The Medium

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti pairing in The Medium presents a clear study in hardware bottlenecks. The data shows a combination where the CPU’s substantial multi-threading capabilities are largely untapped, while the GPU’s memory configuration and raw throughput dictate the experience across all tested resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that this is a system where graphical settings and resolution have a far more profound impact on performance than any processor-related variable.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is the primary driver of frame rate in The Medium, and its specifications explain the performance tiers observed. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1575 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, featuring 6144 shading units. This computational foundation, capable of 21.75 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, is paired with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is the critical constraint at higher settings. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average frame rate is 38 FPS. Moving to Ultra settings at the same resolution drops the average to 30 FPS. This steep decline suggests that the Ultra preset’s texture and geometry demands are not just taxing the processing units but also pushing against the memory ceiling, causing the GPU to manage data less efficiently. In contrast, the 608.3 GB/s bandwidth provides ample throughput for lower settings, allowing the card to stretch its legs. At 1080p Low, the card achieves 129 FPS, showing that when memory pressure is low, the underlying Ampere architecture is highly capable.

The GPU’s performance percentile of 75 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29945, places it in the upper-middle tier. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800, which scores 0.5% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, which scores 0.5% lower. This tight grouping means that in The Medium, the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB frame buffer is the differentiating factor. The data shows that the card’s raw compute power is sufficient for high frame rates, but the VRAM limits the potential at 4K Ultra, where the game’s asset streaming becomes a bottleneck.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling curve. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers 129 FPS. At 1440p Low, this falls to 109 FPS, and at 4K Low, it further drops to 85 FPS. This progression demonstrates that even at the lowest graphical preset, the GPU is the limiting factor as resolution increases. The frame rate does not scale linearly with pixel count, but the consistent decline indicates that the render target is the primary pressure point.

The scaling is more aggressive at higher settings. For Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 81 at 1080p to 68 at 1440p and 53 at 4K. This shows a 34.5% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is expected for a GPU-bound scenario. However, the High and Ultra presets show even steeper cliffs. High settings produce 58 FPS at 1080p, 49 at 1440p, and 38 at 4K. Ultra settings are the most punishing: 46 FPS at 1080p, 39 at 1440p, and 30 at 4K.

The pattern indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti is the sole limiting component. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect the frame rates at 1080p Low and 1080p Medium to be closer together, as the processor would max out before the GPU becomes saturated. Instead, the 48 FPS difference between Low (129 FPS) and Ultra (46 FPS) at 1080p proves that the GPU’s workload is the deciding factor. The CPU is not holding back performance at any resolution, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra scenario is bound by the GPU’s compute and memory limits.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exemplary, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. It ranks in the 91st percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54762, placing it just 0.6% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF and 1.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K.

Despite this immense processing power, The Medium does not appear to leverage it. The game’s fixed-camera angles and limited on-screen entities likely reduce the CPU’s role to basic game logic and draw call submission. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the system achieves 129 FPS. This is an excellent result but not one that suggests the CPU is being pushed to its limit. The processor’s multi-threading capabilities, evidenced by a PassMark multithread score of 56154, are largely idle, as the game does not appear to scale with the available 24 threads.

The CPU’s 128 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock ensure that any single-threaded tasks are handled efficiently, but the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings shows no sign of CPU-induced variability. The minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings at 1080p is 69, which is a 14.8% deviation from the average of 81. This consistency suggests that the processor is delivering frames without stutter or bottleneck, allowing the GPU to work at its own pace. In this pairing, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a capable foundation that never becomes the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the best performance I can expect at 4K with this hardware?

A: The maximum average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 85 FPS, achieved with Low settings. At High settings, the average drops to 38 FPS, and at Ultra, it is 30 FPS.

Q: How much of a frame rate penalty is there for using Ultra settings over Medium at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 68 FPS, while Ultra yields 39 FPS. This represents a 42.6% reduction in average frame rate when switching to Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the FPS numbers in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the sole limiting factor. Frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings, and the CPU’s high multi-thread scores do not correlate with any performance ceiling in the measured results.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p with Low settings, the average is 129 FPS, and with Medium settings, it is 81 FPS. However, High settings average 58 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800, scores 30095, which is 0.5% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti scores 29783, which is 0.5% lower.

Q: What is the lowest 4K average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest 4K average is 30 FPS, which occurs with Ultra settings. The Medium preset provides a higher average of 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for this combination. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers an average of 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93, providing a smooth and responsive experience. The Low preset achieves 129 FPS, but the visual quality reduction is substantial. High settings at 1080p only yield 58 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for a horror title where smooth camera movement is crucial.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset remains the optimal choice. It produces an average of 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 78. This is playable and visually superior to 1080p. The High preset at 1440p averages 49 FPS, which is acceptable but introduces more noticeable frame pacing issues. For 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a playable experience, averaging 53 FPS with a minimum of 45. Low settings at 4K average 85 FPS, but the reduction in texture quality and effects is severe. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as they produce an average of 46 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p, and 30 FPS at 4K, all of which are below the acceptable playability threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all combinations of resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves 129 FPS on Low, 81 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93), 58 FPS on High, and 46 FPS on Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as follows: 109 FPS on Low, 68 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 58 and maximum of 78), 49 FPS on High, and 39 FPS on Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the results are 85 FPS on Low, 53 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61), 38 FPS on High, and 30 FPS on Ultra.

The frame rate deltas between settings are consistent. Across all resolutions, moving from Low to Medium incurs a significant penalty, typically a 37% reduction in average FPS. Moving from Medium to High results in a further 28% reduction, and from High to Ultra, a further 21% reduction. This data suggests that the game’s settings scale primarily with GPU compute and memory bandwidth, with the RTX 3070 Ti’s 8 GB VRAM becoming a hard limit at Ultra settings in 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti ranks 1304 out of 3724 tested combinations for The Medium. This places it in the 65th percentile of all tested configurations. The ranking reflects the GPU’s mid-to-high-tier status, as the CPU is far more powerful than necessary for this particular game.

The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU’s 8 GB memory capacity, which limits Ultra settings performance at high resolutions. The data shows that the combo is capable of excellent performance at Low and Medium settings, but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra. This ranking suggests that while the system is well-above average, it is not optimized for maximum quality in The Medium. The CPU’s high benchmark scores do not translate to a better rank in this title, as the game is clearly GPU-bound. The combo’s position in the middle of the pack is a direct result of the RTX 3070 Ti’s performance ceiling, not a reflection of the Ryzen 9 9900X3D’s capabilities.