The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, with performance scaling heavily on both resolution and graphics preset. The data shows this combo ranks in the 54th percentile (1999 out of 3724 tested combinations), indicating a mid-tier standing for this horror title. Across all measured points, the system shows a clear pattern: the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong multi-threaded capabilities keep frame rates respectable at 1080p. The following analysis breaks down the specific numbers and what they imply for gameplay.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo achieves in The Medium?*

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 108 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is a significant jump from the 49 FPS average at the same resolution with High settings, showing how sensitive the game is to preset changes.

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

A: The combination ranks 1999 out of 3724 total tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the field. This suggests that while the hardware is capable, many other configurations deliver superior performance in The Medium.

Q: Is there a large difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield an average of 57 FPS (with a minimum of 49 FPS), while Ultra settings drop the average to just 32 FPS. This represents a 44% reduction in frame rate when moving from Medium to Ultra.

Q: What is the only resolution where the combo maintains 60+ FPS at a non-Low preset?

A: None of the measured presets above Low achieve a 60 FPS average. At 1080p, Medium hits 68 FPS, but High (49 FPS) and Ultra (39 FPS) fall short. At 1440p, even Medium drops to 57 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 23,794 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H, has a nearly identical average benchmark score (29,868 vs 29,879), with a deltaPct of 0, meaning they are effectively tied in overall CPU performance.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM on the RTX 4060 appear to limit performance at 4K?

A: The data suggests a strong GPU limitation at 4K. At 3840x2160, even with Low settings, the average FPS is 72, but with Medium settings it drops to 45 FPS. The steep decline from Low to Medium (27 FPS drop) at 4K indicates the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are likely being stressed, though exact VRAM usage is not provided.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with 3072 shading units and 24 RT cores. In The Medium, a horror title known for its fixed-camera angles and detailed environments, the GPU's role is pivotal, particularly at higher resolutions.

The measured FPS data reveals a clear hierarchy: the RTX 4060's performance degrades sharply as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the average is 49 FPS, but at 1440p it drops to 41 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 32 FPS. This 35% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings indicates the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU's capabilities remain constant. The 8 GB VRAM capacity, while sufficient for 1080p, may be strained at 4K where texture requirements are higher, though the available data does not explicitly confirm VRAM exhaustion.

The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz is relatively high, and the data shows that at Low settings, the card can push 108 FPS at 1080p, suggesting the shader count and clock speed are adequate for less demanding scenes. However, the transition from Low to Medium at 1080p (108 to 68 FPS, a 37% drop) suggests that memory bandwidth or texture fill rate becomes a limiting factor as the game loads more detailed assets. The RTX 4060's 48 ROPs and 236.2 GTexel/s texture rate are moderate, which aligns with the observed mid-range performance in this title.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling in The Medium reveals a consistent pattern of GPU-bound performance. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS drops from 49 to 41, a 16% reduction. Scaling further to 4K at High settings yields 32 FPS, which is a 22% drop from 1440p and a 35% drop from 1080p. This escalating penalty as resolution increases is a hallmark of a GPU-limited scenario, where the RTX 4060's 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth become increasingly insufficient.

At Medium settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The average FPS goes from 68 at 1080p to 57 at 1440p (a 16% drop) and then to 45 at 4K (a 21% drop from 1440p). The minimum FPS at Medium settings also decreases proportionally: 58 at 1080p, 49 at 1440p, and 38 at 4K. This consistent pattern across presets suggests that the resolution scaling is linear and predictable, with no unexpected cliffs indicating a CPU limitation.

