The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, with the GPU acting as the definitive performance ceiling across all tested resolutions. The data shows a configuration that is heavily skewed toward 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it excels, but struggles to maintain high refresh rates at 4K with higher presets. Benchmark results indicate that the 5700G’s 8-core, 16-thread Zen 3 architecture provides ample processing headroom, leaving the RTX 3080 as the primary bottleneck in this horror title.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G is a 5000-series desktop processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Cezanne codename) using a 7 nm TSMC process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This configuration is more than sufficient for The Medium, a game that relies on heavy fixed-frame camera angles and scripted sequences rather than complex physics simulations or large-scale AI pathfinding. The CPU’s 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (51.2 GB/s bandwidth) ensure that the game’s assets stream efficiently without introducing stutter.

The 5700G’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 12830.5 in multi-core and 1494 in single-core tests. In Geekbench, it achieves 9950 multi-core and 1894 single-core. These numbers place the processor in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms most desktop processors on the market. When looking at its nearest rivals, the 5700G is essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-9900K, which has an average score of 27097 versus the AMD’s 27051, a delta of -0.2%. It also edges out the AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i7-1370P by 0.6%. This level of performance means the CPU is never the limiting factor in the measured FPS results.

In The Medium, the game’s dual-reality mechanic—where two worlds are rendered simultaneously—can be taxing on multi-threaded workloads. However, the 5700G’s 16 threads handle this without issue. The measured FPS differences between resolutions (e.g., 64 FPS at 1080p High versus 42 FPS at 4K High) are far too large to be attributed to CPU stalls. The CPU’s job is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and with a PassMark multi-thread score of 24419 and a physics score of 999, it does so consistently. The data suggests that even at Low settings (137 FPS at 1080p), the CPU does not throttle the frame rate, as the scaling to 90 FPS at Medium and 64 FPS at High aligns perfectly with GPU load increases.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 1050 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 28% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing given the sheer variety of hardware combinations possible. The rank is a holistic measure of the pairing’s ability to produce high average FPS across all tested settings and resolutions. Given that the RTX 3080 is a high-end GPU, the ranking is pulled down slightly by the 5700G, which, while competent, is not a top-tier enthusiast CPU. However, the delta is small; the CPU’s average benchmark score is within 0.4% of its nearest rivals, so the combo’s rank is primarily driven by the GPU’s raw rasterization power.

The RTX 3080 sits in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23172. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA P106-100 (delta -0.3%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (delta -0.4%), which are all significantly weaker cards in real-world gaming. This discrepancy highlights that the benchmark percentile is not a perfect predictor of gaming performance; the RTX 3080’s 8704 shading units, 272 TMUs, and 96 ROPs provide a massive advantage in a game like The Medium that relies on resolution-dependent fill rates. The combo’s 1050th rank reflects that it outperforms the majority of systems, but there are 1049 combos that deliver higher average FPS, likely featuring even more potent CPUs like the Ryzen 9 series or Intel Core i9 K-series parts.

In practical terms, the ranking means that players with this setup will experience smooth framerates at 1080p and 1440p, but they will be in the lower half of high-end systems when pushing 4K Ultra. The data shows that the combo is better suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming than for 4K maxed-out experiences. The rank also indicates that the 5700G does not bottleneck the 3080 in a way that would cause massive frame drops; instead, the pairing is balanced enough to deliver consistent results, as evidenced by the narrow min-max FPS ranges at Medium settings (e.g., 76 to 103 FPS at 1080p).

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases, which confirms that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the primary limiting component in this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 64 at 1920x1080 to 54 at 2560x1440 (a 15.6% decrease) and then to 42 at 3840x2160 (a 34.4% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where the number of pixels rendered quadruples from 1080p to 4K, placing immense pressure on the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The RTX 3080 has 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. This is ample for 4K textures, but the raw compute power—29.77 TFLOPS FP32—is still challenged by the game’s high preset. The fact that Low settings at 4K produce 95 FPS, while High settings produce only 42 FPS, illustrates that the game’s visual effects (likely volumetric lighting and reflections) are the primary cost, not just the resolution. At 1080p Low, the system hits 137 FPS, showing that the CPU can push well over 100 FPS when the GPU is not saturated.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is gentler—a 15.6% drop at High—which is less than the 25% increase in pixel count, suggesting that the game is not purely fill-rate limited at this transition. However, the drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth becomes a bottleneck. This is further evidenced by the 4K Medium results: 59 FPS average with a min of 50 and max of 68. The 18 FPS spread shows that the game’s load varies significantly, but the GPU never has enough headroom to maintain a locked 60 FPS. The conclusion is clear: the RTX 3080 is the limiting component, and the Ryzen 7 5700G is never the reason for frame rate degradation.

