The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title built on Unreal Engine 4, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution and quality settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 across a matrix of resolutions and presets. The data reveals a configuration where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the high-core-count CPU provides ample headroom for the game's logic and rendering threads. The results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant compromises to maintain playable frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Medium preset, the system delivers an average of 63 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 53 FPS at 1440p, and further to 42 FPS at 4K. This represents a 16% performance loss from 1080p to 1440p, and a 33% loss from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the increasing pixel count directly taxes the Radeon RX 9060's rendering capabilities.

The trend is even more pronounced at the High preset. The average frame rate falls from 45 FPS at 1080p to 38 FPS at 1440p, a 16% drop, and then to 30 FPS at 4K, a 33% drop from the 1080p baseline. This consistent percentage decrease across different presets strongly suggests that the limiting component is the graphics card, as the CPU's workload does not scale with resolution in the same way. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D's processing power remains constant, but the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput become increasingly strained.

The Low preset tells a similar story, albeit from a higher starting point. At 1080p, the system achieves 101 FPS, which drops to 85 FPS at 1440p and 67 FPS at 4K. The absolute frame rate differences are larger here, but the percentage drops are consistent with the other presets. The data indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is still the primary constraint at 4K, as the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck with such a high-end processor.

The implications for the limiting component are clear. The consistent scaling pattern across all presets points to the GPU as the bottleneck, particularly at 1440p and 4K. The fact that the 1080p results are significantly higher across all settings suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately at this resolution. The 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 9 9900X3D has sufficient processing headroom, as evidenced by its high multi-threaded benchmark scores, to handle The Medium's demands at lower resolutions without becoming a limiting factor.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060, based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, is a mid-range graphics card with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. These clock speeds, combined with the shading units and texture mapping units, determine the card's raw rasterization performance. The data shows that this GPU is the decisive factor in the measured frame rates.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical consideration for The Medium, a game known for its detailed environments and high-resolution textures. At 1080p and 1440p, the available VRAM appears sufficient, as the performance scaling is consistent. However, at 4K, the combination of higher resolution textures and increased pixel data likely pushes the memory capacity to its limits. This is reflected in the significant performance drop at 4K, where the Ultra preset yields only 24 FPS, likely due to a combination of GPU compute limits and potential memory pressure.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its performance in this title. With an average benchmark score of 16014, the RX 9060 sits in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has a slightly higher score of 16129, a 0.7% difference. This suggests that the RX 9060's performance is comparable to a last-generation mid-range card, which is consistent with the measured frame rates in The Medium. The card's DirectX 12 benchmark score of 44 in the PassMark suite is notably low, but this specific test may not be representative of real-world gaming performance.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck is evident in the scaling analysis. As resolution increases, the frame rates drop proportionally, indicating that the card's fill rate and shader processing capabilities are being saturated. The high boost clock of 2990 MHz helps maintain performance at lower resolutions, but it cannot overcome the sheer volume of pixels at 4K. The 8 GB memory configuration is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but the data suggests it may be a limiting factor at 4K, especially with higher quality settings that demand more memory for textures and geometry.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a high-end desktop processor from the 9000 series, featuring 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture. It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a substantial 128 MB of L3 cache. This configuration is designed for both high single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, making it a formidable partner for any GPU. In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and the rendering thread, which it does with significant headroom.

The benchmark results for this CPU show strong performance across various workloads. Its multi-threaded Cinebench R23 score of 47737 demonstrates immense parallel processing capability, while its single-core score of 6739 indicates excellent per-thread performance. This balance is ideal for gaming, as most titles, including The Medium, rely on a few heavily loaded threads. The CPU's 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms its high-end status, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF, has a nearly identical average score with a 0.6% difference.

In this specific game, the CPU does not appear to be the limiting factor at any resolution. Evidence for this comes from the resolution scaling data: if the CPU were the bottleneck, frame rates would remain relatively constant regardless of resolution. Instead, the frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a clear sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures that the game's primary thread can be processed quickly, while the 12 cores handle background tasks and additional threads without issue.

The CPU's memory support includes DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. This is more than sufficient for the demands of a game like The Medium, which does not require extreme memory bandwidth. The large L3 cache of 128 MB is also beneficial, as it can store frequently accessed game data, reducing latency and improving overall responsiveness. The data strongly indicates that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides a solid foundation for gaming, and its performance is not a constraining factor in the measured results.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience for this combo. The goal is to find a balance between visual quality and a smooth, playable frame rate, typically defined as 60 FPS or higher. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 101 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the visual compromise may be significant for a game that relies on atmosphere and detail.