Interestingly, at Low settings, the resolution scaling is less severe: 108 FPS at 1080p, 91 FPS at 1440p (a 16% drop), and 72 FPS at 4K (a 21% drop from 1440p). The fact that even at 4K Low, the system maintains 72 FPS, suggests that the CPU (AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT) is capable of feeding enough frames, but the GPU's workload at higher presets is what drags performance down. The data indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, particularly its memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity, rather than the CPU's processing power.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 108 FPS, while Medium settings yield 68 FPS (minimum 58, maximum 78). High settings drop to 49 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 39 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 40 FPS, indicating a steep performance cost for moderate visual improvements.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops across all presets. Low settings average 91 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium settings fall to 57 FPS (minimum 49, maximum 66). High settings produce 41 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 32 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is the last viable option for smooth gameplay, as the 57 FPS average is close to the 60 FPS target, though the 49 FPS minimum may cause noticeable stutters.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 struggles significantly. Low settings average 72 FPS, which is surprisingly high, but Medium settings drop to 45 FPS (minimum 38, maximum 52). High settings yield only 32 FPS, and Ultra settings plummet to 25 FPS. The 4K Medium results are borderline playable, but the 38 FPS minimum suggests that any complex scene could cause frame drops below acceptable levels. The 4K Low setting at 72 FPS is the only way to achieve smooth performance at this resolution, but it compromises visual fidelity substantially.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1999 out of 3724 places this system in the 54th percentile for The Medium. This is a mid-tier ranking, indicating that while the hardware is not weak, it is outclassed by a significant portion of tested configurations. The CPU, AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT, has a percentile rank of 81 among all CPUs, suggesting it is a strong performer, but the GPU's percentile rank of 61 among all GPUs is lower, pulling the overall combo down.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H (deltaPct 0) and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (deltaPct -0.3), showing that the 5800XT is competitive with modern mobile chips. However, the GPU's nearest rivals are older or integrated parts like the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (deltaPct -0.2) and AMD Radeon 780M (deltaPct 0.3), which highlights the RTX 4060's position as a lower-tier discrete GPU. The combination of a high-percentile CPU with a mid-tier GPU results in the observed 54th percentile ranking, implying that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing for The Medium.

The data suggests that if the goal is to improve performance in this game, upgrading the GPU would yield more significant gains than upgrading the CPU. The 5800XT's strong multi-threaded scores (23,794 in Cinebench R23) are more than sufficient for the game's demands, but the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus struggle at higher resolutions and presets, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 68 FPS and a minimum of 58 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay with only occasional minor dips. High settings at 49 FPS are playable but not ideal for fast-paced sections, while Ultra at 39 FPS is too demanding for consistent enjoyment.

At 2560x1440, Medium settings are the highest viable option, averaging 57 FPS with a minimum of 49 FPS. The 49 FPS minimum is borderline, but for a slow-paced horror game, it may be acceptable. Low settings at 91 FPS provide a much smoother experience, but the visual downgrade is noticeable. High settings at 41 FPS and Ultra at 32 FPS are not recommended for any sustained gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the only playable preset is Low, which averages 72 FPS. Medium settings at 45 FPS are technically playable, but the 38 FPS minimum makes it risky for scenes with heavy particle effects or complex geometry. High and Ultra settings (32 and 25 FPS respectively) should be avoided entirely. For the best experience, players should prioritize 1080p with Medium settings, or 1440p with Low settings if they prefer higher resolution over visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, base clock of 3.80 GHz, and boost clock of 4.80 GHz. It has 32 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. In The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU, given that the game's performance scales more with resolution and settings than with CPU intensity.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,794 and single-core score of 3,359 indicate strong processing power, which is reflected in the high FPS at Low settings across all resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 108 FPS, and even at 4K Low, it maintains 72 FPS, suggesting the CPU is not a bottleneck in low-detail scenarios. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7,683 and max-thread score of 7,680 show consistent multi-threaded performance, which helps maintain frame pacing in the game's fixed-camera scenes.

However, the CPU's performance relative to its rivals is noteworthy. The nearest rival, AMD Ryzen 7 7840H, has an average score of 29,868, which is nearly identical to the 5800XT's 29,879 (deltaPct 0). This means the 5800XT holds its own against newer mobile chips, but it does not provide a significant advantage in this game. The data implies that the CPU is capable of supporting much higher frame rates, but the RTX 4060's limitations at higher presets prevent the system from fully utilizing the CPU's potential. For The Medium, the CPU is more than adequate, and users should focus on GPU-related settings to improve performance.