The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a playable experience in The Medium, but the data reveals that visual settings matter more than resolution for achieving high frame rates. The measured FPS shows that this pairing is capable of exceeding 120 fps at 1080p on Low settings, yet it drops to below 40 fps at 4K on Ultra. This indicates a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and demanding presets, while the CPU’s strong 3D V-Cache architecture ensures it never becomes the limiting factor.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K in The Medium is heavily dependent on the selected graphics preset, which points directly to the GPU as the primary performance limiter. At Low settings, the average FPS only drops from 121.6 at 1920x1080 to 105.6 at 3840x2160, a modest 13.2% reduction. This relatively mild decline suggests that at Low settings, the workload is light enough for the RTX 4070 SUPER to handle 4K without a catastrophic performance hit, and the CPU’s 8 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU.

However, the scaling becomes far more aggressive when the preset is increased. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 75.1 at 1080p to 49.7 at 4K, a 33.8% drop. The Ultra preset shows an even steeper decline, going from 57.3 at 1080p down to 39.8 at 4K, a 30.5% reduction. This pattern is classic GPU-bound behavior: as resolution increases, the pixel fill rate demand skyrockets, and the RTX 4070 SUPER’s 80 ROPs and 198.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are pushed to their limits. The data suggests that at 4K, the card is working at maximum capacity, and the only way to maintain higher frame rates is to reduce the settings.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with FPS dropping from 101.8 at 1080p to 66.7 at 4K. This 34.5% decline is consistent with the High preset, reinforcing that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s raw throughput dictates the performance envelope. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for all tested resolutions, meaning the FPS drops are not caused by memory capacity or bandwidth limitations but by the GPU’s compute and rasterization capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this hardware combination in The Medium?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 121.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER perform at 4K resolution in this game?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 105.6 on Low settings down to 39.8 on Ultra settings, with Medium and High presets hitting 66.7 and 49.7 FPS respectively.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700X3D a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER in this game?

A: Based on the FPS scaling data, the CPU is not a limiting factor. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, which indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher presets.

Q: What is the difference in performance between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 75.1 at 1920x1080 to 60.8 at 2560x1440, a 19% performance reduction.

Q: Can this system achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: Yes, but only with Low settings, which yields an average of 105.6 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 66.7 FPS, which is still above 60, but at High and Ultra settings, it falls below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to the High preset in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 1080p, it produces 57.3 FPS compared to High’s 75.1 FPS, and at 4K, it produces 39.8 FPS compared to High’s 49.7 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this configuration for The Medium, as evidenced by the measured frame rates. The GPU’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, paired with a 192-bit bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, provides ample resources for the game’s horror environments, which often feature detailed textures and complex lighting. The data shows no signs of memory-related stuttering or capacity issues, even at 4K Ultra, confirming that the 12 GB allocation is sufficient for this title.

Clock speeds are equally important. The GPU has a base clock of 1980 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, allowing it to ramp up performance when needed. This is reflected in the FPS data, where the card maintains high frame rates at lower resolutions and settings. For instance, at 1080p Low, it achieves 121.6 FPS, indicating the boost clock is sustaining high utilization. The architecture, Ada Lovelace, includes 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores, which are relevant for The Medium’s use of fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds, but the primary workload still falls on the 7168 shading units.

The GPU’s 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a strong indicator of its raw compute power. This translates to the ability to handle the game’s particle effects and post-processing at high settings. However, the benchmark results show that at Ultra settings, the card is stretched thin, with 4K Ultra yielding only 39.8 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset in The Medium includes effects that are particularly taxing on the GPU’s pixel shader throughput, making it a less desirable option for this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the results are consistently high: Low settings average 121.6 FPS, Medium averages 101.8 FPS, High averages 75.1 FPS, and Ultra averages 57.3 FPS. This demonstrates that 1080p is well within the comfort zone of the RTX 4070 SUPER, with even the most demanding preset staying above 57 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings hit 119 FPS, Medium drops to 88.3 FPS, High falls to 60.8 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 49.8 FPS. The 1440p High result is particularly notable, as it hovers just above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable option for gamers with 144Hz monitors who are willing to adjust settings slightly.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. Low settings still deliver a very playable 105.6 FPS, but Medium drops to 66.7 FPS, High to 49.7 FPS, and Ultra to 39.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is a massive 65.8 FPS, underscoring how much headroom exists in the settings menu for 4K gamers. The data indicates that for 4K, the only way to achieve a smooth experience is to use Low or Medium settings, with High and Ultra being reserved for those who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of tested hardware combinations, this pairing holds a strong position. The combo rank in The Medium is 367 out of 1689 tested combinations, placing it in the top 21.8% of all systems. This is a solid result, indicating that the Ryzen 7 5700X3D and RTX 4070 SUPER are well-matched for this title, outperforming most other configurations in the database.

The GPU itself ranks in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 42576. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which scores 42653 (a 0.2% difference), and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, which scores 42723 (a 0.3% difference). This puts the RTX 4070 SUPER in very elite company, showing that its performance is nearly identical to workstation-class cards in synthetic benchmarks, though its gaming performance in The Medium is what matters here.

The CPU also performs admirably, ranking in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 24673. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1360P, scores 24627, a mere 0.2% difference. This close grouping suggests that the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is not a weak link in this system. In fact, the measured FPS data confirms this, as the frame rates are consistently GPU-bound, meaning the CPU’s 8 cores and 16 threads are more than adequate for the game’s threading requirements.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D serves as a capable foundation for this gaming system, and the data shows it does not hinder the RTX 4070 SUPER in The Medium. The CPU features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache, a hallmark of the 3D V-Cache design, is particularly beneficial for gaming workloads that rely on data locality.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 22366 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3157 in single-core. These numbers, while not directly indicative of gaming performance, show a balanced profile. The multi-core score is strong enough to handle the game’s background tasks, while the single-core score ensures that the main game logic thread runs efficiently. The CPU’s 82nd percentile ranking versus all CPUs further confirms its capability.

The fact that frame rates scale so predictably with resolution and settings is direct evidence that the CPU is not a bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at lower resolutions, where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the FPS at 1080p Low (121.6) is significantly higher than at 4K Low (105.6), indicating the GPU is the sole constraint. The CPU’s performance in this game is best described as transparent, allowing the GPU to operate at its full potential.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering 75.1 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium’s 101.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 57.3 FPS is playable but hovers below 60, making it a choice for gamers who prioritize image quality over smoothness.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, achieving 88.3 FPS. This provides a high frame rate that is well-suited for 144Hz displays. The High preset at 60.8 FPS is also viable, offering a more detailed image while just barely maintaining 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 49.8 FPS is not recommended for competitive play, but it remains playable for slower-paced horror games.

At 4K, the recommendation is clear: use the Low preset for the best experience, as it delivers 105.6 FPS. This is a surprisingly high frame rate for 4K and suggests that The Medium is not overly demanding at lower settings. The Medium preset at 66.7 FPS is the next best option, offering a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. However, the High preset at 49.7 FPS and Ultra at 39.8 FPS should be avoided if frame rate consistency is a priority, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold that many gamers consider essential.