The Medium

The Medium is a demanding horror title that stresses both GPU and CPU, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 produces a wide range of results depending on the resolution and quality preset. The data shows that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver smooth frame rates at lower settings, but it struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra. The benchmark results indicate a significant performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets, with the Low preset offering more than double the average frame rate of Ultra at every resolution tested.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the most viable resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 81.3 FPS, and even the Medium preset reaches 50.8 FPS, which is playable. In contrast, 4K Ultra only manages 21.4 FPS, which is not smooth.

Q: How does the RX 6600 compare to its nearest rivals in overall GPU performance?

A: The RX 6600 has an average benchmark score of 25235. This puts it in a statistical tie with the AMD Radeon 890M, which scores 25246, and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, which scores 25287. It is about 0.2% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6700M and 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 68.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset only manages 23.9 FPS. This represents a performance drop of approximately 65% when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5800XT a strong performer for its class?

A: Yes, the CPU sits in the 86th percentile compared to all other CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 29774, which is nearly identical to its closest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, with deltas of only 0.1% and 0.3% respectively.

Q: Does the Medium preset offer a good balance between quality and performance?

A: At 1080p, the Medium preset provides a solid experience with an average of 50.8 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 43.8 FPS, which is still playable. However, at 4K, the Medium preset falls to 33.6 FPS, showing its limits.

Q: What is the GPU's standing in the overall benchmark database?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. It has a Passmark G3D score of 15096 and a Passmark G2D score of 889, indicating it is a mid-range performer.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the primary driver of frame rates in The Medium. This GPU is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, offering a memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The data shows that the GPU's performance is heavily influenced by the quality preset and resolution. The GPU has a base clock of 1626 MHz and a boost clock of 2491 MHz, with a game clock of 2044 MHz.

The benchmark results reveal that this GPU is the limiting factor at higher settings. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is a mere 21.4, which is unplayable. However, at 1080p Low, the average FPS jumps to 81.3. This massive swing of nearly 60 FPS between the Low and Ultra presets at the same resolution indicates that the GPU's compute resources are quickly saturated by the game's higher-fidelity effects. The GPU's 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs are adequate for lower settings but are overwhelmed by the demands of the Ultra preset, which likely includes more intensive rendering techniques.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this hardware, the data strongly points toward the Low preset as the primary recommendation for achieving high frame rates. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 81.3 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p is the next best option, providing a more balanced visual quality with an average of 50.8 FPS, which is still acceptable for most players.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset remains the most sensible choice, delivering an average of 68.8 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 43.8 FPS, which may be acceptable for players who prefer visual fidelity over a higher frame rate. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at any resolution, as they consistently produce average frame rates below 37 FPS, even at 1080p. The data indicates that the Medium preset is the highest quality setting that maintains a reasonably playable frame rate, but only at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 3840x2160, the system is severely constrained. The Low preset achieves an average of 56.3 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 33.6 FPS, while the High preset falls to 26 FPS. The Ultra preset is the worst performer, with an average of only 21.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is a significant 34.9 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance improves noticeably. The Low preset delivers an average of 68.8 FPS, making it the clear choice for a smooth experience. The Medium preset reaches 43.8 FPS, which is playable. However, the High preset only manages 33.1 FPS, and the Ultra preset is again the weakest link at 23.9 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 44.9 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system is at its best. The Low preset averages 81.3 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. The Medium preset is also viable, with an average of 50.8 FPS. The High preset drops to 36.2 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the least playable, averaging 28.7 FPS. This resolution shows the largest spread, with a 52.6 FPS difference between the Low and Ultra presets, highlighting the GPU's difficulty with the highest settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT plays a supporting role in The Medium, but its capabilities are more than sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU. This 8-core, 16-thread processor is based on the Zen 3 architecture and can boost up to 4.80 GHz. Its performance is strong, as evidenced by its 86th percentile ranking among all CPUs and an average benchmark score of 29774.

The CPU's benchmark scores show it is a capable part. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 23794, and its single-core score is 3359. In the Passmark suite, it scores 27988 for multithreading and 3538 for single-threaded operations. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this game. For instance, at 1080p Low, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the frame rate of 81.3 FPS is lower than what the CPU could likely support. The CPU's performance is essentially tied with its nearest rivals, all of which have average scores within 0.3% of each other, meaning the choice between them would not yield significant differences in this title.