The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800M produces a benchmark profile for The Medium that is heavily dictated by resolution and preset. The data shows a system capable of smooth frame rates at lower demands, but one that quickly becomes constrained as pixel count and graphical fidelity rise. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across the tested configurations, examining the roles of the CPU and GPU, and providing clear guidance on how to best utilize this hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the "Low" setting, the average frame rate drops from 93 FPS at 1080p to 78 FPS at 1440p, a 16% reduction, and then to 62 FPS at 4K, a further 21% reduction from the 1440p figure. This indicates that even at lower graphical settings, the rendering load at 4K is substantial enough to significantly impact the frame rate.

The scaling becomes more punishing at higher presets. With "High" settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 42 FPS to 35 FPS (a 17% decrease), and then to 28 FPS at 4K (a 20% decrease from 1440p). The "Ultra" preset shows a similar pattern, falling from 33 FPS at 1080p to 28 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 22 FPS at 4K. This consistent degradation across all settings suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor when moving to higher resolutions, as the additional pixel workload directly translates to lower throughput.

The most telling data point is the difference between the "Low" and "Ultra" presets at the same resolution. At 1080p, the gap is 60 FPS (93 vs. 33). At 4K, the gap narrows to 40 FPS (62 vs. 22). This narrowing suggests that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that the difference between the two presets has a smaller absolute impact on the final frame rate. The system is simply unable to render enough frames to fully leverage the lower workload of the "Low" preset at that resolution. The data implies that the RX 7800M is the bottleneck for 4K gameplay, while at 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to feed the GPU, allowing for a wider spread of performance between settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its substantial core count and high boost capability are reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a 42,713 score in Cinebench R23 multicore and a 6,030 score in single-core. This processor sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, indicating top-tier performance.

In the context of The Medium, a horror game that typically relies on consistent frame pacing rather than extreme multi-threaded physics, this CPU is more than capable. The data shows that at 1080p with "Low" settings, the system achieves 93 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is not a primary constraint at this level. The 5.40 GHz boost clock helps ensure that single-threaded game logic can be processed quickly.

However, the CPU's role becomes more nuanced at higher resolutions. As the GPU becomes the bottleneck at 4K, the CPU's workload does not increase in kind; it simply waits for the GPU. The measured 22 FPS at 4K "Ultra" is not a sign of CPU weakness but rather a clear indication that the graphics card is overwhelmed. The processor's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 6,030 Cinebench R23 single-core score, allows it to feed the GPU efficiently at lower resolutions, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's raw rendering limits. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (0.1% delta), shows it is a top contender, but this advantage does not translate to higher FPS in The Medium when the GPU is the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded in the data is 93 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the "Low" preset.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the system achieves 62 FPS on "Low," 38 FPS on "Medium," 28 FPS on "High," and 22 FPS on "Ultra." A playable experience is possible, but you would need to use lower presets.

Q: How does the "Medium" preset perform at different resolutions?

A: The "Medium" preset is the only one with min and max FPS data. At 1080p, it averages 58 FPS (min 49, max 67). At 1440p, the average is 49 FPS (min 42, max 56). At 4K, the average drops to 38 FPS (min 33, max 44).

Q: What is the performance difference between "Low" and "Ultra" presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the "Low" preset averages 78 FPS, while the "Ultra" preset averages 28 FPS. This represents a 50 FPS difference, showing a significant performance cost for the highest graphical settings.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The frame rates are consistently low across all presets (22-62 FPS), and the scaling between presets is compressed, suggesting the Radeon RX 7800M cannot keep up with the rendering demands.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 1945 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon RX 7800M ranks 1945 out of 2911 tested combinations in The Medium. This position, in the 33rd percentile of all combos, is lower than what the individual component benchmarks might suggest. The CPU is in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, yet their combined performance in this specific game places them in the lower half of the pack.

This ranking highlights that The Medium is a demanding title that does not scale favorably with this particular hardware pairing. The data shows that while the CPU is a top-tier performer, its power is not fully utilized, as the GPU becomes the constraint at higher resolutions. The GPU, while capable, is not a top-tier part, and its performance in this game is a limiting factor. The result is a system that is stronger in synthetic benchmarks than in this specific gaming workload. The rank suggests that many other combinations of hardware, perhaps with a more balanced CPU-GPU pairing, can achieve higher frame rates in this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800M is a mobile GPU based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. It has 3840 shading units and a boost clock of 2335 MHz. Its benchmark scores, such as 17,613 in Passmark G3D, place it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating solid mid-to-high-range performance.

In The Medium, the GPU's role is the primary determinant of frame rate at resolutions above 1080p. The data clearly shows that the GPU's rendering capacity is the bottleneck, especially at 4K. The 12 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor in the tested settings, as the game runs out of raw compute power before memory capacity becomes an issue. The 180 W TDP is a significant power draw for a mobile part, but it allows for the clock speeds necessary to achieve the measured performance.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is telling. Its average benchmark score is within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti. This places it in a performance class with older, desktop-oriented parts, which explains its struggles with a modern, demanding title at high resolutions. The 35.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but The Medium's engine appears to be sensitive to memory bandwidth and raw pixel throughput, both of which are moderate for this card. The GPU is the clear performance ceiling for this system in this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a complete picture of its performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the system is capable of a wide range of frame rates. The "Low" preset delivers an average of 93 FPS, which is very smooth. The "Medium" preset averages 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, indicating a playable and stable experience. The "High" preset drops to 42 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset falls to 33 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. The "Low" preset still delivers a respectable 78 FPS. The "Medium" preset averages 49 FPS (min 42, max 56), which is borderline for smooth gameplay. The "High" preset drops to 35 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset falls to 28 FPS, making these settings less desirable for a responsive experience.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily constrained. The "Low" preset is the only one that achieves a near-playable average, at 62 FPS. The "Medium" preset averages 38 FPS (min 33, max 44), which is stuttery. The "High" preset drops to 28 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset bottoms out at 22 FPS. This data confirms that 4K gaming is only viable with the "Low" preset, and even then, it may not be a consistently smooth experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this system in The Medium depends on the target resolution. For a 60 FPS experience at 1920x1080, the "Low" preset is the only option, delivering 93 FPS. However, the "Medium" preset is a strong alternative, providing an average of 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target and likely offers a better visual experience. The "High" and "Ultra" presets should be avoided at this resolution if frame rate consistency is a priority, as they fall below 45 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the "Low" preset is the clear choice for a smooth experience, delivering 78 FPS. The "Medium" preset is playable, with an average of 49 FPS, but the minimum of 42 FPS suggests there may be noticeable dips. The "High" and "Ultra" presets are not recommended, as they produce average frame rates below 36 FPS.

For 4K (3840x2160), the "Low" preset is the only viable option, with an average of 62 FPS. The "Medium" preset, with an average of 38 FPS, is too inconsistent for a good experience. The "High" and "Ultra" presets are effectively unplayable. In summary, for the best balance of visual quality and performance, the "Medium" preset at 1080p is the most balanced choice. For higher resolutions, users must accept significant compromises in visual settings to maintain a playable frame rate.