The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a playable but demanding experience in The Medium, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The data shows a stark contrast between low and ultra settings, making preset selection critical for maintaining smooth frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, confirming that The Medium is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 140.1 at 1920x1080 to 116.6 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 23.5 FPS, and then to 93.5 at 3840x2160, another 23.1 FPS drop. This progressive decline indicates that the RX 6800 XT’s rendering load increases significantly with pixel count.

The pattern becomes even more pronounced at Ultra settings. The average FPS drops from 47.5 at 1080p to 38.8 at 1440p (an 18.3% loss), and then plummets to 31.4 at 4K (a 19.1% loss from 1440p). These steep declines show that the GPU’s limits are reached quickly when both resolution and visual fidelity are pushed to their maximum.

At High settings, the scaling is more moderate but still definitive. The average FPS goes from 61.8 at 1080p to 51.1 at 1440p, a 10.7 FPS decrease, and then to 41.7 at 4K, a further 9.4 FPS drop. This consistent 10 FPS penalty per resolution step suggests a linear relationship between pixel count and rendering cost, typical of a game that does not scale well with multi-core CPUs.

The data indicates that the 4K Ultra target of 60 FPS is unattainable, as the measured 31.4 FPS falls far short. Even at 1440p High, the 51.1 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 1080p Low preset, at 140.1 FPS, shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the frame rate ceiling is high enough to expose the GPU’s workload limits at every other setting.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is a high-end processor that does not appear to constrain performance in The Medium. The CPU’s base clock of 4.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz are strong indicators of single-thread capability, which is often more relevant for game logic and draw calls than raw core counts.

Benchmark results for the CPU show a single-thread score of 1286 in 3DMark and 6555 in Cinebench R23, placing it in the 94th percentile against all CPUs. This suggests that the processor can handle the game’s single-threaded tasks without causing frame rate dips. The multi-threaded scores, such as 13929 in 3DMark max threads and 46438 in Cinebench R23, are also robust, but they are unlikely to be fully utilized by a horror title that typically relies on a few primary threads.

The fact that frame rates scale almost linearly with resolution and settings, rather than showing a plateau at lower resolutions, reinforces that the CPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the 140.1 FPS average is high enough to prove that the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently. The nearest rivals to this CPU, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Intel Core i7-14700F, have similar average benchmark scores with deltaPct values of -0.4 and 0.7 respectively, indicating that the 9900X is not a performance outlier in either direction.

Given the game’s release date of 2021-01-27, it is plausible that the code is not optimized for the latest multi-core architectures. The 9900X’s Zen 5 architecture and 64 MB of shared L3 cache provide ample bandwidth for game data, but the measured FPS deltas between settings suggest that the GPU’s fill rate and shading power are the decisive factors. The CPU’s role is to maintain a stable frame delivery, which it does effectively, as evidenced by the consistent FPS improvements when lowering graphical load.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 140.1, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This represents the ceiling for this combination, with the GPU able to render frames rapidly when the visual load is minimal.

*Q: Can this combo run The Medium at 4K with playable frame rates?*

A: At 4K, the average FPS ranges from 93.5 at Low settings to 31.4 at Ultra settings. The only playable option at 4K is Low, as the Medium preset drops to 58.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 54450, which is 0.4% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 0.7% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700F. This places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a top-tier processor.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 51.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 38.8 FPS. This is a difference of 12.3 FPS, or a 24.1% reduction in performance when moving to the highest quality settings.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the frame rate reaches 140.1 FPS, and it drops consistently as resolution and settings increase. The CPU’s high single-thread scores and the linear FPS scaling with graphical load point to the RX 6800 XT as the bottleneck.

Q: Does the measured data show any frame rate drops from 1440p to 4K?

A: Yes, at High settings the average FPS drops from 51.1 at 1440p to 41.7 at 4K, a 9.4 FPS decrease. At Low settings, the drop is from 116.6 to 93.5, a 23.1 FPS decrease, showing the GPU’s pixel throughput is heavily taxed at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The best experience per the measured rows is the Medium preset at 1440p, which delivers an average of 73.1 FPS. This provides a balance between visual quality and smoothness, staying well above the 60 FPS target for responsive gameplay. The High preset at 1080p, at 61.8 FPS, is also acceptable, but the 1440p Medium option offers higher resolution with a better frame rate.

