The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti form a pairing that targets 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the measured results in The Medium show a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics card at higher settings. The data indicates a clear hierarchy where CPU performance is sufficient, but the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, which provides a solid foundation for modern gaming workloads. The processor’s 32 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus contribute to its overall responsiveness, but in the context of this game, the CPU’s role appears to be secondary to the GPU’s limitations.

Benchmark data places the Ryzen 7 3700X in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28,631. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12600, which scores 28,654 (a delta of -0.1%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT, which scores 28,591 (a delta of 0.1%). These figures indicate that the 3700X performs nearly identically to its closest competitors, with differences of less than 1%. In multi-threaded workloads like Cinebench R23, the processor scores 19,087, while single-thread performance reaches 2,694, showing a capable balance.

In The Medium, the CPU’s impact is most visible when comparing frame rates at the same settings across different resolutions. For example, at Low settings, the average FPS jumps from 57.9 at 4K to 78.9 at 1440p and 89 at 1080p. This scaling pattern suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as it can feed the GPU with enough data to produce higher frame rates when the GPU’s load is reduced. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration is well-suited for the game’s horror genre, which often involves complex scene transitions and fixed camera angles that benefit from consistent thread scheduling without stuttering.

The processor’s PassMark multithread score of 22,458 further reinforces its capability, but the data shows that at Ultra settings, the frame rates collapse to 23.3 FPS at 4K and 31.8 FPS at 1080p. This indicates that the CPU is not the primary constraint; instead, the GPU’s inability to process the higher graphical load is what limits performance. The Ryzen 7 3700X’s 65 W TDP and PCIe Gen 4 support are adequate for this pairing, but the benchmark results suggest that upgrading the GPU would yield more significant gains than upgrading the CPU for this specific title.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, manufactured on Samsung’s 8 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). These specifications place the RTX 3060 Ti in the 69th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25,120.

The GPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, which scores 25,180 (a delta of -0.2%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which scores 25,235 (a delta of -0.5%). These differences are marginal, indicating that the RTX 3060 Ti performs on par with its immediate competitors. However, in The Medium, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and raw compute power become the deciding factor for playability.

The measured FPS data clearly shows the GPU’s limitations. At 1080p, the average frame rate drops from 89 FPS at Low settings to 59.7 FPS at Medium, then to 42.4 FPS at High, and finally to 31.8 FPS at Ultra. This steep decline of 57.2 FPS from Low to Ultra highlights how the game’s graphical demands overwhelm the GPU. At 4K, the situation worsens, with Low settings producing 57.9 FPS, but Medium dropping to 39 FPS, High to 30 FPS, and Ultra to just 23.3 FPS. The data suggests that the RTX 3060 Ti is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can maintain playable frame rates at Medium settings, but struggles at higher resolutions and settings.

The GPU’s 38 RT cores and 152 tensor cores support ray tracing and DLSS, but the measured FPS rows do not specify whether these features are enabled. The raw numbers indicate that the GPU’s compute capacity, listed at 16.20 TFLOPS for FP32, is insufficient for the game’s Ultra preset at any resolution above 1080p, where it fails to reach 32 FPS. The 200 W TDP and suggested 550 W PSU are standard for this class, but the performance ceiling is evident in the benchmark results.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this combo?*

A: The data shows that 1080p is the most viable resolution, as it achieves 59.7 FPS at Medium settings and 89 FPS at Low settings, while higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K drop below 48 FPS even at Medium.

*Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings in The Medium?*

A: No, Ultra settings are not playable. At 1080p, the average FPS is 31.8, and at 1440p it drops to 27.9 FPS. At 4K, Ultra yields only 23.3 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti scores 25,120 on average, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6700M and 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 6600. This places it statistically on par with these cards.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X a bottleneck for the RTX 3060 Ti in this game?

A: No, the CPU is not the bottleneck. The frame rate scaling from 4K to 1080p at Low settings (57.9 to 89 FPS) shows the CPU can deliver higher FPS when the GPU load decreases, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Medium settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings produce 78.9 FPS, while Medium settings drop to 47.8 FPS, a difference of 31.1 FPS. This suggests Medium settings are still playable but require a significant performance trade-off.

Q: Does the CPU’s 8-core configuration benefit this game?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X’s 8 cores and 16 threads likely help maintain consistent frame times, as evidenced by the stable scaling across resolutions, but the data does not show a direct correlation between core count and FPS in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti ranks 1,156 out of 1,689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the lower third of all systems tested, which is consistent with the GPU’s 69th percentile standing among all GPUs. The rank reflects the GPU’s struggle with the game’s demanding rendering engine, particularly at higher presets.

Relative to other tested combos, this pairing is not positioned for high-end performance. The 1156th rank suggests that many other systems with stronger GPUs can achieve higher frame rates, especially at 1440p and 4K. However, the combo’s performance is not anomalous; it aligns with the GPU’s mid-range classification. The CPU’s 85th percentile ranking does little to boost the combo’s standing in this game, as the GPU’s limitations dominate the overall result.

The data shows that the combo is competitive at 1080p Low settings, where it achieves 89 FPS, but falls behind in more demanding scenarios. For instance, at 1440p High, the combo produces 36.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target that many modern games aim for. The ranking of 1156 out of 1689 indicates that while this system is capable of running the game, it does not excel compared to other configurations, particularly those with higher-end graphics cards.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For 1080p, Medium settings provide the best balance, delivering 59.7 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Low settings at 1080p achieve 89 FPS, offering a significant performance headroom for users who prioritize frame rate over visual quality, but Medium is the recommended preset for a playable experience with better visuals.

At 1440p, Medium settings produce 47.8 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users but falls short of 60 FPS. Low settings at 1440p achieve 78.9 FPS, making it the only preset at this resolution that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 1440p drop to 36.1 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. For 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, yielding 57.9 FPS, while all other presets fall below 40 FPS.

The data indicates that Ultra settings should be avoided entirely, as they produce 31.8 FPS at 1080p, 27.9 FPS at 1440p, and 23.3 FPS at 4K. These frame rates are too low for a horror game that relies on atmosphere and timing. The recommended approach is to use Medium at 1080p for a balanced experience, or Low at 1440p for higher resolution with acceptable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo shows a clear pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 89 at Low settings to 31.8 at Ultra. The progression is: Low 89, Medium 59.7, High 42.4, and Ultra 31.8. This represents a 64.3% drop from Low to Ultra, indicating that each increase in settings level costs a significant amount of performance.

At 1440p, the average FPS is lower across all settings: Low 78.9, Medium 47.8, High 36.1, and Ultra 27.9. The difference between Low and Medium is 31.1 FPS, while the difference between Medium and High is 11.7 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 8.2 FPS. This suggests diminishing returns in performance loss as settings increase, but the absolute frame rates become less playable.

At 4K, the average FPS drops further: Low 57.9, Medium 39, High 30, and Ultra 23.3. The step from Low to Medium is 18.9 FPS, from Medium to High is 9 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 6.7 FPS. The 4K results show that the GPU is severely taxed, with only Low settings approaching playable frame rates. The data across all resolutions confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p possible only at Low settings, and 4K reserved for Low settings with reduced expectations.