The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in The Medium, though 4K Ultra settings will push the GPU to its limits. The data shows a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU providing ample headroom for the horror title’s demands.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. With a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, this chip offers substantial compute power for both gaming and multi-threaded workloads. The processor’s 64 MB of L3 cache is particularly beneficial for gaming scenarios, as it reduces latency when accessing frequently used data.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 9 5900X scores 16,262 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,527 in single-core, indicating strong all-around performance. Its Geekbench scores of 14,118 (multi-core) and 2,083 (single-core) further confirm its capability. The processor sits at the 87th percentile of all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 41,376 places it just 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H, showing it remains competitive against newer mobile parts.

For The Medium, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The game is not particularly CPU-intensive, as evidenced by the fact that even at 1080p Low, the system reaches 145 FPS. This suggests that the Ryzen 9 5900X’s single-thread performance, highlighted by its 3DMark single-thread score of 941, is more than sufficient for the game’s logic and rendering commands. The processor’s 24 threads are unlikely to be fully utilized by this title, but they provide a safety margin for background tasks or streaming.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration. When moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K, the frame rates drop consistently, which points to the GPU handling the increased rendering load. The Ryzen 9 5900X’s performance is effectively "free" in this context, allowing the RTX 5070 Ti to be the sole determinant of performance. The processor’s 12 cores and 24 threads are overkill for The Medium, but they ensure that there will be no CPU-related stutters or bottlenecks, even in the game’s most demanding scenes.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the primary driver of performance in this configuration. It features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s. This generous VRAM allocation is crucial for The Medium, a game known for its dual-reality rendering technique that displays two worlds simultaneously, which can be memory-hungry at higher resolutions. The GPU’s base clock is 2295 MHz, with a boost clock of 2452 MHz, and it supports PCIe 5.0 x16.

In terms of raw compute, the RTX 5070 Ti offers 43.94 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and has 70 RT cores, making it well-equipped for the game’s lighting and reflection effects. Its synthetic benchmark scores are respectable, with a Geekbench Vulkan score of 225,122 and an OpenCL score of 212,363. The GPU sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 49,957 is virtually tied with the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (0.1% slower) and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Arc A550M. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by 2% but leads the RX 6800 XT by 3.1%.

The benchmark results in The Medium show that the RTX 5070 Ti is the performance bottleneck at all resolutions. At 1080p High, the system achieves 81 FPS, but dropping to Low settings increases this to 145 FPS, showing that the GPU is still the limiting factor even at lower settings. The 16 GB of VRAM is not exhausted at any tested configuration, as the game runs at 4K Ultra with 42 FPS, which is a performance limitation of the GPU’s compute power rather than a memory capacity issue.

The GPU’s performance scaling is consistent with its specifications. The 28 Gbps effective memory speed and 896.0 GB/s bandwidth allow for smooth texture streaming, which is vital for the game’s fluid transitions between the real world and the spirit world. The RTX 5070 Ti’s 96 ROPs and 280 TMUs ensure that pixel fill rates do not become a constraint, but the overall frame rate is still dictated by the GPU’s shader and ray tracing workload.

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

The data reveals a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is classic evidence of a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 81 FPS at 1080p to 68 FPS at 1440p, a 16% reduction. Moving to 4K, the frame rate falls to 53 FPS, which is a 35% drop from 1440p and a 35% drop from 1080p. This scaling is not linear, as the pixel count increases by 2.25x from 1080p to 4K, but the frame rate only drops by about 35%, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute power are being utilized more efficiently at higher resolutions.

The Low settings tell a similar story. At 1080p, the system hits 145 FPS, which drops to 137 FPS at 1440p (a 6% reduction) and then to 119 FPS at 4K (a 13% reduction from 1440p). The relatively smaller drop at lower settings suggests that the CPU is starting to have a minor influence at 1080p Low, but the GPU still remains the primary limiter. The fact that 4K Low still achieves 119 FPS is impressive and shows that the RTX 5070 Ti has substantial headroom when graphical effects are reduced.

The Medium settings, which are the only ones with recorded min and max FPS, show a similar trend. At 1080p, the average is 113 FPS with a min of 96 and max of 130. At 1440p, the average drops to 95 FPS (min 81, max 109), and at 4K, it falls to 74 FPS (min 63, max 86). The consistency of the min FPS values across resolutions (96, 81, and 63) suggests that the GPU is handling the frame pacing well, with no sudden CPU-induced stutters.

