The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a solid, if not spectacular, showing in The Medium. With 8 cores and 16 threads from the Zen 5 architecture driving a 10 GB Ampere GPU, the combination occupies a specific performance tier. The benchmark data reveals a system that is clearly capable of smooth gameplay at lower resolutions, yet encounters predictable limits as pixel count and graphical fidelity rise. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across the tested configurations, placing the results in context against the broader hardware landscape.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second across the three resolutions illustrate a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 143 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset, the average drops to 121 FPS, a reduction of 22 FPS. The most significant scaling step occurs when moving to 3840x2160, where the Low preset yields an average of 95 FPS. This progression from 1080p to 4K represents a 33.5% reduction in average FPS at Low settings, indicating that the rendering workload is scaling heavily with pixel count.

When examining the Medium preset, the pattern holds but with different absolute numbers. The 1080p Medium average is 90 FPS, which falls to 75 FPS at 1440p, and then to 59 FPS at 4K. The delta between 1080p and 4K at Medium settings is 31 FPS, a 34.4% drop. The High preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 64 FPS, 54 FPS, and 42 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The Ultra preset, the most demanding, sees averages of 51 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K.

The data suggests that the RTX 3080 is the primary limiting component across all resolutions. The consistent, significant FPS loss as resolution increases is a hallmark of GPU-bound performance. The CPU, with its high single-thread score of 4691 in the Passmark test, is not showing signs of bottlenecking at 1080p, as evidenced by the 143 FPS Low result. Instead, the GPU's rendering capabilities are being taxed more heavily with each resolution increase. The gap between 1080p and 1440p results is smaller than the gap between 1440p and 4K, particularly at higher settings, which points to the GPU hitting a steeper performance curve as it approaches its memory bandwidth and compute limits at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a Zen 5 architecture processor on the AMD Socket AM5 platform, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This configuration provides a strong foundation for gaming, as its Passmark single-thread score of 4691 and multithread score of 36470 place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. This processor is not the limiting factor in The Medium based on the measured data.

The CPU's role becomes clearer when examining the FPS deltas between resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 143 FPS, a frame rate that requires strong per-core performance to feed the GPU. The Ryzen 7 9700F's high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures that the game's main thread can be processed quickly, preventing a CPU-side bottleneck at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom. The processor's performance relative to its nearest rivals reinforces its capability. It shows a deltaPct of 0.2 against the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, -0.2 against the Intel Core i7-14700KF, 0.7 against the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, and 0.9 against the Intel Core i7-14700K. These scores, with an average benchmark of 69996, place it in a very competitive tier for high-end desktop processors.

However, the CPU's influence diminishes as the resolution increases. The fact that the FPS drops consistently from 1080p to 4K at every setting level, including Low, suggests that the demand on the GPU scales up faster than the CPU's ability to prepare frames. In this context, the Ryzen 7 9700F appears to be providing stable, consistent frame data without becoming the performance ceiling. The 143 FPS at 1080p Low is evidence that the CPU is capable of driving frame rates well above the typical 60 FPS target, while the 4K results are constrained by the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the defining performance component in this combination. With 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. Its boost clock is 1710 MHz, and it contains 8704 shading units. The GPU's Passmark G3D score is 25086, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. This hardware profile is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and entry-level 4K, but the data shows it has distinct limits.

The GPU's role is most pronounced at 4K resolution. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 95 at Low settings down to 34 at Ultra. The jump from Low to Medium at 4K is a drop from 95 FPS to 59 FPS, a 37.9% reduction. This dramatic fall indicates that the RTX 3080's compute units and memory subsystem are being saturated quickly as shader complexity increases. The 10 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient for these tested settings, but the sheer number of pixels at 4K is a heavy load for the GA102 chip. The 34 FPS at 4K Ultra is below the often-desired 60 FPS threshold, highlighting that the GPU is the bottleneck in this scenario.

