The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both GPU and CPU, and the data for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination shows a system that is capable of smooth gameplay at high settings, but requires careful settings management at higher resolutions. The measured results indicate that the RTX 5070's 12 GB of VRAM and Blackwell architecture are well-suited for the game's fixed-camera environments, though the 8-core CPU provides adequate support. This combo ranks in the 79.7th percentile of all tested combinations, indicating it outperforms the majority of systems while leaving headroom for more powerful hardware.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 both offer excellent experiences. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 60 FPS, while at 1920x1080 with the same settings, it reaches 72 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, 2560x1440 is the highest resolution that reliably hits that target.

Q: How does the RTX 5070's VRAM capacity affect performance in The Medium?

A: The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus with a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. The benchmark data indicates that this is sufficient for the game's textures, as the system does not show signs of severe bottlenecks at any tested settings, even at 3840x2160. The performance drop from High to Ultra settings at 4K, from 47 to 38 FPS, suggests the VRAM and memory bandwidth are not the primary limiting factors, but rather the overall rendering load.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a major bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 5700 has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20655 and single-core score of 2916 are solid, and the frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings, which is a sign of a GPU-bound scenario. For instance, the average FPS at 1920x1080 on High is 72, which is only 20% higher than at 2560x1440, showing that the game's load is primarily on the graphics card.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the High and Ultra presets?

A: The performance cost of Ultra over High is substantial across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 72 to 57, a 21% decrease. At 2560x1440, it drops from 60 to 48, a 20% decrease. At 3840x2160, the drop is from 47 to 38, a 19% decrease. This indicates that the Ultra preset places a heavy load on the GPU, and the visual gains may not justify the significant performance hit.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: It can handle 4K, but with compromises. At 3840x2160 on High settings, the combo achieves an average of 47 FPS, which is playable but not a smooth 60 FPS. On Medium settings, it hits 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS, which is a more consistent experience. For a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the Low preset at 106 FPS is the most reliable option.

Q: How does this combo's rank compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 754th out of 3724 tested combinations. This places it in the top 21% of all systems tested, indicating that it is a high-performing setup that should handle the vast majority of games well. However, the ranking also shows that there is a significant number of more powerful combinations available.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of performance in The Medium. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR7 VRAM is a key asset, providing ample memory for the game's high-resolution textures. The data shows that VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor, as the system is able to run the Ultra preset, which typically demands the most memory, albeit at lower frame rates.

The RTX 5070's clock speeds are also relevant. With a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, the GPU is able to sustain high throughput. The memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) contributes to a 672.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is crucial for streaming large amounts of texture data in the game's detailed environments. The benchmark results show that at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the GPU maintains an average of 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS, indicating that it can handle the memory-intensive workload of the game's fixed-camera scenes.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks further contextualizes its role. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 and Passmark G3D score of 29137 show a strong overall graphics capability. The RTX 5070's 82nd percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms its high-end status. In The Medium, the GPU's performance is the main factor in the frame rate differences between settings. For example, the jump from 47 FPS at High to 66 FPS at Medium at 4K represents a 40% increase in performance, showing that the GPU has significant headroom when graphical effects are reduced.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, balancing visual fidelity and frame rate, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. At 1920x1080, this preset delivers an average of 100 FPS with a minimum of 85 FPS, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset achieves an average of 84 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, which is still excellent for most displays. Even at 3840x2160, the Medium preset provides a playable average of 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS, making it the only preset that offers a playable 4K experience above 60 FPS on average.

The High preset is a solid alternative for users who prioritize visual quality. At 1920x1080, it provides 72 FPS, which is still smooth. However, at 2560x1440, it drops to exactly 60 FPS, which is the minimum target for many gamers, and at 4K, it falls to 47 FPS, which may feel less fluid. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as the performance cost is significant; it drops to 57 FPS at 1080p and 38 FPS at 4K, which is a substantial downgrade from High for what is likely a marginal visual improvement. The Low preset, while offering high frame rates like 138 FPS at 1080p, should be avoided due to the significant reduction in visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system is capable of very high frame rates. The Low preset averages 138 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 100 FPS with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. The High preset averages 72 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 57 FPS. This shows that the system is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors at this resolution, with the Medium preset offering the best combination of speed and quality.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 130 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset averages 84 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 97 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The High preset hits an average of 60 FPS, which is the target for many gamers, and the Ultra preset averages 48 FPS. The data indicates that 1440p is the sweet spot for this hardware, as it can maintain high frame rates on the Medium and High presets.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. The Low preset averages 106 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. The Medium preset averages 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 FPS, which is a playable experience. The High preset averages 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and the Ultra preset averages 38 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a typical trend of increasing GPU load, with the High preset dropping from 72 to 47 FPS, a 35% decrease.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 754th out of 3724 tested combos for The Medium. This places the system in the top 20.2% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a high-performing setup that will handle the game with ease. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, as both components are capable of delivering high frame rates.

While the ranking is strong, it also shows that there is a significant gap to the top-tier systems. The RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 40377 is only 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580, and 2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, showing that it is competitive but not the absolute fastest. The Ryzen 7 5700's average score of 25517 is similarly close to its rivals, with a -0.1% delta compared to the Intel Xeon D-2752TER and a 0.3% delta compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U. This suggests that the combo is well-matched, with neither component being a severe bottleneck, but it is not at the absolute high-end of performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 provides the computational foundation for this system. With 8 cores and 16 threads, it offers substantial multi-threaded capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20655. However, in gaming, single-thread performance is often more critical. The CPU's boost clock of 4.60 GHz and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2916 help to ensure that the game's main logic thread is processed quickly.

In The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The data shows that frame rates scale more significantly with resolution changes than with CPU-dependent settings. For example, the jump in average FPS from 1080p to 1440p on High settings is only a 17% decrease (from 72 to 60 FPS), suggesting that the GPU is still the limiting factor at these resolutions. The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and Zen 3 architecture provide efficient data access, which helps to prevent stuttering.

The CPU's performance relative to its peers is also important. Its Passmark multithread score of 24303 and Geekbench multicore score of 9959 are strong, but its 78th percentile ranking among all CPUs places it below the top-tier models. The data indicates that while the Ryzen 7 5700 is more than sufficient for The Medium, it is not the primary driver of performance. The system's 754th combo rank is likely more attributable to the GPU's strength than the CPU's raw power. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 7 nm process node also indicate that it is an efficient part that will not generate excessive heat, allowing the GPU to operate without thermal throttling.