The Medium

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 lands at rank 1075 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. That places this configuration in the top 29% of all tested systems, a solid mid-to-upper tier result for a horror title that leans heavily on atmospheric rendering and fixed-camera perspectives. The rank suggests this pairing is neither a fringe outlier nor a top-tier juggernaut — it sits comfortably in the upper third, where frame rates remain playable across most settings but with notable concessions required at higher resolutions.

What makes this ranking particularly interesting is the imbalance between the two components. The CPU holds a percentile rank of 77 among all processors, while the GPU sits at percentile 69 among all graphics cards. The combo's overall position reflects a system where the processor is slightly stronger relative to its peers than the graphics card is to its own competition. This suggests the Ryzen 5 8400F is doing its part to keep the pipeline fed, while the RX 9070 becomes the limiting factor in more demanding scenarios. The data shows a 0.2% average benchmark score advantage over the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, a 0.3% edge over the Intel Core i7-11850H, and a 0.4% lead over the Intel Core i7-13620H — margins so thin they are effectively noise, but they do confirm the 8400F is competitively positioned within its immediate peer group.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 5 8400F brings six cores and twelve threads to the table, built on the Zen 4 architecture at a 4 nm process node. Its base clock runs at 4.20 GHz with a boost capability up to 4.70 GHz, figures that matter for a game like The Medium, which uses fixed camera angles and dual-reality rendering that can create sudden CPU load spikes. The 16 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 per core provide reasonable data locality for the game's streaming assets, while the dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth gives the processor enough headroom to feed the GPU without becoming a bottleneck in most scenes.

Benchmark data reinforces this processor's capability profile. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20851 and single-core score of 2943 place it as a strong mid-range contender. The 3DMark thread scaling tells a more nuanced story: 2-thread score of 1874, 4-thread score of 3563, and 8-thread score of 5275, with a max-thread score of 6165. The scaling from 2 to 4 threads shows a near-doubling of performance, but the jump from 8 to max threads is modest, indicating diminishing returns beyond eight threads. For The Medium, which is not heavily multithreaded due to its cinematic presentation style, this means the CPU's single-thread and moderate-thread performance is what drives results — and the 8400F delivers adequately in that regard.

The PassMark single-thread score of 3685 and multithread score of 24389 further contextualize the processor's standing. It outperforms the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F by 0.2%, a negligible margin that suggests near-identical real-world gaming behavior. The CPU's 77th percentile ranking among all processors means it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the CPUs in the database, which is respectable but not elite. In The Medium specifically, the CPU's role is to maintain consistent frame pacing during the game's signature split-screen moments where two perspectives render simultaneously — a scenario that can spike CPU utilization. The 8400F handles this adequately, though the measured FPS data suggests the GPU is more often the constraint.

GPU Role

The Radeon RX 9070 is the centerpiece of this combo, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 48 chip at a 4 nm process. It packs 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 128 raster operation pipelines, with 56 ray tracing cores available for the game's occasional reflective surfaces. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for a horror title that loads high-resolution textures for its detailed environments. The boost clock of 2520 MHz and game clock of 2070 MHz provide the raw throughput needed to maintain playable frame rates.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 25381 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6290 position it competitively, though the nearest rival data reveals an interesting picture. The RX 9070 trails the AMD Radeon RX 6800S by 0.8% in average benchmark score, while leading the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z by 0.6% and the RTX 3080 Mobile by 1.1%. The RTX 2080 SUPER leads by 1.2%. These margins are all within a tight band, meaning the RX 9070 is essentially performance-equivalent to a cluster of last-generation and mobile flagships in synthetic benchmarks. The 69th percentile ranking among all GPUs reflects this — it is a solid upper-midrange card, not a top-tier enthusiast part.

In The Medium, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM buffer is more than sufficient for the game's texture loads, even at 4K Ultra settings. The measured FPS data shows the GPU scaling predictably with resolution and settings, but the 33 FPS at 4K Ultra versus 42 FPS at 4K High indicates that the card hits a performance ceiling as pixel count and effects quality rise. The 56 ray tracing cores are present but the game does not heavily rely on them, so rasterization performance is the primary driver. The GPU's 220 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest it is a power-efficient card that maintains consistent clocks under sustained load, which is crucial for a game that can run for extended cinematic sequences.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results show strong performance: Low settings deliver 141 FPS, Medium achieves 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 101, High reaches 63 FPS, and Ultra drops to 50 FPS. The 1080p numbers indicate a system that can easily handle esports-level frame rates on lower presets, while even Ultra remains playable above 50 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling follows an expected pattern but with steeper drops. Low settings produce 119 FPS, a 15.6% decrease from 1080p. Medium hits 74 FPS (min 63, max 85), High drops to 53 FPS, and Ultra falls to 42 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 15-20% performance across all settings, which is typical for a resolution that increases pixel count by 78%. The game remains playable at Medium and above, though Ultra dips below the 60 FPS threshold that many players consider the baseline for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes dramatically. Low settings still manage 93 FPS, which is impressive for 4K, but Medium falls to 58 FPS (min 50, max 67), High drops to 42 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 33 FPS. The 4K Low result shows the GPU's raw pixel-pushing capability, but the steep decline from Low to Medium — a 37.6% drop — reveals that the Medium preset introduces rendering features that significantly tax the card. The 4K Ultra result of 33 FPS is borderline unplayable for a horror game where smooth camera movement is essential to the atmosphere.

