The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a playable but constrained experience in The Medium, heavily dependent on resolution and settings. This combination ranks 2571st out of 3724 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database for this title. The data shows a system where the 12-core, 24-thread processor provides ample headroom, while the graphics card becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a TDP of 120 W on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The CPU’s cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of shared L3 cache, which supports its strong multithreaded performance.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 9 9900X scores 32,172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,253 in single-core, while Geekbench yields 22,174 multi-core and 3,010 single-core. These scores place the CPU in the 92nd percentile among all processors, indicating it is a high-tier part for general computing. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9015 with a 0.1% lower average score, the AMD EPYC 7313 with a 0.2% higher score, the Intel Core i9-14900 with a 1.1% lower score, and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M with a 1.4% lower score. This positioning suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor in game performance.

For The Medium, a horror title that relies on fixed camera angles and pre-rendered environments, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. The benchmark results indicate that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU is most likely to be stressed, the average FPS of 92 is well above playable thresholds. The 24 threads provide substantial parallel processing capability, but the game’s engine does not appear to scale heavily with core count beyond a certain point. The data shows that at 1080p Medium, the average FPS drops to 57, and at High it falls to 41, suggesting that the GPU is already becoming the bottleneck even at lower resolutions. The CPU’s high single-thread score of 2,253 in Cinebench R23 helps maintain consistent frame pacing, but the measured FPS declines across increasing settings indicate that the processor is not the constraining component in this pairing.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 92 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for a horror game where quick camera movements can occur. The Medium preset at 1080p drops to 57 FPS average, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS, which remains playable but introduces some frame variability. The High preset at 1080p yields 41 FPS average, and the Ultra preset falls to 33 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS threshold that many players prefer for fluid motion.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 77 FPS, which is still smooth, while Medium averages 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 FPS and maximum of 56 FPS. The High preset at 1440p drops to 35 FPS, and Ultra to 27 FPS, making these settings less desirable for sustained gameplay. At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 61 FPS, which is acceptable, but Medium drops to 38 FPS with a minimum of 32 FPS, and High falls to 27 FPS, with Ultra at 22 FPS.

Based on this data, the best experience for most users would be the Low preset at 1080p, as it provides the highest average FPS of 92, ensuring minimal stutter and maximum responsiveness. However, for those who prefer higher visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1080p offers a balance with 57 FPS average and a minimum of 49 FPS, which remains above the 30 FPS console-like baseline. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, while at 4K, even Low struggles to maintain high frame rates, averaging 61 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is a reasonable compromise for visual quality, but the frame pacing shows a 15 FPS gap between minimum and maximum, which could be noticeable in fast-paced scenes.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7600 is the primary limiting component in this system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 92 at 1080p to 77 at 1440p, a 16.3% reduction, and then to 61 at 4K, a further 20.8% reduction from 1440p. This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load increases with pixel count, and the CPU’s high performance is not the constraining factor.

At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 57 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p, a 15.8% drop, and then to 38 at 4K, a 20.8% drop from 1440p. The minimum FPS at Medium also scales similarly, from 49 at 1080p to 41 at 1440p to 32 at 4K. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 41 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p, a 14.6% reduction, and then to 27 at 4K, a 22.9% reduction from 1440p. The Ultra preset shows the steepest relative drops, from 33 at 1080p to 27 at 1440p, an 18.2% reduction, and then to 22 at 4K, an 18.5% reduction from 1440p.

The pattern across all settings shows that the FPS reduction from 1080p to 1440p is consistently around 15-18%, while the reduction from 1440p to 4K is slightly larger at 18-23%. This suggests that the GPU’s rendering capabilities are being saturated as resolution increases, with the 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 7600 has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units, with a boost clock of 2655 MHz, but the data shows that these resources are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The CPU’s performance is not the bottleneck, as its high single-thread and multi-thread scores would allow it to handle the game logic even at 4K if the GPU could keep up.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2571st out of 3724 tested combos in The Medium, placing it in the 31st percentile of all systems tested. This rank reflects the GPU’s mid-tier positioning, as the RX 7600 sits in the 57th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15,171. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM with a 0.2% lower average score, the AMD Radeon Pro 560X with a 0.6% higher score, the AMD Radeon 680M with a 0.7% lower score, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti with a 0.7% higher score.

The CPU’s high percentile ranking of 92 does little to boost the combo’s position in this game, as the measured FPS data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor. The 2571st rank out of 3724 combos means that roughly 69% of tested systems perform better, which is consistent with a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU. The data suggests that users would see significant improvements by upgrading the GPU, while the CPU has ample headroom for future graphics card upgrades. The combo’s rank is not a reflection of the CPU’s capability, but rather the GPU’s performance ceiling in this specific title.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Medium?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings provides the highest average FPS of 92, while 2560x1440 with Low settings averages 77 FPS. At 3840x2160, even Low settings only average 61 FPS, so 1080p or 1440p are the most viable options for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X has 12 cores and 24 threads with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and its high benchmark scores (32,172 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) indicate it is not the bottleneck. The FPS drops across settings and resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations.

Q: Is the Low preset better than Medium for this combo?

A: Yes, based on the measured data, Low provides significantly higher average FPS at all resolutions: 92 vs 57 at 1080p, 77 vs 48 at 1440p, and 61 vs 38 at 4K. Medium offers better visuals but with a minimum FPS of 49 at 1080p, which is still playable.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum FPS is 49, at 2560x1440 Medium it is 41, and at 3840x2160 Medium it is 32. These minimums indicate frame dips that could be noticeable during intense scenes.

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

A: This combo ranks 2571st out of 3724 tested combos, meaning it performs better than about 31% of systems. The GPU is the limiting factor, as it sits in the 57th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Does the CPU’s high single-thread performance help in this game?

A: The CPU scores 2,253 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which helps with game logic and draw calls, but the data shows that FPS scales primarily with resolution and settings, indicating the GPU is the constraining component.

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

The following data is taken directly from the measured FPS rows for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 7600 in The Medium.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average FPS of 92, with no minimum or maximum recorded. The Medium preset averages 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 66 FPS. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 33 FPS, with no min/max data for either.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 77 FPS, with no min/max recorded. The Medium preset averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 56 FPS. The High preset averages 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 27 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 61 FPS, with no min/max recorded. The Medium preset averages 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and a maximum of 44 FPS. The High preset averages 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 22 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern where each step up in settings reduces average FPS by roughly 20-30%, and each increase in resolution reduces FPS by 15-20%. The Medium preset is the only one with full min/max data, providing insight into frame pacing: at 1080p the range is 49-66 FPS, at 1440p it is 41-56 FPS, and at 4K it is 32-44 FPS. This variance of approximately 17-20 FPS between minimum and maximum indicates some frame instability, particularly at higher resolutions. The Ultra preset at 4K is the lowest measured performance, averaging just 22 FPS, which is below playable thresholds for most users.