The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing delivers a workable but demanding experience in The Medium, a horror title that clearly scales heavily with graphics settings. Benchmark results show a setup where the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially as resolution increases. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming with moderate settings, while 4K requires significant compromises to maintain playable frame rates. This analysis breaks down the CPU's role, answers common questions, and provides a detailed look at performance across resolutions and presets based solely on the measured data.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture (Raphael). It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and features a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The CPU's cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. This processor is built on a 5 nm process node by TSMC and supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong multi-threaded capabilities, scoring 19,088 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 12,451 in Geekbench multicore. Single-thread performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,987 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2,289.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU and handle the game's simulation and logic threads. The game is not particularly known for being CPU-bound in the traditional sense, and the measured FPS data supports this. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 101 FPS, which is the highest average across all tested configurations. This suggests that the CPU is more than capable of pushing high frame rates when the GPU load is light. The processor's 16 threads ensure that background tasks and the game's multi-threaded workloads do not create a bottleneck, even when the GPU is stressed.

However, the benchmark results indicate that the RX 9060 becomes the limiting factor as settings and resolution increase. The CPU's performance percentile of 85 versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35,909, places it in a strong position relative to other processors. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (deltaPct 0.3), Intel Core 7 250H (deltaPct 0.5), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (deltaPct 0.5), and Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (deltaPct 0.7). These deltas are minimal, showing that the 7700X is statistically tied with these chips in overall processing power. For The Medium, this means the CPU is not the weak link; the data consistently shows that frame rates drop more significantly from lowering settings than from any CPU limitation.

The processor's high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is beneficial for the game's single-threaded tasks, such as rendering the game's fixed-camera angles and managing the dual-reality mechanic. While the game can utilize multiple cores, the strong single-thread performance ensures that the primary game thread does not stall. The 32 MB of L3 cache also helps with data locality, reducing memory latency for frequently accessed game assets. In practice, the CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain frame rates above what the GPU can deliver in most scenarios, meaning the RX 9060 is the component that dictates the playable settings.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Medium?*

A: Based on the measured frames, 1920x1080 is the most versatile. At 1080p, the combo can achieve 101 FPS on Low settings and 63 FPS on Medium, which are both playable. At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop to 85 FPS on Low and 53 FPS on Medium, which is still acceptable. For 3840x2160, the performance becomes marginal, with only the Low preset hitting 67 FPS, while Medium drops to 42 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 101 FPS, but this drops to 36 FPS at 1080p Ultra, showing massive scaling with GPU load. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect less variance between settings at the same resolution. The GPU's percentile of 59 versus all GPUs, with an average score of 16,014, is much lower than the CPU's 85th percentile, confirming the graphics card is the weaker component.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16,014. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with a score of 16,129, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon R9 370X is 1% lower, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is 1% lower, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is 2.1% lower. This places the RX 9060 in a competitive position, effectively trading blows with these cards in synthetic tests.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 85 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages only 30 FPS. That is a 55 FPS difference, representing a 183% performance increase from Ultra to Low. The Medium preset sits in the middle at 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS.

Q: Does the combo have any headroom for higher refresh rates?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 1080p Low, the 101 FPS average is suitable for a 100Hz or 144Hz monitor. At 1440p Low, the 85 FPS average is also respectable. However, at higher settings, the frame rates fall below 60 FPS, making them more suitable for 60Hz displays. The 4K Ultra preset at 24 FPS is not viable for any high-refresh-rate gaming.

Q: How does the CPU's performance percentile affect game outcomes?

A: The CPU's 85th percentile ranking means it outperforms the majority of tested CPUs. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.7% of its average score, indicating that it is in a performance tier with these chips. This high level of CPU performance ensures that it will not hold back the GPU in The Medium, allowing the RX 9060 to be the sole determinant of frame rates.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, which further confirms the GPU-bound nature of this setup. At 1080p, the combo achieves its highest frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 101 FPS and Medium reaching 63 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the same presets drop to 85 FPS and 53 FPS, respectively. This represents a 15.8% decrease in performance for Low and a 15.9% decrease for Medium. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that has a fixed memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, which is a typical constraint for mid-range cards.

The jump to 3840x2160 is more severe. At 4K, the Low preset drops to 67 FPS, which is a 21.2% decrease from the 1440p Low result. The Medium preset falls to 42 FPS, a 20.8% decrease from 1440p Medium. This non-linear scaling is a classic sign of the GPU hitting its fill-rate and memory bandwidth limits. The RX 9060 has a pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s, but at 4K, the sheer number of pixels required to render becomes too much for the 8 GB frame buffer and the 128-bit memory interface. The frame rates at 4K Ultra (24 FPS) and 4K High (30 FPS) are borderline unplayable, showing that this resolution is beyond the card's comfortable operating envelope.

