The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, drawing 65 W of power. The CPU’s 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide a solid foundation for gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 5700 scores 20,655 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,916 in single-core. This places it at the 84th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27,220.

The data reveals that the Ryzen 7 5700 is a well-balanced mid-range processor. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i9-9900K, which scores 27,043 and trails by 0.7%, and the Intel Core i7-12700H, which scores 27,006 and trails by 0.8%. The Intel Core i7-1370P also sits close with a score of 26,991 and a 0.8% delta. Interestingly, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 is also a near rival with a score of 26,909, just 1.2% behind. These narrow margins suggest that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Ryzen 7 5700 is competitive with several modern and previous-generation processors, though it does not dominate any of them. For a horror title like The Medium, which often relies on sustained performance rather than extreme single-thread bursts, the 8-core configuration ensures that background tasks and game logic do not cause stuttering. The 16 threads provide ample parallelism for the game’s rendering and physics threads, allowing the GPU to remain the primary bottleneck in most settings.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features the Navi 32 chip. It comes with a substantial 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU’s base clock is 1295 MHz, with a boost clock of 2430 MHz and a game clock of 2124 MHz. It has 3,840 shading units and 60 ray accelerators, which are relevant for the game’s visual effects. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with modern rendering APIs. In benchmark tests, the RX 7800 XT achieves a Passmark G3D score of 24,176 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 143,060, placing it at the 76th percentile among all GPUs.

The 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset for The Medium, which features dual-reality rendering where two worlds are displayed simultaneously. This technique demands high memory usage, and the data shows that at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 29.9, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed. The memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s supports high-resolution textures without excessive frame drops. However, the GPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (0.2% higher average score), the NVIDIA P104-100 (0.4% lower), and the NVIDIA T600 Mobile (0.7% lower). These comparisons highlight that while the RX 7800 XT is a strong performer, it does not have a massive lead over its competitors in synthetic tests. In the measured FPS data, the GPU’s role becomes clear: at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 136.2 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 29.9 FPS, showcasing the GPU’s limits under heavy load.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT ranks 612 out of 1,689 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the upper-middle tier of the database, meaning it outperforms a majority of configurations but is not at the top end. The rank of 612 out of 1,689 indicates that roughly 63% of tested combos are slower, while 37% are faster. This is a respectable position, especially considering that the CPU is not a flagship model and the GPU, while powerful, is not the highest-tier option in its series.

Breaking down the rank, the CPU’s 84th percentile and GPU’s 76th percentile suggest that the combo is well-matched, with neither component severely bottlenecking the other. The data implies that the combo is optimized for 1440p gaming, where it delivers solid frame rates across most settings. At 1080p, the CPU becomes more relevant, as the GPU can push high FPS, but the rank suggests that many other combos with faster CPUs achieve higher scores. Conversely, at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, and combos with more powerful GPUs would rank higher. The overall rank reflects a balance that is neither overkill nor underpowered for the game’s demands. For users looking at this combo, the data suggests that it handles The Medium well at mainstream resolutions, but for 4K Ultra, it falls short of the best-performing systems.

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

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Medium settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 82 frames per second.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-core performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 has an average benchmark score of 27,220, which is 0.7% higher than the Intel Core i9-9900K’s score of 27,043.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra?

A: At 1920x1080 Ultra, the average FPS is 49, while at 3840x2160 Ultra, it drops to 29.9, a decrease of 19.1 frames per second.

Q: Does the combo support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT has 60 ray accelerators and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which includes ray tracing capabilities.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 has a launch MSRP of $179.

Q: How does the GPU’s Passmark G3D score compare to its nearest rival?

A: The RX 7800 XT has a Passmark G3D score of 24,176, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD FirePro S9300 X2’s score of 32,540 in the average benchmark score.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 136.2 FPS, which drops to 110.4 FPS at 1440p Low, a reduction of 18.9%. Moving to 4K Low, the FPS falls further to 89.4, representing a 34.4% drop from 1080p. This trend indicates that at Low settings, the GPU is still capable of high frame rates even at 4K, suggesting that the CPU is able to feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions.

However, at Ultra settings, the scaling is steeper. Starting at 49 FPS at 1080p, the frame rate drops to 37.7 FPS at 1440p, a 23.1% decrease, and then to 29.9 FPS at 4K, a 39% drop from 1080p. This sharper decline at higher settings points to the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is 19.1 FPS, while the gap at Low is 46.8 FPS. The data suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute power are sufficient for low-detail 4K, but the increased shading and texture demands at Ultra overwhelm the GPU. The CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases, as the GPU takes longer to render each frame, allowing the CPU to stay ahead. This behavior is typical for a balanced mid-range combo, where the GPU is the bottleneck at high resolutions and settings, while the CPU keeps up well at lower resolutions.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended settings depend on the target resolution and desired smoothness. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 82 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. High settings at 1080p yield 62.4 FPS, which is also playable but with less headroom. For those prioritizing visual fidelity, Ultra at 1080p provides 49 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced horror game but could feel less responsive. At 1440p, Medium settings produce 73.4 FPS, making it the best balance of quality and performance. High settings at 1440p drop to 50.6 FPS, which is still playable but approaches the lower end of comfort. Ultra at 1440p is 37.7 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience.

At 4K, the data shows that only Low settings (89.4 FPS) provide a fluid experience, while Medium drops to 53.7 FPS and High falls to 42 FPS. Ultra at 4K is 29.9 FPS, which is not recommended for a playable experience. The data indicates that Medium settings offer the best overall experience across resolutions, as it maintains frame rates above 53 FPS up to 1440p and remains playable at 4K. For users with a 1440p monitor, Medium is the clear choice. For 1080p, High is a viable option if visual quality is prioritized over the extra headroom of Medium. The measured rows suggest that the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for lower presets.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of the combo’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 136.2 for Low settings, 82 for Medium, 62.4 for High, and 49 for Ultra. This shows a consistent decline as settings increase, with Low being 2.8 times faster than Ultra. At 2560x1440, the scores are 110.4 for Low, 73.4 for Medium, 50.6 for High, and 37.7 for Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 72.7 FPS, which is slightly less steep than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 89.4 for Low, 53.7 for Medium, 42 for High, and 29.9 for Ultra. The 4K Low performance is nearly identical to the 1080p Ultra score, highlighting the GPU’s ability to handle lower detail at high resolutions. The difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low is 46.8 FPS, while the difference between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is only 19.1 FPS. This suggests that at Ultra settings, the GPU is already near its limit at 1080p, so increasing resolution has a smaller absolute impact. The data shows that the combo is capable of 60+ FPS at 1080p Medium and High, 1440p Low and Medium, and 4K Low. For a smoother experience at higher settings, users would need to lower resolution or accept frame rates below 60 FPS.