The Medium

# The Medium: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070

The Medium's measured FPS data for this AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination reveals a horror title that is heavily dependent on graphics settings and resolution scaling. The dataset shows a clear performance hierarchy across presets, with the Low preset delivering the most headroom at every resolution, while Ultra pushes the system to its limits. This analysis interprets the benchmark results to identify the optimal settings, the GPU's role, the CPU's contribution, and how this specific pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark rows indicate that the Low preset is the only consistently fluid option across all resolutions for this pairing. At 1920x1080, Low achieves an average of 124.7 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in the entire dataset. Moving up to Medium at 1080p yields 99.9 FPS, still above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, but the drop from Low to Medium represents a significant 24.8 FPS loss. The High preset at 1080p falls to 73.9 FPS, which is playable but leaves less margin for demanding scenes.

For players prioritizing visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 provides an average of 84.1 FPS, which is the best balance of quality and performance in the data. This setting maintains a comfortable frame rate while avoiding the steep penalties of High and Ultra. The High preset at 1440p drops to 60.8 FPS, essentially at the edge of standard display refresh rates, while Ultra at 1440p falls to 46.8 FPS, which could feel stuttery in a horror game where smooth motion is critical for atmosphere.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes more constrained. Medium is the only preset that averages above 60 FPS, delivering 69.7 FPS. High at 4K drops to 47.8 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40.3 FPS, both below the ideal threshold for this genre. The data suggests that for the best experience, users should select Medium at 4K, or if willing to sacrifice resolution, Low at 1440p yields 120 FPS, providing maximum headroom for frame pacing. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as even at 1080p it only reaches 54.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and represents a 70.3 FPS deficit compared to Low at the same resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 brings 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, with bandwidth rated at 672.0 GB/s. The memory clock operates at 1750 MHz, translating to 28 Gbps effective. These memory characteristics are directly relevant to The Medium's performance, as the game's measured FPS scales dramatically with settings, suggesting a strong reliance on memory bandwidth and capacity at higher presets.

The GPU's base clock is 2325 MHz, boosting to 2512 MHz. With 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the RTX 5070's compute resources are substantial, yet the benchmark data shows that even this hardware struggles with Ultra settings. The pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s provide context for how the GPU handles the game's rendering load, but the measured results indicate that The Medium's Ultra preset imposes a burden that exceeds what this card can sustain at 60 FPS even at 1080p.

The GPU's passmark G3D score of 29137 places it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 at a delta of 0.6%. This closeness in synthetic benchmarks does not translate to equal gaming performance, as the game-specific data shows the RTX 5070's frame rates are heavily influenced by the preset chosen. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 further indicates the GPU's raw capability, but The Medium's results suggest that game-specific optimizations or engine limitations cap performance well below what the card can theoretically deliver.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 372nd out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 22% of all configurations, which is a strong result given the game's demanding nature. The rank reflects the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, and the data shows a system that is capable of high frame rates at lower presets but falls short of the top tier at maximum quality.

The CPU's percentile versus all processors is 82, with an average benchmark score of 24673. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1360P with a delta of 0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D with a delta of 0.3%. These small deltas suggest that the 5700X3D is not a bottleneck in most scenarios, but the GPU's percentile of 83, with rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 at 0.6% delta, indicates that the graphics card is the more significant performance determinant in this pairing. The combo rank of 372 suggests that many other combinations, likely with higher-tier GPUs, outperform this setup in The Medium, but the data also shows that this pairing is far from the bottom of the pack.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured FPS ranges from a low of 54.4 on Ultra to a high of 124.7 on Low. The Medium preset delivers 99.9 FPS, while High achieves 73.9 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra is not linear, with the largest single-step drop occurring between Medium and High, a 26 FPS reduction. The step from High to Ultra is 19.5 FPS, and from Low to Medium is 24.8 FPS. This pattern indicates that the High preset introduces a significant rendering cost that Ultra further amplifies.

At 2560x1440, the results follow a similar curve but at lower absolute values. Low averages 120 FPS, Medium 84.1 FPS, High 60.8 FPS, and Ultra 46.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at 1440p is 35.9 FPS, larger than at 1080p, showing that resolution scaling amplifies the cost of higher settings. The High to Ultra drop at 1440p is 14 FPS, smaller than at 1080p, suggesting that at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes more constrained and the relative cost of Ultra diminishes.

