The Medium

The Medium presents an interesting stress test for the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT pairing. This combination sits at a specific intersection of a high-end, 12-core CPU with a mid-range GPU, and the measured frames per second (FPS) data reveals a system that is heavily defined by its graphics card rather than its processor. The benchmark results show a clear narrative of GPU limitation across most settings, with the CPU's substantial headroom becoming apparent only at lower resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured data to understand where the bottleneck lies and what it means for playing this 2021 horror title.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a formidable desktop processor built on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It brings 12 cores and 24 threads to the table, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This is a top-tier chip, evidenced by its 91st percentile ranking against all CPUs in the database. Its benchmark scores are robust; for instance, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 29,300, a Geekbench multicore score of 19,267, and a Passmark multithread score of 51,406. The data shows it is closely matched with rivals like the AMD EPYC 7313P and Intel Core i7-14700F, with average score deltas of just 0.2% and -0.6%, respectively.

However, the measured FPS in The Medium suggests that this CPU power is largely untapped. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 95 FPS. When the resolution is bumped to 1440p Low, the average drops slightly to 80 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 63 FPS. This scaling pattern is the classic signature of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU's workload (draw calls, physics, game logic) stays consistent regardless of pixel count. Instead, the FPS drops as resolution increases, which indicates that the graphics card is struggling to keep up with the rendering demands.

The Ryzen 9 7900X's single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2016.5 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4238. The Medium, being a game that relies on typical CPU tasks, likely benefits from these strong single-thread capabilities. Yet, the data implies that even at 1080p, the RX 6650 XT cannot fully saturate the CPU's potential. The jump from 95 FPS at 1080p Low to 80 FPS at 1440p Low is a 15 FPS drop, which is a modest reduction. This suggests that while the CPU is ready to feed frames, the GPU is already hitting its limits even at the lowest settings and resolution tested. The CPU's high memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s for DDR5 memory and its PCIe Gen 5 support ensure that data can be fed to the GPU quickly, but this does not translate into higher FPS if the GPU itself cannot process the frames faster.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the clear limiting component in this analysis. Built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 23 chip, it is a mid-range card that is now end-of-life. Its specifications include 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with a memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s. The card's boost clock is listed at 2635 MHz, with a game clock of 2410 MHz. It sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs in the database, which is respectable but far from the top echelon.

The GPU's performance in The Medium is directly tied to its memory and compute limitations. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is a critical factor, especially at higher resolutions. The benchmark data shows a steep decline in performance as settings and resolution increase. At 1080p Ultra, the card manages an average of 34 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, that plummets to just 22 FPS. The jump from 1080p High (43 FPS) to 4K High (28 FPS) is a 15 FPS loss, showing that the card is being overwhelmed by the pixel count.

Looking at the specific memory constraints, the drop from Medium to High settings at 1440p is telling: it goes from 50 FPS to 36 FPS, a 14 FPS difference. This is a significant hit for a single setting tier increase. The data suggests that the 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely being exhausted at higher settings, forcing the card to manage textures and assets more slowly. The card's texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s are decent, but they are not enough to sustain high frame rates in a game that appears to be graphically demanding. The GPU's performance is consistent with a card that is underpowered for 4K gaming, and even at 1440p, it struggles to maintain 60 FPS outside of Low settings.

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

The resolution scaling data is the most direct evidence of where the bottleneck lies. For each settings preset, we can observe how the average FPS changes as we move from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. The pattern is consistent and reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound.

• Low Settings: 1080p yields 95 FPS, 1440p yields 80 FPS, and 4K yields 63 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 32 FPS, a 33.7% reduction.
• Medium Settings: 1080p yields 59 FPS, 1440p yields 50 FPS, and 4K yields 39 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 20 FPS, a 33.9% reduction.
• High Settings: 1080p yields 43 FPS, 1440p yields 36 FPS, and 4K yields 28 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 15 FPS, a 34.9% reduction.
• Ultra Settings: 1080p yields 34 FPS, 1440p yields 28 FPS, and 4K yields 22 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 12 FPS, a 35.3% reduction.

The relative percentage drops are remarkably consistent, hovering around 33-35% from 1080p to 4K across all settings. This is a textbook example of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU's workload is not increasing with resolution, so if the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see minimal FPS changes. Instead, the FPS scales inversely with the number of pixels, which is exactly what happens when the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors.

This scaling has a critical implication: the Ryzen 9 7900X is essentially idling in terms of game performance. The CPU has enough headroom to handle even the most demanding frame generation, but the RX 6650 XT cannot deliver the frames. For players, this means that lowering resolution will yield diminishing returns in terms of FPS stability. The GPU is the wall, and no amount of CPU power can break through it.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the broader database of tested hardware combinations, this specific pairing ranks 2434 out of 3724 combos for The Medium. This places it in the 34.6th percentile of all tested systems, which is a below-average ranking. This low rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, despite the CPU's high standing.

