The Medium

The Medium presents a unique challenge for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 pairing, with benchmark data revealing a system that is strikingly dependent on resolution and quality settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, highlighting where the components excel and where the combination struggles to maintain playable frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this configuration shows an extreme sensitivity to resolution, indicating that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces an average of 96 FPS, which drops to 81 FPS at 2560x1440 (–15.6%) and further to 64 FPS at 3840x2160 (–21.0% from 1440p). This scaling pattern suggests that the GPU is being pushed progressively harder, with the 4K resolution nearly halving the performance seen at 1080p.

The trend becomes even more pronounced when examining higher quality presets. At Medium settings, the average frame rate falls from 60 FPS at 1080p to 51 FPS at 1440p, and then to 40 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings is a 21.6% reduction, while the 1080p to 1440p transition costs only 15.0%. This nonlinear scaling indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power are being saturated at higher resolutions, particularly at 4K where the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become significant constraints.

The High and Ultra presets tell an even more sobering story. At High settings, the system manages only 43 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which represents the most demanding configuration, drops to 34 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and a marginal 23 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra at the same resolution is substantial: at 1080p, Ultra delivers 64.6% less performance than Low, while at 4K the difference is 64.1%. This consistent delta across resolutions confirms that the settings themselves, not just the resolution, are heavily taxing the GPU.

The data suggests that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, the RTX 5050 becomes the bottleneck as resolution climbs. The 4K Ultra result of 23 FPS is particularly telling, as it falls well below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the minimum for playable frame rates. Even at 1440p High, the 36 FPS average is borderline, suggesting that users targeting higher resolutions will need to make significant compromises in visual quality.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) part fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm process, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock of 3.80 GHz can boost up to 5.50 GHz, and the CPU includes 32 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 1 MB of L2 cache per core. These specifications place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong overall compute capability.

The processor's benchmark scores reinforce its high-end positioning. In PassMark testing, it achieves a multi-thread score of 36,470 and a single-thread score of 4,691. Its average benchmark score of 69,996 places it in close competition with several high-end parts: it trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX by a mere 0.2%, sits 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700KF, and leads the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.7% and the Intel Core i7-14700K by 0.9%. These deltas are negligible, indicating that the 9700F is firmly in the top tier of desktop processors.

For The Medium, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU in most scenarios. The fact that frame rates scale so dramatically with resolution and settings suggests that the 9700F is not the limiting component. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to become a bottleneck, the system achieves 96 FPS, which is well above what would indicate CPU saturation. The 5.50 GHz boost clock and 16 threads provide ample headroom for the game's logic and physics, and the 8 cores ensure that background tasks do not interfere with gameplay.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth also helps ensure that data can flow efficiently to the GPU. However, the fact that the system only achieves 43 FPS at 1080p High suggests that the game's visual effects are heavily GPU-dependent, and the CPU's performance headroom is not being fully utilized. In this configuration, the Ryzen 7 9700F is a capable partner that does not hold back the RTX 5050, but it also cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations at higher settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with a die size of 149 mm² containing 16,900 million transistors. It features 2,560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, along with 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz, and its memory is configured as 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The GPU's benchmark results place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21,035. Its PassMark G3D score of 17,326 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2,502 provide context for its performance class. The nearest rivals show a tight grouping: it sits 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, 1.0% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile. These small deltas indicate that the RTX 5050 is a mid-range performer rather than a high-end solution.

In The Medium, the GPU's limitations become apparent at higher resolutions and settings. The 8 GB VRAM is likely a constraint at 4K with High or Ultra presets, as the game's textures and effects can exceed this capacity, leading to the low frame rates observed. The 128-bit memory bus and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth also limit the GPU's ability to handle the data throughput required at 3840x2160. The measured results show that at 4K Ultra, the system manages only 23 FPS, which is 63.3% below the 1080p Low result of 96 FPS.

