based on resolution and settings.

At 3840x2160, the system is not capable of producing playable frame rates. The Ultra preset yields an average of 10 FPS. The High preset is only slightly better at 13 FPS. The Medium preset provides an average of 18 FPS (min 15, max 21), and the Low preset achieves an average of 29 FPS. None of these are acceptable for a playable experience.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains challenging. The Ultra preset averages 13 FPS. The High preset averages 16 FPS. The Medium preset averages 23 FPS (min 20, max 26). The Low preset is the only one that approaches usability, with an average of 37 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system finally finds its footing. The Ultra preset averages 16 FPS. The High preset averages 20 FPS. The Medium preset averages 27 FPS (min 23, max 31). The Low preset is the clear winner, achieving an average of 44 FPS. This is the only setting and resolution combination that offers a frame rate high enough to be considered reasonably smooth for this type of game. The progression shows a consistent and significant performance penalty for each step up in quality and resolution, confirming the GPU is the definitive bottleneck.