The full dataset shows a clear pattern: this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for lower settings presets. The minimum FPS values recorded only for Medium settings across all resolutions (75 at 1080p, 63 at 1440p, 50 at 4K) indicate that Medium is the most consistent preset, with frame pacing that avoids severe dips.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo perform at 1080p Ultra in The Medium?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 50 FPS, which is playable but below the 60 FPS threshold. Players seeking smoother motion may prefer High settings at 63 FPS.

Q: Is the RX 9070 the bottleneck at 4K in this game?

A: The data suggests yes. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the combo only achieves 33 FPS, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2943) indicates it is not the limiting factor. The GPU's 69th percentile ranking and steep FPS drops at 4K point to graphics processing as the constraint.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS, providing the best balance of visual quality and smooth performance. High drops to 53 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter in a game that relies on continuous camera movement.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25005, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F's 24964. This margin is statistically insignificant, meaning the two processors are effectively performance equals in aggregate testing.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Low settings comfortably?

A: Yes, the measured 93 FPS at 3840x2160 Low indicates strong 4K capability on reduced settings. This provides a viable option for players who prioritize resolution over visual fidelity.

Q: What does the 3DMark 16-thread score of 6091 indicate for this game?

A: It shows the CPU has adequate multi-threaded headroom, but The Medium does not scale heavily beyond 8 threads (8-thread score of 5275). The game's performance is more dependent on single-thread speed, where the 8400F's 3DMark single-thread score of 951 is sufficient.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data points to Medium settings as the optimal choice across all three resolutions. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 101, providing a wide frame rate buffer that keeps gameplay smooth even during intense scenes. The 1440p Medium result of 74 FPS (min 63, max 85) is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance at that resolution, staying above the 60 FPS threshold while offering enhanced detail over Low. At 4K, Medium drops to 58 FPS (min 50, max 67), which is borderline but acceptable for a slower-paced horror title.

High settings are viable at 1080p (63 FPS) but become marginal at 1440p (53 FPS) and unsatisfactory at 4K (42 FPS). Ultra settings are only recommended for 1080p, where 50 FPS is workable for a game that does not demand twitch reflexes. The data shows that Low settings provide the highest frame rates (141 FPS at 1080p, 119 FPS at 1440p, 93 FPS at 4K) but at a significant cost to visual quality — particularly in a game where lighting and shadow play are central to the horror atmosphere.

The recommended path is clear: Medium settings provide the best experience, with the 1080p and 1440p results offering smooth gameplay and the 4K result remaining playable. Players with high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p might consider High settings to balance visual quality with the 63 FPS result, but for most users, Medium is the sweet spot.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals important information about the limiting component in this combo. At Low settings, the progression is 141 FPS at 1080p, 119 FPS at 1440p, and 93 FPS at 4K — a 34% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium, the progression is 88 to 74 to 58 FPS, a 34.1% drop. At High, it is 63 to 53 to 42 FPS, a 33.3% drop. At Ultra, it is 50 to 42 to 33 FPS, a 34% drop. The consistency of this ~34% reduction across all settings is striking and indicates that the GPU is the primary scaling bottleneck.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload would stay constant while the GPU handles more pixels. Instead, the uniform ~34% drop from 1080p to 4K suggests the RX 9070's pixel throughput is the constraint. The GPU's 644.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and 322.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are being saturated at 4K, particularly at higher settings where texture filtering and shading demands increase.

The scaling pattern also reveals that the CPU is not hindering performance at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 141 FPS result shows the Ryzen 5 8400F can feed frames quickly enough to keep the GPU busy. The 1080p Ultra result of 50 FPS versus 4K Ultra at 33 FPS further confirms that resolution scaling, not CPU throughput, is the determining factor. This combo is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where the scaling from 1080p is moderate and the frame rates remain competitive. At 4K, the system requires settings reductions to maintain playability, but the 93 FPS Low result shows there is headroom for players who prioritize resolution over detail.