The Medium

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture using TSMC's 7 nm process. It carries a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, which places it firmly in the upper-middle tier of desktop CPUs. The chip's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth provide sufficient headroom for feeding a high-end GPU in a title like The Medium.

Benchmark results show the Ryzen 7 5700 holding its own against comparable processors. In Cinebench R23, it scores 20655 points in multi-core and 2916 in single-core tests. The 3DMark suite shows a single-thread score of 901 and a max-thread score of 6617, indicating that the CPU scales well when all cores are engaged. This scaling matters for The Medium, a horror game that relies on fixed camera angles and complex lighting calculations — workloads that can spread across multiple threads.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 78 against all CPUs suggests it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the processors in the database. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon D-2752TER (avgScore 25530, deltaPct -0.1), the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U (avgScore 25485, deltaPct 0.1), and the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H (avgScore 25550, deltaPct -0.1). The Ryzen 7 5700's average benchmark score of 25517 sits within a fraction of a percent of these competitors, indicating that in pure CPU throughput, this chip is effectively interchangeable with those alternatives for gaming workloads.

For The Medium specifically, the CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than adequate. The game's measured FPS data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combination achieves 129 FPS average — a figure that suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions. Even at Ultra settings at 1080p, the system still manages 46 FPS, which is more likely bound by GPU load than CPU capability. The data indicates a well-balanced pairing where the Ryzen 7 5700 provides consistent frame delivery without bottlenecking the RTX 3070 Ti.

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for The Medium with this CPU-GPU combination reveals a clear pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 129 FPS average, Medium delivers 81 FPS, High delivers 58 FPS, and Ultra drops to 46 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS, which brackets the average tightly.

At 2560x1440, the numbers scale predictably: Low hits 109 FPS, Medium hits 68 FPS (min 58, max 78), High hits 49 FPS, and Ultra falls to 39 FPS. At 3840x2160, the strain becomes evident: Low manages 85 FPS, Medium drops to 53 FPS (min 45, max 61), High falls to 38 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 30 FPS.

The best experience per the measured rows depends on your display. For 1080p displays, the Medium preset at 81 FPS average offers a strong balance — it is 40% faster than High (58 FPS) and only 14% slower than Low (129 FPS). The Medium preset's minimum of 69 FPS ensures smooth playback even during demanding scenes, which matters in a horror game where frame hitches can break immersion.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 68 FPS average is again the sweet spot. It maintains a minimum of 58 FPS, which is above the threshold where most players perceive stutter. High at 49 FPS is playable but noticeably less fluid, while Ultra at 39 FPS risks feeling sluggish during camera transitions.

At 4K, the data suggests compromises are necessary. Medium at 53 FPS average with a 45 FPS minimum is the highest preset that remains consistently playable. High at 38 FPS and Ultra at 30 FPS both dip into territory where the game's atmospheric pacing could feel compromised. If 4K is your target, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, with the option to drop to Low (85 FPS) if you prefer higher frame rates over visual fidelity.

# FAQ

Q: Can this combination handle The Medium at 4K?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset delivers 53 FPS average with a 45 FPS minimum, which is playable. High drops to 38 FPS and Ultra to 30 FPS, so Medium is the highest viable setting for 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti perform relative to its GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945 and ranks in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile, scores 29928 (deltaPct 0.1), while the AMD Radeon RX 6800 scores 30095 (deltaPct -0.5). The RTX 3070 Ti also edges out the RTX 2080 Ti (29783, deltaPct 0.5) and trails the RX 6700 (30433, deltaPct -1.6).

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests not. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 129 FPS average. The CPU's multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655) and single-thread performance (2916) are strong enough to keep up with the GPU's output.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows 49 FPS average at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is playable but below the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 68 FPS average is a better choice for smoother gameplay.

Q: Does the CPU's 65 W TDP limit its performance in this game?

