The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and AMD Radeon RX 9070 pairing in The Medium produces a spread of results that clearly demonstrates where the bottleneck shifts between resolutions. The combination delivers playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p on medium settings, but the 4K experience is heavily dependent on the graphics preset, with the Ultra preset falling below 40 FPS. The data indicates a system that is well-balanced for mainstream gaming but shows the GPU's limitations when subjected to the highest visual demands at 4K.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a Zen 2 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a 32 MB L3 cache, which is typical for a desktop part from its 3000 series generation.

In terms of raw compute, the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 19087 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 2694 in single-core. Its average benchmark score of 28631 places it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs. The nearest rivals are closely matched: the Intel Core i5-12600 is 0.1% faster, the Intel Core i5-12600H is also 0.1% faster, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT is 0.1% slower, and the AMD EPYC 7203P is 0.2% slower. These tight deltas show that the 3700X sits in a highly competitive performance tier.

For The Medium, the CPU's 16 threads provide ample headroom for the game's demands at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates scale from 49.5 FPS on Ultra to 109.3 FPS on Low, indicating that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The same holds at 1440p, where the Low preset achieves 107.4 FPS. However, as resolution increases to 4K, the frame rate differences between presets grow larger, suggesting that the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU efficiently, and the benchmark results show no signs of CPU-induced stutter or frame rate collapse, even at the highest settings tested.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, specifically the Navi 48 chip, fabricated on a 4 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1330 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, with a game clock of 2070 MHz. The memory runs at an effective speed of 20.1 Gbps, and the card is rated for a 220 W TDP.

The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial, with 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs. It achieves an FP32 performance of 36.13 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 9070 scores 25381 in Passmark G3D and 6290 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its average benchmark score of 34780 puts it in the 79th percentile among all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA A2 (0.2% slower) and NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (0.3% faster).

In The Medium, the 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's needs across all tested settings, as no memory-related performance anomalies appear in the data. The GPU's clock speeds directly influence the frame rates: at 1080p Medium, the card delivers 85.5 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 35.3 FPS. This severe drop from 2.4x the pixel count of 1080p to 4K shows the GPU's shading and ROP throughput being taxed heavily, with the 128 ROPs becoming a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The RX 9070 is a capable mid-to-high-end GPU, but The Medium's heavy use of volumetric effects and high-resolution textures at Ultra settings pushes it to its limits.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. Starting at 1080p, the Medium preset achieves 85.5 FPS, which drops to 74.5 FPS at 1440p (a 12.9% reduction) and then to 59.3 FPS at 4K (a 20.4% reduction from 1440p). This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has sufficient headroom to maintain consistent frame delivery, and the GPU's fill rate becomes the primary constraint.

Looking at the Low preset, the FPS goes from 109.3 at 1080p to 107.4 at 1440p (a mere 1.7% drop) and then to 93.9 at 4K (a 12.6% drop from 1440p). The minimal change between 1080p and 1440p on Low indicates that the system is not yet fully GPU-limited at those settings; the CPU is able to keep up, and the GPU has spare capacity. The larger drop to 4K reflects the increased pixel count demanding more from the GPU.

The High preset shows more pronounced scaling: 61.2 FPS at 1080p, 53.6 FPS at 1440p (12.4% drop), and 43.1 FPS at 4K (19.6% drop from 1440p). The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with 49.5 FPS at 1080p, 44.1 FPS at 1440p (10.9% drop), and 35.3 FPS at 4K (20% drop from 1440p). The consistent ~20% drop from 1440p to 4K across High and Ultra presets confirms that the GPU is the limiting component at these settings, as the resolution increase directly translates to a proportional FPS loss.

The data shows that the CPU is only a limiting factor at the very lowest settings and resolutions, where the FPS plateaus around 107-109 FPS. Once the visual settings are raised, the GPU's workload increases, and the frame rates scale accordingly, reinforcing that the RX 9070 is the primary driver of performance in this pairing.

