The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title built around atmospheric dread and narrative pacing, presents a unique performance profile with the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by graphics settings and resolution, with the CPU providing a stable foundation while the GPU dictates the overall experience. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, component roles, and optimal configurations for this specific pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 92, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 106.

Q: How does the performance at 4K Ultra compare to 1080p Ultra?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 38. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 57. This represents a significant drop of 19 FPS when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 4K High settings?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The average FPS at 4K High is 47, which is relatively low compared to the CPU's capabilities. The GPU's performance, as measured by its benchmark scores, is the constraining factor at this high resolution.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data?

A: The highest average FPS is 111, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the potential headroom when graphical demand is minimized.

Q: How does the RTX 5070's performance percentile compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5070's benchmark score places it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, has an average score that is 0.1% higher, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 1.2% lower.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 4600G have a high benchmark score relative to other CPUs?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 5 4600G's average benchmark score places it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. Its closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE, has a score that is 0.1% higher.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the dominant component in this pairing for The Medium. The GPU's specifications include 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is crucial for handling the game's detailed textures and high-resolution assets, particularly at 4K where the frame buffer demand is highest.

The GPU's core clocks are set with a base of 2325 MHz and a boost of 2512 MHz. These clocks, combined with its 6144 shading units, allow for substantial throughput in the game's rendering pipeline. The benchmark results show that the RTX 5070 is capable of delivering playable frame rates at lower settings, but its performance scales down sharply as the preset increases to Ultra. For instance, at 1440p, the average FPS drops from 105 on Low to 48 on Ultra, a reduction of over half. This indicates that while the GPU has the raw power for high refresh rates at lower fidelity, the demands of The Medium's Ultra preset, which likely includes advanced lighting and shadow effects, tax the card significantly.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its performance class. It achieves a Passmark G3D score of 29137, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. This high percentile confirms that the RTX 5070 is a high-end part, yet the game's engine still manages to create a substantial load. The data shows a clear trend: the RTX 5070 is the primary driver of the frame rate, and its headroom is quickly consumed by higher resolutions and quality settings. The gap between Low and Ultra presets at any given resolution underscores the GPU's sensitivity to the game's graphical intensity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 111 at 1920x1080 to 105 at 2560x1440, and finally to 97 at 3840x2160. This is a relatively modest drop of 14 FPS from 1080p to 4K, suggesting that at Low settings, the system is less constrained by the GPU's pixel-fill rate and more by other factors, such as CPU draw calls or game logic.

However, the scaling becomes much more aggressive at higher presets. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 57 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p, and then to 38 at 4K. The 19-FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is nearly double the drop seen at Low settings. This indicates a significant increase in GPU load as resolution and quality settings combine. The 4K Ultra result of 38 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, highlighting that this combination is not suited for maximum fidelity at the highest resolution.

The scaling pattern reveals that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p, the CPU's performance is more relevant, as the GPU can often render frames faster than the CPU can feed them. The Ryzen 5 4600G, with a Passmark multithread score of 15992, provides enough throughput for the 111 FPS seen at Low settings. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The RTX 5070 must process more pixels, and its frame time increases, leading to the lower FPS figures. The data suggests that for a smooth experience, users should consider 1440p with Medium settings as a balance, as the 84 FPS average at that configuration is a significant improvement over the 4K results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset yields an average of 111 FPS, providing a very high refresh rate experience. Medium settings bring the average down to 92 FPS, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 106, still well within the smooth range. High settings produce an average of 72 FPS, which is very playable. The Ultra preset, however, drops the average to 57 FPS, showing a significant cost for the highest visual quality. This resolution is clearly the sweet spot for this combo, offering excellent performance across all but the most demanding preset.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings remain very fluid with an average of 105 FPS. The Medium preset is a strong choice, with an average of 84 FPS and a minimum of 71, ensuring a stable experience. High settings average 60 FPS, which is the baseline for smooth play. The Ultra preset, with an average of 48 FPS, starts to show strain, indicating that the GPU is working much harder. This resolution offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, particularly with the Medium preset.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits are exposed. Low settings average 97 FPS, which is surprisingly high and indicates the game is not overly demanding on its lowest preset. Medium settings average 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56, which is still playable. High settings drop to an average of 47 FPS, which is below the ideal smoothness threshold. The Ultra preset is the most taxing, with an average of only 38 FPS. This makes 4K gaming only viable with Low or Medium settings for a comfortable experience, and even then, the Medium preset's minimum of 56 FPS shows some potential for frame drops in intense scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination depends on the user's priority for resolution versus visual fidelity.