At 1440p, the RTX 3080 demonstrates more headroom. The Low preset delivers 121 FPS, indicating that the GPU can handle less demanding loads with ease. The Medium preset at 75 FPS is a comfortable experience, while High at 54 FPS is playable but not optimal. The 1080p results further confirm the GPU's capabilities, with 143 FPS at Low and 90 FPS at Medium. The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is interesting, as it shows a deltaPct of -0.3 against the NVIDIA P106-100 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16, and -0.4 against the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and AMD Radeon R9 M290X. These are not direct performance peers in modern gaming, but the data suggests the RTX 3080 is positioned at a specific point in the benchmark database's ranking.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 achieves a rank of 753 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places the system in the top percentile of tested configurations, specifically in the 74.1th percentile (753/2911). This rank is a holistic measure that considers both the CPU and GPU's ability to run the game at the tested settings and resolutions.

This ranking suggests that the combo is more powerful than the average tested system, but it is not at the absolute top tier. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs contribute to this overall position. The CPU is a stronger performer relative to its peers than the GPU, which means the GPU is likely the component holding the combo back from a higher rank. In practical terms, this rank indicates that the system will handle the game well at most settings, but it will not be the best-performing configuration for users seeking maximum frame rates at 4K Ultra.

The rank also reflects the balance of the pairing. A higher-ranked combo might feature a top-tier GPU like the RTX 3090 or a newer generation card, which would push the 4K Ultra average above the 34 FPS seen here. Conversely, a lower-ranked combo might have a CPU that cannot keep up or a GPU with less memory bandwidth. The 753rd rank out of 2911 is a strong result, indicating that this is a well-matched system for high-resolution gaming, albeit with clear performance ceilings at the most demanding settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 at 2560x1440 with High settings is 54 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multithread performance?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has a Passmark single-thread score of 4691 and a multithread score of 36470, indicating strong performance in both workloads, with the multithread score being significantly higher due to its 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming at 60 FPS?

A: Based on the measured data, the system does not achieve 60 FPS at 3840x2160 on any preset. The highest 4K average is 95 FPS at Low settings, but this drops to 59 FPS at Medium, 42 FPS at High, and 34 FPS at Ultra.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 features a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s, which is derived from its 10 GB GDDR6X memory and 320-bit bus width.

Q: What is the combo's rank in the game?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is ranked 753rd out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1080p Medium?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the measured minimum FPS is 76 and the maximum FPS is 103, with an average of 90 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset. Minimum and maximum FPS values are only provided for the Medium preset, as they were not measured for the other settings.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- | :------ | :------ |

| 3840x2160 | High | 42 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 95 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 59 | 50 | 68 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 34 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 54 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 121 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 75 | 64 | 87 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 43 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 64 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 143 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 90 | 76 | 103 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 51 | - | - |

Across all resolutions, the scaling from Low to Ultra is consistent. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 143 at Low to 51 at Ultra, a 64.3% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is from 121 to 43, a 64.5% reduction. At 4K, the drop is from 95 to 34, a 64.2% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the graphical settings are scaling the GPU workload in a uniform manner, and the GPU's performance ceiling is being approached at the higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal setting depends heavily on the target resolution and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity.

For users targeting 60 FPS as a baseline, the Medium preset is the only configuration that delivers a consistent 60 FPS or above across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium averages 90 FPS, at 1440p it averages 75 FPS, and at 4K it averages 59 FPS, which is just at the cusp of the 60 FPS target. This makes Medium the most versatile preset for a smooth experience, as it provides playable frame rates at 4K while offering headroom at lower resolutions. The minimum FPS of 50 at 4K Medium and 64 at 1440p Medium indicates that there may be occasional dips, but the overall experience is stable.

The High preset offers a visual improvement over Medium but comes with a significant performance cost. At 1440p, High averages 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target but still playable for many. At 4K, High drops to 42 FPS, which is a less fluid experience. The Low preset is useful for maximizing frame rates, particularly at 1080p where it hits 143 FPS, but it sacrifices visual quality. The Ultra preset is the most demanding and only provides an average of 51 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions.

The recommendation is to use the Medium preset for the best balance of visual quality and performance, especially for 1440p and 4K gaming. Users with 1080p monitors may prefer High settings for a better image, as the 64 FPS average is still within a playable range. For those seeking the highest frame rates possible, the Low preset at 1440p or 1080p is the best choice, with 121 FPS and 143 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset should be reserved for static scenes or screenshot purposes, as the measured averages are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The data clearly supports Medium as the most reliable all-around choice for this hardware combination.