The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, with performance that scales predictably across resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this pairing is most effective at 1080p and 1440p, where it can achieve smooth frame rates, while 4K Ultra settings push the system to its limits. The CPU’s 8-core, 16-thread configuration with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz provides ample headroom for the game’s horror atmosphere, but the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. With a TDP of 65 W and an L3 cache of 16 MB, this CPU is designed for balanced multi-threaded workloads, which is relevant for The Medium given its dual-reality rendering mechanics. Benchmark results show strong synthetic performance: the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655 and single-core score of 2916 indicate that the processor can handle both heavily threaded scenes and the single-threaded logic that drives gameplay events.

In the context of this game, the CPU’s role is secondary but not negligible. At 1080p with Low settings, the measured average FPS is 108, which is 43% higher than the 1080p High result of 49 FPS. This gap suggests that at lower graphical loads, the CPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the GPU’s rendering pipeline determines the frame rate. The Ryzen 7 5700’s PassMark multi-thread score of 24303 places it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals like the Intel Xeon D-2752TER (deltaPct -0.1) and AMD Ryzen 5 7640U (deltaPct 0.1) showing virtually identical average scores. This means the CPU provides consistent, predictable performance that does not introduce stutter or bottleneck the RTX 4060 in most scenarios.

However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25, and the data suggests the GPU is saturated. The CPU’s 3DMark 16-thread score of 6628 versus its 2-thread score of 1762 highlights that multi-threaded scaling is strong, which helps when the game loads large environments. The 7 nm process node and 10,700 million transistors contribute to efficient power delivery, but the benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4060’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are the decisive factors in higher-resolution performance. The CPU’s 78th percentile ranking versus the GPU’s 61st percentile reinforces that the processor is more capable relative to its peers, making it a stable foundation for this combo.

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

*Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo in The Medium?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 108, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the dataset that eclipses the 100 FPS mark, indicating that the combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming when graphical fidelity is reduced.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra compared to 4K Low?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 25, while at 3840x2160 Low, it jumps to 72 FPS. This represents a 188% increase in performance when dropping settings from Ultra to Low, demonstrating that the RTX 4060 is heavily stressed by the game’s highest preset at 4K, but can manage playable frame rates at lower presets.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The data shows the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 108, but at 1080p Ultra, it falls to 39 FPS, a 64% reduction. Since the Ryzen 7 5700’s single-thread score of 2916 in Cinebench R23 is strong, the FPS drop is attributable to the GPU’s rendering load, not CPU limitations.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values recorded for Medium settings across resolutions?

A: For Medium settings, the minimum FPS values are 58 at 1920x1080, 49 at 2560x1440, and 38 at 3840x2160. These values indicate that even the lowest dips remain above 30 FPS, making Medium a viable preset for smoother gameplay, especially at lower resolutions.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in the game?

A: The combo ranks 1999 out of 3724 tested combinations, placing it in the 46th percentile. This suggests that while it is not a top-tier performer, it outperforms a slight majority of other systems, with the average FPS across all settings and resolutions being roughly 55.

Q: Does the combo support ray tracing or other advanced features for this game?

A: The RTX 4060 features 24 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, but the measured FPS data does not include ray tracing-specific benchmarks. The game’s performance is based solely on standard rasterization settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), so no conclusions can be drawn about ray tracing performance from this dataset.

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

Resolution scaling in The Medium reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 108 at 1920x1080 to 91 at 2560x1440 and then to 72 at 3840x2160. This represents a 16% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 21% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The steady decline indicates that the RTX 4060’s pixel throughput is the primary constraint, as the CPU’s performance headroom remains constant across resolutions.

For Medium settings, the average FPS values are 68, 57, and 45 for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 16%, and from 1440p to 4K is 21%, mirroring the Low settings pattern. This consistency suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are scaling proportionally with resolution, without any sudden cliffs that would indicate a VRAM shortage or driver overhead issue.

High settings show a different pattern: 49 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 16% and 22%, respectively, which is slightly steeper at 4K compared to Low and Medium. This could be due to increased texture and shading complexity that stresses the 8 GB VRAM capacity, but the data does not show a catastrophic failure. Ultra settings, meanwhile, produce 39 FPS at 1080p, 32 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K, with drops of 18% and 22%. The 4K Ultra result of 25 FPS is below the 30 FPS playability threshold, confirming that this combo is not suited for maxed-out 4K gaming.

