The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses the GPU heavily, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a clear picture of where its limits lie. The data shows a system that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming comfortably at medium settings, but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher quality presets. The 5800X3D’s strong multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24063) ensures the CPU is rarely the bottleneck, leaving the RTX 4060’s 8 GB of VRAM and 272.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth as the primary constraint in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance drop as resolution increases, confirming that this combo is heavily GPU-limited in The Medium. At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 110.6 FPS, which drops to 88.8 FPS at 1440p, and then falls to 69.9 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36.8% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that even at the lowest preset, the GPU is still the limiting factor.

The scaling becomes more severe with higher settings. At Medium preset, the average FPS goes from 68.6 at 1080p to 58.3 at 1440p, then to 47.6 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 30.6%, which is less pronounced than at Low, but the absolute numbers are much lower. At High settings, the pattern continues: 51.5 FPS at 1080p, 39.3 FPS at 1440p, and 34.1 FPS at 4K. The most dramatic decline occurs at Ultra, where 37.7 FPS at 1080p falls to 33.6 FPS at 1440p and then to 23.7 FPS at 4K — a 37.1% loss from 1080p.

These numbers indicate that the RTX 4060 is the clear bottleneck across all resolutions. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D’s single-thread score of 884 in 3DMark and multi-core score of 7285 in the max-threads test are far above what this game requires, so the CPU is not holding back performance. The frame rate differences between resolutions are almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s rendering workload.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications directly impact The Medium’s performance, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz and 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are moderate for the 40-series lineup, but the memory subsystem is the more critical factor here.

At 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 23.7 suggests the GPU is running out of memory bandwidth or VRAM capacity. The 8 GB frame buffer is likely being exceeded at this resolution with Ultra textures, causing the GPU to fall back on slower memory operations. This explains why the jump from 1080p Ultra (37.7 FPS) to 4K Ultra (23.7 FPS) is so severe — a 37.1% drop that outpaces the resolution scaling expected from pure compute limits.

The RTX 4060’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the Intel Arc B580 (avgScore 23021, deltaPct 0.7). This indicates the card is positioned in the mid-range segment, and The Medium’s requirements push it to its limits. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 19545 reinforces this mid-range positioning, making it clear that this title demands more than the card can consistently deliver at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Medium settings, which delivers 68.6 FPS on average. This provides a smooth frame rate while maintaining visual quality above the Low preset. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 110.6 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate displays, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it for most players.

At 1440p, Medium settings produce 58.3 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset at 1440p drops to 39.3 FPS, which is too low for a comfortable experience. For 1440p users, Low settings at 88.8 FPS is the most sensible choice, offering a fluid frame rate that compensates for reduced visual fidelity.

At 4K, none of the presets reach 60 FPS. The best option is Low settings at 69.9 FPS, which is playable but visually compromised. Medium at 4K (47.6 FPS) and High at 4K (34.1 FPS) are both below the acceptable threshold, and Ultra at 4K (23.7 FPS) is effectively unplayable. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo requires either the Low preset or a willingness to accept sub-50 FPS frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 1689 tested combinations in this database, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 949th in The Medium. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is consistent with the mid-range positioning of the GPU. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 83rd among all processors indicates it is a strong performer, but the GPU’s 66th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down.

The 5800X3D’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-11900K, has an average benchmark score of 26546 with a deltaPct of 0.1, meaning the two CPUs are virtually identical in overall performance. The GPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Arc B580, has an average score of 23021 with a deltaPct of 0.7, also indicating near-parity. This means the combo’s 949th rank is primarily determined by the GPU’s limitations in this specific game, not by any CPU deficiency.

For context, the RTX 4060’s performance in The Medium is weaker than its overall benchmark average would suggest. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 2302 is respectable, but the game’s heavy VRAM usage at higher resolutions exposes the 8 GB limitation. This is a case where the GPU’s raw compute is sufficient, but its memory configuration holds it back in a demanding title like The Medium.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K?

A: Yes, but only with Low settings, which deliver an average of 69.9 FPS. Medium settings at 4K drop to 47.6 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 23.7 FPS, making those presets impractical for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: Medium settings at 1080p provide 68.6 FPS on average, which balances visual quality and performance. Low settings reach 110.6 FPS if you prefer maximum frame rates, but the visual trade-off is significant.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D bottlenecking the RTX 4060 in this game?

A: No. The CPU’s multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 score of 24063) is far above what The Medium requires. The measured FPS drops are consistent with GPU-bound behavior, where the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems in the database?

A: It ranks 949th out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the 56th percentile. This is a mid-pack result, reflecting the RTX 4060’s 66th percentile GPU ranking rather than any CPU weakness.

Q: Why is the frame rate drop so severe from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 37.7 at 1080p to 23.7 at 4K, a 37.1% reduction. This is caused by the GPU exceeding its 8 GB VRAM capacity at 4K Ultra, forcing the memory subsystem to work harder and reducing overall throughput.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 39.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. For 1440p, Low settings at 88.8 FPS or Medium at 58.3 FPS are more practical options.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 110.6 FPS average
• Medium: 68.6 FPS average
• High: 51.5 FPS average
• Ultra: 37.7 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 88.8 FPS average
• Medium: 58.3 FPS average
• High: 39.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 33.6 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 69.9 FPS average
• Medium: 47.6 FPS average
• High: 34.1 FPS average
• Ultra: 23.7 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern: the RTX 4060 can handle 1080p and 1440p at lower presets, but 4K gaming is only viable with Low settings. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D provides ample CPU headroom, as evidenced by its strong synthetic benchmarks (PassMark multi-thread score of 28309), but it cannot overcome the GPU’s memory limitations. For players targeting 60 FPS, 1080p Medium or 1440p Low are the only presets that achieve this goal across the measured resolutions.