The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a striking study in system bottlenecks when running The Medium. The data shows a configuration where a high-end desktop processor is coupled with an integrated-class graphics solution, resulting in performance that is severely constrained by the GPU at every turn. This analysis digs into the measured frames to understand the nature of this limitation, how the combo stacks up against a vast field of tested systems, and what settings offer the most playable experience, all based exclusively on the provided benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a dramatic and consistent collapse in performance as resolution increases, a classic indicator of a system bound by its graphics processor. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 46 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p at the same Low preset drops the average to 39 FPS, a 15.2% reduction. Moving to 4K at Low settings further reduces the average to 30 FPS, which is a 23.1% drop from the 1440p figure and a 34.8% drop from 1080p. This pattern shows that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint.

The scaling becomes even more punishing at higher settings. At Medium, average FPS falls from 29 at 1080p to 24 at 1440p (a 17.2% decrease) and then to 19 at 4K (a 20.8% decrease from 1440p). Similarly, at High, the averages are 21 at 1080p, 17 at 1440p, and 14 at 4K. The trend is clear: the Intel Arc B370's performance is not just dropping, but the percentage penalty for each resolution increase remains steep across all settings. This suggests the GPU's shading units, texture units, and memory subsystem are all saturated, and adding more pixels directly translates to a nearly proportional loss in frame rate.

The data implies that the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, is not a limiting factor in these scenarios. The relative consistency of the frame rate drops as resolution scales is a textbook sign of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see a much smaller performance delta between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU's workload would be similar while the GPU would have more time to render. The fact that the FPS plummets so consistently suggests the processor is waiting on the graphics chip to finish its work, making the Arc B370 the definitive performance ceiling for this combination in The Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

The performance data places this specific combination in a very low position globally. The `comboRankInGame` field shows a rank of 2681 out of 2911 tested combos, placing it in the 8th percentile of all systems. This is a remarkably low standing, reinforcing the notion that the GPU is holding this combo back to a significant degree. While the CPU is a powerful desktop part, the overall system performance is dragged down by the graphics adapter, which is clearly not designed for this level of gaming workload.

This ranking is consistent with the GPU's own percentile ranking. The Intel Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score. The combo's rank is slightly higher than the GPU's individual percentile, which likely reflects the positive contribution of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, but the overall picture is one of severe underperformance relative to most gaming systems. The data suggests that this pairing is not a viable combination for achieving smooth, playable frame rates in a demanding title like The Medium, even at lower resolutions.

The disparity between the CPU's strength and the GPU's weakness is stark. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D has an average benchmark score of 27896, placing it in the 80th percentile of all CPUs. Yet, the system's rank in this game is in the bottom 10%. This immense gap quantifies the bottleneck: the processor is capable of far more work than the graphics chip can handle. The system is effectively a powerful engine mated to a very small gearbox, and the resulting speed is dictated entirely by the smallest component.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370's role in The Medium is defined by its limited specs and the resulting low performance. The data shows it has 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, a configuration that yields a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute is listed at 6.144 TFLOPS. These figures, while just numbers in a vacuum, translate to a practical inability to handle the rendering load of a modern horror title at high resolutions and detail levels.

The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. Its bandwidth is "System Dependent," which is a major performance liability. In a game like The Medium, which likely has significant texture and asset streaming, sharing memory bandwidth with the CPU can lead to stuttering and low frame rates. The measured FPS data is the direct consequence of these limitations, showing that even at 1080p Low, the system only manages an average of 46 FPS, which is far from the 60 FPS target most gamers prefer. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is not enough to overcome the fundamental lack of processing power and memory bandwidth.

