The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 produces a dominant performance profile in The Medium, ranking 4th out of 3,724 tested combinations. The data shows a system that delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all resolutions, with the RTX 5090's immense power ensuring that even at 4K Ultra settings, the game remains highly playable. The primary bottleneck in this configuration shifts between the CPU at lower resolutions and the GPU at higher settings, but the overall experience is characterized by massive headroom.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, indicating that the system transitions from a CPU-bound state at 1080p to a GPU-bound state at 4K. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 197 FPS, which is only 8.7% lower than the 214 FPS achieved at High settings. This relatively small gap between High and Ultra at 1080p, compared to the larger gap at higher resolutions, suggests the CPU is starting to limit performance, as the GPU can render these frames faster than the processor can feed it.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high but begin to show more differentiation between settings. The average FPS at Ultra drops to 147, which is 28.4% lower than the 201 FPS at Medium settings. This demonstrates that the GPU is now becoming the primary limiting factor, as the increased pixel count demands more from the graphics card. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more pronounced: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 88, a 40.1% reduction from the 1440p Ultra result. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the RTX 5090's raw compute power is being fully utilized.

The most telling data point for the limiting component is the Low settings performance. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 261 FPS, but at 4K Low, it still manages 188 FPS. The 73 FPS drop (28%) from 1080p Low to 4K Low is significantly smaller than the 109 FPS drop (55%) from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra. This pattern confirms that at lower settings, the CPU is the primary constraint, while at higher settings, the GPU's workload increases disproportionately. The RTX 5090's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that memory capacity is never an issue, even at 4K, but the sheer pixel throughput required at 4K Ultra (88 FPS) versus 1080p Low (261 FPS) highlights the GPU's dominant role in determining final frame rates at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. While this is a capable desktop CPU, its performance in The Medium is clearly secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10,551 and a single-core score of 1,409, place it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-1220P (0.1% faster) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (0.2% slower), show that the 5600G sits in a competitive but not class-leading position for raw processing power.

In The Medium, the CPU's role becomes most evident at 1080p with lower settings. The 261 FPS at 1080p Low versus 188 FPS at 4K Low indicates that the processor can maintain high frame rates when the GPU has less work to do, but it cannot push beyond a certain threshold. The 3DMark single-thread score of 872 and 2-thread score of 1,705 suggest that the game's rendering pipeline, which relies heavily on a few main threads, benefits from the 5600G's decent single-core performance. However, the 12 threads and 16 MB of L3 cache are more than sufficient for a horror title like The Medium, which does not typically require massive multi-threaded scaling.

The data shows a notable pattern: at 1080p, the difference between High (214 FPS) and Ultra (197 FPS) is only 17 FPS, while at 4K, the same settings gap is 21 FPS (109 to 88). This suggests that the CPU is not the main differentiator at higher settings, as the GPU's workload dominates. The 5600G's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR4 support are adequate for feeding the RTX 5090, but the processor's 65W TDP and 7nm process node indicate a mid-range chip that, while not a bottleneck for most scenarios, does cap the absolute maximum frame rates achievable at 1080p. The passmark multithread score of 19,717 and data compression score of 249,302 confirm that this CPU handles general processing tasks well, but in gaming, its 6 cores are the limiting factor when trying to exceed 261 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications paint a picture of overwhelming graphical power. With 21,760 shading units, 170 RT cores, and a boost clock of 2,407 MHz, this GPU is designed for extreme performance. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, ensuring that texture streaming and high-resolution assets are never a constraint. The GPU's benchmark results, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18,355 and a Passmark G3D score of 39,650, place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being enterprise-class Tesla P100 cards.

In The Medium, the RTX 5090's role is clear: it is the primary driver of frame rates at 1440p and 4K. The 4K Ultra average of 88 FPS is a remarkable achievement for a horror game with complex lighting and shadow effects, and it is only 19.3% lower than the 4K High result of 109 FPS. This relatively small gap between High and Ultra at 4K suggests that the GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is being efficiently utilized, with the extra visual fidelity of Ultra settings costing a modest 21 FPS. The 4K Medium result of 130 FPS, with a minimum of 111 FPS and maximum of 150 FPS, shows that the GPU can maintain consistent frame pacing even under load.

