The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that relies on a unique split-screen mechanic, rendering two worlds simultaneously. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination produces a very specific performance profile that is heavily dependent on resolution and settings. The data shows this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve playable frame rates, but it struggles significantly at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured results to provide clear guidance on how to configure the game for the best experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in The Medium?

A: According to the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where this combo approaches playable performance. At Low settings, it averages 46.4 FPS, and at Medium settings, it averages 33.6 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 or 3840x2160 results in average frame rates that are mostly below 30 FPS, making them generally unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much of a performance difference does the Low preset make compared to Ultra?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 46.4 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages only 19.4 FPS. This represents a performance boost of over 100% when using Low settings, highlighting how demanding the Ultra preset is for this hardware.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 580 a capable GPU for this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates it is a borderline performer. Its average benchmark score is 13559, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. In The Medium, it can handle 1080p with lower settings, but it is not capable of delivering high frame rates at higher resolutions or on higher presets.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 5700X compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700X is very closely matched with its nearest competitors. Its average benchmark score is 26214, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-11900KF (26196) and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (26272), with a negligible deltaPct of 0.1% and -0.2%, respectively. This places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the impact of the CPU's high multi-threaded performance on this game?

A: While the CPU is powerful, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22620, the primary bottleneck in The Medium appears to be the GPU. The data shows that frame rates change dramatically with resolution and settings, which indicates the graphics card is the limiting factor, not the 8-core, 16-thread processor.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS values for this combo?

A: The provided data does not include minimum or maximum FPS values for any of the tested configurations. Only average FPS (avgFps) is available for each resolution and settings preset.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the defining component in this configuration's performance. With 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, it has a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Its 2304 shading units operate at a boost clock of 1340 MHz, delivering a theoretical FP32 performance of 6.175 TFLOPS. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results in The Medium reflect this.

The GPU's role is paramount, as the game's performance scales dramatically with visual fidelity. At 3840x2160, the RX 580 is overwhelmed, producing only 12.1 FPS on High settings. This is a clear indication that the card's computational and memory resources are insufficient for 4K rendering in this title. Even at 2560x1440, the card struggles, with the High preset yielding only 20.6 FPS. The combination of the Polaris 20 chip's raw compute power and its memory subsystem is simply not enough to handle the demands of rendering two high-resolution scenes simultaneously.

The RX 580's performance relative to its peers is telling. Its average benchmark score of 13559 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13564) and only 1.1% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 455 (13416). This positions it as a mid-range performer, which is consistent with its 53rd percentile ranking. In The Medium, this means the card is only viable for 1080p gaming, where its memory and compute capabilities are sufficient to maintain a playable frame rate, but only if the settings are carefully managed.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of what settings are viable for this hardware. The primary goal is to achieve a smooth experience, and the data suggests that prioritizing a lower preset is necessary. At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the only option that delivers a consistently smooth frame rate, averaging 46.4 FPS. This should be the default choice for any user prioritizing playability.

The Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers a compromise, averaging 33.6 FPS. This is a significant visual upgrade over Low and is still technically playable, though it may not be smooth enough for all users, especially in action-heavy scenes. The High preset at 1080p drops to 23.7 FPS, which is likely to feel stuttery and unresponsive. The Ultra preset, at 19.4 FPS, is not recommended for any scenario.

At higher resolutions, the situation is much worse. The Low preset at 2560x1440 averages 43.8 FPS, which is an interesting anomaly, but the Medium preset drops to 23.5 FPS. Given the performance cliff, the only reasonable recommendation for 1440p is to use Low settings, and even then, the experience may be inconsistent. For 3840x2160, no settings preset provides a playable experience, with the best result being 29.7 FPS on Low, which is still below the benchmark for smooth gameplay. The optimal configuration is therefore 1920x1080 with the Low preset for a stable experience, or Medium if the user can tolerate occasional frame drops.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and AMD Radeon RX 580 ranks 1559 out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, indicating that it is a below-average performer for this specific game. This low ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a relatively strong performer.

The CPU's individual ranking is much higher, sitting in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. This contrast highlights a significant bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 5700X has ample processing power, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22620, but the RX 580 is unable to translate that potential into high frame rates in this demanding title. The GPU's 53rd percentile ranking is a more accurate predictor of the combo's overall performance.

This ranking serves as a practical warning. While the CPU is capable of powering much faster graphics cards, the RX 580 holds the entire system back in The Medium. Users with this exact combo should not expect high-end performance; instead, they should aim for the modest frame rates achievable at 1080p with lower settings. The data strongly suggests that a GPU upgrade would be the most effective way to improve performance in this game.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X provides a solid foundation for this system. It is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This processing power is reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22620 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2148. This performance places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, making it a very capable processor for both gaming and productivity.

In The Medium, however, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The game's performance bottleneck is clearly the graphics card, as evidenced by the massive frame rate differences between settings presets. The CPU is likely not being fully utilized, as the GPU is unable to render frames fast enough to demand more from the processor. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock ensure that the CPU will not be a limiting factor in this scenario.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is exemplary. It is virtually tied with the Intel Core i9-11900KF, with a deltaPct of only 0.1%, and it even matches the newer AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, which has a deltaPct of -0.2%. This shows that the Ryzen 7 5700X is a highly competitive processor that offers top-tier performance. In this specific combo, its power is simply underutilized due to the constraints imposed by the RX 580.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in The Medium is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 29.7 FPS
• Medium: 23.0 FPS
• High: 12.1 FPS
• Ultra: 12.3 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 43.8 FPS
• Medium: 23.5 FPS
• High: 20.6 FPS
• Ultra: 12.8 FPS

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 46.4 FPS
• Medium: 33.6 FPS
• High: 23.7 FPS
• Ultra: 19.4 FPS

The data reveals a clear trend. Performance scales inversely with resolution and settings. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs approximately 13 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs another 10 FPS. The Ultra preset is consistently the worst performer, offering no playable frame rates at any resolution.

The 1440p Low preset is notable for achieving 43.8 FPS, which is close to the 1080p Low result. This suggests that the game is not purely pixel-bound at these lower settings, but the RX 580's architecture still struggles as settings increase. The 4K results are universally poor, with no preset breaking the 30 FPS threshold, confirming that this resolution is entirely out of reach for this hardware configuration. The only configurations that provide a remotely acceptable gaming experience are the 1080p Low and Medium presets.