The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel Arc B390 combination produces a severely GPU-bound experience in The Medium, with frame rates that fall below playable thresholds across nearly every measured configuration. The data shows a system where the CPU’s substantial processing power is entirely sidelined by a graphics solution that ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, resulting in a benchmark profile dominated by the Arc B390’s limitations rather than the Ryzen 9 7900X’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable yet steep decline in performance as resolution increases, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 51 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 43 FPS, a reduction of 8 FPS or approximately 15.7%. The step to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields an average of 34 FPS, another 9 FPS decline from the 1440p result, representing a further 20.9% drop. This scaling pattern—roughly 15-20% performance loss per resolution tier—indicates that the GPU is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth well before the CPU can become a factor.

At Medium settings, the resolution scaling becomes even more pronounced. The 1080p average of 32 FPS falls to 27 FPS at 1440p, a 5 FPS or 15.6% decrease. The jump to 4K at Medium settings results in a 21 FPS average, which is 6 FPS lower than the 1440p result, a 22.2% reduction. The 4K Medium result also carries the only measured minimum and maximum values in the dataset, at 18 and 24 FPS respectively, showing a tight frame delivery window that still sits far below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the minimum for playable action.

High settings exacerbate the resolution penalty. The 1080p High average is 23 FPS, dropping to 19 FPS at 1440p (a 17.4% decrease) and further to 15 FPS at 4K (a 21.1% decrease from 1440p). Ultra settings follow the same trajectory but at lower absolute values: 18 FPS at 1080p, 15 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K. The consistent percentage drops across settings tiers suggest that the Arc B390’s rendering pipeline, with its 24 ROPs and 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, is saturated regardless of the workload, and the resolution scaling is purely a function of pixel count and fill rate.

The shape of the scaling curve—roughly linear rather than showing a cliff at any specific resolution—indicates that the GPU is not hitting a memory bandwidth wall but rather a sustained compute and rasterization limit. The system-shared memory and system-dependent bandwidth mean that higher resolutions consume more of the available memory bus, but the frame rate declines are evenly distributed, pointing to a general lack of raw throughput rather than a specific capacity constraint.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, built on TSMC’s 5 nm process. Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz indicate a high-frequency design that should not struggle with the logical thread management required by a horror game like The Medium. The CPU’s benchmark scores are uniformly strong: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 29300, a Geekbench single-core score of 2617, and a Passmark multi-thread score of 51406 place it in the 91st percentile among all CPUs.

In the context of this game, however, the CPU’s role is almost entirely passive. The measured FPS figures show no scenario where the Ryzen 9 7900X could be considered a limiting factor. The lowest FPS recorded, 12 at 4K Ultra, is still far above any threshold where CPU thread scheduling or single-core performance would become the bottleneck. The game’s engine, given the GPU’s 9th percentile rank, is starved for graphics processing before the CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads are ever fully utilized.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s is relevant only insofar as it feeds the system-shared GPU memory. Since the Arc B390 uses system shared memory, the CPU’s memory controller and the DDR5 bandwidth directly influence the GPU’s available memory bandwidth. Even with this high-bandwidth platform, the GPU’s performance remains critically low, suggesting that the shared memory architecture is not the primary constraint—the GPU’s compute units are.

The Ryzen 9 7900X’s nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD EPYC 7313P at a 0.2% delta, the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 at -0.3%, and the Intel Core i7-14700F at -0.6%. These comparisons show that the CPU is performing as expected for its class, with no anomalies that would affect game performance. The CPU is entirely capable; it is the GPU that defines this combo’s results.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 3 nm process. Its specifications are modest: 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU clocks at a base of 300 MHz and boosts to 2500 MHz, producing a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1).

The GPU’s memory configuration is described as system shared, with system-dependent bandwidth. This is a critical detail: the Arc B390 has no dedicated VRAM, instead relying on the host system’s DDR5 memory. This architecture typically results in higher latency and lower effective bandwidth compared to dedicated GDDR6 or GDDR6X, which directly impacts the GPU’s ability to sustain frame rates in memory-intensive scenes common in horror games with complex lighting and shadow calculations.

The GPU’s benchmark results are stark. The only measured benchmark, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, yields a score of 1482, placing the Arc B390 in the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at a 1.3% delta, the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1.5%, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM at 2.5%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 at 2.7%. These are all entry-level or legacy integrated-class GPUs, confirming that the Arc B390 is positioned at the very bottom of the performance spectrum.

