The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 produces a distinct performance profile in The Medium, one that shifts dramatically depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. The measured data reveals a combination that is capable of smooth gameplay at lower resolutions but begins to strain under the load of 4K Ultra settings. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to show exactly where this hardware excels and where it falls short, using only the measured FPS figures and hardware specifications provided.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Medium preset, which is the only setting with complete min/max FPS data across all resolutions, the average frame rate drops from 72 FPS at 1080p to 61 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 48 FPS at 4K. This represents a 33% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the rendering load scales significantly with pixel count.

The most telling comparison comes at the Low preset. Here, the 1080p result averages 115 FPS, the 1440p result drops to 97 FPS, and the 4K result falls to 76 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is 39 FPS, which is a substantial drop of roughly 34%. This pattern suggests that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the GPU is still the primary bottleneck when pushing higher resolutions. The RX 7700’s 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus width provide ample bandwidth, but the raw compute throughput of 25.18 TFLOPS appears to be the limiting factor at 4K.

At the High preset, the scaling is steeper in percentage terms. The average FPS moves from 51 at 1080p to 43 at 1440p and down to 34 at 4K. This is a drop of 33% from 1080p to 4K, which mirrors the Medium preset's scaling. The Ultra preset shows the most severe degradation, with average FPS falling from 41 at 1080p to 34 at 1440p and finally to 27 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 27 FPS is barely playable, highlighting that this resolution and quality combination is beyond the comfortable range for this hardware.

The data indicates that the limiting component at 4K is the GPU. The CPU, a 6-core/12-thread Ryzen 5 5500 with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, does not show signs of bottlenecking at lower resolutions where FPS is higher. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between 1080p and 4K, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU workload increases. Instead, the consistent 30-40% FPS drop across all presets when moving to 4K points directly to the GPU reaching its rendering limits.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions, but it provides a solid foundation for the frame rates achieved. The processor’s 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to feed the GPU without introducing stutter or frame pacing issues.

Looking at the CPU's benchmark scores provides context for its gaming performance. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16429 and single-core score of 2319 indicate a processor that is capable of handling modern game engines. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5386 and max-thread score of 5411 show that the processor scales well with threaded workloads. In a game like The Medium, which is a horror title that often relies on fixed camera angles and pre-rendered environments, the CPU demands are typically moderate, and this processor appears to meet them without being a limiting factor.

The percentile ranking of 73 for the CPU across all tested processors places it in the upper quartile of performance. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 and Intel Core i5-12500, with average benchmark scores within 0.7% of the Ryzen 5 5500. This indicates that the CPU is competitive with other mid-range processors of its generation, and in gaming scenarios, it provides enough single-thread performance to avoid holding back the RX 7700 in most situations.

The fact that the FPS at 1080p Low reaches 115 FPS suggests that the CPU can handle high frame rate scenarios. If the CPU were weak, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do. The absence of such a plateau in the data indicates that the Ryzen 5 5500 is not the primary constraint in this configuration, even at 1080p. The processor's 12 threads and 6 cores are well-suited for the game's threading model, allowing the GPU to operate near its full potential.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings presets offer the best experience for this hardware combination. The Medium preset emerges as the most balanced option across all resolutions. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 72 FPS average with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS. This is a smooth, playable experience that maintains frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the Medium preset drops to 61 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS, which is still acceptable for most players, though the minimum dips below 60 FPS.

For players targeting 4K, the Medium preset provides an average of 48 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. This is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Low preset at 4K offers a much better average of 76 FPS, which is a significant improvement, but it comes at the cost of visual fidelity. The High preset at 4K averages 34 FPS, which is on the edge of playability, while the Ultra preset at 27 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

The best experience per the measured rows depends on the player's priority. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 51 FPS is a reasonable choice if visual quality is preferred over raw frame rate, but the Medium preset at 72 FPS is objectively smoother and still looks good. For 1440p, the Medium preset is the clear winner, as it is the only preset that stays close to 60 FPS. The Low preset at 97 FPS is an option for competitive play, but the visual downgrade is substantial.

