The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title, presents a unique challenge for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination. The benchmark data shows this pairing is highly capable, but its performance is heavily dictated by the graphics settings and resolution, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck. The combo ranks 467th out of 1689 tested combinations, placing it in the top 28% of all configs, which signals a strong, though not top-tier, performer for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, revealing the game’s intense reliance on the graphics processor. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 70 FPS at 1920x1080 to 59.2 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 15.4%. Moving to 4K, the average plummets to 41.3 FPS, a further 30.2% decrease from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a game where the rendering load, particularly at higher resolutions, outpaces the CPU's ability to feed the GPU, making the RTX 3080 Ti the limiting component.

The trend is even more pronounced at lower settings. At Low, the 1080p average is 138.2 FPS, which drops to 123.6 FPS at 1440p and then to 97 FPS at 4K. While the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is a massive 29.8%, the absolute frame rates remain high, indicating that the CPU can still provide enough data to keep the GPU busy even at 4K. However, the gap between the 1440p and 4K results at Low settings (a 21.5% drop) shows that the GPU is still the primary constraint, as the pixel count increase from 3.7 million to 8.3 million is a significant workload.

The data confirms that The Medium is a GPU-bound title at all tested resolutions and settings. The CPU's role is to maintain a high enough frame floor, but it is the RTX 3080 Ti's raw power that determines the final average FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear, with the most significant performance penalties occurring when the resolution jumps to 3840x2160, where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are pushed to their limits. This makes 4K a challenging target for smooth gameplay, even with this high-end graphics card.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G provides a strong foundation for this game. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, it offers ample processing power. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20755 and a single-core score of 2930, indicate a robust processor that can handle the game's logic and streaming requirements without becoming a significant bottleneck. The 16 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock of 4.60 GHz help maintain consistent frame pacing.

However, the benchmark results show that the CPU is not the primary factor in this game's performance. The frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings, which is a clear sign of GPU limitation. For instance, at 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 51, while at 1080p Low, it jumps to 138.2 FPS. This 63% performance increase is purely due to reduced GPU workload, not a change in CPU demand. The CPU is capable of delivering frames well above what the GPU can render at higher settings, meaning it's not holding the system back.

The processor's performance relative to its peers also supports this conclusion. It sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25626. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, scores 25706, a negligible -0.3% difference. This places the 5700G in a strong position for gaming, but it is the GPU that dictates the final output. In this configuration, the CPU provides a stable platform, but the data clearly points to the RTX 3080 Ti as the component that determines the playable experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance. At High settings, the combo achieves 59.2 FPS, which is close to a smooth 60 FPS experience, while 1920x1080 at High yields a higher 70 FPS. 4K is demanding, with High settings only producing 41.3 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 138.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages only 51 FPS. This represents a 63% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest settings, highlighting the significant graphical workload of Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this game?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. This is evident from the steep FPS drops as resolution increases. For example, at Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 91.9 at 1080p to 64.5 at 4K, a 29.8% decrease, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K Low, the combo achieves a playable 97 FPS average. However, at High settings, the average drops to 41.3 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 33.2 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, players would need to use the Low or possibly Medium settings.

Q: How does the average FPS at 1440p Medium compare to 1080p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 Medium, the average FPS is 77.4, while at 1920x1080 Medium, it is 91.9. This shows a 15.8% performance decrease when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings, which is a moderate penalty for the increase in resolution.

Q: What is the frame rate at 4K with the High preset?

A: The measured average FPS for the 3840x2160 High preset is 41.3. This is below the 60 FPS target often desired for smooth gameplay, indicating that High settings at 4K are not ideal for this combination.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the combo shows its strength, with a Low preset average of 138.2 FPS and a Medium preset average of 91.9 FPS. The High preset reaches 70 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 51 FPS. This shows a clear scaling curve where the game becomes more demanding with each preset level.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 123.6 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset produces 77.4 FPS, and High settings yield 59.2 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 43.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. These numbers show that 1440p is a sweet spot for this hardware, offering high frame rates on lower settings and playable performance on High.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is pushed to its limits. The Low preset is the only one that provides a high frame rate, averaging 97 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 64.5 FPS, which is playable. However, the High preset averages 41.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset only manages 33.2 FPS. These results show that 4K gaming requires significant settings compromises to achieve smooth gameplay. The data across all resolutions confirms that the RTX 3080 Ti is the definitive performance limiter.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the central component in this combo's performance in The Medium. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides a massive 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for handling high-resolution textures. The GPU's 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores are built on the Ampere architecture, delivering the raw compute power needed for this title's demanding visuals. Its benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 26896, place it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck is clear from the data. The frame rates scale almost entirely with the GPU's workload. For instance, at 1440p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 79.9 FPS (from 123.6 to 43.7), a change that is entirely dependent on the GPU's ability to render the scene. The RTX 3080 Ti's nearest rival, the RTX 3090, scores 41441 in average benchmark scores, a mere 0.5% higher, showing that this card is at the top of its class. This performance is reflected in its ability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p.

The GPU's power is also evident in its 4K performance. While High and Ultra settings at 4K are not playable at high frame rates, the card can still produce 97 FPS at Low settings. This shows that the card has the raw horsepower to work at high resolutions, but the game's Ultra preset is simply too demanding. The 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 186.5 GPixel/s pixel rate are impressive specs, but The Medium's visual effects at Ultra push the card to its limits.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data points to the High preset at 2560x1440 as the best overall experience. This setting achieves a 59.2 FPS average, which is close to the 60 FPS target and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. For players with 1080p monitors, the High preset at 70 FPS is also an excellent choice, offering a smooth and detailed experience. Pushing to Ultra at any resolution provides a marginal visual gain for a substantial performance cost, making it the least efficient setting.

For those prioritizing frame rate, the Low preset is the clear winner. At 1080p, it delivers 138.2 FPS, and at 1440p, it still manages 123.6 FPS. These numbers are ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset offers a good middle ground, with 91.9 FPS at 1080p and 77.4 FPS at 1440p, providing a balance between visual quality and speed. At 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, with its 97 FPS average, while Medium is playable at 64.5 FPS.

The worst choice is the Ultra preset. It yields the lowest frame rates at all resolutions, including 33.2 FPS at 4K and 43.7 FPS at 1440p. The performance cost is not justified by the visual improvements. Therefore, the recommended path is to use High settings at 1080p or 1440p. For a competitive edge or smoother motion, Low or Medium at 1440p is superior. The data shows that High at 1440p provides the best combination of visual fidelity and playable performance for this specific hardware pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 467th out of 1689 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the top 27.6% of all configurations, which is a strong result for a high-end pairing. The ranking reflects the system's ability to handle the game well, but it also shows that there are many more powerful combinations, likely with newer or more specialized CPUs and GPUs, that can achieve higher frame rates.

This ranking is consistent with the individual component strengths. The GPU is in the 83rd percentile, and the CPU is also in the 83rd percentile, indicating a well-balanced system. However, the game is clearly GPU-bound, so the combo's rank is primarily determined by the RTX 3080 Ti's performance. The fact that it ranks in the top third of all tested combos confirms that it is a capable system for this title, but it is not at the absolute top tier.

The ranking also suggests that while the combination is powerful, there is room for improvement. Users seeking higher frame rates at 4K Ultra would need a more powerful GPU. The data shows that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, where it excels. At 4K, it can play the game, but only with reduced settings. Overall, the 467th rank out of 1689 reflects the RTX 3080 Ti's enduring power, even when paired with a mid-range CPU from the same generation.