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

For a balanced experience across all resolutions, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. At 1080p, it delivers 85.5 FPS, which is smooth and well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, it achieves 74.5 FPS, still comfortably playable. Only at 4K does it dip to 59.3 FPS, which is close to 60 FPS and acceptable for a cinematic horror game like The Medium, where the slower pacing tolerates slightly lower frame rates.

The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, with 109.3 FPS at 1080p and 93.9 FPS at 4K, but the visual quality reduction is significant. The High preset provides a noticeable visual upgrade over Medium but costs performance: 61.2 FPS at 1080p, 53.6 FPS at 1440p, and 43.1 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with 49.5 FPS at 1080p, 44.1 FPS at 1440p, and 35.3 FPS at 4K, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at any resolution above 1080p.

For players targeting 60 FPS, the Medium preset is the only one that consistently delivers this at 1080p and 1440p, and it comes close at 4K. The data suggests that sacrificing visual fidelity by choosing Medium over High yields a 39.7% FPS increase at 4K (from 43.1 to 59.3), which is a worthwhile trade-off for the preserved frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset's 85.5 FPS offers a 39.7% improvement over High's 61.2 FPS, providing ample headroom for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset should be avoided unless the player prioritizes visual fidelity over playability, as it falls below 40 FPS at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X + AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination ranks 612th out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the 63.7th percentile of all combinations, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of the systems tested. Given the CPU's 85th percentile ranking and the GPU's 79th percentile ranking, the combo's overall position is slightly lower than either component's individual percentile, suggesting that the pairing is not perfectly optimized for this specific game.

The rank of 612 out of 1689 indicates that while the system is capable, there are many combinations that perform better. The GPU's 79th percentile versus its average benchmark score of 34780, which is close to the NVIDIA A2's 34866, suggests that the RX 9070 is a solid mid-range performer. However, in The Medium, the combo's rank reflects the game's particular demands, which may favor other architectures or configurations.

The CPU's nearest rivals (Intel Core i5-12600, Intel Core i5-12600H, AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT, AMD EPYC 7203P) all have average scores within 0.2% of the 3700X, indicating that the CPU is not a differentiator in the ranking. The GPU's nearest rivals (NVIDIA A2, NVIDIA Quadro GV100, AMD Radeon HD 7970, AMD Radeon PRO W6400) also have scores within 0.8%, which is a tight grouping. This suggests that the combo's rank is more dependent on the GPU's performance in The Medium specifically, rather than its synthetic benchmark scores. The 612th rank is a mid-pack result, meaning players with this system will have a playable experience but will see lower frame rates compared to top-tier combinations that likely feature more powerful GPUs.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution and preset combination for this system in The Medium?*

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 74.5 FPS, which is the highest quality setting that maintains a comfortable frame rate above 60 FPS. At 4K, the Medium preset achieves 59.3 FPS, which is barely below 60 FPS and still playable.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. The FPS drops from 85.5 at 1080p Medium to 59.3 at 4K Medium, a 30.6% reduction, while the Low preset only drops 14.1% from 1080p to 4K, indicating the CPU has sufficient headroom.

*Q: Is 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for The Medium at 4K Ultra?*

A: The 16 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor based on the data. The 4K Ultra preset still runs at 35.3 FPS, which is a GPU compute limitation rather than a memory issue, as the frame rate scales consistently with resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems in the benchmark database?

A: This combo ranks 612th out of 1689 tested systems, placing it in the 63.7th percentile. It outperforms most combinations but is not among the top performers, which are likely equipped with more powerful GPUs.

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achievable with this system?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 109.3 at 1080p with the Low preset. The second-highest is 107.4 at 1440p Low, showing that the system caps out around 107-109 FPS regardless of resolution when settings are low.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X a bottleneck for the RX 9070 in this game?

A: No significant CPU bottleneck is observed. The frame rate differences between 1080p and 1440p on Low settings are only 1.7%, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking and close rival scores support its capability.