The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER pairing delivers a compelling, if occasionally uneven, experience in The Medium. This combination of a modern 6-core Zen 4 processor and a high-end Ada Lovelace GPU produces frame rates that range from deeply immersive at 4K to exceptionally fast at 1080p, but the scaling between settings reveals a title that is heavily reliant on GPU headroom. The data suggests a system that is more than capable of handling the game's fixed-camera horror, yet the performance curve asks players to make a specific choice between visual fidelity and refresh rate.

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

The measured frames per second (FPS) data for this combo shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline tells a story about where the bottleneck lies. At the Low preset, the system produces 164 FPS at 1920x1080, which drops to 155 FPS at 2560x1440, and then falls to 126 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a relatively gentle slope, with the 4K figure still holding 76.8% of the 1080p performance. Such a modest drop-off at the highest resolution strongly implies that the RTX 4080 SUPER has enough raw horsepower to keep the pipeline fed even when pixel count quadruples, and that the CPU is not being overwhelmed at the lower resolutions.

The picture changes dramatically when looking at the Ultra preset. Here, the frame rate starts at 68 FPS at 1080p, falls to 57 FPS at 1440p, and plummets to 45 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 33.8%, which is significantly steeper than the 23.2% drop seen on the Low preset. This indicates that the Ultra preset introduces graphical effects that are extraordinarily taxing on the GPU, making the graphics card the definitive limiting component at this quality level. The data implies that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads running at a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, is sufficient to feed the GPU even at 1080p Ultra, as the performance loss scales almost entirely with the GPU's workload.

Looking at the Medium preset, the scaling is almost perfectly linear: 119 FPS at 1080p, 100 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. Each resolution step costs roughly 16-21% performance. This even scaling suggests a balanced workload where neither the CPU nor GPU is fully saturated, but rather the system is working as a cohesive unit. The High preset follows a similar, though slightly harsher, pattern: 85 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. The 4K High figure, being 34.1% lower than 1080p High, again points to the GPU being the primary arbiter of performance, as the increased pixel count and texture detail at 4K demand more from the memory bus and shading units than the lower resolutions.

The data indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the star of the show. At 4K, the gap between Low (126 FPS) and Ultra (45 FPS) is a massive 64.3%, proving that the GPU's performance is highly sensitive to the settings being thrown at it. Conversely, the CPU's influence seems to wane as resolution climbs, which is typical for a well-balanced system. The conclusion from the resolution scaling is that this combo is GPU-bound in nearly every scenario, but the headroom of the 4080 SUPER is so vast that it only truly struggles when pushed to the absolute maximum visual quality at 4K.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant force in this pairing, and its specifications align well with the measured performance. The GPU operates at a boost clock of 2550 MHz and is built on the 5 nm process with the AD103 chip. The Ada Lovelace architecture, with its 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores, is clearly engineered for high-resolution gaming, which explains why the card can still deliver 126 FPS at 4K on Low settings. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, is a critical asset for The Medium, a game that relies on detailed environments and heavy texture streaming.

The data shows that the GPU's memory configuration is likely a key factor in the performance stability. At 4K Medium, the combo achieves 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. This 23 FPS variance suggests that while the memory is sufficient, the game's engine is demanding a lot from the bandwidth, causing occasional frame pacing hiccups. However, the sheer capacity of 16 GB means that there is no risk of running out of VRAM at these settings, which would cause catastrophic stuttering. The fact that the GPU is rated at a 320 W TDP and suggests a 700 W PSU indicates it has the power headroom to sustain these high clocks under load.

The GPU's benchmark scores corroborate its strong standing. With a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6600 and a Passmark G3D score of 34245, it sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival in the database is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, which has an average score of 54247, a delta of just -0.1%, meaning the SUPER variant is virtually identical in raw synthetic performance. This suggests that the performance we see in The Medium is not an outlier but rather a reflection of the GPU's solid foundation. The 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is more than enough for the shader work required by the game's fixed-camera angles, though the heavy RT effects are likely what push the Ultra preset down to 45 FPS at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER holds a rank of 261 out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the top 7% of all systems tested, which is an exceptionally strong showing. The rank confirms the synergy between the CPU and GPU; while the CPU is a mid-range part, it does not hold back the high-end GPU enough to prevent the combo from achieving a near-elite status in this specific game.

The CPU's individual performance metrics help contextualize this rank. The Ryzen 5 7600 sits in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 26324. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (score 26274, delta 0.2%) and the Intel Core i9-11900KF (score 26212, delta 0.4%). These are all capable processors, but the 7600's 6-core, 12-thread configuration is sufficient for a game like The Medium that is not heavily multithreaded. The fact that this combo ranks so high despite the CPU not being a top-tier part suggests that the game's performance is overwhelmingly dictated by the GPU, and the 4080 SUPER is doing the heavy lifting.

The GPU's rank of 86th percentile, with an average score of 54209, places it just behind the RTX 4080 (54247) but ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828) in terms of raw score, though the delta percentages are tight. The combo's rank of 261 suggests that there are 260 other systems that perform better, likely featuring even more powerful CPUs or possibly SLI configurations. However, for the vast majority of gamers, this combo represents a top-tier experience, and the data confirms that it is far more likely to be limited by the game's engine optimization than by any hardware deficiency.

