The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, drawing a 120 W TDP. The CPU features a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache, along with 1 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. It supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, and uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor scores 47,737 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,739 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 22,884 and a single-core score of 3,041. Its average benchmark score is 54,762, placing it in the 91st percentile among all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is 0.6% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (average score 55,093), 1.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54,053), 2.0% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6505P (53,701), and 2.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F (53,620). These figures indicate a highly capable processor that sits at the top end of desktop performance, though its exact position relative to direct competitors is tight.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s role in The Medium is defined by its high core count and large cache, but the measured frame rates suggest that the CPU is rarely the primary constraint in this title. With 12 cores and 24 threads, the processor provides ample parallel processing capability, and its 128 MB L3 cache is designed to reduce memory latency, which can benefit game logic and asset streaming. However, the game’s performance scaling across resolutions and settings points to the GPU as the limiting factor in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 92 FPS average, which is the highest recorded frame rate in the dataset. This indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU sufficiently at lower graphical loads. The single-threaded performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 (6,739) and 3DMark single-thread (1,269), is strong, which is relevant for games that rely on fewer threads for main loop logic. The multi-threaded scores, such as Cinebench R23 multi-core (47,737) and 3DMark max threads (13,795), show that the CPU does not bottleneck when multiple threads are utilized, but The Medium does not appear to scale its workload to fully exploit 24 threads, as evidenced by the consistent FPS drops when resolution increases. The processor’s percentile rank of 91 out of all CPUs confirms it is a top-tier part, yet the game’s measured results show that even with this CPU, the frame rate is governed by the GPU’s capabilities. In essence, the 9900X3D provides a stable foundation, but it does not single-handedly determine the playability of the game at higher settings or resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in The Medium?*

A: The highest average FPS is 92, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the dataset that surpasses 90 FPS, indicating that lower graphical loads allow the GPU to operate closer to its maximum potential.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54,762, which is 0.6% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (55,093) but 1.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54,053). In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 47,737, but no rival scores are provided for direct comparison in that specific test.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU does not bottleneck at 1080p Low, where the combo reaches 92 FPS. However, at 1080p Ultra, the average FPS drops to 33, which is a 64% reduction from Low, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, rather than the CPU.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2007 out of 2911 tested combos in The Medium. This places it in the lower-middle range, which is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range performance profile despite the high-end CPU.

Q: How much faster is the CPU compared to the Intel Core i7-14700F?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score that is 2.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-14700F (54,762 vs. 53,620). This is a modest lead, suggesting comparable overall processing power between the two.

