The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT produces a highly variable experience in The Medium, one that is dictated almost entirely by the graphics preset. The data indicates a system that can deliver smooth, playable frame rates at lower settings but quickly becomes overwhelmed as visual fidelity increases. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, highlighting the balance between the CPU and GPU and where this combination stands among the 1,689 tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a system heavily constrained by the GPU at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 sees the average frame rate fall from 91.5 FPS to 61.4 FPS, a reduction of 30.1 FPS. This scaling is relatively gentle, suggesting that at Low settings, even at 4K, the GPU is still managing the workload without hitting a complete wall. However, the picture changes dramatically at higher presets.

Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings drops the average from 37.6 FPS to 32.6 FPS, a loss of 5 FPS. The subsequent jump to 4K at High settings is much more punishing, falling to 25.8 FPS, a further 6.8 FPS decline. This pattern intensifies at Ultra settings, where the 1080p average of 33.4 FPS collapses to 29.2 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 20.4 FPS at 4K. The data shows that the gap between 1080p and 4K widens as settings increase, from a 30.1 FPS difference at Low to a 13 FPS difference at Ultra. This indicates that while the resolution is a major factor, the GPU's processing limits are the primary bottleneck, as the cost of higher resolutions and more complex shading compounds to overwhelm the RX 5700 XT's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average is 91.5 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: At 4K, only the Low preset delivers a playable average of 61.4 FPS. Medium settings drop to 39.1 FPS, High to 25.8 FPS, and Ultra to 20.4 FPS, the latter three being below typical playability thresholds.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600 shows strong scaling. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 18,309, which is roughly seven times higher than its single-core score of 2,584. This indicates the 6-core, 12-thread processor can leverage its full capacity in demanding workloads.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The average frame rate drops from 75.9 FPS at Low to 29.2 FPS at Ultra at 2560x1440. This is a 46.7 FPS difference, representing a significant 61.5% decrease in performance from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: According to the benchmark data, is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor?

A: The data points to the GPU. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 58.1 FPS, while the CPU's single-thread benchmark score of 2,584 in Cinebench R23 suggests it is capable of feeding the GPU. The GPU's average benchmark score of 24,731 and its percentile ranking of 68th place indicate it is the component more likely to be saturated by the game's graphical demands.

Q: How does this combo's overall ranking in The Medium compare to the total number of tested systems?

A: This specific combination ranks 1,253rd out of 1,689 tested combos, placing it in the lower quarter of all tested systems for performance in this game.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results indicate that the "Medium" preset offers the most balanced experience for this hardware, provided the target is 1080p. At that resolution, Medium produces an average of 57 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over the 37.6 FPS of High and a more stable experience than the 33.4 FPS of Ultra. The jump from Low to Medium is a 34.5 FPS decrease, but the visual quality gain is typically worth the trade-off for a frame rate that remains above 60 FPS.

For 1440p gaming, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset achieves a smooth 75.9 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 46.4 FPS. Given the data, the Low preset is the only reliable choice for a consistent 60+ FPS experience at this resolution. Attempting High or Ultra at 1440p results in averages of 32.6 and 29.2 FPS respectively, which are not ideal for a smooth experience. At 4K, the only acceptable preset is Low, which hits 61.4 FPS. All other presets at 4K fall below 40 FPS, making them unsuitable for comfortable play. The data suggests that users should prioritize resolution over settings, choosing 1440p Low over 1080p High for a better frame rate, or accept 1080p Medium as the best balance of visual quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of 1,689 tested configurations, this pairing of the Ryzen 5 5600 and RX 5700 XT ranks 1,253rd for The Medium. This places it in the bottom 26% of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not the weakest configuration, it is far from being a high-performance one for this particular title. The ranking suggests that the game's demands are significant enough to push this hardware to its limits.

This ranking is a direct consequence of the measured frame rates. The system's inability to maintain high frame rates at High and Ultra presets across all resolutions heavily impacts its standing. While the 91.5 FPS result at 1080p Low is respectable, the average performance across all 12 tested configurations is dragged down by the sub-30 FPS results seen at 4K Ultra and the sub-40 FPS results at 1440p High and Ultra. The combination's rank reflects a system that is adequate for lower-fidelity gaming but struggles to keep pace with more demanding settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600, a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, provides the computational foundation for this system. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks is solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18,309 and a single-core score of 2,584. This data, combined with a 79th percentile ranking against all CPUs, indicates a processor that is more than capable of handling the logic and physics of most games.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The most telling evidence is the minimal frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings, where the average only drops from 37.6 FPS to 32.6 FPS. If the CPU were the primary bottleneck, we would expect to see a much smaller difference, as the CPU load would be similar at both resolutions. The significant drop at 4K to 25.8 FPS further confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU is likely providing frames faster than the GPU can render them, meaning the system's performance is dictated by the graphics card's processing power, not the processor's.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for this configuration.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :------ |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 91.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 57.0 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 37.6 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 33.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 75.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 46.4 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 32.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 29.2 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 61.4 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 39.1 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 25.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 20.4 |

The data reveals a consistent trend: performance scales downwards with both increasing resolution and increasing graphical preset. At 1080p, the system offers a wide range of options, from a very smooth 91.5 FPS at Low to a presentable 33.4 FPS at Ultra. At 1440p, the range narrows, with only the Low preset exceeding 60 FPS. At 4K, the system is only playable at Low settings, with all other presets falling below 40 FPS. The most significant single drop occurs when moving from 1080p Low to 1080p Medium, a 34.5 FPS decline, highlighting the substantial performance cost of the Medium preset's visual enhancements. Conversely, the jump from High to Ultra at 1080p is only 4.2 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns for its performance impact at this resolution.