The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a striking contrast in The Medium: a top-tier desktop processor constrained by an integrated graphics solution. The measured data shows a combination that is almost entirely GPU-limited, where the CPU's substantial capabilities are largely held in reserve. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results for this specific pairing, focusing on how each component's characteristics shape the final frame rates.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a desktop-class processor built on the Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) architecture, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 4.70 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, and it draws a TDP of 120 W. The processor includes a large shared L3 cache of 96 MB, a key feature of the X3D line. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance, scoring 23,230 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 10,067 in 3DMark's max-threads test. Its single-thread performance is also robust, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2,964.

However, the data from The Medium reveals that this CPU's power is not the bottleneck. Even at the lowest tested settings and resolution (1080p Low), the average frame rate is 51 FPS. This figure is far below what the 9800X3D is capable of driving, as indicated by its 87th percentile ranking among all CPUs. When we look at its nearest rivals in the benchmark database, the performance differences are marginal—it sits within 0.8% of processors like the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365. This suggests that in a GPU-bound scenario, the choice between these CPUs would yield nearly identical results.

The core and clock specifications are effectively academic in this context. The 9800X3D's 8 cores and 16 threads, combined with its high 5.20 GHz boost clock, are more than sufficient for the game's engine. The fact that the FPS does not scale significantly with resolution (from 1080p to 4K) is the first indication that the graphics processor, not the CPU, is the limiting factor. The data implies that the CPU is sitting idle for much of the frame time, waiting for the integrated GPU to finish its work. The benchmark results for this combo in The Medium do not reflect the CPU's true potential; they reflect the ceiling imposed by its graphics counterpart.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. A critical detail is its memory configuration: it uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its VRAM size, type, and bus width are all dependent on the system's main RAM. This shared memory architecture is a fundamental constraint, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The Arc B390's performance profile is extremely low. It has a single benchmark score of 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12), placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are legacy mobile and entry-level desktop parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, with performance deltas of only 1.3% to 2.7%. This context is crucial for interpreting the The Medium results: the Arc B390 is not a gaming GPU in the traditional sense; it is an integrated solution designed for basic graphics tasks.

The boost clock of 2500 MHz and the 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are irrelevant when the GPU is starved for memory bandwidth. The measured frame rates in The Medium are consistent with a GPU that is severely limited by its shared memory subsystem. At 1080p Low, the 51 FPS average is playable, but it drops precipitously as settings increase. The 24 ROPS and 48 TMUs are too few to handle the game's effects at higher presets. The data clearly shows that the Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck in this pairing, and its 80 W TDP and IGP designation confirm it is not intended for demanding 3D workloads.

FAQ

Q: Why is the average FPS so low even at 1080p with a powerful CPU like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

A: The benchmark data indicates the system is entirely GPU-bound. The Intel Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1,482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, making it the performance ceiling. The CPU's high scores, such as 23,230 in Cinebench R23 multicore, are not the limiting factor.

Q: How does the Arc B390 compare to other GPUs in the database?

A: Its average benchmark score of 1,482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. This shows it is in the same performance class as those much older, low-end parts.

Q: Is the memory size of the Arc B390 a concern for this game?

A: Yes. The GPU's memory size is listed as "System Shared," meaning it uses the system's main memory. The bandwidth is also "System Dependent." This shared memory setup is a significant handicap for a game like The Medium, which requires substantial texture data.

Q: What is the best performance I can expect from this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 51, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that approaches a smooth experience. All other settings and resolutions result in lower average frame rates.

Q: Does the resolution affect the frame rate more than the settings?

A: No. The data shows that settings have a more significant impact. For example, at 1080p, dropping from Medium (32 FPS) to Low (51 FPS) is a 19 FPS increase, while moving from 1080p Low (51 FPS) to 1440p Low (43 FPS) is only an 8 FPS decrease. This suggests the GPU is more sensitive to shading and texture quality than to pixel count.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 2581 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the bottom 12% of all systems. This poor ranking is a direct result of the Arc B390's limited graphics performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2581 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the bottom 11.3% of all systems tested, a position that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The CPU's high percentile ranking (87th) is irrelevant to the game's performance because the Arc B390's 9th percentile score acts as a hard bottleneck. The data suggests that pairing a high-end CPU with this IGP creates a massive imbalance.

This ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capability. The 9800X3D's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, have nearly identical average CPU scores (within 0.8%). If this same CPU were paired with a discrete graphics card, its rank would be dramatically higher. The 2581st position is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to process frames at a rate that would allow the CPU to demonstrate its power. The performance delta in the game is determined by the GPU, and the data confirms that the Arc B390 is more in line with the GeForce GT 710 than with any modern gaming solution. For a game like The Medium, this combo is fundamentally unsuitable for a high-fidelity experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only playable configuration for this pairing is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields an average of 51 FPS. This is the sole preset that provides a frame rate above the 30 FPS threshold, and even then, it is only marginally above it. The data suggests that any attempt to increase graphical fidelity will result in a sub-30 FPS experience.

At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS. This is a playable but inconsistent experience. At 1080p High, the average falls to 23 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 18 FPS. These are not acceptable for a smooth gameplay experience. The recommendation is to use the Low preset at 1080p. If the user prioritizes visual quality over frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p is the maximum viable option, but the data indicates frame pacing will be inconsistent. For 1440p and 4K resolutions, the performance is too low for any settings, with the highest average being 43 FPS at 1440p Low and 34 FPS at 4K Low. These are not recommended for a game requiring precise timing and atmosphere.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a full breakdown of the measured average FPS values from the FACT PACK.

At 1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 51 FPS average
• Medium: 32 FPS average (min 27, max 37)
• High: 23 FPS average
• Ultra: 18 FPS average

At 2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 43 FPS average
• Medium: 27 FPS average (min 23, max 31)
• High: 19 FPS average
• Ultra: 15 FPS average

At 3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 34 FPS average
• Medium: 21 FPS average (min 18, max 24)
• High: 15 FPS average
• Ultra: 12 FPS average

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern. The performance scales linearly with the graphical load. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is a 33 FPS drop, while at 4K it is a 22 FPS drop. This indicates that the GPU is saturated at all settings, and the relative cost of increasing quality is slightly lower at higher resolutions because the base frame rate is already so low.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals an interesting trend regarding resolution scaling. When moving from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 51 to 43, a decrease of 15.7%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, the FPS drops from 43 to 34, a further decrease of 20.9%. However, these drops are relatively small compared to the impact of changing settings at a fixed resolution.

This behavior is characteristic of a GPU that is not purely pixel-bound. If the GPU were limited only by the number of pixels, we would expect a more dramatic drop when going from 1080p to 4K (a 4x increase in pixel count). Instead, the FPS only drops by roughly a third. This suggests that the limiting factor is not the pixel fill rate, but rather the memory bandwidth and compute shader throughput. The "System Shared" memory is a severe constraint, and the GPU is likely stalling on memory access regardless of resolution.

This analysis implies that the component limiting performance in this combo is the Intel Arc B390's memory subsystem. The CPU is not the bottleneck, as evidenced by the fact that FPS does not scale dramatically with resolution. The data suggests that the GPU is waiting for data from system memory, and this wait time is the primary factor determining the frame rate. The 2500 MHz boost clock and 7.680 TFLOPS of compute are secondary to the memory bottleneck. This is a classic case of an integrated GPU being unable to feed its own processing units, a problem that is more pronounced in a memory-heavy title like The Medium.