The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a wide range of performance in The Medium, scaling from highly playable frame rates at 1080p to a demanding 4K experience. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capacity ensures consistent frame delivery across all tested configurations. This analysis breaks down the resolution scaling, component roles, and exact frame rates to determine the optimal settings for this hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is steep and consistent, clearly identifying the GPU as the limiting component at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 165.1 FPS at 1080p to 110.8 FPS at 4K, a reduction of approximately 33%. This scaling pattern accelerates with higher graphical presets; at High settings, the drop is from 76.5 FPS to 48.8 FPS, equating to a 36% performance loss. The most demanding preset, Ultra, sees the average plummet from 58.7 FPS at 1080p to 39.3 FPS at 4K, a 33% decline that puts the experience below the 40 FPS threshold.

The data indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s rendering workload increases disproportionately with pixel count, while the Ryzen 7 7700X maintains sufficient headroom to keep feeding the GPU. The transition from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is particularly punishing; for example, at Medium settings, the average drops from 91 FPS to 71.2 FPS, a 22% reduction for a 2.25x increase in pixel count. This non-linear scaling suggests that memory bandwidth and fill rate become critical factors at 4K, as the GPU’s 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is stretched thin by the higher resolution’s demand for texture and geometry data.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, provides a robust foundation for The Medium, a game that benefits from multi-threaded processing for its dual-reality rendering mechanics. The CPU’s base clock of 4.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensure high single-thread responsiveness, which is reflected in the 3dmark_single_thread score of 1090. This single-core strength is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not yet saturated.

The 7700X’s multi-threaded capabilities are substantial, as shown by the cinebench_r23_multicore score of 30325 and the passmark_multithread score of 35686. These results place the CPU in the 89th percentile among all processors, and its average benchmark score of 34313 is within 0.8% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-13500 and the Intel Core i7-12800HX. This performance headroom means that even at 1080p Low settings, where the CPU is most likely to be a factor, the measured 165.1 FPS average indicates the processor is not the limiting component; the GPU is still the primary driver of frame output.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the decisive factor in The Medium’s performance, particularly as resolution and settings increase. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, the GPU offers a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, which becomes a crucial resource for the game’s high-resolution textures and complex lighting effects. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz and its 7168 shading units provide the raw compute power needed for the game’s horror atmosphere, which relies on dense particle effects and dynamic shadows.

The GPU’s benchmark scores show a strong overall capability, with a passmark_g3d score of 29995 and a 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 4627, placing it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 42576 is very close to its nearest rivals, with a deltaPct of only -0.2% compared to the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and -0.3% compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE. Despite this, the measured FPS data reveals that the GPU struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra, averaging just 39.3 FPS. This indicates that while the GPU is powerful, the demands of The Medium at maximum settings with ray tracing enabled exceed its capabilities for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its full potential, with all settings producing playable results. The Low preset achieves an average of 165.1 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings yield 101.6 FPS, offering a smooth experience with improved visuals. High settings drop to 76.5 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS target, while Ultra settings produce 58.7 FPS, which is acceptable but not ideal for competitive play.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the GPU’s growing workload. The Low preset averages 139.4 FPS, providing an excellent balance of speed and clarity. Medium settings deliver 91 FPS, which is smooth for most players. High settings reach 64.2 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold, while Ultra settings fall to 48.3 FPS, which may require a compromise for a consistent experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset still manages an impressive 110.8 FPS, showing the GPU’s raw power when visual effects are minimized. Medium settings drop to 71.2 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a horror game that benefits from smooth motion. High settings produce 48.8 FPS, which is below the standard 60 FPS target, and Ultra settings plummet to 39.3 FPS, making the game feel sluggish and less responsive. The data shows that 4K gaming with this combination is only viable at Low or Medium settings.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with the Ultra preset averaging 58.7 FPS. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 2560x1440 at High settings yields 64.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. 4K is only recommended at Low settings, which average 110.8 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 7700X has an average benchmark score of 34313, placing it in the 89th percentile. It is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-13500 and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-12800HX, while being 0.8% behind both the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and the AMD EPYC 4244P.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER sufficient for 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: No, the measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is just 39.3, which is below playable standards. Even at High settings, the average is 48.8 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K, with an average of 110.8 FPS, provides a consistently smooth experience.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 165.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 58.7 FPS. This represents a 64% reduction in frame rate when switching from Low to Ultra, highlighting the significant impact of the highest visual settings.

Q: Does the GPU’s memory capacity affect performance?

A: The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. The significant frame rate drops at 4K, especially at High and Ultra settings, suggest that the memory bandwidth is a limiting factor, as the higher resolution demands more data throughput for textures and geometry.

Q: How does the system rank overall for this game?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 244th out of 1689 tested combinations in The Medium. This places it in the top 15% of systems, indicating strong overall performance despite the challenges at 4K Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and smooth gameplay, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended choice. This configuration yields an average of 91 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, and provides a significant visual improvement over Low settings. The High preset at 1920x1080 is also a strong option, averaging 76.5 FPS, but the higher resolution of 1440p with Medium settings offers a sharper image without sacrificing frame rate.

For players prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 165.1 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. Conversely, the Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions except 1080p, where it still averages 58.7 FPS but may cause occasional stutters. At 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, providing 110.8 FPS, while Medium settings at 71.2 FPS are acceptable for those who prefer better visuals over maximum smoothness. The High and Ultra presets at 4K should be avoided due to their sub-60 FPS averages.