This scaling pattern confirms that the Ryzen 9 5900X is not a bottleneck. If the CPU were limiting, we would see a plateau in frame rates at lower resolutions, but instead, the performance continues to scale with resolution, which is the behavior of a GPU-bound system. The RTX 5070 Ti is clearly the component that determines the final frame rate, and its performance drops are directly proportional to the increased rendering load.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset yields an average of 145 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suggests that the game is easily playable on high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset averages 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 130, indicating smooth gameplay with no significant dips. The High preset averages 81 FPS, which is still very playable and provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which is a solid number for a demanding horror title, though it is noticeably lower than the other presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected reduction. Low settings average 137 FPS, which is still excellent for competitive or fast-paced play. Medium settings average 95 FPS, with a minimum of 81 and a maximum of 109, providing a very smooth experience. High settings average 68 FPS, which is comfortable for most players, while Ultra settings drop to an average of 54 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, the game remains playable, but the frame rate is approaching the threshold where some players might prefer to lower settings for a higher refresh rate.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limits are more apparent. Low settings average 119 FPS, which is surprisingly high and shows the GPU’s raw power. Medium settings average 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 86, making this the lowest resolution where Medium settings still provide a fluid experience. High settings average 53 FPS, which is at the edge of playability for some, but the game’s slower pacing makes it acceptable. Ultra settings average 42 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay, and this is the only configuration where the frame rate drops below 45 FPS.

The data shows that the RTX 5070 Ti can handle 1080p and 1440p with ease, but 4K requires a trade-off between visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset at 4K offers a compromise, while High and Ultra settings will demand a tolerance for lower frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware?*

A: Based on the data, 1440p with the Medium preset provides an excellent balance, averaging 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS. This offers high visual quality while maintaining a smooth frame rate. 1080p is also a great choice if you want to maximize frame rates, with Medium settings averaging 113 FPS.

*Q: Can this system run The Medium at 4K?*

A: Yes, the system can run the game at 4K, but you will need to adjust settings. At 4K Medium, the average frame rate is 74 FPS, which is playable. At 4K High, it drops to 53 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 42 FPS, which may be too low for some players.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 Ti in this game?

A: No, the benchmark data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck. The frame rates scale consistently with resolution, which is a sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The Ryzen 9 5900X’s performance, including a 3DMark max threads score of 10,075, is more than sufficient for The Medium.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti’s average benchmark score of 49,957 is virtually identical to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, which is 0.1% slower. It is 0.4% faster than the Intel Arc A550M, 2% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, and 3.1% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT.

*Q: Does the 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 5070 Ti cause any issues in The Medium?*

A: No, the benchmark results do not indicate any VRAM-related issues. The game runs at 4K Ultra, which is the most demanding configuration, and the frame rates are limited by compute performance, not memory capacity. The 896.0 GB/s memory bandwidth proves sufficient for the game’s dual-world rendering.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 145 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 64 FPS. This represents a 56% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra, which is a substantial cost for the increased visual fidelity.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on your resolution and preference for frame rate versus visual quality.

For 1080p, the High preset is the clear recommendation for most players. It delivers an average of 81 FPS, which is smooth and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. If you own a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the Medium preset at 113 FPS is a better choice for maximizing smoothness. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is playable but does not offer a substantial visual advantage over High for the 21% performance cost.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, averaging 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS. This provides an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, ensuring that the game remains fluid during intense scenes. The High preset at 68 FPS is also viable if you prefer higher fidelity, but the drop from 95 to 68 FPS is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS is best reserved for players who prioritize graphics over frame rate and can tolerate occasional dips.

For 4K, the Medium preset is the only sensible choice for a playable experience, averaging 74 FPS. The High preset at 53 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 42 FPS is likely to feel sluggish. The Low preset at 119 FPS is an option for those who want the fastest possible response, but it sacrifices the game’s atmospheric visuals. The data clearly shows that Medium is the performance-per-visual-quality winner at 4K.

In summary, the system is best utilized at 1440p with Medium settings, offering a high-quality experience that remains fluid. At 1080p, High or Medium settings are both excellent, depending on your refresh rate. For 4K, stick to Medium settings to keep the frame rate above 60 FPS, and avoid Ultra unless you are comfortable with sub-45 FPS performance. This configuration is a capable performer for The Medium, with the GPU being the only component you need to manage carefully.