The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination delivers a robust, high-refresh-rate experience in The Medium at 1080p and 1440p, with playable performance at 4K on optimized settings. Benchmark data shows this pairing is firmly in the upper echelon of tested configurations, ranking 269th out of 2911 combos, placing it in the top 10% of all systems tested for this title. The data reveals a system where both components are well-balanced, though the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions and graphical presets.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant factor in this combo for The Medium. Based on the Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process, this GPU operates with a base clock of 2310 MHz and a boost clock of 2610 MHz. It is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This memory configuration is substantial for a horror title like The Medium, which relies on detailed textures and atmospheric lighting to build tension; the data indicates that even at 4K resolution, the memory subsystem is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

The GPU’s raw compute capabilities are significant. With 7680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the card is built for high-throughput rendering. Its FP32 performance is rated at 40.09 TFLOPS, and it includes 60 RT cores and 240 Tensor Cores, which are relevant for the game's use of ray-traced effects and DLSS, though the measured data here is for native rendering. The card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, ensuring full feature compatibility with the game’s rendering requirements.

The benchmark results underscore the GPU's role. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 175 FPS, but this high frame rate is not merely a CPU-bound result; it demonstrates the GPU’s ability to push frames rapidly when pixel load is low. More tellingly, the scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same settings shows a clear GPU bottleneck. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 110 at 1080p to 92 at 1440p, and further to 73 at 4K. This consistent drop of approximately 17% and 21% respectively indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti is handling the increased pixel count, but its performance ceiling is being reached as resolution scales.

The 12 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game’s demands. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 41, which is likely constrained by the GPU’s compute throughput rather than memory capacity, as the card’s memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is ample for the textures used in The Medium. The GPU’s performance percentile of 84% against all GPUs in the database confirms its high-end standing, and its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, is only 0.8% faster in aggregate benchmarks, showing this desktop card is competitive even against newer mobile parts.

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

Analyzing the measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern. At Low settings, the performance envelope is clear: 175 FPS at 1080p, 148 FPS at 1440p, and 116 FPS at 4K. This represents a 15.4% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 21.6% drop from 1440p to 4K. This is a steep decline, indicating that the GPU is working progressively harder to fill the additional pixels, and the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at these settings.

The scaling behavior is more pronounced at higher settings, which further confirms the GPU’s role as the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 79 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p (a 16.5% decrease) and then to 52 at 4K (a 21.2% decrease from 1440p). At Medium settings, the drop is from 110 at 1080p to 92 at 1440p (16.4% decrease) and then to 73 at 4K (20.7% decrease). These consistent percentage drops across different presets indicate that the scaling is driven by pixel throughput, not by a sudden change in CPU or memory limitations.

The data suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is the primary bottleneck at 4K, particularly at Ultra settings where the average FPS falls to 41. At 1080p and 1440p, the scaling is also GPU-bound, but the high frame rates (over 60 FPS) indicate the GPU has ample headroom. The lack of variance in the min and max FPS for most settings, except for Medium which shows a 20-27 FPS range, points to stable frame pacing. The fact that the CPU is not the limiting factor is evident from the fact that frame rates continue to scale significantly with resolution; if the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would plateau regardless of resolution.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a strong companion to the RTX 4070 Ti, providing ample processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck in The Medium. This CPU, part of the 9000 series based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), features 8 cores and 16 threads. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, which are high frequencies for a desktop part. The CPU’s strong single-thread performance is crucial for game logic and frame pacing, and its multi-thread capabilities are sufficient for background tasks and the game’s streaming systems.

The benchmark data for the CPU shows a robust performance profile. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4691, which is excellent and ensures that the game’s main thread is handled efficiently. The multi-thread score of 36470 is also strong, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. This high percentile means the 9700F is faster than 94% of all CPUs in the database, providing a solid foundation for the GPU to operate without waiting on the processor.