The GPU's low standing is confirmed by its average benchmark score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of raw score are legacy parts like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, with delta percentages of -0.2% and -0.7% respectively. This comparison is telling; the Arc B370 is performing on par with graphics solutions from a bygone era. This data strongly suggests that while the GPU is a modern design, its execution in this configuration is far too weak to provide a satisfactory gaming experience in a demanding title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only viable path to a playable experience with this combo is to use the Low preset and accept a lower resolution. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 46 FPS. This is the only setting that approaches acceptable playability, though it still falls short of a smooth 60 FPS. The data shows that this is the absolute peak of this system's capability, and it requires the lowest graphical fidelity and a 1080p resolution.

The Medium preset offers a slightly better visual experience but at a significant performance cost. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS drops to 29, which is a 37% reduction from Low. This likely means the game will feel noticeably less fluid and may be uncomfortable for many players. The High and Ultra presets are effectively unplayable at any resolution, with average FPS figures in the teens and low twenties at 1080p. At 4K, the Low preset is the only one that even breaks 30 FPS on average.

The data shows that the Ultra preset is a non-starter, producing an average of only 16 FPS at 1080p and 11 FPS at 4K. These numbers are so low as to be cinematic rather than interactive. The clear takeaway is that users of this combo should prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The measured rows suggest that for a consistent, albeit not perfect, experience, 1080p Low is the only sensible choice. Any attempt to increase settings will result in a dramatic drop in performance that outweighs the visual benefit.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in The Medium?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 46 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this system capable of hitting 60 FPS at any setting?

A: No. The data shows that the maximum average FPS is 46 at 1080p Low. All other settings and resolutions produce lower average frame rates, with 1080p Medium at 29 FPS and 1440p Low at 39 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2681 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems.

Q: What is the average frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings?

A: At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 46 at 1920x1080 to 30 at 3840x2160, which is a 34.8% decrease.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 46 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages only 16 FPS, representing a 65.2% reduction in average frame rate.

Q: Based on the data, what is the likely bottleneck for this system?

A: The data indicates the Intel Arc B370 is the bottleneck. The steep FPS drops with increasing resolution and settings, coupled with the GPU's low percentile ranking, point to the graphics card as the limiting component.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a high-end desktop processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz and it can boost up to 4.50 GHz. It has a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is a defining feature of the X3D series. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 14317 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 1452 in single-core. These are strong numbers that place it in the 80th percentile of all CPUs, showing it has ample processing power.

However, in the context of The Medium with this specific GPU, the CPU's role is largely one of a bystander. The benchmark results show that the system's performance is heavily GPU-limited, so the CPU's capabilities are not being fully utilized. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D's high core count and large cache are irrelevant when the graphics card can only manage 46 FPS at best. The processor is likely idling, waiting for the GPU to complete its frame rendering.

The data from the `nearestRivals` field for the CPU shows it performs similarly to other strong processors like the Intel Core i9-10900K and the Intel Core i5-12600KF, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 0.3% respectively. This confirms that the CPU is not a weak point. The performance problem lies entirely with the graphics solution. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data, and in this case, it is doing so without being a bottleneck, but the GPU is simply unable to process that data quickly enough.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a complete breakdown of the average FPS measured for this combo in The Medium.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: 46 FPS average.
• Medium: 29 FPS average, with a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 33 FPS.
• High: 21 FPS average.
• Ultra: 16 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 39 FPS average.
• Medium: 24 FPS average, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 28 FPS.
• High: 17 FPS average.
• Ultra: 14 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 30 FPS average.
• Medium: 19 FPS average, with a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 22 FPS.
• High: 14 FPS average.
• Ultra: 11 FPS average.

This data paints a clear picture. The system's performance is poor across the board. The only configuration that comes close to a playable frame rate is 1080p Low, which is still 23% below the 60 FPS standard. The frame time consistency, as shown by the min/max values for Medium settings, also degrades with resolution, with a wider spread at 4K (16-22 FPS) compared to 1080p (24-33 FPS). This indicates not only lower average performance but also less stable frame pacing at higher resolutions, further detracting from the experience. The data confirms that this combo is unsuitable for playing The Medium at any setting that offers a modern visual presentation.