The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 8060S delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, a horror title known for its heavy rendering loads. The measured data reveals a system that is clearly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the component roles, and provides actionable recommendations based solely on the benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across the three tested resolutions shows a steep performance cliff, clearly indicating that the AMD Radeon 8060S is the primary performance limiter. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 45 FPS at 1920x1080 to 38 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 15.5%. Moving further up to 3840x2160, the average falls to 30 FPS, which is 33% lower than the 1440p result and a 50% drop from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth as the resolution increases.

The same trend is visible across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system achieves 101 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K here is a 34 FPS difference, or roughly 34%. At Medium settings, the averages are 63, 53, and 42 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling, with 36 FPS at 1080p dropping to 30 FPS at 1440p and further to 24 FPS at 4K.

The consistent and proportional FPS decline with each resolution step-up suggests that the rendering pipeline is saturated by the GPU's compute and rasterization limits. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the bottleneck in these scenarios. The data implies that to maintain a smooth experience at 4K, the user must significantly lower graphical fidelity, as the jump from High to Low at 4K more than doubles the average frame rate from 30 to 67 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing, indicating that the 8060S is better suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p or high-fidelity 1440p gaming in this title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a high-end mobile processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It features 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptionally strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. These figures place the CPU in the 95th percentile compared to all other CPUs, indicating top-tier performance.

In The Medium, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. Given the resolution scaling data, the CPU appears to have no trouble keeping up. At 1080p Low settings, where the GPU load is lowest, the system reaches 101 FPS. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but the data shows continuous scaling. The CPU's multi-core prowess, evidenced by its Passmark multithread score of 51405, suggests it can handle the game's background streaming and simulation tasks without issue.

The nearest rivals for this CPU include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with average benchmark scores of 76155 and 75779 respectively, compared to the 8945HX's 76212. The delta percentages are minimal, with the 8945HX being 0.1% faster than the Intel part and 0.6% faster than the 9950X3D. This indicates that in CPU-bound scenarios, the 8945HX is competitive with the best desktop and mobile chips. However, in The Medium, the game is clearly not CPU-bound, as evidenced by the FPS dropping linearly with resolution. The CPU's high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030) ensures that even less well-optimized game threads are handled efficiently.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the Low preset is the only viable option at 1080p, delivering an average of 101 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 85 FPS, which is also above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, the Low preset yields 67 FPS, which is still playable and above 60.

For users seeking a balance between visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is a strong contender. At 1080p, it delivers 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS mark, with minimum frame rates of 53 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset drops to 53 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced horror games but may not be ideal for fast action. The 4K Medium preset at 42 FPS is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, but it is playable on a high-refresh-rate VRR display.

The High preset is graphically demanding, with 45 FPS at 1080p and 38 FPS at 1440p. These frame rates are playable but not optimal. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with only 36 FPS at 1080p and 24 FPS at 4K, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best "experience per the measured rows," providing a 63 FPS average with a minimum of 53 FPS, which is a good compromise between visual fidelity and smoothness. For 1440p, the Low preset is the safest choice for maintaining a high frame rate, while the Medium preset is acceptable if the user prioritizes visuals over a locked 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 8060S combination ranks 1648 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium. This places the combo in the lower half of the database, which is surprising given the individual component performance. The GPU's percentile rank is 87, and the CPU's is 95, yet the combined ranking suggests that the system struggles relative to other configurations in this specific game.

This discrepancy highlights that The Medium is a demanding title that may favor certain hardware architectures. The combo's rank of 1648 indicates that there are 1263 other combos that perform better in this game. The data suggests that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU's performance in this title is a limiting factor, dragging the overall combo ranking down. The GPU's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, has a similar average benchmark score (55698 vs 55757), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is only 0.6% faster on average. However, in The Medium, the 8060S's performance may be more in line with its lower percentile rank of 87, indicating it is a high-end part but not an ultra-premium one.

The combo's rank suggests that for this game, a system with a slightly less powerful CPU but a stronger GPU would likely rank higher. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck, so the 8060S is the component holding the combo back. This is a crucial insight for users who prioritize this specific game, as they may need to consider a different GPU to improve their ranking and overall experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 8060S is an integrated GPU based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units, along with 40 ray tracing cores. The GPU has a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the CPU's DDR5 memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This architectural choice is a significant factor in its performance.

In The Medium, the GPU's role is to handle the rendering of the game's fixed-camera angles and complex lighting. The data shows that the GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions and settings. The FPS scales down as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU struggling with pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth. The shared memory architecture means the GPU has to compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth, which can lead to performance dips in memory-intensive scenes.

The GPU's benchmark scores are respectable, with a Geekbench OpenCL score of 84626 and a Vulkan score of 80483. Its average benchmark score of 55757 places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, with delta percentages of 0.1% and 2.8% respectively. This suggests that the 8060S is a high-performance part, but its performance in The Medium is limited by its shared memory configuration and the game's demanding requirements. The GPU's 14.85 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is substantial, but the system shared memory bandwidth is a potential limiting factor in a game with high-resolution textures and heavy post-processing effects.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can consistently hit above 60 FPS on the Medium preset (63 FPS average). At 2560x1440, only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS (85 FPS). For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only option above 60 FPS (67 FPS), but the Medium preset drops to 42 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the average FPS drops significantly across all settings, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high benchmark scores and the linear FPS scaling suggest it is not a limiting factor.

*Q: Can this combo run The Medium at Ultra settings smoothly?*

A: No, the data shows that the Ultra preset is not viable for smooth gameplay. The highest average FPS recorded on Ultra is 36 at 1080p, which drops to 24 at 4K. These frame rates are below the 60 FPS target for smooth play.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon 8060S has an average benchmark score of 55757. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, scores 55698, making the 8060S 0.1% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 scores 54247, meaning the 8060S is 2.8% faster in average benchmark scores.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p experience?

A: For 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 85 FPS, which is the smoothest option. The Medium preset provides 53 FPS, which is playable but may have noticeable stutters. The High preset at 38 FPS is not recommended for action-heavy scenes.

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

A: This combo ranks 1648 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, indicating that while the components are individually powerful, the combination does not perform as well as many others in this specific game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS values for each resolution and settings preset. Minimum and maximum FPS are only provided for the Medium preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | ------: |

| 3840x2160 | High | 30 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 67 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 42 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 24 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 38 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 85 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 53 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 30 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 45 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 101 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 63 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 36 |

For the Medium preset, the frame time variance data shows distinct ranges. At 3840x2160, the FPS ranged from 35 to 48. At 2560x1440, the range was 45 to 61. At 1920x1080, the range was 53 to 72. This indicates that the Medium preset provides a more stable experience at lower resolutions, with the 1080p data showing a narrower relative variance compared to the average. The data confirms that the 1080p Medium preset is the most balanced configuration, offering a solid average frame rate with acceptable minimums for a horror game where pacing is slower. The 4K Medium preset, while playable on adaptive sync displays, has a low 35 FPS minimum that could lead to noticeable hitches in fast-moving scenes.