Q: Is the CPU’s memory bandwidth sufficient for this game?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. Given that the game’s performance scales with resolution and settings rather than showing CPU-related stutters, this bandwidth appears adequate for the workload, though the GPU’s 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is more critical for texture streaming.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for The Medium shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which strongly indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 92 at 1920x1080 to 77 at 2560x1440 (a 16.3% decrease) and then to 61 at 3840x2160 (a 33.7% decrease from 1080p). This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the number of pixels rendered directly impacts the frame rate. At Medium settings, the FPS drops from 57 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p (15.8% decrease) and to 38 at 4K (33.3% decrease from 1080p). The trend continues at High settings, with FPS dropping from 41 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p (14.6% decrease) and to 27 at 4K (34.1% decrease from 1080p). At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 33 at 1080p to 27 at 1440p (18.2% decrease) and to 22 at 4K (33.3% decrease from 1080p). The consistent proportional drops—roughly 15% from 1080p to 1440p and another 20% from 1440p to 4K—are characteristic of GPU-bound performance, where the CPU’s role remains constant but the GPU’s workload increases with pixel count. The CPU’s high multi-threaded and single-threaded scores (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core 47,737, single-core 6,739) do not show any signs of becoming a limiting factor, as the frame rate scaling is smooth and predictable. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences between 1080p and 4K, especially at lower settings where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the data shows that even at Low settings, the 4K resolution (61 FPS) is nearly 34% slower than 1080p, confirming that the Radeon RX 7600’s pixel throughput is the limiting component.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 92 at Low to 33 at Ultra. The Low setting delivers the highest frame rate, while Medium achieves 57 FPS (with a min of 49 and max of 66), High achieves 41 FPS, and Ultra drops to 33 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 59 FPS, indicating that the GPU’s performance is heavily influenced by graphical settings at this resolution. At 2560x1440, the average FPS ranges from 77 at Low to 27 at Ultra. Medium achieves 48 FPS (min 41, max 56), High achieves 35 FPS, and Ultra drops to 27 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 50 FPS, which is slightly narrower than at 1080p, suggesting that the increased pixel count begins to limit the GPU’s ability to benefit from lower settings. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 61 at Low to 22 at Ultra. Medium achieves 38 FPS (min 32, max 44), High achieves 27 FPS, and Ultra drops to 22 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 39 FPS, which is the smallest of the three resolutions, reinforcing that the GPU is increasingly constrained by resolution rather than settings. Notably, the only configuration with a recorded min and max FPS is Medium across all resolutions, with min/max values of 49/66 at 1080p, 41/56 at 1440p, and 32/44 at 4K. This suggests that the Medium preset has the most consistent frame pacing, while other settings may have more variance that was not captured in the dataset. Overall, the data shows that the combo is capable of playable frame rates (above 30 FPS) at 1080p Medium and above, but struggles at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls to 22.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested combos for The Medium, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D + AMD Radeon RX 7600 combination ranks 2007 out of 2911 configurations. This places the combo in the 31st percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 69% of tested combos perform better in this specific game. The ranking is notably lower than the CPU’s own percentile rank of 91, which indicates that the GPU is dragging down the overall performance. The CPU itself is a top-tier part, but the RX 7600, which sits in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, is a mid-range component. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 15,171, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15,199, delta -0.2%), AMD Radeon Pro 560X (15,082, delta 0.6%), AMD Radeon 680M (15,270, delta -0.7%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti (15,063, delta 0.7%). These rivals are all closely matched in synthetic benchmarks, but none of them are high-end parts, which explains why the combo’s game ranking is in the lower half. The 2007th rank suggests that while the CPU is powerful, the GPU’s performance in The Medium is the limiting factor, resulting in a combo that is outclassed by systems with more balanced or higher-end GPUs. The data shows that the CPU’s potential is not fully realized in this game because the GPU cannot sustain high frame rates at higher resolutions or settings, as evidenced by the FPS drops from 1080p to 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Low preset provides the best frame rate at 92 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a more balanced experience with 57 FPS and recorded min/max values of 49/66, which suggests smoother frame pacing. The High preset at 41 FPS is still playable but drops below the 60 FPS threshold, while Ultra at 33 FPS is marginal. For a 60 FPS target, the Low preset is the only option at 1080p, but for a 30 FPS target, Medium, High, and even Ultra (33 FPS) are viable. At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 77 FPS, which is the only setting above 60 FPS. Medium achieves 48 FPS (min 41, max 56), which is comfortable for 30-60 FPS gameplay, while High at 35 FPS and Ultra at 27 FPS are below 30 FPS and may not be ideal for smooth play. For a 60 FPS target, Low is the only choice, but Medium provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 61 FPS, which is just above 60 FPS, making it the only setting that reaches that threshold. Medium achieves 38 FPS (min 32, max 44), which is playable but not smooth, while High at 27 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are below 30 FPS and likely to feel stuttery. The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best overall experience across all resolutions, as it provides a consistent frame rate with recorded min/max values that indicate less variance. At 1080p, Medium is the sweet spot for visual fidelity without sacrificing playability, while at 1440p and 4K, Medium is still the most balanced option, albeit at lower average FPS. For users who prioritize frame rate over visuals, the Low preset is the clear winner, but for a more immersive experience, Medium is recommended.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture (Navi 33 chip) and manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It features 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 32 ray tracing cores. The GPU has a base clock of 1720 MHz, a boost clock of 2655 MHz, and a game clock of 2250 MHz. It is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 21.75 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 7600 scores 16,634 in Passmark G3D and 88,051 in Geekbench OpenCL, with an average benchmark score of 15,171, placing it in the 57th percentile of all GPUs. The GPU’s role in The Medium is critical, as the measured FPS data shows that it is the primary bottleneck. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is likely a key factor, as the game’s asset streaming and texture loads may require significant bandwidth, especially at higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is also relevant, as The Medium is a horror game with detailed environments, but the data does not indicate VRAM exhaustion at any of the tested settings. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15,199 average score, -0.2% delta), are closely matched in synthetic performance, but the RX 7600’s actual in-game performance is limited by its relatively low pixel rate of 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 339.8 GTexel/s. The GPU’s TDP of 165 W and suggested PSU of 450 W are moderate, but these are not reflected in the game’s frame rates. The data shows that the RX 7600 can handle the game at 1080p Low with high FPS, but it struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 1440p or 4K, even at Low settings (77 FPS at 1440p and 61 FPS at 4K). This confirms that the GPU’s computational and memory resources are the limiting factor in this combo, despite the CPU’s high-end capabilities.