For 4K, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for consistent frame rates above 60 FPS. The 76 FPS average at Low settings is a stark contrast to the 48 FPS at Medium, and the difference in visual quality may be worth the performance gain for many players. The Ultra preset at 4K with 27 FPS is only suitable for screenshots or very slow-paced exploration, and it is not recommended for general gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1307 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the 44th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning that roughly 56% of all tested hardware combos perform better in this specific game. This ranking is somewhat lower than the individual component percentiles would suggest, as the CPU ranks in the 73rd percentile and the GPU in the 58th percentile. The discrepancy indicates that the pairing is not perfectly optimized for this title, or that the game is particularly demanding on the GPU in ways that this specific card struggles with.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 370X, AMD Radeon RX 9060, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. The RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, which is -0.1% compared to the R9 370X, -1% compared to the RX 9060, and -1.7% compared to the RTX 3060 Ti. This indicates that the GPU is closely matched with these other cards in synthetic benchmarks, but in The Medium specifically, the actual FPS results may vary due to driver optimizations or game-specific rendering paths.

The combo ranking of 1307 out of 2911 suggests that while this is not a top-tier combination for this game, it is also not at the bottom. The measured FPS data shows that the combo is capable of playing the game at reasonable settings, but it will not excel at 4K Ultra. The ranking reflects the GPU's relative weakness at high resolutions, as the 16 GB of VRAM is not the limiting factor, but rather the compute throughput. The 4K Ultra result of 27 FPS is a clear indicator that this combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 115 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

*Q: Can this combo play The Medium at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 76. At Medium settings, the average drops to 48 FPS, and at High and Ultra, it falls to 34 FPS and 27 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 19593, which is -0.1% compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 and -0.4% compared to the Intel Core i5-12500.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 51 FPS, with an average of 61 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and does it appear to be a limiting factor?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. The data does not suggest that VRAM is the limiting factor, as the performance drop from 1080p to 4K is consistent with compute-bound rendering rather than memory capacity issues.

Q: What is the combo's rank out of all tested configurations?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 ranks 1307 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table lists all measured FPS data for this hardware combination, organized by resolution and settings preset:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

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

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

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

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

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

| 2560x1440 | Low | 97 | - | - |

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

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

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

| 1920x1080 | Low | 115 | - | - |

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

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

The data shows a clear hierarchy: Low settings always produce the highest FPS, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial at every resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 74 FPS (115 vs 41), at 1440p it is 63 FPS (97 vs 34), and at 4K it is 49 FPS (76 vs 27). This indicates that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy rendering load that this GPU cannot sustain at high frame rates. The Medium preset provides the most consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the min/max data, which shows a narrower range compared to what would be expected from the other presets.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The memory subsystem consists of 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The memory operates at 2438 MHz with an effective speed of 19.5 Gbps.

In The Medium, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor in determining performance at higher resolutions. The 4K results show a dramatic drop in FPS across all presets, which aligns with the GPU's compute capabilities. The FP32 performance is rated at 25.18 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 236.1 GPixel/s. These specifications suggest a mid-range card that is capable of 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles with 4K.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 58 places it in the lower half of all tested GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9060 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, with average benchmark scores within 1.7% of the RX 7700. This suggests that the RX 7700 is competitive with these cards in synthetic tests, but the game-specific results show that it has limitations. The 4K Ultra result of 27 FPS is a clear indicator that the GPU's compute throughput is insufficient for the most demanding settings at high resolutions.

The 16 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the memory capacity is likely sufficient for the game's textures. Instead, the limiting factor is the GPU's raw processing power. The data shows that the GPU is able to maintain high FPS at lower resolutions, but as the pixel count increases, the rendering load becomes too heavy. This is typical for a mid-range GPU, and the RX 7700's performance in The Medium reflects its position in the market. The RDNA 3.0 architecture provides good efficiency, but the card's 200 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate that it is not designed for extreme 4K gaming.