The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking imbalance in The Medium, a horror title known for its fixed-camera angles and dual-reality rendering. The benchmark data reveals a system where a top-tier processor is severely hamstrung by a GPU that ranks in the 9th percentile, resulting in a frame rate profile that is consistently below playable thresholds at every resolution and quality setting. The measured results show a clear narrative: this is a combo where the graphics card is the definitive bottleneck, and the CPU's considerable power is left largely untapped.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K in The Medium is a textbook example of GPU-bound behavior, but with an unusual twist: the performance drops are not as steep as one might expect from a modern title, primarily because the baseline performance is already so low. At 1080p with High settings, the system manages an average of 23 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average drops to 19 FPS, a reduction of 4 FPS. Pushing further to 4K High yields 15 FPS, another 4 FPS drop. This linear decline—23, 19, 15—indicates that the rendering load is scaling directly with pixel count, a classic sign that the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the limiting factors.

However, the data becomes more intriguing when looking at the Low preset. Here, the frame rates are substantially higher, but the scaling pattern is different. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 51 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 43 FPS. At 4K Low, it falls to 34 FPS. The absolute drops are 8 FPS and 9 FPS respectively, which are larger than the High preset drops. This suggests that at Low settings, the GPU is still overwhelmed, but the reduced shading complexity allows for a higher starting point, making the pixel-count penalty more pronounced in absolute terms.

The Medium preset tells a similar story, with averages of 32 FPS at 1080p, 27 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is likely unplayable, shows 18 FPS at 1080p, 15 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern across all presets is that the gap between 1080p and 4K is roughly 8-9 FPS at lower settings and 5-6 FPS at higher settings. This narrowing gap at higher presets implies that as the per-pixel workload increases, the GPU becomes so saturated that the resolution change has a relatively smaller impact on the already-dismal frame rate. The data implies that no amount of resolution reduction can rescue this combo; even at 1080p Low, the system barely crosses the 50 FPS mark, suggesting the GPU's raw compute power is insufficient for The Medium's demands.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a powerhouse on paper, and its benchmark scores confirm its high-end status. It features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a notable feature for gaming. In synthetic tests, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16817 and a single-core score of 1713, placing it in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and Intel Core i7-13650HX, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with a delta of 0%.

Yet, in The Medium, this CPU's potential is entirely wasted. The measured FPS data shows that the processor is never the bottleneck. Consider the 1080p Low preset, which is the least GPU-intensive scenario measured. Here, the system achieves 51 FPS. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see a cap on performance that persists even at lower resolutions and settings. However, the fact that the frame rate drops consistently as resolution increases—from 51 FPS at 1080p to 34 FPS at 4K—proves that the GPU is the sole constraint. The CPU is likely idling, waiting for the Intel Arc B390 to deliver frames.

The CPU's 16 threads are more than sufficient for The Medium, a game that is not known for heavy multi-threading. The data suggests that even a significantly weaker CPU would produce identical frame rates in this configuration. The 3DMark scores for the 7800X3D, such as 7980 for 16 threads and 7967 for max threads, show excellent scaling, but this has no bearing on the game's performance. The benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a non-factor in this pairing, and its high-end capabilities are completely overshadowed by the GPU's limitations.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear weak link in this system. Its specifications are modest for a discrete-class part, and its benchmark data is alarming. With a boost clock of 2500 MHz, 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, it offers 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on system RAM, which is a significant drawback for a game like The Medium that requires substantial memory bandwidth for its streaming textures. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad score is a mere 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs.

The nearest rivals for the Arc B390 in the benchmark database are ancient NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce 800M, with delta percentages of 1.3% and 1.5% respectively. This context is devastating. The Arc B390 is performing at a level comparable to entry-level GPUs from over a decade ago. In The Medium, this translates to the frame rates we see. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 18 FPS. At 1080p High, it is 23 FPS. These are not playable numbers, and they reflect the GPU's inability to handle the game's shader complexity and rendering techniques.

Looking at the memory situation, the "System Shared" memory type is a likely culprit. The game's high-resolution textures and dual-world rendering require fast, dedicated VRAM. With system memory, the bandwidth is "System Dependent," which is likely far lower than what a dedicated GDDR6 solution would provide. This could explain why the Ultra preset performs so poorly (12 FPS at 4K), as it likely increases texture sizes and effects that demand more memory bandwidth. The data shows a clear correlation: as settings increase, the GPU's deficiencies become more pronounced, leading to a rapid collapse in frame rate.

