The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti pairing in The Medium presents a fascinating study in component bottlenecking. The data reveals a system where the GPU is clearly the dominant force, yet the CPU's architecture sets distinct boundaries on performance, particularly at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across settings and resolutions to understand what this combination truly delivers.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 3000 series, built 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 its benchmark data indicates it sits in the 76th percentile of all CPUs. This mid-range positioning is crucial for understanding its role in The Medium, a horror title that often relies on consistent frame pacing.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are solid, as shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124. However, when compared to its nearest rivals, the performance is tightly clustered. The Ryzen 5 3600's average benchmark score of 18129 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-11400 (which scores 18150, a delta of -0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (18158, a delta of -0.2%). This suggests that while the CPU is competent, it is not a class leader, and its single-threaded performance (a Passmark single-thread score of 2562) may be a limiting factor in a game that doesn't scale perfectly across all 12 threads.

In the context of the measured FPS, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the average FPS reaches 107.4. This is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire dataset, but it is lower than what a more powerful CPU might allow with this GPU. The architecture's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth) provide a capable foundation, yet the data implies that the Ryzen 5 3600 is the component that prevents the system from pushing beyond the 100-110 FPS mark in this title, even when the GPU is not fully taxed.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Ryzen 5 3600 and RTX 5070 Ti achieves a rank of 415 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 25% of all systems benchmarked, which is a strong showing for a pairing that mixes a 2019-era CPU with a 2025-era GPU. The data indicates that this is not a top-tier pairing, but it is far from a weak one.

The rank is particularly interesting when considering the GPU's own standing. The RTX 5070 Ti is in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 52086. This is essentially a statistical tie with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, which scores 52085 (a delta of 0%). The GPU is capable of far more than the CPU can feed it, which is why the combo rank (415) is lower than the GPU's percentile would suggest. The ranking implies that while the visual fidelity and raw rendering power are present, the CPU holds the system back from achieving higher positions in the database, especially in a game like The Medium that may have specific CPU-bound sections.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a clear shift in the bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system produces 77.9 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High, the FPS drops to 70.5, and at 3840x2160 High, it falls further to 51.7 FPS. This drop pattern is classic for a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, but the magnitude of the drop from 1080p to 1440p (a 9.4% decrease) is relatively small compared to the drop from 1440p to 4K (a 26.7% decrease).

This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiter, preventing the GPU from running at full capacity. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the FPS only reaches 107.4, which is likely near the CPU's maximum output for this game. As the resolution increases, the GPU becomes more heavily utilized, and the FPS drops become more pronounced. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the significant performance hit. The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at 4K also shows a massive range (from 91.2 FPS to 42.3 FPS), which is a strong indicator that the GPU's raw compute and memory bandwidth are the decisive factors at this resolution, rather than the CPU's processing power.

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

The dataset provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 91.2 at Low settings to 42.3 at Ultra. The Medium preset delivers 73.9 FPS, while High yields 51.7 FPS. This shows a steep performance cost for Ultra settings at 4K, making it a demanding configuration for this game.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are more comfortable. Low settings produce 98.9 FPS, Medium yields 86.6 FPS, High achieves 70.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 58.1 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 16.1 FPS, which is a significant visual quality difference for a moderate performance hit.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest potential. Low settings produce 107.4 FPS, which is the peak performance in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 87.7 FPS, High settings produce 77.9 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 62.4 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 45 FPS, highlighting how much headroom there is in the graphics settings. Notably, the jump from Low to Medium only costs 19.7 FPS, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 15.5 FPS, indicating that Medium or High settings offer a better balance of performance and visual fidelity at this resolution.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is a powerhouse, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB203 chip. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a massive 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's core clocks are listed at 2295 MHz base and 2452 MHz boost, and it has a substantial 8960 shading units. This hardware configuration is clearly designed for high-resolution gaming, which is reflected in the 4K performance metrics.

The GPU's benchmark scores are impressive, with a Passmark G3D score of 32974 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 231226. Its average benchmark score of 52086 places it in the 87th percentile, and it is statistically identical to the RTX 4080 (52085, 0% delta). In The Medium, the GPU's role is most evident at 4K, where it manages to deliver 51.7 FPS at High settings and 42.3 FPS at Ultra. The 16 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for the game's textures at 4K, as the performance drops are more attributable to the GPU's compute and rasterization capabilities rather than memory capacity.

The data implies that the RTX 5070 Ti is underutilized at 1080p, as the CPU limits the frame rate. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU's power is fully realized, with the 4K Low setting achieving 91.2 FPS, which is a remarkable result for a horror game with complex lighting and shadow effects.

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

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings preset varies by resolution, but some clear patterns emerge. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset (87.7 FPS) offers a significant improvement over Low (107.4 FPS) in visual quality while still maintaining a smooth frame rate. High settings (77.9 FPS) are also viable, but the 10 FPS drop from Medium to High may not be worth the visual gains for all players. Ultra (62.4 FPS) is playable but starts to approach the lower bounds of smoothness for a horror game where frame pacing matters.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset (86.6 FPS) is the sweet spot, providing a high refresh rate experience. High settings (70.5 FPS) are also excellent, offering a better visual experience, while Ultra (58.1 FPS) is still playable for those who prioritize graphics over frame rate. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset (73.9 FPS) is the clear recommendation, as it provides a playable frame rate with good visual fidelity. High (51.7 FPS) is borderline, and Ultra (42.3 FPS) is likely too demanding for a consistent experience. Low settings at 4K (91.2 FPS) are an option for players who want maximum smoothness, but the visual downgrade is substantial.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this CPU-GPU combo in The Medium?*

A: The highest average FPS is 107.4, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This combination ranks 415th out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the top 25% of all systems.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main performance limiter at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the main limiter at 1080p, as the FPS at Low settings (107.4) is likely near the CPU's maximum, while the GPU has more headroom.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 77.9 at 1080p to 51.7 at 4K, a decrease of 26.2 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's average benchmark score and how does it compare to its nearest rival?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 52086, which is statistically identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, which scores 52085 (a delta of 0%).

Q: Which settings preset offers the best balance of performance and quality at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 offers 86.6 FPS, which is a good balance. The High preset at 70.5 FPS also provides a solid experience for those who prefer higher visual fidelity.