A: No. The Ryzen 7 5700's 65 W TDP is a power envelope, not a performance cap. Its boost clock of 4.60 GHz and 8-core/16-thread configuration deliver adequate throughput for The Medium, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: This CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1304 out of 3724 tested combos, placing it in the top 35% of all combinations in the database for The Medium.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 1304 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places the pairing in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested, roughly in the 65th percentile of configurations. The rank reflects a balanced setup where neither component drastically outperforms the other.

Given the CPU's 78th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 75th percentile among all GPUs, the combo achieves a slightly lower relative position than either component alone. This is typical in a game like The Medium, which is more dependent on GPU rendering than CPU computation. The gap between the component percentiles and the combo percentile suggests that other pairings — perhaps with stronger GPUs or newer architectures — extract more performance in this specific title.

The GPU's nearest rivals help contextualize this rank. The RTX 3070 Ti scores 29945 on average, which is virtually identical to the RTX 5070 Mobile (29928, deltaPct 0.1) and only 0.5% behind the RTX 2080 Ti (29783). The AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30095) is 0.5% ahead, and the RX 6700 (30433) is 1.6% ahead. These small deltas mean the RTX 3070 Ti is competitive with a wide range of GPUs, but none of them are dramatically faster in raw benchmark terms.

For The Medium specifically, the combo's rank of 1304 suggests that while this system is capable, there are over 1300 configurations that deliver better measured performance. That aligns with the FPS data showing 4K Ultra at 30 FPS — playable but not ideal. The rank also reflects that The Medium's fixed-camera horror presentation, with its pre-rendered background elements and dynamic lighting, can be demanding at higher presets.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture using Samsung's 8 nm process. It features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, along with 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1575 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory running at 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective).

The 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 608.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a significant asset for The Medium, which renders dual-world scenes — the game frequently shows two perspectives simultaneously. The memory bandwidth helps maintain texture streaming and frame pacing when both worlds are on screen. The GPU's 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 339.8 GTexel/s texture rate provide ample raw throughput for the game's DirectX 12 renderer.

The RTX 3070 Ti's 290 W TDP and dual-slot design require a 600 W suggested power supply, which is a practical consideration for system builders. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface ensures full bandwidth to the CPU, though the Ryzen 7 5700's PCIe Gen 3, 20-lane support means the link operates at Gen 3 speeds — a negligible limitation for gaming workloads.

In benchmark terms, the RTX 3070 Ti scores 23356 in Passmark G3D and 139541 in Geekbench Vulkan, with a 75th percentile ranking among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 29945 places it within 1% of several modern and previous-generation rivals. The GPU's performance in The Medium, as measured by the FPS data, shows it handling 1080p Low at 129 FPS and 4K Medium at 53 FPS — a wide range that reflects both the game's scalability and the GPU's versatility.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for The Medium with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti covers four presets across three resolutions.

1920x1080: At Low settings, the system averages 129 FPS. Medium settings drop to 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. High settings produce 58 FPS average, while Ultra yields 46 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 48 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 12 FPS — indicating diminishing returns as settings climb.

2560x1440: Low settings deliver 109 FPS average. Medium settings average 68 FPS (minimum 58 FPS, maximum 78 FPS). High settings fall to 49 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS. The transition from Low to Medium costs 41 FPS, while Medium to High costs 19 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 10 FPS. The Medium preset's 58 FPS minimum is notable because it remains above the 60 FPS threshold for only part of the time — the average of 68 suggests most scenes run comfortably, but demanding moments will dip.

3840x2160: Low settings average 85 FPS. Medium settings average 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS. High settings produce 38 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 30 FPS. At 4K, the Medium preset's 45 FPS minimum is the lowest among all Medium presets across resolutions, indicating that 4K pushes the GPU to its limits. The 30 FPS at Ultra is exactly at the threshold of playability — some users may accept it for visual fidelity, but the 53 FPS at Medium offers a more comfortable experience.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: Low provides frame rates well above 60 FPS, Medium remains playable with minimums above 45 FPS, High dips below 60 FPS at 1440p and below 40 FPS at 4K, and Ultra is only viable at 1080p. The data indicates that Medium is the highest preset that maintains acceptable minimum frame rates at 1440p and 4K, while High is the ceiling for 1080p if you want to stay above 50 FPS.