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

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 137 FPS, which drops to 90 FPS at Medium (with a min of 76 and max of 103), then 64 FPS at High, and finally 51 FPS at Ultra. The 86 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p highlights the massive impact of the game’s graphical features. For players with a 144Hz monitor, Low and Medium are the only presets that can fully utilize the refresh rate, while High and Ultra are better suited for 60Hz displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS at Low is 121, which is still highly playable. Medium settings yield 75 FPS (min 64, max 87), High drops to 54 FPS, and Ultra falls to 43 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset is the sweet spot for smooth gameplay, as it stays above 60 FPS on average and rarely dips below that threshold. The jump from 137 FPS at 1080p Low to 121 FPS at 1440p Low represents a 11.7% drop, which is less than the pixel count increase, showing the GPU has some headroom at lower settings. However, at High settings, the drop is 15.6%, and at Ultra, it is 15.7%, indicating that the higher presets are more sensitive to resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high framerates. Low settings produce 95 FPS, which is still excellent for 4K, but Medium drops to 59 FPS (min 50, max 68), High to 42 FPS, and Ultra to 34 FPS. The 4K Medium preset is marginally playable, but the min FPS of 50 suggests occasional stutters. High and Ultra are not recommended for 4K gaming with this combo, as they fail to reach 60 FPS. The data shows a clear pattern: 1080p and 1440p are the native resolutions for this pairing, while 4K requires significant settings compromises to achieve a smooth experience.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications directly explain the measured FPS outcomes. It features the GA102 chip on an 8 nm Samsung process, with a base clock of 1440 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz. The GPU has 8704 shading units, 272 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, which allow it to process complex lighting and shadow effects in The Medium. Its 10 GB of GDDR6X memory runs at 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) on a 320-bit bus, providing 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This is crucial for the game’s high-resolution textures, but the 10 GB capacity is a potential limitation at 4K Ultra, where texture memory usage can exceed this amount, causing performance hits beyond raw compute limits.

The RTX 3080’s benchmark scores show a mixed picture. Its PassMark G3D score is 25086, placing it in the 68th percentile, but its nearest rivals are much weaker cards like the AMD Radeon R9 M290X (delta -0.4%). This suggests that the benchmark suite does not fully capture the GPU’s gaming prowess. In DirectX 12 tests, it scores 100, while in DirectX 11 it scores 207, indicating that the GPU is well-optimized for modern APIs. The Medium uses DirectX 12, and the GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4407 reflects its ability to handle the game’s rendering workload.

The GPU’s 68 RT cores and 272 Tensor cores are relevant because The Medium uses ray-traced reflections and shadows. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 29.77 TFLOPS is the primary driver of the observed FPS numbers. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not fully utilized, leading to 137 FPS. At 4K Ultra, it is completely saturated, yielding 34 FPS. The data shows that the RTX 3080’s performance scales predictably with resolution, and its 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for all tested presets, as no out-of-memory crashes or severe stutters were recorded in the min FPS values. The GPU is the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the fact that CPU-bound scenarios (like 1080p Low) result in over 130 FPS, while GPU-bound scenarios (like 4K Ultra) drop below 40 FPS.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the Medium preset is the best balance, delivering 90 FPS average with a tight min-max range of 76 to 103 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on 144Hz monitors without the visual sacrifices of Low. High settings at 1080p are also viable at 64 FPS, but Medium offers a 40% performance uplift over High while still looking significantly better than Low. Ultra at 1080p (51 FPS) is not recommended, as the visual gains over High are marginal, but the performance cost is 20%.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the clear winner, averaging 75 FPS with a min of 64 and max of 87. This is the only 1440p preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS, making it the ideal choice for a smooth, high-fidelity experience. Low settings at 1440p (121 FPS) are excellent for competitive play or if the player prioritizes framerate over visuals, but Medium provides a substantial visual upgrade for only a 38% FPS reduction. High (54 FPS) and Ultra (43 FPS) are playable but will result in noticeable stutters during intense scenes, so they are only recommended for players with VRR displays who can tolerate sub-60 FPS framerates.

At 4K, the options are limited. Low settings (95 FPS) are the only way to achieve a high-refresh-rate experience, but the visual quality will be significantly reduced. Medium settings (59 FPS) are the best compromise for a console-like 60Hz experience, but the min FPS of 50 means occasional drops below the target. High (42 FPS) and Ultra (34 FPS) are not recommended for any 4K display, as they fail to provide a smooth experience. The data indicates that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming with high or ultra presets; players should either drop to 1440p Medium or stick to 4K Low/Medium depending on their preference for resolution versus fidelity. The best overall experience per the measured rows is 1440p Medium, which offers a perfect balance of visual quality and performance, staying above 60 FPS for the majority of gameplay.