For users prioritizing frame rate over fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p, with 140.1 FPS, is the most fluid option, ideal for competitive or motion-sensitive scenarios. However, this sacrifices much of the game’s atmospheric detail. At 4K, the Low preset is the only one that remains playable, with 93.5 FPS, but the Medium preset at 58.5 FPS is borderline and may be acceptable for those who prefer higher resolution over a strict 60 FPS lock.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for any resolution, as the average FPS falls to 47.5 at 1080p, 38.8 at 1440p, and 31.4 at 4K, all of which are below the playability threshold. The data shows that the jump from High to Ultra costs roughly 10 FPS at every resolution, which is a significant penalty for marginal visual gains. The Medium preset at 1440p offers the best compromise, providing a 73.1 FPS average that is 21.9% higher than High at the same resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 573rd out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the top 34% of all combinations, indicating that it is a capable setup but not at the very top of the performance hierarchy. The rank reflects the GPU’s position in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49982.

The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc A550M and NVIDIA RTX A1000, have similar average scores with deltaPct values of 0.5 and -1.7 respectively, showing that the RX 6800 XT is competitive with other mid-to-high-end cards. The combo’s rank of 573 suggests that there are many faster configurations, likely with more powerful GPUs, but this setup remains well above the median.

The CPU’s 94th percentile ranking does not boost the combo’s position significantly, as the game is GPU-bound. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s performance, rather than the CPU’s, dictates the overall experience. For a horror game with fixed camera angles and pre-rendered elements, the combo’s rank is respectable, but users seeking top-tier performance at 4K Ultra would need a more powerful GPU to improve this standing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 140.1 at Low settings, 88.3 at Medium, 61.8 at High, and 47.5 at Ultra. This shows a clear degradation from Low to Ultra, with the largest single drop occurring between Low and Medium, a loss of 51.8 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 26.5 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 14.3 FPS, indicating diminishing returns at higher presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS is 116.6 at Low, 73.1 at Medium, 51.1 at High, and 38.8 at Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 43.5 FPS, from Medium to High is 22.0 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 12.3 FPS. Compared to 1080p, each preset sees a reduction: Low loses 23.5 FPS, Medium loses 15.2 FPS, High loses 10.7 FPS, and Ultra loses 8.7 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 93.5 at Low, 58.5 at Medium, 41.7 at High, and 31.4 at Ultra. The differences between presets are 35.0 FPS (Low to Medium), 16.8 FPS (Medium to High), and 10.3 FPS (High to Ultra). From 1440p to 4K, the losses are 23.1 FPS at Low, 14.6 FPS at Medium, 9.4 FPS at High, and 7.4 FPS at Ultra. This data shows that the performance penalty for increasing resolution is more severe at lower settings, as the GPU’s fill rate becomes the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, with its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, is well-equipped for The Medium’s high-resolution textures. The GPU’s base clock of 1825 MHz and boost clock of 2250 MHz allow for significant processing power, with a game clock of 2015 MHz indicating sustained performance under load. The 4608 shading units and 72 RT cores provide the necessary compute for the game’s lighting and effects.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 49982 places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals like the Intel Arc A550M and NVIDIA CMP 50HX showing deltaPct values of 0.5 and 1.9 respectively. This indicates that the RX 6800 XT is a solid performer, but it is not at the top tier. The measured FPS data reveals that the GPU’s rendering capabilities are the primary constraint, as the frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings.

At 4K Ultra, the 31.4 FPS average is far below the 60 FPS target, highlighting the GPU’s inability to handle the highest load. The 16 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game’s assets, as there are no signs of memory-related stuttering in the data, but the raw compute power is insufficient for max settings at high resolutions. The GPU’s 20.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is respectable, but The Medium demands more than this card can deliver at the extreme end of the settings spectrum. The data suggests that the RX 6800 XT is best utilized at Medium settings or lower for a consistent experience.