The fact that the CPU is not the bottleneck is evident when comparing the scaling between Low and Ultra at the same resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 65 FPS (101 to 36). At 1440p, the difference is 55 FPS (85 to 30). At 4K, the difference is 43 FPS (67 to 24). If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the frame rate to be more consistent across settings, as the CPU workload would not change much. Instead, we see a consistent pattern where the GPU's performance degrades as the pixel count increases, which is the primary driver of the FPS drop. This analysis conclusively shows that the RX 9060 is the component that determines playability, and any attempt to improve frame rates at higher resolutions must focus on reducing the GPU load.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested hardware combinations for The Medium, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and AMD Radeon RX 9060 is ranked 1,648 out of 2,911 combos. This places it in the 56.6th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it performs better than the majority of combinations but is not at the top tier. This ranking is a holistic view that considers the combined capabilities of both the CPU and GPU. Given that the CPU is in the 85th percentile and the GPU is in the 59th percentile, the combo's overall rank is dragged down significantly by the graphics card.

The rank suggests that while the CPU is a high-end component, the RX 9060 is a mid-range performer, and the combination is not optimized for maximum frame rates in The Medium. The game is demanding, and the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus are limiting factors at higher resolutions. The combo's rank of 1,648 indicates that there are 1,647 other combinations that deliver better overall performance in this specific title. However, it also means that there are 1,263 combinations that perform worse, which highlights that this setup is still a viable option for many users, particularly those playing at 1080p or 1440p with adjusted settings.

The deltaPct values from the CPU's nearest rivals show that swapping the 7700X for a similar-tier CPU would not change the ranking much, as they are all within 0.7% of each other. For example, an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is only 0.7% slower, which is negligible in real-world gaming. The ranking is therefore more dependent on the GPU. A system with a faster GPU would likely jump hundreds of places in the ranking, while a faster CPU would have minimal impact. This data-driven insight tells builders that if they are using this combo and want to improve their rank in The Medium, they should look to upgrade the graphics card rather than the processor.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of which settings offer the best trade-off between visual fidelity and performance. For a smooth experience, a target of 60 FPS or higher is generally preferred. At 1080p, the Medium preset achieves an average of 63 FPS, with a minimum of 53 FPS and a maximum of 72 FPS. This is the sweet spot, as it provides a solid frame rate while offering better visual quality than the Low preset. The Low preset at 1080p hits 101 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual downgrade may be noticeable. The High preset drops to 45 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS, making both of these presets less desirable for smooth gameplay.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is again the best choice, delivering an average of 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS. While this is below 60 FPS, it is still playable for a horror game where precise reaction times are less critical. The Low preset at 1440p reaches 85 FPS, which is excellent, but sacrifices visual quality. The High preset at 38 FPS and Ultra at 30 FPS are not recommended due to the noticeable drop in smoothness. For users with a 144Hz monitor, the Low preset is the only way to take full advantage of the refresh rate, but most will prefer the balance of Medium.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is the only playable option for a 60Hz display. The Medium preset drops to 42 FPS, and High and Ultra are at 30 and 24 FPS, respectively. For the best experience at 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option. Overall, the data suggests that the Medium preset is the recommended starting point for both 1080p and 1440p, as it offers a balance of performance and quality. For 4K, users must accept the Low preset to achieve a playable frame rate. The minimum FPS values for Medium at all resolutions (53 at 1080p, 45 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K) are also close to their averages, indicating that the frame pacing is relatively stable, which is important for a horror game's atmosphere.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X + AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination in The Medium.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS is 101. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo across all settings and resolutions.
• Medium: Average FPS is 63, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 72. This preset provides a stable, playable experience.
• High: Average FPS is 45. This is a significant drop from Medium, showing the cost of higher-quality textures and effects.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 36. This is the lowest at 1080p and is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS is 85. This remains a very playable frame rate, though it is 16 FPS lower than at 1080p.
• Medium: Average FPS is 53, with a minimum of 45 and a maximum of 61. The minimum FPS suggests occasional dips but generally holds up well.
• High: Average FPS is 38. This is a noticeable step down, making the game feel less fluid.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 30. This is borderline playable but will struggle in intense scenes.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS is 67. This is the only 4K preset that achieves a frame rate high enough for a 60Hz display.
• Medium: Average FPS is 42, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48. The minimum FPS indicates that the game can stutter during heavy load.
• High: Average FPS is 30. This is at the edge of playability and will feel choppy.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 24. This is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls well below the standard 30 FPS threshold for playability.

The data shows a clear trend: the Medium preset is the most balanced across all resolutions, but at 4K, only the Low preset is viable. The High and Ultra presets are consistently below 50 FPS at 1440p and below 45 FPS at 1080p, making them less desirable for this particular GPU. The minimum FPS values for Medium presets (53 at 1080p, 45 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K) are also close to their averages, indicating that the frame pacing is relatively stable, which is important for a horror game's atmosphere.