The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 delivers a performance profile in The Medium that is heavily dictated by the GPU, with the CPU providing ample headroom across all tested settings. The benchmark data shows a system that can handle the game at lower resolutions and settings comfortably, but which struggles to maintain playable framerates at 4K with higher graphical presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, the role of each component, and the optimal settings for this specific hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, indicating that the graphics card is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 75 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 63 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 50 FPS. This scaling is not linear; the jump from 1440p to 4K represents a 20.6% decrease in framerate, while the jump from 1080p to 1440p is a 14.7% decrease. This suggests that the GTX 1070's memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s and its 8GB of GDDR5 memory are becoming a limiting factor at higher resolutions, even with less demanding settings.

The scaling behavior is even more pronounced at higher settings. With the High preset, the average framerate drops from 34 FPS at 1080p to 28 FPS at 1440p, and then to 22 FPS at 4K. This represents a 17.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 21.4% drop from 1440p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling, with average framerates of 27 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and 18 FPS at 4K. The data indicates that as the graphical load increases, the GPU's compute capabilities (with its 1920 shading units and 6.463 TFLOPS of FP32 performance) are stretched to their limits, demonstrating that the GTX 1080 is the definitive limiting component at all resolutions except the lowest.

The pattern holds when analyzing the Medium preset, which is the only preset with both minimum and maximum framerate data. At 1080p, the Medium preset averages 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 40 FPS with a minimum of 34 FPS. At 4K, the average is 31 FPS with a minimum of 26 FPS. The narrowing of the gap between average and minimum framerates at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is consistently saturated, leaving less room for variance. The data shows that while the CPU is capable of delivering high framerates (as seen at 1080p Low), the GTX 1070 is the definitive bottleneck, preventing the system from achieving high framerates at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: How does the system perform at 1920x1080 with the Low preset?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average framerate of 83 FPS. This is the highest average fps recorded across all tested configurations and indicates the GPU is not the primary bottleneck at this resolution and setting.

Q: What is the highest average framerate achievable at 4K resolution?

A: The highest average framerate recorded at 4K is 50 FPS, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. This is a substantial drop from the 83 FPS average at 1080p Low, highlighting the significant render burden placed on the GTX 1070 at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the average framerate difference between the Medium and High presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Medium preset averages 47 FPS, while the High preset averages 34 FPS. This difference of 13 FPS indicates that the High preset's increased graphical load has a noticeable impact on performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to limit performance in The Medium with this combo?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The average framerates scale inversely with resolution, and the GPU's benchmark percentile is 47, significantly lower than the CPU's 87. At 1080p Low, the system hits 83 FPS, but the framerate drops steeply as resolution and settings increase, a classic sign of GPU saturation.

Q: What is the lowest average framerate recorded in the benchmark data?

A: The lowest average framerate is 18 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 with the Ultra settings preset. This is the only configuration that drops below the 20 FPS mark, making it unplayable for most users.

Q: How does the CPU's core count relate to its performance in this game?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X has 12 cores and 24 threads. In CPU benchmarks, it scores 16262 on Cinebench R23 multicore and 1527 on single-core, which places it in the top 13% of all CPUs. This high multi-threaded and single-threaded performance means the CPU is not a bottleneck in The Medium, as the game's framerates are consistently low at higher resolutions, pointing to the GPU as the constraint.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves an average score of 41376, with a percentile rank of 87 among all tested CPUs, placing it in the top 13% of processors. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, has a deltaPct of 0.3, indicating a nearly identical average score of 41263, while the Intel Core i7-14650HX scores 41576, a deltaPct of -0.5, meaning the 5900X is 0.5% behind. This performance class is more than sufficient for the demands of The Medium, which does not feature any extreme CPU requirements.

In the context of this game's measured framerates, the CPU's role is to provide enough processing power to avoid bottlenecking the GPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 83 FPS, which is the highest result in the dataset. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see this framerate plateau or even drop at lower resolutions, but it does not. The CPU's high single-core performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single thread score of 941, ensures that game logic and draw calls are processed efficiently. The multi-threaded performance, with a 3DMark max threads score of 10075, further supports the idea that the CPU is not a constraint.

The data shows that the CPU's performance is not the limiting factor at any of the tested settings. The framerates are consistently lower at higher resolutions, a pattern that is characteristic of a GPU-bound system. The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel memory support also help in maintaining high FPS, as it reduces the time the GPU has to wait for data. The processor's performance in the Cinebench R23 multicore test, with a score of 16262, is indicative of a high-end desktop processor that can handle any game, including The Medium. Therefore, the role of the CPU in this configuration is to provide a solid, high-performance base, while the GPU determines the final framerate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GTX 1070 ranks at 3082 out of 3724 total combos. This places it in the 17.2nd percentile of all tested combos, meaning that 82.8% of the tested configurations perform better in The Medium. This is a low rank, but it is important to understand the context. The rank is determined by the average FPS across all test scenarios, and the GTX 1070, which has an average benchmark score of 9780, is a major factor in this ranking. The GPU's percentile of 47, which is its percentile against all tested GPUs, shows that it is a mid-range performer, while the CPU's percentile of 87 shows it is a high-end performer. The combo's rank is therefore significantly dragged down by the GPU's performance.

