The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT pairing delivers a broad spectrum of performance in The Medium, with results that shift dramatically based on resolution and quality presets. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and comfortable playability at 4K, but the scaling patterns reveal a complex relationship between the CPU and GPU that defines the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a stark and telling pattern when moving from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 154 FPS, but this drops to 136 FPS at 1440p and further to 107 FPS at 4K. This represents a 30.5% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, which is a surprisingly modest penalty for such a large resolution increase. The pattern suggests that at Low settings, the frame rate is not being crushed by pixel count alone, indicating that other factors are at play.

The scaling becomes more dramatic at higher quality presets. With Medium settings, the system delivers 101 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 15.8%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 21.2%. At High settings, the progression is 72 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 48 FPS at 4K, with a more uniform degradation of roughly 15-20% per step up in resolution.

Ultra settings show the steepest resolution penalty. The combo manages 57 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p, and 38 FPS at 4K. This represents a 33.3% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is the most severe scaling in the entire dataset. The Ultra preset at 4K falls below the 40 FPS threshold, which is notable for a game that relies on atmospheric tension and smooth camera movement.

The resolution scaling behavior suggests that at Low and Medium settings, the system is not purely GPU-limited at 1080p. The relatively small FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (11.7%) hints that the CPU or other system components are contributing to the frame rate ceiling. However, at Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor, as the 4K result of 38 FPS is drastically lower than the 1080p result of 57 FPS. The data implies that for maximum performance, players should prioritize resolution over quality settings, as the GPU has substantial headroom at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS?

A: The data shows that at 1440p with Medium settings, the combo achieves 85 FPS, and at 1080p with High settings, it reaches 72 FPS. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1440p Medium or 1080p High are the highest quality options that clear this threshold, while 4K Medium sits at 67 FPS, which also qualifies.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 38 FPS. This is below the 40 FPS mark, making it the weakest configuration in the dataset. The 4K Ultra result is 43.3% lower than the 4K High result of 48 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The scaling data indicates that at 1080p Low, the system hits 154 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 57 FPS. The 63% reduction from Low to Ultra at the same resolution suggests the GPU is heavily taxed by higher quality settings. However, the relatively small FPS gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings (11.7%) implies the CPU may be limiting performance at lower quality presets.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the measured range is 86 to 116 FPS with an average of 101 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 72 to 98 FPS with an average of 85 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 57 to 77 FPS with an average of 67 FPS. The min FPS values indicate that even the lowest dips remain playable at all resolutions.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 479 out of 2911 tested combinations in The Medium, placing it in the top 16.5% of all tested setups. This percentile position reflects strong overall performance, though the measured FPS data shows it is not capable of maxing out the game at 4K Ultra.

Q: What is the largest FPS jump between presets at a single resolution?

A: The largest preset-to-preset jump occurs at 4K, where moving from Low (107 FPS) to Ultra (38 FPS) represents a 64.5% reduction in performance. At 1080p, the difference between Low (154 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) is also substantial at 63%, highlighting the heavy cost of the Ultra preset across all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 479 out of 2911 tested combinations places this system in the 83.5th percentile among all configurations tested in The Medium. This is a strong position, but the data reveals that the ranking is not uniform across all settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 154 FPS, which would place it in a very high tier for competitive play. However, at 4K Ultra, the 38 FPS result would drop the ranking significantly if only that configuration were considered.

The overall rank of 479 suggests that this combo sits comfortably in the upper echelon of tested systems, but it is not at the absolute top. The data implies that there are 478 combinations that deliver better overall performance in this game. This could be due to the GPU's percentile ranking of 55 against all GPUs, which is surprisingly modest for a high-end card. The CPU's percentile of 83 against all CPUs is more impressive, indicating that the processor is a relative strength of this pairing.

The rank also reflects the balanced nature of this combo. It is not a system that excels at one specific resolution or preset, but rather one that provides consistently strong results across the board. The 4K Medium result of 67 FPS is particularly noteworthy, as it demonstrates the ability to play at high resolution with decent quality settings while maintaining smooth playback. The combo's position in the rankings suggests that it is a well-rounded performer, though not a class leader in any single metric.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 154 FPS on Low, 101 FPS on Medium, 72 FPS on High, and 57 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p results show a clear progression of diminishing returns, with the jump from Low to Medium costing 34.4% performance, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 20.8%.