The RTX 5090's memory subsystem is particularly important for The Medium, which is known for its dual-reality rendering that requires substantial VRAM. The 32 GB capacity is more than sufficient, and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that the game's assets can be streamed at high speed. This is reflected in the minimal frame rate drops between settings at the same resolution; for example, at 1440p, the difference between Low (231 FPS) and Ultra (147 FPS) is 84 FPS, but the GPU's compute capabilities are the primary factor in this scaling. The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking, compared to the CPU's 74th percentile, confirms that the RTX 5090 is disproportionately powerful relative to the 5600G, making it the clear performance leader in this pairing. The 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate are more than adequate for 4K rendering, and the data shows that the GPU is never the bottleneck at 1080p, where the CPU caps performance.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable in The Medium with this hardware?*

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 261 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the absolute ceiling for this CPU-GPU combination, as the Ryzen 5 5600G cannot push beyond this threshold even with the RTX 5090's power.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 79,842, which is 0.3% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, 0.6% higher than the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB, and 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT. It trails the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X by 1.4%.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600G a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in this game?

A: Yes, but only at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU limits performance to 261 FPS, while at 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, dropping to 88 FPS. The CPU is sufficient for high frame rates but caps the maximum at 1080p.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 201, with a minimum of 171 FPS and a maximum of 231 FPS. This 60 FPS spread indicates good frame pacing, though not as tight as the 68 FPS spread seen at 1080p Medium (193 to 261).

Q: How much of a performance drop occurs when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 197 at 1080p Ultra to 88 at 4K Ultra, representing a 55.3% reduction. This steep decline is expected due to the fourfold increase in pixel count, which heavily taxes the GPU.

*Q: Does the RTX 5090's 32 GB VRAM provide any measurable benefit in The Medium?*

A: The data shows that the GPU maintains high frame rates even at 4K Ultra (88 FPS), and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures no memory-related stutters. The 32 GB capacity is never exceeded, as the game's requirements are far below this limit, but the bandwidth helps sustain consistent performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this configuration depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 4K gaming, the High preset at 109 FPS offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, as the drop to Medium (130 FPS) provides only a 19.3% improvement while reducing quality. The Ultra preset at 88 FPS is playable but represents a 19.3% reduction from High, making High the recommended choice for a smooth 4K experience with enhanced visuals.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 201 FPS is the standout recommendation, providing a significant boost over High (184 FPS) while maintaining excellent image quality. The Ultra preset at 147 FPS is also viable for users prioritizing maximum visuals, but the 26.9% performance penalty compared to Medium is substantial. For competitive or high-refresh-rate play, the Low preset at 231 FPS is the best option, though it sacrifices visual detail.

At 1080p, the High preset at 214 FPS is recommended as the sweet spot, as it delivers excellent quality with frame rates well above 200 FPS. The Ultra preset at 197 FPS is only 7.9% slower and is also a strong choice for those who want the best visuals. The Low preset at 261 FPS is unnecessary for most users, as the High preset already provides a buttery-smooth experience, and the CPU bottleneck at this resolution means the extra FPS from Low settings comes at a steep visual cost. In summary, the data suggests using High at 4K, Medium at 1440p, and High at 1080p for the best overall experience, with Ultra reserved for users who prioritize visuals over the already high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 261 FPS average
• Medium: 227 FPS average, with a minimum of 193 FPS and a maximum of 261 FPS
• High: 214 FPS average
• Ultra: 197 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 231 FPS average
• Medium: 201 FPS average, with a minimum of 171 FPS and a maximum of 231 FPS
• High: 184 FPS average
• Ultra: 147 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 188 FPS average
• Medium: 130 FPS average, with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 150 FPS
• High: 109 FPS average
• Ultra: 88 FPS average

These numbers reveal a consistent hierarchy, with Lower settings always providing the highest frame rates and Ultra the lowest. The 1080p Low result of 261 FPS is the peak performance across all configurations, while the 4K Ultra result of 88 FPS is the most demanding scenario. The Medium settings at each resolution provide the most complete data, with minimum and maximum values that indicate frame pacing. The 1080p Medium range (193-261 FPS) shows a 68 FPS spread, while the 1440p Medium range (171-231 FPS) shows a 60 FPS spread, and the 4K Medium range (111-150 FPS) shows a 39 FPS spread. This decreasing spread at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's workload becomes more consistent as the CPU bottleneck diminishes, resulting in smoother frame delivery at 4K despite lower average FPS.