The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a distinct performance profile in The Medium, characterized by a strong CPU foundation and a GPU that scales predictably with resolution. This analysis examines the measured frame rate data to clarify how each component contributes to the experience, how the combination ranks among tested hardware, and what settings offer the best playability.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It is built on a 7 nm process and supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus. Benchmark results show strong single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2111 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2622, which is critical for games that rely on a few heavily loaded threads. Multi-threaded performance is also robust, as indicated by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18578 and a Passmark multithread score of 21858.

In the context of The Medium, a horror title that often features complex scenes with dynamic lighting and shadow calculations, the CPU must feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 127.6 FPS average, which is the highest recorded value across all tested configurations. This high frame rate at low graphical load suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this setting; the processor has enough headroom to drive the GPU to its limits. The Ryzen 5 5600X's 32 MB L3 cache and 6 cores with simultaneous multithreading provide sufficient parallel processing for the game's background tasks, such as physics and AI, without limiting the frame rate.

Comparing to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores an average of 20680, with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Core i7-10700 both slightly ahead by 0.3% deltaPct, while the Intel Core i5-12490F is 0.5% ahead. The Intel Xeon 6325P trails by 0.7%. These are marginal differences, indicating that the 5600X is squarely in the same performance tier as its immediate competition, and its impact on The Medium's frame rate is likely consistent with these rivals. Given that the CPU's percentile rank is 78 among all CPUs, it is positioned well above the median, suggesting it provides a solid base for the GPU to operate without being a limiting factor in most gaming scenarios.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 1575 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, and it features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The GPU also includes 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which are relevant for ray tracing and DLSS features, though the measured data does not specify whether those are active in this test. The GPU's raw compute capability is rated at 21.75 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

In The Medium, the GPU's workload scales directly with resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 127.6, but this drops to 56.8 at High and 45.8 at Ultra. The trend is similar at 1440p, where Low yields 107.2 FPS, High yields 47.6 FPS, and Ultra yields 41.4 FPS. This steep decline with increasing settings indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB VRAM and processing power are being taxed by the game's high-resolution textures and post-processing effects. The 86.6 FPS at 4K Low versus 38 FPS at 4K High shows that even at the most demanding resolution, the GPU can maintain playable frame rates if settings are reduced, but the 29.8 FPS at 4K Ultra confirms that this configuration is not suitable for maximum quality at 4K.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 30849, with a percentile rank of 74. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (0.3% ahead), AMD Radeon RX 6700 (0.8% behind), NVIDIA Quadro M5000 (0.9% behind), and NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q (1.2% behind). These deltas are small, but the RTX 3070 Ti's position in the middle of this group suggests that its performance in The Medium is representative of its class. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a notable factor; at 4K Ultra, the game likely approaches or exceeds this limit, which could explain the sub-30 FPS result, as memory pressure forces the GPU to swap assets and reduce throughput.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. From 1080p to 1440p to 4K, the average FPS at each settings level decreases consistently, but the rate of decline differs by quality preset. At Low settings, the frame rates are 127.6 (1080p), 107.2 (1440p), and 86.6 (4K). This is a drop of approximately 16% from 1080p to 1440p and an additional 19% from 1440p to 4K. The relatively high FPS at 4K Low indicates that the GPU still has significant headroom when graphical load is minimal, and the CPU is not the primary limiter.

At High settings, the FPS drops from 56.8 at 1080p to 47.6 at 1440p (a 16% decrease) and then to 38 at 4K (a 20% decrease). This pattern suggests that as resolution increases, the GPU's pixel processing and memory bandwidth become the dominant constraints. The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling: 45.8 FPS at 1080p, 41.4 at 1440p, and 29.8 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is 28%, which is larger than the corresponding drop at Low or High, indicating that the GPU is nearing its limits at 4K with maximum settings.

The implication is that the RTX 3070 Ti is the limiting component in this combo for The Medium, especially at higher resolutions and quality settings. The CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain frame rates at 1080p Low, where the FPS exceeds 120, but as the GPU becomes more stressed, the CPU's role diminishes. The data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking, as frame rates scale smoothly with resolution, which is typical for a balanced system where the GPU is the primary determinant of performance in a graphically intensive title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured average FPS, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. For a smooth experience at 60 FPS, the data shows that at 1080p, the High preset achieves 56.8 FPS, which is close to but not quite at the 60 FPS target. Dropping to Medium yields 80.6 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still offering improved visuals over Low. At 1440p, Medium produces 66.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable choice for a balance of quality and performance. High at 1440p falls to 47.6 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users but is below the smoother 60 FPS experience.

For those prioritizing frame rate over visuals, Low settings at 1440p offer 107.2 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, and even at 4K, Low delivers 86.6 FPS, which is playable on 60 Hz displays. However, the Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p, where it hits 45.8 FPS; at 1440p Ultra (41.4 FPS) and 4K Ultra (29.8 FPS), the experience becomes noticeably less fluid. The data suggests that the Medium preset is the best overall compromise across all resolutions, as it consistently provides frame rates above 50 FPS at 1080p and 1440p and remains above 30 FPS at 4K (52.6 FPS). For a target of 60 FPS, users should select Medium at 1080p or 1440p, while those with 4K displays should accept Low or Medium settings to maintain playability.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti achieves a rank of 672 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the 60th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms a majority of combinations but is not in the top tier. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU; while the RTX 3070 Ti is a capable mid-to-high-end GPU, the 8 GB VRAM and the game's demanding nature at high settings prevent it from achieving higher placement. The CPU's contribution is positive, as its synthetic benchmark scores are within a tight margin of its rivals, and it does not drag down the combo's ranking.

In the context of the full test pool, the 672nd position out of 1689 indicates that there are many systems with more powerful GPUs or more optimized configurations that surpass this combo in The Medium. However, the data shows that this pairing is far from the bottom, and it delivers solid performance at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings. The rank is likely influenced by the GPU's performance at 4K, where the 29.8 FPS at Ultra is a significant outlier and pulls down the average frame rate across all tested resolutions. This rank suggests that users should not expect this combo to excel at maximum settings in 4K, but it is a reliable choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The measured data shows that at 1080p with Medium settings, the combo achieves 80.6 FPS, and at 1440p with Medium it achieves 66.8 FPS. Both are above 60 FPS, making 1440p Medium a viable option, while 1080p offers higher headroom for frame rate stability.

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

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 86.6, which is playable, while 4K Medium drops to 52.6 FPS, and 4K High falls to 38 FPS. 4K Ultra is not recommended, as it only reaches 29.8 FPS.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, frame rates drop consistently at all settings, with the largest drop at Ultra preset, showing that the RTX 3070 Ti's processing and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600X compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600X has an average benchmark score of 20680. Its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Core i7-10700, are both 0.3% higher, while the Intel Core i5-12490F is 0.5% higher and the Intel Xeon 6325P is 0.7% lower. These differences are minimal, indicating similar CPU performance.

Q: What settings should I use for a 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: Based on the measured FPS, Medium settings at 1440p provide 66.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. High settings at 1440p only reach 47.6 FPS, so Medium is the recommended preset for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti has a percentile rank of 74 among all GPUs, indicating it performs better than 74% of tested GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 30849, and it sits close to rivals like the AMD Radeon RX 6700, which is 0.8% behind.