The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a highly capable 4K experience in The Medium, though the data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets. The benchmark results show a system that is firmly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the CPU demonstrates ample headroom to keep up with the graphics card's output.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, confirming that the RTX 4080 is the primary bottleneck at 4K. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average frame rate falls from 86 FPS to 72 FPS, a drop of 14 FPS. The transition from 1440p to 3840x2160 is more punishing, with the High preset average falling further to 57 FPS, representing a 21% reduction from the 1440p figure.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all presets. At Medium settings, the 1080p average of 120 FPS drops to 101 FPS at 1440p and then to 79 FPS at 4K. The Low preset shows the largest absolute numbers, starting at 160 FPS at 1080p, falling to 151 FPS at 1440p, and still managing 127 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, sees averages of 68 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the RTX 4080's performance headroom is substantial at 1080p, where even Ultra settings produce playable frame rates. However, the 4K Ultra result of 45 FPS suggests that this combination is not suitable for maxed-out 4K gaming in The Medium. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at High and Ultra settings shows a consistent ~20% performance penalty, which points to memory bandwidth and rasterization throughput becoming limiting factors at higher pixel counts. The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal, as the 7500F's strong single-thread performance ensures that frame delivery is not constrained by processor throughput at any resolution tested.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications directly explain the measured results. The GPU operates with a boost clock of 2505 MHz and a base clock of 2205 MHz, built on the AD103 chip using the Ada Lovelace architecture. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s, which is critical for handling the game's high-resolution textures and effects at 4K.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54247. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, scores 54209, a delta of only 0.1%, meaning the two cards are statistically identical in raw compute. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X sits 1.1% higher at 54828, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% higher, respectively. This positioning confirms that the RTX 4080 is a high-end part, but its performance in The Medium is not exceptional relative to its class.

The 4K Medium result of 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and maximum of 91 FPS shows that the GPU can sustain smooth gameplay when settings are moderated. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for this title, as the game's requirements do not appear to exceed the available memory even at Ultra settings. The GPU's 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores are present but not heavily utilized in this game's standard rendering paths, as the performance deltas between presets are primarily driven by traditional rasterization and shader complexity.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F provides the computational foundation for this system, and its characteristics align well with the measured FPS data. This processor features 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its single-thread performance is robust, as evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2374 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3218.

The CPU's benchmark results place it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 24964. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11850H at 24935 (0.1% lower), the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F at 25005 (0.2% higher), and the Intel Core i7-13620H at 24911 (0.2% lower). These tight deltas indicate that the 7500F offers performance squarely in the mainstream-to-midrange tier, which is entirely adequate for pairing with a high-end GPU like the RTX 4080.

In The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The 12 threads handle the game's multi-threaded workloads without becoming a bottleneck, as evidenced by the consistent FPS scaling across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 160 FPS average suggests the CPU can push frame rates well beyond what most displays can show, and even at 4K Ultra, the CPU is not the limiting factor—the GPU's 45 FPS average is the clear constraint. The L3 cache of 32 MB shared across the cores provides sufficient data locality for the game's asset streaming, and the DDR5 memory support with dual-channel bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s ensures that memory latency does not introduce stutter.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance differs by resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 68 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The High preset at 86 FPS is a better choice for most users, as it provides a smoother experience while maintaining strong visual quality. The Medium preset at 120 FPS is the sweet spot for competitive or fast-paced play, though the game's horror genre does not demand extreme frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 72 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it offers a solid balance between detail and smoothness. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is borderline for a horror title where consistent pacing matters, and the Medium preset at 101 FPS provides a significant margin of safety for demanding scenes. The Low preset at 151 FPS is overkill for most displays and sacrifices too much visual quality for the genre's atmospheric presentation.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset stands out as the best option, with an average of 79 FPS and a minimum of 67 FPS. This preset achieves the rare combination of high resolution and smooth gameplay, and the minimum frame rate ensures that dips do not cause noticeable judder. The High preset at 57 FPS is playable but may exhibit stutter in busy scenes, while the Ultra preset at 45 FPS is best avoided unless the user prioritizes absolute fidelity over frame pacing. The Low preset at 127 FPS proves that the hardware is capable of high frame rates at 4K, but the visual compromises are severe for a game that relies heavily on lighting and shadow.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K with maximum settings?*

A: The data shows an average of 45 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K achieves 79 FPS and is the better choice for a fluid experience.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest competitors in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 54247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54209, with a delta of 0.1%. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% higher, respectively.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7500F a bottleneck for the RTX 4080?

A: No. The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 77th percentile, and its strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core of 3218) ensures it can keep up with the GPU. The FPS scaling across resolutions confirms the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers 72 FPS average, which is a good balance. The Medium preset provides 101 FPS for a smoother experience, while the Ultra preset at 57 FPS is acceptable if visual fidelity is the top priority.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 86 at 1920x1080 to 57 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 29 FPS or approximately 34%. At Medium settings, the drop is from 120 FPS to 79 FPS, a 41 FPS or 34% reduction.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM on the RTX 4080 cause any issues in this game?

A: No. The measured results show no indication of VRAM limitations, as the game runs at all settings and resolutions without crashes or excessive frame drops that would indicate memory pressure.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 160 FPS average
• Medium: 120 FPS average, with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS
• High: 86 FPS average
• Ultra: 68 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 151 FPS average
• Medium: 101 FPS average, with a minimum of 86 FPS and a maximum of 116 FPS
• High: 72 FPS average
• Ultra: 57 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 127 FPS average
• Medium: 79 FPS average, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS
• High: 57 FPS average
• Ultra: 45 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern where the Medium preset offers the best balance of frame rate and stability, particularly at higher resolutions. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings are notably strong, with the 4K result of 67 FPS ensuring that even the most demanding scenes remain playable. The Ultra preset's lack of minimum FPS data suggests it was not measured for stability, but its low averages indicate it is not recommended for this hardware combination.