To contextualize this, consider that the CPU alone ranks in the 91st percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 65th percentile. The combination's rank of 2434 out of 3724 is dragged down significantly by the GPU. This means that in a game like The Medium, which is visually intensive, the system's overall capability is anchored by the weakest link. The data suggests that many other combinations, even those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs, would outperform this pairing in this specific game.

The rank also highlights the imbalance of the system. A top-10% CPU is paired with a mid-range GPU, and the result is a system that performs like a mid-range machine in gaming. The delta between the CPU's potential and the system's actual game performance is stark. For a database perspective, this combo serves as an example of how a high-end processor cannot compensate for a mid-range graphics card in a GPU-heavy title. The 2434th rank out of 3724 combos is not a verdict on the quality of either component, but rather a statement on their synergy in this specific workload.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance. Here is the exact breakdown for each resolution and settings preset:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 95 FPS
• Medium: Average 59 FPS (min 51, max 68)
• High: Average 43 FPS
• Ultra: Average 34 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 80 FPS
• Medium: Average 50 FPS (min 43, max 58)
• High: Average 36 FPS
• Ultra: Average 28 FPS

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 63 FPS
• Medium: Average 39 FPS (min 33, max 45)
• High: Average 28 FPS
• Ultra: Average 22 FPS

The data reveals a few critical trends. First, the step from Low to Medium is the largest performance hit at every resolution. At 1080p, the drop is 36 FPS (from 95 to 59); at 1440p, it is 30 FPS (from 80 to 50); and at 4K, it is 24 FPS (from 63 to 39). This suggests that the Medium preset introduces significant graphical features that heavily tax the GPU. The step from Medium to High is also substantial, with drops of 16 FPS at 1080p, 14 FPS at 1440p, and 11 FPS at 4K. The step from High to Ultra is smaller in absolute terms, with drops of 9 FPS at 1080p, 8 FPS at 1440p, and 6 FPS at 4K.

The minimum and maximum FPS data for the Medium settings also provide insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 51 to 68 FPS, a variance of 17 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 43 to 58 FPS, a variance of 15 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 33 to 45 FPS, a variance of 12 FPS. This shows that the game is not perfectly stable on this hardware, and players may experience noticeable frame hitches, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is trying to push more frames.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the recommendation is clear: the Low preset is the only tier that provides a consistently smooth experience across all resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 95 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target. At 1440p Low, it still manages 80 FPS, and even at 4K Low, it hits 63 FPS. This is the only settings tier where the game remains playable at 4K, and it offers headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p.

The Medium preset is a borderline case. At 1080p, it averages 59 FPS, which is just shy of the 60 FPS target. The minimum of 51 FPS suggests there will be dips below 60. At 1440p, it drops to 50 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. At 4K, it falls to 39 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 1080p is the only viable option if players want higher visual fidelity without dropping below 50 FPS on average.

The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for any resolution. At 1080p High, the average is 43 FPS, and at Ultra, it is 34 FPS. These are below the playable threshold for most gamers, and the experience would be stuttery and unresponsive. The data strongly suggests that players should prioritize frame rate over visual quality with this hardware. The gap between Low and Medium is too large to justify the visual upgrade for the performance cost. Therefore, the best experience per the data is to play on Low settings, ideally at 1080p or 1440p, to ensure a stable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest settings preset that can maintain an average of 60 FPS or higher?

A: Based on the measured data, the Low preset is the only tier that achieves an average of 60 FPS or higher. At 1080p Low, the system averages 95 FPS, and at 1440p Low, it averages 80 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p comes close at 59 FPS, but it does not quite hit the 60 FPS mark.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: The data indicates that 4K gaming is only feasible on the Low preset, where the system averages 63 FPS. At Medium settings, the average drops to 39 FPS, and at High and Ultra, it falls to 28 FPS and 22 FPS, respectively. These lower settings would not provide a smooth experience.

Q: How does the performance scale between 1080p and 4K?

A: The average FPS drops by approximately 33-35% from 1080p to 4K across all settings. For example, on Low settings, the average goes from 95 FPS at 1080p to 63 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 32 FPS. This consistent percentage drop indicates the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The benchmark results indicate the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is the primary bottleneck. The FPS scales directly with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high benchmark scores and percentile ranking do not translate to higher frame rates, as the GPU cannot keep up.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for any settings preset?

A: The lowest average FPS is 22, recorded at 3840x2160 (4K) with Ultra settings. The minimum FPS data points are only available for the Medium preset, with the lowest minimum being 33 FPS at 4K Medium.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested combinations?

A: This specific combination ranks 2434 out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the lower third of all systems, a ranking that is significantly dragged down by the GPU's performance despite the CPU's high standalone ranking.