The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination. The measured data reveals a system that is firmly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet the CPU demonstrates its capability to push frame rates to playable levels at 1080p. The RTX 4070's performance scales predictably, but the overall experience is heavily influenced by the chosen settings preset, with the difference between Low and Ultra representing a performance chasm that defines the playable envelope for this pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, a classic indicator of a GPU-limited scenario. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 117 FPS at 1920x1080 to 111 FPS at 2560x1440, a modest decline that suggests the GPU still has ample headroom. However, the jump to 3840x2160 results in a more significant drop to 99 FPS, illustrating the increased pixel throughput required at 4K.

This trend is more pronounced at higher settings. On the Medium preset, the average FPS scales from 93 at 1080p to 79 at 1440p, and then falls sharply to 62 at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K widens further with the High preset, where performance drops from 67 FPS to 44 FPS, a 34% reduction. The Ultra preset exhibits the most severe scaling, falling from 53 FPS at 1080p to 35 FPS at 4K. This data indicates that while the RTX 4070 can handle lower resolutions with ease, the demands of 4K resolution on this horror title quickly overwhelm the GPU's capabilities, particularly when visual fidelity is prioritized.

The scaling pattern reveals that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The consistent frame rate reduction across all presets when moving from 1440p to 4K is a hallmark of pixel-fill-rate limitations. At 1080p, the system is less constrained, but the CPU is still not the primary bottleneck; the GPU's performance ceiling is what caps the maximum frame rates. The fact that the 1080p Low preset only reaches 117 FPS, rather than a much higher number, suggests the game's engine has an inherent performance ceiling or that the CPU is starting to become a secondary constraint at this resolution, though the data does not point to a severe CPU bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware?

A: The data suggests 2560x1440 offers the best balance. At Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 79 FPS, which is a significant improvement over the 62 FPS at 4K, while still providing a higher resolution than 1080p. For a smoother experience, 1920x1080 at Medium provides 93 FPS, but 1440p Medium is the sweet spot for visual clarity and performance.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets?

A: The difference is substantial across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate drops from 117 FPS on Low to 53 FPS on Ultra, a 64 FPS difference. This gap widens at 4K, where Low achieves 99 FPS but Ultra falls to 35 FPS. The Ultra preset demands significantly more from the GPU than the Low preset.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F a bottleneck for the RTX 4070?

A: Benchmark results indicate the system is primarily GPU-bound, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's Passmark single-thread score of 2872 and multithread score of 19236 are capable, and the performance scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a pattern consistent with GPU limitations. At 1080p, the system is likely nearing the CPU's limit, but it is not a severe bottleneck based on the data.

Q: Can this system run The Medium at a stable 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at certain settings. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers an average of 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS, ensuring a stable experience. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 79 FPS, which is also above 60. However, at 4K, the High preset only averages 44 FPS, so achieving 60 FPS at that resolution is not possible with the measured settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4070's performance in this game compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: In the Passmark G3D benchmark, the RTX 4070 scores 26927, placing it in the 81st percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, has an average score of 37507, which is 0.4% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, a 1.3% difference. This indicates the RTX 4070's raw performance is closely matched with these other GPUs in synthetic tests, though real-world game performance can vary.

Q: What is the minimum FPS on the Medium preset, and does it indicate a smooth experience?

A: The minimum FPS for the Medium preset is recorded at 53 FPS for 3840x2160, 67 FPS for 2560x1440, and 79 FPS for 1920x1080. These minimums are above the 30 FPS threshold typically considered playable and suggest that frame pacing is consistent, with no severe stutters or drops that would detract from the experience.

Settings Recommendations

For the optimal balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. At 1920x1080, it delivers an average of 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience that is well-suited for the game's atmospheric tension. Moving to 2560x1440 on Medium yields an average of 79 FPS, which remains excellent and offers a sharper image. This preset is the highest setting that consistently maintains an average above 60 FPS at these resolutions.

The High preset is a viable option for users with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, as it achieves an average of 67 FPS. However, at 1440p, the average drops to 56 FPS, which introduces noticeable dips below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is not recommended for this combination, as it fails to maintain playable frame rates at any resolution, with averages of 53 FPS at 1080p and 35 FPS at 4K. The visual fidelity gains from Ultra do not justify the significant performance cost.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the most demanding option that provides a somewhat playable experience, with an average of 62 FPS. However, the minimum FPS of 53 indicates potential for noticeable slowdowns. The Low preset at 4K achieves 99 FPS, but the reduction in visual quality is substantial. For a 4K experience, users should be prepared to sacrifice visual fidelity for performance or accept sub-60 FPS averages on the Medium preset.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is ranked 783rd out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places the system in the top 27% of all tested configurations, indicating a solidly above-average performance tier. The ranking reflects that while the RTX 4070 is a capable GPU, it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy, and the overall system performance is limited by its mid-range CPU.

The ranking is a holistic measure of the combo's ability to run the game, and the measured FPS data corroborates this position. The system's performance is competitive, but it is outclassed by combos featuring higher-end CPUs and GPUs. The 783rd position out of 2911 combos suggests that this setup will handle the game well at mainstream resolutions and settings, but it is not optimized for extreme 4K or maximum settings. The data indicates that the combo is a dependable mid-range performer, capable of delivering a good experience without being a top-tier contender.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Its Passmark scores, including a single-thread score of 2872 and a multithread score of 19236, show that it is a competent performer for gaming workloads. In The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic, and the data suggests it performs this task adequately.

The performance scaling pattern shows that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this system. At 1080p, the frame rates are high, but they do not scale linearly with the GPU's potential, suggesting the CPU is nearing its limits. However, the drop in FPS when moving to higher resolutions is more directly tied to the GPU's rendering load. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for the game's demands, and its 65W TDP indicates it runs efficiently. The processor's rank in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36945, confirms it is a robust part that will not hold back the RTX 4070 in most gaming scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system performs best on the Low preset, achieving an average of 117 FPS. The Medium preset delivers a solid 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 and a maximum of 108. The High preset averages 67 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 53 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages are lower across the board. The Low preset reaches 111 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91. The High preset achieves 56 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 45 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset is the most balanced option, offering a high frame rate with a resolution boost over 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset still manages an average of 99 FPS, which is impressive. The Medium preset drops to 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 71. The High preset averages 44 FPS, and the Ultra preset only reaches 35 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming is only viable with the Low or Medium presets, and even then, the minimum FPS can dip below 60. The lack of min/max data for the Low, High, and Ultra presets at all resolutions limits the analysis of frame pacing for those settings, but the averages provide a reliable indicator of overall performance.