At 3840x2160, the performance collapses further. Low averages 106 FPS, Medium 69.7 FPS, High 47.8 FPS, and Ultra 40.3 FPS. The Low preset remains above 100 FPS even at 4K, which is notable, but the gap between Low and Medium is 36.3 FPS. The High preset at 4K is nearly identical to the Ultra preset at 1440p, with a 1 FPS difference, indicating that resolution and settings interact in complex ways that affect where the performance ceiling lies.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows that moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at the same settings incurs predictable penalties. At Low, the drop is 4.7 FPS (from 124.7 to 120), a 3.8% reduction. At Medium, the drop is 15.8 FPS (from 99.9 to 84.1), a 15.8% reduction. At High, the drop is 13.1 FPS (from 73.9 to 60.8), a 17.7% reduction. At Ultra, the drop is 7.6 FPS (from 54.4 to 46.8), a 14% reduction. These percentages suggest that at lower settings, the CPU may be a limiting factor, as the FPS does not scale down proportionally with pixel count.

Scaling from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 shows larger absolute drops. At Low, the FPS falls from 120 to 106, an 11.7% reduction. At Medium, it falls from 84.1 to 69.7, a 17.1% reduction. At High, it falls from 60.8 to 47.8, a 21.4% reduction. At Ultra, it falls from 46.8 to 40.3, a 13.9% reduction. The High preset shows the steepest relative decline, indicating that at this setting, the GPU is increasingly stressed by the higher resolution. The overall pattern reveals that The Medium is primarily GPU-bound at higher settings, as the FPS scales inversely with pixel count, but the Low preset's resilience suggests that the CPU can still deliver high frame rates even at 4K when the graphical load is low.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a 5000-series processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on the Zen 3 architecture codenamed Vermeer. Its base clock is 3.00 GHz, boosting to 4.10 GHz, with a TDP of 105 W. The CPU features a large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is a defining characteristic of the X3D line, and supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The process node is 7 nm at TSMC, with 8,850 million transistors on a 74 mm² die.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 5700X3D scores 22366 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3157 in single-core. Its 3DMark 16-thread score is 6764, and the single-thread score is 804. The passmark multithread score is 26318, with a single-thread score of 2970. These results place the CPU in the 82nd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 24673. The nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1360P at a 0.2% delta, show that the 5700X3D is competitive with modern mobile and desktop parts.

For The Medium, the CPU's role is evident in the Low preset results. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 124.7 FPS, and at 4K Low, it still achieves 106 FPS. These high frame rates at low graphical settings suggest that the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently, even at 4K. However, the large L3 cache and high thread count do not translate to better performance at Ultra settings, where the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The data implies that for this game, the CPU is sufficient to avoid limiting frame rates at any resolution, but the GPU's capability at higher presets is the primary constraint on overall performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 124.7, while Medium achieves 99.9 FPS. For a balance of quality and performance, Medium is recommended, as it stays well above 60 FPS and offers better visuals than Low.

Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K smoothly?

A: At 4K, only the Medium preset averages above 60 FPS, with 69.7 FPS. The High preset drops to 47.8 FPS, and Ultra to 40.3 FPS, so 4K gaming is only viable at Medium or lower settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070's average benchmark score is 41687, with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 as a close rival at a delta of 0.6%. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300 is 0.2% behind, showing the RTX 5070 is tightly grouped with these cards in general benchmarks.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700X3D a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 in this game?

A: The data suggests no. At Low settings, the system reaches 124.7 FPS at 1080p and 106 FPS at 4K, indicating the CPU can keep pace. The performance drops at higher settings are more consistent with GPU limitations.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High averages 60.8 FPS while Ultra averages 46.8 FPS, a difference of 14 FPS. This is the smallest absolute gap between High and Ultra across all resolutions, indicating diminishing returns at higher pixel counts.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in The Medium?

A: This pairing ranks 372nd out of 1689 total combos, placing it in the top 22% of all tested systems. This is a strong result, though not at the very top tier.