The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers a strong but resolution-dependent experience in The Medium. The combo ranks 422nd out of 1,689 tested configurations, placing it in the upper tier of systems. Measured FPS ranges from 147.3 at 1080p Low to 35.1 at 4K Ultra, with the GPU clearly becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases. The CPU’s 16 cores and 32 threads provide ample headroom, while the RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth support high-resolution rendering, but the game’s demands at 4K Ultra push the GPU to its limits.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial across all presets. At Low, the average FPS falls from 147.3 at 1920x1080 to 128.9 at 2560x1440, then to 101.5 at 3840x2160. Medium shows a similar pattern: 91.4 at 1080p, 76.3 at 1440p, and 59.3 at 4K. High settings yield 65.9 at 1080p, 57.8 at 1440p, and 45.3 at 4K. Ultra is the most demanding, with 50.5 at 1080p, 48 at 1440p, and 35.1 at 4K.

The scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance—Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 38,607—suggests it is not limiting at 1080p, where even Ultra reaches 50.5 FPS. As resolution climbs, the GPU’s workload increases, and the FPS drops accordingly. The gap between 1080p and 4K is largest at Low (45.8 FPS difference) and smallest at Ultra (15.4 FPS difference), but the absolute FPS at 4K Ultra is only 35.1, making it the least playable configuration.

Settings Recommendations

The Medium preset delivers the highest FPS among the non-Low options at every resolution. At 1080p, Medium achieves 91.4 FPS, compared to 65.9 for High and 50.5 for Ultra. At 1440p, Medium reaches 76.3 FPS, while High and Ultra manage 57.8 and 48, respectively. At 4K, Medium provides 59.3 FPS, which is the only preset other than Low to exceed 50 FPS; High and Ultra fall to 45.3 and 35.1.

For a balance of visual quality and performance, Medium is the recommended preset. It offers a significant FPS advantage over High and Ultra at all resolutions, and the drop from Medium to High costs 25.5 FPS at 1080p, 18.5 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. Low is the only preset that maintains high FPS at 4K (101.5), but it sacrifices visual fidelity. Given the data, Medium is the best choice for a smooth experience without resorting to Low.

GPU Role

The RTX 3080 Ti’s specifications directly influence the measured results. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for high-resolution textures. The GPU’s boost clock of 1665 MHz and FP32 performance of 34.10 TFLOPS are reflected in the FPS numbers, particularly at 1080p where the GPU is less stressed. The memory clock of 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) supports the high data throughput required at 4K.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 41,224, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 3090, scores 41,441, a 0.5% difference. This close margin explains why the 3080 Ti performs similarly to the 3090 in this game, though the 3080 Ti’s lower VRAM (12 GB vs. 24 GB) is not a factor in the measured FPS, as the game does not appear to exceed 12 GB at the tested settings. The GPU’s 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are not directly benchmarked here, but they contribute to the overall rendering capability.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 35.1.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to the RTX 3090 in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti scores 41,224, which is 0.5% lower than the RTX 3090’s 41,441.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in The Medium?

A: The combo ranks 422nd out of 1,689 tested configurations.

Q: Which preset gives the highest FPS at 1440p?

A: Low gives 128.9 FPS, but Medium provides 76.3 FPS, which is the highest among non-Low presets.

Q: What is the CPU’s boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 3080 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 5950X’s 16 cores and 32 threads provide substantial multi-threaded performance, as shown by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 38,607. Its single-core score of 5,450 indicates strong per-thread performance, which is beneficial for games that rely on fewer threads. The CPU’s base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, combined with a 105 W TDP, make it a capable partner for the RTX 3080 Ti.

The CPU’s average benchmark score is 49,062, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, scores 49,166, a 0.2% difference. This near-parity means the 5950X does not bottleneck the GPU in The Medium, as evidenced by the high FPS at 1080p Low (147.3). The CPU’s 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (51.2 GB/s bandwidth) further contribute to smooth frame delivery, though the game’s performance is ultimately GPU-limited at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 45.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 101.5 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 59.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 35.1 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 57.8 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 128.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 76.3 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 48 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 65.9 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 147.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 91.4 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 50.5 |

The data shows a clear hierarchy: Low always delivers the highest FPS, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra last. At 1080p, even Ultra reaches 50.5 FPS, but at 4K, Ultra drops to 35.1. Medium is the only preset that stays above 50 FPS at 4K (59.3), making it the most viable option for high-resolution play.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X + RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 422nd out of 1,689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the upper quartile of systems, consistent with the CPU’s 93rd percentile and GPU’s 83rd percentile. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 49,062 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-14600K (49,166, -0.2%), while the GPU’s score of 41,224 is 0.5% below the RTX 3090 (41,441). These close margins suggest that the combo’s rank is driven by the GPU’s performance at high resolutions, where the 3080 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient but not exceptional. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (35.1) is the lowest among the tested settings, indicating that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers smooth frame rates even at High settings.