The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a stark picture in The Medium. The data shows a combination that is severely constrained by the graphics processor, resulting in frame rates that are largely unplayable at any resolution above Low settings. The CPU, a capable 6-core Zen 3 part, is effectively held hostage by a GPU that ranks in the bottom percentile of all tested hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a brutal scaling curve that points directly at the GPU as the sole limiting factor. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 51 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops the average to 43 FPS, a 15.7% reduction. At 4K Low, the average falls to 34 FPS, which is a further 20.9% drop from the 1440p result and a 33.3% decline from the 1080p baseline. This scaling is linear and aggressive, characteristic of a system where the graphics processor is maxed out and the CPU has ample headroom to spare.

The situation becomes more telling at higher settings. At Medium settings, the frame rate at 1080p is 32 FPS, but at 1440p it falls to 27 FPS, and at 4K it collapses to 21 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Medium is a 34.4% loss in performance. For High settings, the 1080p result is 23 FPS, which drops to 19 FPS at 1440p and a dismal 15 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with 1080p yielding only 18 FPS, 1440p dropping to 15 FPS, and 4K producing a slideshow-like 12 FPS.

These numbers indicate that the Arc B390 is overwhelmed by the game's rendering demands. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not a gentle curve but a steep cliff, confirming that the pixel-throughput and shading capabilities of the GPU are the bottleneck. There is no scenario where the resolution scaling suggests a CPU limitation; the Ryzen 5 5500X3D's performance is masked by the GPU's inability to maintain playable frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database for The Medium, this specific combination of the Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Arc B390 finds itself in a very low position. The combo rank is 3314 out of 3724 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11% of all systems. This rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance, as its individual percentile ranking is a mere 9 out of 100, meaning it performs better than only 9% of all tested GPUs.

This low ranking is further highlighted by the GPU's standing among its nearest rivals. The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is nearly identical to that of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, a delta of 1.3%. It also sits close to the GeForce 800M (1460, delta 1.5%), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, delta 2.5%), and the GeForce GT 710 (1443, delta 2.7%). This places the Arc B390 in the company of decade-old entry-level graphics solutions, explaining why the combo's overall rank in The Medium is so poor.

The CPU, in contrast, is a strong performer. Its average benchmark score of 37018 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, delta 0.2%) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36938, delta 0.2%), showing it is a well-balanced processor. However, this CPU strength is entirely negated in this gaming context. The data shows a massive imbalance: a top-tier CPU paired with a bottom-tier GPU results in a combo that ranks in the bottom 11% for this game, proving that the graphics card dictates the gaming experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) built on the Xe3-LPG architecture. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This shared memory architecture and reliance on system RAM is a fundamental constraint. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. Its theoretical pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS.

These specifications, while modern in architecture, are not designed for high-end gaming. The "System Shared" memory is a critical bottleneck, as it competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth. In The Medium, a game known for its detailed environments and fixed-camera angles, this shared memory setup likely contributes to the low frame rates. The GPU's performance data confirms its limitations; it scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile. This low score is consistent with the in-game results, which show that even at 1080p Low, the GPU can only manage 51 FPS. The 12 RT cores are present, but the overall processing power is too low to handle the game's demands at higher settings or resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for The Medium with this combo is as follows:

At 1920x1080: The Low preset is the only playable option, with an average of 51 FPS. The Medium preset yields an average of 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 23 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 18 FPS.

At 2560x1440: The Low preset averages 43 FPS. The Medium preset averages 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31 FPS. The High preset drops to 19 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 15 FPS.

At 3840x2160: The Low preset averages 34 FPS. The Medium preset averages 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 24 FPS. The High preset averages 15 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 12 FPS.

The data shows a clear pattern: there is a significant performance cliff between Low and Medium settings at every resolution. The jump from Low to Medium costs roughly 37% of the frame rate at 1080p (from 51 to 32 FPS), 37% at 1440p (from 43 to 27 FPS), and 38% at 4K (from 34 to 21 FPS). This indicates that the Medium preset introduces a level of graphical complexity that the Arc B390 cannot handle efficiently. The Ultra preset is effectively unplayable, with all results falling below 20 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 51 at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

*Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it achieves an average of 34 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 21 FPS, and at High and Ultra settings, it falls to 15 FPS and 12 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the Arc B390's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: Its average benchmark score of 1482 is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463) and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443), placing it in the same performance tier as these older entry-level GPUs.

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

A: The benchmark results clearly indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The GPU ranks in the 9th percentile, while the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile. The frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 51 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 18 FPS. This is a 33 FPS difference, representing a 64.7% drop in performance.

*Q: What is the combo's overall ranking for The Medium?*

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3314 out of 3724 tested combos for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, there is only one viable path to a playable experience with this hardware. The Low preset is the only setting where the average frame rate exceeds 30 FPS at any resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 51 FPS, which is the only configuration that provides a smooth and responsive experience. At 1440p Low, the 43 FPS average is still playable, but 4K Low drops to 34 FPS, which is borderline.

The Medium preset cannot be recommended. Even at 1080p, the average frame rate of 32 FPS is below the threshold for a comfortable experience, and the minimum FPS of 27 suggests noticeable stuttering will occur. The High and Ultra presets are entirely unplayable, with all averages falling below 24 FPS. The performance data is clear: the Intel Arc B390 is not powerful enough to handle The Medium at any setting above Low. Users should stick to 1080p Low for the best balance, or drop to 1440p Low if a lower resolution is not acceptable, but should be prepared for a less stable frame rate.