In The Medium, the GPU’s limitations are evident across all settings. The best-case scenario—1080p Low—produces a 51 FPS average, which is technically playable but far from smooth. Every other configuration falls below 43 FPS, with most settings producing averages in the 12-32 FPS range. The 4K Ultra result of 12 FPS is essentially a slideshow, and even the 1440p High average of 19 FPS is below the threshold for a playable experience. The GPU simply does not have the raw fill rate or compute capacity to handle the game’s rendered scenes at any resolution above minimal settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves in The Medium?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 51, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 50 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rival GPUs?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this setup?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 34 at Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings produce 21 FPS, High produces 15 FPS, and Ultra produces 12 FPS. All 4K results are below playable thresholds.

Q: What is the CPU’s performance percentile relative to all CPUs?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53288.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The data shows the GPU is the definitive limiting factor, as the CPU’s strong benchmark scores (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core of 29300) are never challenged by the game’s demands given the GPU’s low output.

Q: What is the frame delivery like at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the only configuration with measured minimum and maximum FPS is 4K, with an average of 21 FPS and a range of 18 to 24 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average is 32 FPS with a range of 27 to 37 FPS, and at 1440p Medium, the average is 27 FPS with a range of 23 to 31 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of playability, though the overall results are discouraging. The only configuration that approaches a smooth experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves an average of 51 FPS. This is the sole preset that exceeds 45 FPS, and it represents the only viable option for users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, Low settings yield a 43 FPS average, which is borderline playable but still below the 60 FPS target. This resolution may be acceptable for users who prefer higher pixel density and can tolerate a lower frame rate. The 1920x1080 Medium preset, at 32 FPS, is technically playable but will feel stuttery, especially in action sequences. The 1440p Medium result of 27 FPS is marginal, and the 4K Medium result of 21 FPS is not recommended.

High and Ultra settings are not viable at any resolution. The best High result is 23 FPS at 1080p, which is below the 30 FPS minimum for comfortable gaming. The best Ultra result is 18 FPS at 1080p, which is not playable. Given the data, the recommended setting is 1080p Low for the best balance of frame rate and resolution, with 1440p Low as a secondary option for users who prioritize sharpness over smoothness. All other configurations produce average FPS below 32, which is insufficient for a horror game that requires responsive controls and atmospheric immersion.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset is as follows. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 51 FPS, Medium produces 32 FPS with a range of 27 to 37 FPS, High produces 23 FPS, and Ultra produces 18 FPS. At 2560x1440, Low settings produce an average of 43 FPS, Medium produces 27 FPS with a range of 23 to 31 FPS, High produces 19 FPS, and Ultra produces 15 FPS. At 3840x2160, Low settings produce an average of 34 FPS, Medium produces 21 FPS with a range of 18 to 24 FPS, High produces 15 FPS, and Ultra produces 12 FPS.

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent decrease in average FPS. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 33 FPS (from 51 to 18). At 1440p, the drop is 28 FPS (from 43 to 15). At 4K, the drop is 22 FPS (from 34 to 12). The percentage decrease from Low to Ultra is 64.7% at 1080p, 65.1% at 1440p, and 64.7% at 4K, indicating that the GPU’s performance scales uniformly with settings regardless of resolution.

The only configurations with measured minimum and maximum FPS are the Medium settings across all three resolutions. The 1080p Medium range is 27 to 37 FPS, a 10 FPS spread. The 1440p Medium range is 23 to 31 FPS, an 8 FPS spread. The 4K Medium range is 18 to 24 FPS, a 6 FPS spread. The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU becomes more consistently saturated as pixel count increases, reducing frame time variance even as the average drops.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2581 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the bottom 11.3% of all configurations. This rank is unsurprising given the GPU’s 9th percentile standing and the measured FPS results, which are uniformly below 52 FPS. The combo’s position is driven almost entirely by the GPU’s lack of performance, as the CPU is in the top 9% of all processors.

The rank of 2581 indicates that this setup is outperformed by 2580 other combinations, with only 330 combos ranking lower. This places the combo in the company of systems using integrated or entry-level graphics, as confirmed by the GPU’s nearest rivals. The 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X does nothing to boost the combo’s position because the game’s frame rate is capped by the GPU’s output, not the CPU’s processing capacity.

Comparing the CPU and GPU’s relative standings highlights the imbalance: the CPU sits in the 91st percentile while the GPU sits in the 9th percentile. This 82-percentile gap is a clear indicator of a mismatched pairing for gaming purposes. In a game like The Medium, which relies on atmospheric rendering and complex visual effects, the GPU’s low fill rate and shared memory architecture are insurmountable obstacles. The combo’s rank of 2581 is a direct reflection of this hardware mismatch, and the measured FPS data confirms that this configuration is only suitable for the lowest graphical settings at 1080p, with all other configurations falling below acceptable playability standards.