The Medium

The Medium is a horror title that stresses both GPU and CPU, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a measured performance profile that is highly resolution-dependent. At 1920x1080, this combo produces an average of 104 FPS on Medium settings, while at 3840x2160, the same settings yield 69 FPS, indicating that the RTX 4070 SUPER becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count rises. The data shows a clear tiering: Low settings push frame rates well above 100 FPS at all resolutions, while Ultra settings drop below 60 FPS at 4K, making Medium the balanced choice for consistent playability.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 104, with a minimum of 88 and a maximum of 120, per the data for this resolution and settings row.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223, while its closest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, scores 43262, representing a deltaPct of -0.1%. This means the two GPUs are essentially tied in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for The Medium?

A: This specific combo ranks 380th out of 2911 tested combos, placing it in the top 13% of all configurations in the database.

Q: Does the Ryzen 9 9900X3D outperform the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF in average CPU benchmark score?

A: No, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 55093, giving the Intel chip a deltaPct of -0.6% relative to the AMD processor.

Q: What is the boost clock of the Ryzen 9 9900X3D?

A: The boost clock is 5.50 GHz, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz, according to the CPU specifications in the fact pack.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 4070 SUPER have, and what is its memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant performance driver in this pairing for The Medium, particularly at higher resolutions. The GPU’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with 504.2 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the game’s asset streaming, but the 192-bit bus width becomes a limiting factor when pushing 3840x2160. At 4K Ultra, the combo averages 39 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold most players consider smooth. The GPU’s base clock of 1980 MHz and boost clock of 2475 MHz are the relevant figures here, as they dictate raw rasterization throughput.

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern: at 1920x1080, the GPU is not the bottleneck, as Low settings hit 167 FPS and High settings reach 75 FPS. However, at 3840x2160, even Medium settings drop to 69 FPS, and High settings fall to 49 FPS. This suggests that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 80 ROPs are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but insufficient for consistent 4K performance in this horror title. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 83 among all GPUs, combined with an average benchmark score of 43223, confirms it is a high-end part, yet the data shows it needs settings reductions at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all within 1% of its average score, including the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262) and the RTX 4090 Mobile (43667). This indicates that in synthetic tests, the RTX 4070 SUPER performs similarly to those parts, but in The Medium specifically, the measured FPS at 4K Ultra (39 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (59 FPS) shows a 34% performance drop. That drop is steeper than the resolution scaling would suggest, pointing to VRAM capacity or bandwidth limitations at higher pixel counts.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience measured in this dataset, Medium settings at 1920x1080 provide the optimal balance of visual quality and frame rate. The combo averages 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS, ensuring no significant dips below 60 FPS. At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average drops to 88 FPS, with a minimum of 75 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. However, at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average falls to 69 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 Hz display.

Low settings are the only preset that consistently exceeds 100 FPS across all resolutions: 167 FPS at 1080p, 140 FPS at 1440p, and 110 FPS at 4K. For players prioritizing frame rate over visuals, Low is viable, but Medium offers a superior visual experience while still maintaining playable frame rates. High settings at 1440p average 63 FPS, which is acceptable, but the 75 FPS at 1080p High is less compelling compared to Medium’s 104 FPS. Ultra settings are not recommended for this combo, as the only measured average above 50 FPS is 59 FPS at 1080p; at 1440p Ultra averages 50 FPS and at 4K Ultra it drops to 39 FPS.

The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot because it delivers at least 69 FPS at every resolution, whereas High at 4K (49 FPS) and Ultra at 4K (39 FPS) fall below playable thresholds. The minimum FPS figures for Medium are also recorded (88 at 1080p, 75 at 1440p, 59 at 4K), providing confidence that frame pacing remains stable. For 4K users, Medium settings with a frame rate cap near 60 FPS would be the best measured choice, as the 59 FPS minimum is just shy of that target.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Medium, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 380th out of 2911 total combos. This places it in the top 13% of all configurations, which is a strong result given the GPU’s mid-range-to-high-end positioning. The rank reflects the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, and the data shows that the combo excels at 1080p and 1440p but loses ground at 4K.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 91 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54762, indicates that the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a top-tier processor. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (55093, deltaPct -0.6%) and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (54053, deltaPct 1.3%), are within 2% of its score. This means the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios, as its 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for the game’s multithreaded workloads.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 83 is lower than the CPU’s 91, confirming that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the weaker link in this pairing. The combo rank of 380 suggests that many other configurations with faster GPUs achieve higher FPS in The Medium, particularly at 4K. However, the measured data shows that at 1080p Medium, this combo outperforms what many lower-ranked combos would achieve, as the CPU’s strong single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 1269) helps maintain high minimum frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its 128 MB of L3 cache is substantial, and the CPU’s average benchmark score of 54762 places it in the 91st percentile among all CPUs. In The Medium, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle physics, and the data shows that it does so without becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 167 FPS, which is close to the GPU’s maximum output at that preset. The CPU’s 3dmark_16_threads score of 12490 and cinebench_r23_multicore score of 47737 indicate strong multi-threaded performance, but The Medium is not heavily CPU-bound. The single-thread score of 1269 in 3dmark and 6739 in cinebench_r23_singlecore are more relevant, as horror games often rely on single-threaded game logic. The CPU’s boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures high per-core throughput, which helps maintain the 88 FPS minimum at 1080p Medium.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D is nearly identical in average score to the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (deltaPct -0.6%) and slightly faster than the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (deltaPct 1.3%). This means that swapping the CPU would not materially change FPS in this game, as the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU’s 12 cores and 24 threads are more than adequate for The Medium, and its 128 MB L3 cache likely helps with asset reuse in the game’s fixed-camera scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings average 167 FPS, Medium averages 104 FPS with a minimum of 88 and maximum of 120, High averages 75 FPS, and Ultra averages 59 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 29 FPS, indicating that High settings introduce a significant GPU workload increase. Ultra at 1080p is playable but just barely above 60 FPS, so users with high-refresh displays should stick to Medium.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops are consistent. Low settings average 140 FPS, Medium averages 88 FPS (minimum 75, maximum 101), High averages 63 FPS, and Ultra averages 50 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is the best option for smooth gameplay, as the 75 FPS minimum ensures no stutter on most monitors. High at 1440p is borderline, with an average of 63 FPS, while Ultra at 50 FPS is not recommended for fast-paced sections. The data shows a 27 FPS drop from Medium to High at this resolution, similar to the 1080p delta.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4070 SUPER’s limitations become apparent. Low settings average 110 FPS, which is impressive for 4K, but Medium drops to 69 FPS (minimum 59, maximum 79), High falls to 49 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS. The step from Low to Medium at 4K costs 41 FPS, showing that the game’s medium-quality textures and effects heavily tax the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. High and Ultra at 4K are not viable for smooth play, as both averages are below 50 FPS. The minimum FPS for Medium at 4K is 59, which is just under a 60 FPS cap, so users should consider capping the frame rate to avoid dips.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset offers the most consistent experience, with average FPS of 104 (1080p), 88 (1440p), and 69 (4K). Low settings are the only preset that maintains over 100 FPS at every resolution, but the visual quality trade-off is significant. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can sustain high frame rates, while 4K requires Medium or Low settings to remain playable.