The nearest rivals to this combo in the database are not specified, but the rank indicates that most other combinations of CPUs and GPUs tested will produce higher average framerates in The Medium. For reference, the CPU's nearest rivals in terms of overall benchmark scores are the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H, Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440, and Intel Core i7-14650HX. These processors have average scores within 0.5% of the 5900X, but their performance in this game would be dependent on the GPU they are paired with. The GTX 1070's nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 and NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, but these are workstation/professional GPUs, not direct competitors in the gaming space.

The data shows that this combo's ranking is a direct result of the GPU's limited power. The CPU is performing in the top 13% of all CPUs, but the GPU's performance in the bottom 43% of all GPUs. The combination of a high-end CPU with a mid-range GPU results in a performance level that is primarily dictated by the GPU, leading to a rank that is lower than it could be with a more balanced pairing. For this game, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and this combo's ranking reflects that reality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. Below is a detailed breakdown of the measured FPS.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: The average FPS is 83. This is the highest average of the entire dataset.
• Medium: The average FPS is 47, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 54.
• High: The average FPS is 34.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 27.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: The average FPS is 63.
• Medium: The average FPS is 40, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 45.
• High: The average FPS is 28.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 22.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: The average FPS is 50.
• Medium: The average FPS is 31, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 36.
• High: The average FPS is 22.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 18.

The data shows a consistent drop in performance as resolution increases, with the Low preset at 4K (50 FPS) performing similarly to the Medium preset at 1080p (47 FPS). The framerates at 4K Ultra (18 FPS) are below playable standards, and even the High preset at 4K (22 FPS) is not playable. At 1440p, the Medium preset (40 FPS) is the only setting that reaches the upper 40s, while High and Ultra fall to 28 and 22 FPS respectively. At 1080p, the Medium preset provides a playable experience, and High and Ultra are also playable, though the framerate drops to 34 FPS and 27 FPS respectively.

The minimum and maximum framerates for the Medium setting are also provided. At 1080p, the frame times show a range of 26 to 54 FPS; at 1440p, the range is 34 to 45 FPS; and at 4K, the range is 26 to 36 FPS. These ranges indicate some variance, but the overall average is consistent with the general trend. The data suggests that the most consistent performance is at 1080p Medium, where the frame range is 26 to 54 FPS, which is a typical variance for this type of game, but the average is still solid.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the player's target resolution and desired framerate. For a smooth experience, the data shows the system can achieve an average of 83 FPS at 1080p with Low settings. However, if a higher visual quality is desired, the Medium preset at 1080p provides a good balance, with an average of 47 FPS and a minimum of 26 FPS, making it the most balanced preset for 1080p. The High preset at 1080p is also playable with an average of 34 FPS, but the Medium preset is recommended for a more consistent experience.

At 1440p, the Low and Medium presets are the only ones that offer playable framerates. The Medium preset averages 40 FPS, which is acceptable for a horror game, while the Low preset averages 63 FPS, which is more fluid. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not recommended, as they average 28 and 22 FPS respectively. For 4K, the Low preset is the only playable option, with an average of 50 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 31 FPS, making them unsuitable for a playable experience.

In summary, for a 1080p display, the Medium preset is recommended for the best balance of performance and quality. For 1440p, the Medium preset is the best choice, but the Low preset is a valid alternative for higher framerates. For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, and even then, it may be necessary to lower the resolution or settings for a more stable experience. The data shows that the GPU's performance is the primary constraint, and the settings recommendation is to prioritize lower graphical presets at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a graphics card based on the Pascal architecture, built on a 16 nm process. It features 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, with a base clock of 1506 MHz and a boost clock of 1683 MHz. The card is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its FP32 performance is 6.463 TFLOPS, and its texture rate is 202.0 GTexel/s. These specifications place the card in the 26th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 9780. Its nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro W5000, NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, and NVIDIA Tesla M10, which have average scores within 0.7% of the GTX 1070.

The GPU's performance in The Medium is the primary determinant of the system's framerate. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions, as the framerates scale with GPU load and not CPU capabilities. The card's memory capacity of 8 GB is sufficient for the game at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the higher memory usage can be a factor. The 256-bit memory bus and 256.3 GB/s of bandwidth provide enough throughput for the game's textures and shaders, but the card's computational power is not enough for the game's rendering requirements at higher settings.

The GTX 1070's performance in the game is directly correlated with the settings preset. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 83 (Low) to 27 (Ultra), showing that the card can handle lower presets. At 1440p, the range is 63 (Low) to 22 (Ultra), and at 4K, the range is 50 (Low) to 18 (Ultra). The card's performance is, in a word, limited. The data shows that the GTX 1070 is a mid-range GPU that is not capable of running The Medium at high settings or high resolutions, regardless of the CPU it is paired with. The GPU's 8 GB of memory and 256-bit interface are not the main constraint; rather, the card's processing power is insufficient for the game's demands. In summary, the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this configuration, and any attempts to increase framerates will come from lowering graphical settings and resolutions.