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

The measured FPS rows provide a clear hierarchy of performance across the four presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 164 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the Medium preset at 119 FPS is the sweet spot for most users, offering a 45 FPS improvement over High (85 FPS) while maintaining a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 68 FPS is still playable, but it sacrifices the fluidity that the lower presets provide. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of pushing well over 100 FPS, so the choice comes down to visual quality versus raw speed.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 100 FPS, which is a fantastic target for a 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 72 FPS is also viable for 60Hz displays, and it offers better visual fidelity. The Low preset at 155 FPS is overkill for most monitors but shows the GPU's headroom. The Ultra preset at 57 FPS is the minimum recommended for a smooth experience, but it dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which might bother some players. For 1440p, the data points to Medium as the best balance, as it provides a 43% performance increase over High while still looking significantly better than Low.

At 3840x2160, the landscape changes. The Low preset at 126 FPS is surprisingly playable and would be great for 4K high-refresh displays, but the Medium preset at 79 FPS is the recommended choice for a 60Hz 4K TV. The High preset at 56 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 45 FPS is too demanding for smooth gameplay. The recommendation is clear: for a consistent experience, players should opt for Medium at all resolutions, as it provides the best combination of visual quality and frame rate. The Ultra preset is only suitable for taking screenshots or for players who prioritize graphics over gameplay fluidity, as the data shows it consistently halves the frame rate compared to Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The complete dataset for this combo in The Medium is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 164 FPS. The Medium preset averages 119 FPS, with a minimum of 101 FPS and a maximum of 137 FPS. The High preset averages 85 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 68 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 155 FPS. The Medium preset averages 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. The High preset averages 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 57 FPS. Finally, at 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 126 FPS. The Medium preset averages 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. The High preset averages 56 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 45 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: the Medium preset is the only one that records minimum and maximum FPS values across all resolutions, indicating that it is the most stable and well-tested configuration. The lack of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra suggests either that those presets are not as rigorously benchmarked or that their frame times are less consistent. The spread between the min and max at Medium is roughly 20%, which is acceptable, but the fact that the 4K Medium min (67 FPS) is higher than the 4K High average (56 FPS) highlights the significant performance cliff between these two presets. This suggests that the High preset introduces effects that are disproportionately expensive, likely related to shadow quality or ambient occlusion, which the 4080 SUPER struggles to maintain at 4K.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 SUPER in this game?

A: The data suggests not at most settings. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 164 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would stress a CPU. The fact that the frame rate at 4K Low is 126 FPS, only a 23.2% drop from 1080p, indicates the GPU is still the primary limiter, and the 6-core CPU is keeping up sufficiently.

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 Hz 4K display?

A: The Medium preset at 3840x2160 is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 79 FPS. The High preset dips to 56 FPS, and Ultra falls to 45 FPS, both of which would cause noticeable judder on a 60 Hz panel. The Medium preset offers a smooth frame rate while still providing a substantial visual upgrade over Low.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the regular RTX 4080 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The database shows the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, while the RTX 4080 has a score of 54247. The deltaPct is -0.1%, meaning they perform nearly identically in synthetic tests. The SUPER variant does not offer a significant raw performance advantage.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever worth using with this hardware?

A: Only at 1080p, where it achieves 68 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 57 FPS, and at 4K, it is only 45 FPS. For a 60 FPS experience, Ultra is not viable at 1440p or 4K. The data indicates that the visual fidelity gains from Ultra come at a heavy cost to frame rate.

Q: What kind of frame rate stability can be expected at Medium settings?

A: The benchmark data includes minimum and maximum FPS for the Medium preset. At 1080p, the range is 101 to 137 FPS. At 1440p, it is 85 to 115 FPS. At 4K, it is 67 to 90 FPS. This indicates a variance of roughly 25-30%, which is typical for a game with dynamic camera angles.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking compared to all other processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 sits in the 78th percentile of all CPUs. This means it performs better than 78% of the processors in the database, placing it in the upper mid-range tier. Its average benchmark score is 26324.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, which are solid figures for a desktop part. The 32 MB of L3 cache is shared across the cores, which helps with latency-sensitive tasks. The CPU is rated at a 65 W TDP, which is low for a desktop chip, but its performance in the 3DMark tests (single-thread score of 999, max-thread score of 6503) shows it can handle bursty workloads well. In The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process the game's logic, which is not particularly demanding due to the fixed-camera perspective.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 164 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that a weaker CPU would likely struggle to keep up. The fact that the CPU scores 1852 in Cinebench R23 single-core suggests it has excellent per-core performance, which is crucial for games that rely on a single main thread. The 5.10 GHz boost clock is particularly beneficial here, as it ensures that the game's primary thread can execute quickly. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX, has a similar average score (26274 vs 26324), but the 7600's desktop design allows for higher sustained clocks, which likely contributes to the consistent frame rates at 1080p.

However, the CPU's limitations become apparent when looking at the scaling. At 1080p, the frame rate increases from 68 FPS on Ultra to 164 FPS on Low, a 141% improvement. This massive jump is due to the GPU having less work to do, but it also means the CPU is being asked to process more frames per second. The fact that it can hit 164 FPS suggests it has headroom, but the lack of a 200+ FPS figure indicates that the 6-core, 12-thread configuration is not overkill for this game. The CPU's 78th percentile ranking is respectable, but it is not in the top tier, which is why the combo ranks 261st overall. A more powerful CPU like a 16-core part might push the 1080p numbers higher, but for the resolutions most players use, the 7600 is more than adequate. The data implies that the CPU is a smart pairing for the 4080 SUPER, providing enough speed to avoid bottlenecks without being a waste of money for a gaming-focused system.