For a target of 60 FPS or higher, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the strongest recommendation. It delivers an average of 84 FPS with a minimum of 71, providing a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target and ensuring smooth gameplay throughout. This configuration offers a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining high performance. The 1080p Medium preset is also excellent, averaging 92 FPS, but the 1440p resolution provides more detail for the same relative settings.

If the user prioritizes maximum visual quality, the High preset at 2560x1440 is a viable option, averaging 60 FPS. However, this leaves no headroom for demanding scenes, and any drops could become noticeable. At 1080p, the High preset is a better choice for quality-focused players, as the 72 FPS average provides more stability. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions for a consistently smooth experience, as it only achieves a 57 FPS average at 1080p and drops to 38 FPS at 4K.

For users with a 4K display, the Low preset at 3840x2160 is the only way to achieve a high frame rate, averaging 97 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K, with an average of 66 FPS, is a compromise that offers better visuals but may exhibit occasional dips below the ideal threshold. Overall, the data suggests that the best balance of performance and quality is achieved by opting for Medium settings at 1440p, which provides a high, stable frame rate without sacrificing too much detail.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G serves as the central processor for this system. This CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads, based on the Zen 2 architecture. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz, which can boost up to 4.20 GHz. For a gaming workload like The Medium, the CPU's job is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls, while the GPU renders the frames.

The benchmark data for the CPU shows it is a competent performer. It achieves a Passmark multithread score of 15992 and a single-thread score of 2653. In the context of The Medium, the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 111 FPS, which is a high frame rate that requires efficient CPU processing. The CPU's performance in Cinebench R23, with a multicore score of 13593 and a single-core score of 1919, further supports its capability to handle the game's demands.

However, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. When the GPU is not under heavy load, as with the Low preset at 1080p, the CPU's ability to process frames quickly is critical. The Ryzen 5 4600G's performance in the 3DMark tests, particularly the 2-thread score of 1430 and the 4-thread score of 2732, indicates that it can handle the multi-threaded workload of a modern game. The data shows that the CPU is sufficient to support the RTX 5070 without causing major frame rate limitations, as the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The CPU's 71st percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms it is a solid mid-range part that pairs well with the high-end GPU for this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination is ranked 997th out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the top third of all system configurations tested, indicating a strong overall performance. This rank reflects the balance between the capable CPU and the high-performance GPU, which together are able to deliver good frame rates at most settings.

The ranking is a holistic measure of the system's ability to run the game across all tested resolutions and settings. The combo's position is likely boosted by its strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, where it achieves high frame rates. While the 4K Ultra performance is weak, the overall score is an average of all the tested scenarios. Compared to the individual components' percentiles, the combo's rank of 997 out of 3724 (approximately the 73rd percentile) is slightly lower than the GPU's 82nd percentile but slightly higher than the CPU's 71st percentile.

This suggests that the pairing is well-matched, with the CPU's limitations being less relevant at higher resolutions where the GPU dominates. The combo's rank indicates that it is a better performer than most systems, but not at the very top tier. The data shows that users with this setup can expect a very good experience in The Medium, particularly if they are willing to adjust settings and resolution to find the optimal balance between visual quality and frame rate. The rank reflects the RTX 5070's power, which is able to overcome the mid-range CPU's potential constraints in this specific game.