The overall trend shows that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component, as the FPS reductions align with the increase in pixel count. The CPU’s role is minimal, evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low, the system does not exceed 108 FPS, which is below the CPU’s theoretical ceiling based on its single-thread performance. This means that upgrading the GPU would yield larger gains than upgrading the CPU for this game.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 108, which is smooth for any display. Medium settings produce an average of 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78, indicating good frame pacing. High settings drop to 49 FPS average, while Ultra settings fall to 39 FPS. This range shows that 1080p is fully playable across all presets, though Ultra may feel less fluid for action-heavy sequences.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades moderately. Low settings maintain a strong 91 FPS average. Medium settings yield 57 FPS average, with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 66. High settings produce 41 FPS, while Ultra drops to 32 FPS. The 1440p results suggest that Medium is the sweet spot for a balanced experience, as it stays above 60 FPS on average, while High and Ultra require a tolerance for sub-60 FPS gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles at higher presets. Low settings still achieve 72 FPS average, which is respectable. Medium settings drop to 45 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 and maximum of 52. High settings fall to 32 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 25 FPS. The 4K data shows that only Low settings provide a consistently smooth experience, while Medium is borderline and High/Ultra are not recommended for competitive or fast-paced play.

The Medium settings at each resolution include min/max FPS data, which is valuable for understanding consistency. At 1080p, the 58-78 FPS range shows minimal variance. At 1440p, the 49-66 FPS range is slightly wider, and at 4K, the 38-52 FPS range indicates more significant frame time fluctuations. This suggests that the GPU’s workload becomes less predictable at higher resolutions, likely due to memory bandwidth limitations.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo ranks 1999 out of 3724 tested combinations in The Medium, placing it in the 54th percentile of all systems. This ranking reflects a mid-tier position, meaning that while it outperforms more than half of the tested combos, it is not among the top performers. The rank is based on the aggregate of all measured FPS data across resolutions and settings, so it provides a holistic view of the combo’s capabilities.

Relative to its component parts, the CPU’s 78th percentile ranking is notably higher than the GPU’s 61st percentile. This disparity indicates that the RTX 4060 is the weaker link in this pairing, dragging the combo’s overall rank down. If the CPU were paired with a more powerful GPU, the combo’s rank would likely improve, but with the current GPU, the system is constrained by its graphics processing power.

The combo’s nearest GPU rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (deltaPct -0.2) and AMD Radeon 780M (deltaPct 0.3), which have nearly identical average benchmark scores. This suggests that the RTX 4060’s performance is closely matched by older or integrated solutions in synthetic tests, though its real-world gaming performance in The Medium is better than those rivals due to its 8 GB VRAM and Ada Lovelace architecture. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon D-2752TER and AMD Ryzen 5 6600H, are within 0.1% deltaPct, confirming that the Ryzen 7 5700 is a standard performer in its class.

The rank of 1999 indicates that this combo is suitable for 1080p gaming with high settings or 1440p with medium settings, but it will not excel at 4K. Users seeking higher frame rates at 4K would need to lower settings significantly, as the data shows a 65% FPS drop from Low to Ultra at that resolution.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo is achieved with Medium settings at 1920x1080. This preset yields an average FPS of 68, with a minimum of 58, which ensures smooth gameplay without significant dips. The 58 FPS minimum is critical for horror games like The Medium, where frame drops can disrupt the atmosphere and cause motion sickness. At 1080p, Medium provides a 39% improvement over High settings (49 FPS) while maintaining visual quality that is acceptable for most players.

For 2560x1440, Medium settings are also recommended, as they produce an average FPS of 57 and a minimum of 49. This is slightly below the 60 FPS target, but the minimum of 49 FPS is still playable. High settings at 1440p drop to 41 FPS, which may feel less responsive, and Ultra at 32 FPS is borderline. Players with 1440p monitors should accept Medium as the default preset to balance visual fidelity with performance.

At 3840x2160, the only recommended preset is Low, which achieves 72 FPS average. Medium at 4K yields 45 FPS, which is playable but may have noticeable stutter, given the minimum of 38 FPS. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended, as they fall below 32 FPS, making the game feel sluggish. For 4K users, the data suggests that the RTX 4060 is not sufficient for high-quality settings, and they should either lower the resolution or accept Low settings for a smooth experience.

Across all resolutions, the Low preset provides the most consistent performance, with no min FPS data recorded, indicating that frame rates are stable. However, Low settings significantly reduce visual quality, so it should be reserved for competitive play or systems with lower-end displays. The Medium preset offers the best compromise between frame rate and graphical fidelity, making it the default recommendation for this combo in The Medium.