FAQ

*Q: Is this CPU-GPU combo capable of running The Medium at a smooth 60 FPS?*

A: No. The measured data shows the highest average FPS achieved is 51 at 1080p Low. All other settings and resolutions produce lower results, with 4K Ultra averaging just 12 FPS. The combo never comes close to 60 FPS in any measured configuration.

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

A: Based on the data, 1080p is the only resolution where the system approaches playability, and only at Low settings (51 FPS). At 1440p, the best average is 43 FPS (Low), and at 4K, the best is 34 FPS (Low). The data implies that lower resolutions are preferable, but none offer a consistently smooth experience.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of performance?

A: The benchmark data shows that the Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M. This indicates performance is on par with those legacy parts.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D holding back the system's performance in this game?

A: No. The frame rates scale with resolution and settings, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions. The CPU's high benchmark scores (e.g., 16817 in Cinebench R23) are irrelevant here, as the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: Does increasing the graphics settings from Low to Ultra have a large impact on FPS?

A: Yes, the impact is significant. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 51 on Low to 18 on Ultra, a 33 FPS difference. At 4K, it drops from 34 on Low to 12 on Ultra, a 22 FPS difference. The Ultra preset is unplayable, while Low is the only preset that comes close to a playable frame rate.

Q: What does the combo's rank of 2581 out of 2911 combos signify?

A: It indicates that this pairing performs worse than the vast majority of other tested CPU-GPU combinations in The Medium. Only 330 other combos perform worse, placing this system in the bottom 12% of the tested pool.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the only viable settings for this combo are at the Low preset, and even then, only at 1080p. The 1080p Low preset yields an average of 51 FPS, which is the only configuration that approaches a smooth experience. However, this is still a compromise, as it requires a significant reduction in visual quality. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 32 FPS, which is a noticeable step down in smoothness. The High preset at 1080p averages 23 FPS, and Ultra averages 18 FPS, both of which are too low for comfortable play.

The data suggests that the "best experience" is a trade-off between playability and visual fidelity. For users who prioritize a stable frame rate, 1080p Low is the only option. If one can tolerate a stuttery presentation, 1080p Medium might be acceptable for a slower-paced horror game, but the 32 FPS average is still low. The measured min FPS for Medium at 1080p is 27, which could cause noticeable hitches. Ultimately, the recommendation is to stick with 1080p Low to get the most consistent performance. Any attempt to increase resolution or settings will result in average FPS figures in the teens or low twenties, which is not a satisfactory gaming experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a stark picture of performance. At 1080p, the system averages 51 FPS on Low, 32 FPS on Medium (with a min of 27 and max of 37), 23 FPS on High, and 18 FPS on Ultra. At 1440p, the scores drop to 43 FPS on Low, 27 FPS on Medium (min 23, max 31), 19 FPS on High, and 15 FPS on Ultra. At 4K (3840x2160), the results are 34 FPS on Low, 21 FPS on Medium (min 18, max 24), 15 FPS on High, and 12 FPS on Ultra.

The pattern is consistent. The Low preset is always the highest performer, with a significant gap to the next tier. The Medium preset has min and max figures that show some variance, but it is still far below the Low preset. The High and Ultra presets are nearly identical in their poor performance, with Ultra being the absolute worst. The data shows that the transition from Low to Medium is the most punishing, with a drop of 19 FPS at 1080p, 16 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. This suggests that the Medium preset introduces a substantial increase in rendering complexity that the Arc B390 cannot handle. The gap between Medium and High is smaller (9 FPS at 1080p, 8 FPS at 1440p, 6 FPS at 4K), indicating diminishing returns on the GPU's performance as settings increase.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2581 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the bottom 11.3% of all configurations, indicating a severely underperforming pairing. The rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is one of the most powerful on the market. The data shows that the GPU's percentile of 9% is the primary driver of this poor ranking. The CPU's 83rd percentile is irrelevant when the GPU cannot deliver frames.

This ranking implies that there are over 2,500 other combos that perform better in this game, including likely many with much weaker CPUs but moderately stronger GPUs. The data suggests that the choice of GPU is far more critical for The Medium than the CPU. A user with this combo would see a massive improvement in performance by simply swapping the Arc B390 for a more capable graphics card, even if they kept the same CPU. The rank is a cautionary tale about pairing a high-end processor with an entry-level graphics solution, especially for a graphically demanding title like The Medium. The benchmark results confirm that this is a fundamentally unbalanced system for this specific game.