The interplay between the CPU and GPU is evident in the frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 175 FPS, which is a high frame rate that could potentially be limited by the CPU’s ability to issue draw calls. However, the fact that the FPS increases from 148 FPS at 1440p to 175 FPS at 1080p indicates the CPU is not a hard limit; it has enough headroom to feed the GPU more frames at lower resolutions. The CPU’s L3 cache is 32 MB (shared), which is a large pool for game data, and its memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s over dual-channel DDR5 ensures fast data transfer to the GPU.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 9700F is effectively tied with the top performers. In aggregate benchmarks, it is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and 0.7% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, while being 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i7-14700KF. This places it in the top tier of processors, ensuring that in The Medium, the CPU is not the component that limits the gaming experience. The data shows that the 9700F provides a stable platform for the RTX 4070 Ti to deliver its full potential.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a 60+ FPS experience, the data supports using Medium settings across all tested resolutions. At 1080p, Medium yields an average of 110 FPS with a minimum of 93 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay. At 1440p, Medium delivers 92 FPS average with a minimum of 79 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for a fluid experience. Even at 4K, Medium settings produce an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, which is playable and smooth for a slower-paced horror title.

For users aiming for maximum visual fidelity, the High preset is a viable option at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 79, which is acceptable, though the lack of min FPS data means we cannot guarantee absolute frame pacing stability. At 1440p High, the average drops to 66 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, but the margin is thinner. At 4K High, the average is 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, so it is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p displays. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 62, which is exactly at the 60 FPS threshold, but this leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. At 1440p Ultra, the average is 52 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 41 FPS, both of which are too low for a comfortable experience. The Low preset is not necessary for this hardware, as it yields extremely high frame rates (175 FPS at 1080p) but sacrifices visual quality. The best balance of visual quality and performance is the Medium preset, which provides a high frame rate cushion at all resolutions, ensuring that the game remains responsive even during intense scenes with multiple light sources and shadows.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 269th out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places the system in the top 9.2% of all configurations tested, which is a very strong result. This high ranking confirms the balance between the CPU and GPU; the 9700F is powerful enough to support the RTX 4070 Ti, which is a high-end GPU that excels in this game.

The ranking is particularly impressive given the GPU’s performance percentile of 84% and the CPU’s percentile of 94%. When these two components are combined, they produce a system that outperforms the vast majority of other builds. The data suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti is well-suited for The Medium, as its performance is not significantly hampered by any CPU limitations. The combination’s rank of 269 indicates that it outperforms many systems with potentially higher-end GPUs that are paired with weaker CPUs, highlighting the importance of a balanced platform.

In the context of the database, this combo is positioned among top-tier gaming PCs. The fact that it is in the top 10% of 2911 combos means it can handle the game at high settings with high frame rates, as shown in the measured data. The ranking is a clear indicator that this is a high-performance pairing, and users can expect a premium experience in The Medium without needing to compromise on graphical settings or resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run The Medium smoothly at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, at 4K with Medium settings, the system achieves an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K High, the average drops to 52 FPS, which is not ideal.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice for 1440p, delivering an average of 92 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS. This provides a smooth and responsive experience while maintaining good visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its nearest rival in aggregate performance?

A: In aggregate benchmarks, the RTX 4070 Ti is 0.8% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile and 1.6% faster than the NVIDIA RTX A6000. It is 1.3% slower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 Ti in this game?

A: No, the data shows the CPU is not a bottleneck. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution, which indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s high single-thread score of 4691 ensures it can feed the GPU effectively.

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achievable at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate is 175 FPS at 1080p with Low settings. At 1080p Medium, the average is 110 FPS, and at 1080p High, it is 79 FPS.

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for The Medium?*

A: This combo ranks 269th out of 2911 tested combinations, placing it in the top 9.2% of all systems tested, which is a top-tier performance level.

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

The following is a complete breakdown of the measured average FPS for all tested configurations.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: 175 FPS average.
• Medium: 110 FPS average, with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 126 FPS.
• High: 79 FPS average.
• Ultra: 62 FPS average.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 148 FPS average.
• Medium: 92 FPS average, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 106 FPS.
• High: 66 FPS average.
• Ultra: 52 FPS average.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 116 FPS average.
• Medium: 73 FPS average, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 83 FPS.
• High: 52 FPS average.
• Ultra: 41 FPS average.

The data shows a clear hierarchy where lower settings and resolutions yield higher frame rates. The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data, indicating it is a stable setting for this hardware. The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial across all settings, quantifying the GPU’s workload increase with pixel count.