The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This represents a better balance between quality and performance, as it provides a more detailed rendering while maintaining playable frame rates. The measured minimum of 53 FPS and maximum of 72 FPS indicate some variability, but the average is solid. For 1080p users, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for the best overall experience, as it offers improved visuals over Low without a substantial performance penalty.

At 1440p, the Medium preset yields 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Low preset, however, achieves 85 FPS, providing a much smoother experience. Given that The Medium is a slower-paced horror game, the 53 FPS average from the Medium preset may be acceptable for many players, but the 85 FPS from Low offers a more consistent and responsive feel. The High preset at 38 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 30 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience.

For 4K resolution, the options are more limited. The Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is the only preset to offer a consistently playable experience at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 42 FPS, and High and Ultra fall below 30 FPS. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo requires the Low preset to achieve a comfortable frame rate. The 8 GB VRAM limit likely contributes to the poor performance at higher settings, as the game may struggle to fit all necessary textures in memory.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1648 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the 43rd percentile of all tested configurations, indicating that it is a mid-pack performer specifically for this title. The rank reflects the overall gaming experience, taking into account all measured resolutions and settings.

This ranking is somewhat surprising given the high-end nature of the CPU. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a top-tier processor, but the RX 9060 is a mid-range GPU, and the combo's overall performance is heavily weighted by the GPU's capabilities. The 1648th rank suggests that many other combos, likely those pairing a similar or better CPU with a more powerful GPU, achieve higher average frame rates across the test matrix. The GPU's 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs drags down the overall combo performance.

The rank also indicates that this specific pairing is not optimized for maximum performance in The Medium. A more balanced system might pair the CPU with a higher-tier GPU to achieve a better rank. However, the combo's performance is still respectable, with the 1080p Low preset achieving over 100 FPS and the 1440p Low preset delivering 85 FPS. The rank of 1648 out of 2911 puts this system in the upper half of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms a majority of other configurations.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 at the Medium preset offers the best balance with an average of 63 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 101 FPS for maximum smoothness, but Medium provides better visual quality while staying above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Medium?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is possible but limited. The Low preset at 3840x2160 averages 67 FPS, which is playable. However, the Medium preset drops to 42 FPS, and High and Ultra presets fall to 30 and 24 FPS respectively, making them less suitable for a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck for this title?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates that the GPU (AMD Radeon RX 9060) is the primary bottleneck. Frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D's high core count and clock speeds provide ample headroom and are not the limiting factor.

Q: How does this combo compare to other systems tested?

A: This combo ranks 1648 out of 2911 tested combinations for The Medium. This places it in the upper half of all tested systems, indicating it performs better than a majority of other configurations, though it is not a top-tier performer due to the mid-range GPU.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: At the Medium preset, the average frame rate drops from 63 FPS at 1080p to 53 FPS at 1440p. This represents a 16% performance decrease, which is consistent with the increased pixel count and the GPU's limited capacity.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: The data suggests that 8 GB is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, as performance scaling is consistent at these resolutions. However, at 4K with higher settings, the significant drop in frame rates, particularly at Ultra (24 FPS), may indicate memory pressure for high-resolution textures.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following section details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset. The data is sourced from the benchmark results, with minimum and maximum values provided where available.

1920x1080:

• Low: 101 average FPS
• Medium: 63 average FPS (minimum 53, maximum 72)
• High: 45 average FPS
• Ultra: 36 average FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 85 average FPS
• Medium: 53 average FPS (minimum 45, maximum 61)
• High: 38 average FPS
• Ultra: 30 average FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 67 average FPS
• Medium: 42 average FPS (minimum 35, maximum 48)
• High: 30 average FPS
• Ultra: 24 average FPS

The data reveals a consistent pattern across all resolutions. The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, with 1080p providing over 100 FPS. The Medium preset is the most balanced, offering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. The High and Ultra presets become increasingly demanding, with 4K Ultra dipping to just 24 FPS, a level that is not suitable for a smooth gaming experience. The minimum FPS values for the Medium preset show some frame pacing issues, particularly at 1440p where the minimum is 45 FPS, but the overall averages remain within acceptable ranges for the horror genre, which is less dependent on rapid reaction times.