At 2560x1440, the combo achieves 136 FPS on Low, 85 FPS on Medium, 61 FPS on High, and 48 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results follow a similar pattern to 1080p but with lower absolute numbers. The drop from Low to Medium is 37.5%, which is steeper than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system delivers 107 FPS on Low, 67 FPS on Medium, 48 FPS on High, and 38 FPS on Ultra. The 4K results show the most pronounced differences between presets. The jump from Low to Medium costs 37.4% performance, while the jump from High to Ultra costs 20.8%. The 4K Ultra result of 38 FPS is the only configuration that falls below the 40 FPS threshold in the entire dataset.

The Medium settings rows include min and max FPS values, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 86 to 116 FPS, showing a 30 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 72 to 98 FPS, a 26 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 57 to 77 FPS, a 20 FPS spread. The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the frame rate becomes more consistent as the GPU becomes more heavily loaded, which is typical behavior for a GPU-bound scenario.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This is a Zen 4 architecture processor built on a 5 nm process, featuring 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU's benchmark scores are respectable, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072.

The CPU's role in The Medium is evident from the resolution scaling data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 154 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU quickly. However, the fact that the FPS drops by only 11.7% when moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (154 to 136 FPS) indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at these settings. The larger drop of 21.3% from 1440p to 4K at Low settings (136 to 107 FPS) shows that the GPU begins to take over as the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The CPU's single-thread performance, as measured by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3072, is likely sufficient for the game's physics and AI calculations. The multi-core score of 21765 suggests that the 6-core, 12-thread configuration can handle the game's background tasks without issue. The CPU's percentile of 83 against all CPUs places it in the upper range, and its average benchmark score of 32750 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-14600T with a delta of 0.1% and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H with a delta of -0.2%.

The CPU's 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth are relevant to its performance in this game. The data suggests that the 7400F provides a solid foundation for the RX 7900 XT, allowing the GPU to stretch its legs at lower resolutions while not creating a significant bottleneck at higher ones.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the player's priority of resolution versus visual quality. For players with a 1080p monitor seeking the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset at 154 FPS offers maximum performance, but the Medium preset at 101 FPS provides a better balance of visual fidelity and speed. The High preset at 72 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold and offers improved visuals.

For 1440p users, the Medium preset at 85 FPS is the clear sweet spot. It delivers a smooth experience well above 60 FPS while maintaining reasonable visual quality. The High preset at 61 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize visuals, but it sits uncomfortably close to the 60 FPS minimum. The Ultra preset at 48 FPS is not recommended for 1440p, as it falls below the 50 FPS mark and could result in noticeable stuttering.

For 4K users, the Medium preset at 67 FPS is the best choice, as it maintains a playable frame rate while offering decent quality. The High preset at 48 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 38 FPS is not recommended for a game like The Medium, which relies on smooth camera pans and atmospheric effects. The Low preset at 107 FPS at 4K is an interesting option for those who want high resolution with maximum frame rates, but it sacrifices too much visual detail for most players.

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent performance across all resolutions, with min FPS values of 86, 72, and 57 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. These minimums indicate that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate remains above 55 FPS, providing a stable experience. The Medium preset is therefore the recommended choice for players who want a balance of performance and quality.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus with 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1387 MHz and a boost clock of 2394 MHz, with a game clock of 2025 MHz. It is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with 5376 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 192 ROPs, delivering 51.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The GPU's role in The Medium is clearly demonstrated by the performance scaling across quality presets. At a fixed resolution of 1080p, the FPS drops from 154 at Low to 57 at Ultra, a 63% reduction. This massive swing indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the higher quality settings, particularly the Ultra preset. The GPU's 20 GB of VRAM is unlikely to be a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the memory capacity should be sufficient for the game's textures and effects.

The GPU's benchmark scores tell an interesting story. Its Passmark G3D score of 29009 places it in the 55th percentile against all GPUs, which is surprisingly modest for a high-end card. Its average benchmark score of 13745 is very close to its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon 660M with a delta of -0.5% and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile with a delta of -0.5%. The RX 9070 XT, which is 1.5% behind in average score, is the closest performance rival in this dataset.

The GPU's performance in The Medium shows that it is capable of handling the game at 4K Medium with 67 FPS, but struggles at 4K Ultra with 38 FPS. The large gap between Low and Ultra presets at all resolutions suggests that the Ultra preset includes effects that are particularly demanding on the GPU's compute units. The 84 RT cores present in this GPU may be engaged by the game's lighting effects, though the data does not specify whether ray tracing is enabled in these measurements. The GPU's 800.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is likely sufficient for the game's data streaming needs at all tested resolutions.