The GPU's compute capabilities, rated at 13.17 TFLOPS for FP32, are modest by modern standards. This is reflected in the PassMark DirectX scores: 150 for DX11, 66 for DX12, and 103 for DX10. These scores indicate that the GPU is better suited to less demanding titles or lower quality settings. For The Medium, the RTX 5050 can deliver playable performance at 1080p with Medium settings (60 FPS average), but users seeking higher quality or resolution will face significant frame rate penalties.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a comprehensive view of this configuration's performance across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 96 FPS, while Medium settings yield 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. High settings drop to 43 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 34 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is the only configuration that achieves both a 60 FPS average and a minimum above 50 FPS, making it the most balanced option for full HD gaming.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance declines across all presets. Low settings average 81 FPS, which remains smooth but represents a 15.6% reduction from 1080p. Medium settings average 51 FPS with a range of 43 to 58 FPS, which is playable but with occasional dips below the 60 FPS threshold. High settings average 36 FPS, and Ultra settings average 29 FPS, both of which fall below the ideal playability range for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles significantly. Low settings average 64 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that remains playable. Medium settings drop to 40 FPS with a range of 34 to 46 FPS, while High settings average 29 FPS and Ultra settings average 23 FPS. These latter results are below the 30 FPS minimum typically required for a smooth experience, indicating that 4K gaming is only viable with the lowest quality settings.

The data shows a clear pattern: the RTX 5050 can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming with appropriate settings, but 4K requires substantial compromises. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 41 FPS (from 64 to 23), demonstrating that settings have a massive impact on performance at this resolution.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the most suitable resolution. At 1080p Medium settings, the system achieves 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS, which is the only preset that combines a 60 FPS average with a minimum above 50 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: Only with Low settings, which produce 64 FPS average at 3840x2160. Medium settings drop to 40 FPS, High to 29 FPS, and Ultra to 23 FPS, the latter two falling below the 30 FPS playability threshold.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 69,996 is nearly identical to its closest competitors. It trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX by 0.2%, leads the Intel Core i7-14700KF by 0.2%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.7%, and the Intel Core i7-14700K by 0.9%.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile?

A: The RTX 5050 sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21,035. It is closely matched with the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, AMD Radeon HD 8970M, AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, and NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and settings, dropping from 96 FPS at 1080p Low to 23 FPS at 4K Ultra, which indicates the RTX 5050 is being saturated while the CPU has headroom.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution?

A: At 1080p, Ultra delivers 34 FPS versus 96 FPS for Low, a 64.6% reduction. At 1440p, the difference is 29 FPS versus 81 FPS (64.2% reduction), and at 4K, it is 23 FPS versus 64 FPS (64.1% reduction).

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience in The Medium with this hardware. For users prioritizing smooth gameplay, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the standout choice, delivering a 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This configuration offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, ensuring that frame rates remain above the critical 50 FPS threshold even during demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only viable option for those seeking playable performance, averaging 51 FPS with a range of 43 to 58 FPS. While this is below the 60 FPS ideal, it remains within an acceptable range for a horror game where atmosphere and pacing are more important than twitch reflexes. Low settings at 1440p provide a smoother 81 FPS average, but the visual compromise may be significant for a game that relies on environmental detail and lighting.

For 3840x2160, only the Low preset is recommended, yielding 64 FPS average. The Medium preset at 40 FPS is borderline playable but may cause noticeable stuttering, while High and Ultra at 29 and 23 FPS respectively are not recommended for an enjoyable experience. Users with 4K displays should either accept Low settings or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p with Medium settings for a better overall experience.

The Ultra preset offers no compelling advantage given the performance cost. At every resolution, Ultra delivers the lowest frame rates with only marginal visual improvements over High, which itself struggles to maintain playability. The data indicates that the RTX 5050 is not capable of handling the Ultra preset in The Medium, and users should avoid this setting unless they are willing to accept sub-30 FPS performance. The High preset is also challenging, with 43 FPS at 1080p and 29 FPS at 4K, making it a poor choice for this configuration. Ultimately, the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p represents the sweet spot, offering the best balance of visual fidelity and performance that this hardware can deliver.