The Medium

The Medium presents a demanding fixed-camera rendering challenge, and the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a top-tier, though not universally flawless, experience. The data indicates a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the processor's substantial cache and core count ensure that even the lowest settings at 1080p remain fluid. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, contextualizing the results against the broader benchmark database.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the bottleneck lies in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces an average of 195 FPS. Moving to 1440p at Low settings, the average drops to 178 FPS, and at 4K Low, it further declines to 140 FPS. This trajectory is relatively gentle, suggesting that at lower resolutions, the CPU is still able to feed the GPU sufficiently, though the frame rate is already beginning to be constrained by the rendering workload.

However, the scaling pattern shifts dramatically when higher settings are introduced. At High settings, the 1080p average of 95 FPS falls to 80 FPS at 1440p, and then to 63 FPS at 4K. This is a steeper decline, with the 4K result representing a 34% reduction from the 1080p figure. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with 75 FPS at 1080p dropping to 63 FPS at 1440p and finally to 50 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Ultra is exactly 33%.

This data points to a classic GPU-bound scenario at the higher resolutions and settings. The RTX 4090 is the limiting component, as the workload from the Medium's fixed camera angles and detailed scenes scales significantly with pixel count and visual complexity. The 1440p results are particularly telling; they represent a middle ground where the system maintains high refresh rate capabilities at Medium settings (111 FPS) but still shows a clear performance penalty when moving to 4K. The scaling suggests that for players targeting 4K, the Ultra preset's 50 FPS average is the cost of maximum visual fidelity, while the 63 FPS at High indicates a more playable, but still demanding, 4K experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed performance driver in this pairing. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides a 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, which is likely a critical factor in handling The Medium's high-resolution textures and the game's tendency to switch between two simultaneous worlds. The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are also present, though the measured data does not isolate ray tracing performance.

The GPU's clock speeds are substantial, with a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz. This high boost clock, combined with 16,384 shading units, allows for the raw compute throughput needed to maintain playable frame rates at 4K. The raw compute capability is reflected in the FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS. In terms of the benchmark database, the RTX 4090's average benchmark score of 60347 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a top-tier performer.

Its nearest rivals in the database, based on average benchmark score, include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (0.3% delta). These comparisons are based on synthetic workload averages and do not reflect gaming performance, where the RTX 4090's architecture is expected to be far superior. The data from The Medium, where the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K Ultra (50 FPS), shows that even this flagship card is pushed hard by the game's maximum settings. The fact that the card is end-of-life and has a successor does not diminish its current standing; the measured results show it is still capable of delivering strong performance, though not always at a locked 60 FPS with every setting maxed out at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides the computational foundation for this system. With 12 cores and 24 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, it offers substantial multi-threaded capability. Its base clock of 4.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz are high, but the defining feature is likely the 128 MB of L3 cache, which is a hallmark of the X3D series and can significantly benefit gaming workloads by reducing memory latency.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU and handle game logic, physics, and the rendering of the two simultaneous worlds. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any of the tested settings. At 1080p Low, the 195 FPS average is a strong indicator that the CPU can push frames far beyond what most displays can handle. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 75 FPS average shows no signs of CPU limitation, as the performance drop from Low to Ultra is consistent with the increased GPU load.

The Ryzen 9 9900X3D's synthetic benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737 and a single-core score of 6739. Its average benchmark score of 54762 places it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals, based on average score, are the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (-0.6%), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (1.3%), and the Intel Xeon 6505P (2%). These deltas are very small, indicating the 9900X3D sits in a tight competitive cluster in terms of overall synthetic performance. However, the specific gaming advantage of the large L3 cache is not captured in these aggregate scores. The measured FPS data in The Medium suggests that this CPU provides ample headroom, ensuring that performance is dictated by the GPU and the selected graphics settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system is capable of very high frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 195. Medium settings produce an average of 132 FPS, with a minimum of 112 FPS and a maximum of 152 FPS. High settings yield 95 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 75 FPS. This progression shows a clear and consistent cost for each step up in visual quality, with a 61.5% reduction in average FPS from Low to Ultra.

At 1440p, the frame rates remain high but begin to show the GPU's increasing workload. Low settings average 178 FPS, Medium settings average 111 FPS (min 95, max 128), High settings average 80 FPS, and Ultra settings average 63 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is notable as it exactly matches the 4K High result of 63 FPS, indicating that the combination of resolution and settings has a similar impact on the GPU. The drop from 1080p Ultra (75 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (63 FPS) is a 16% reduction, while the drop from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra (50 FPS) is a 20.6% reduction.

At 4K, the performance becomes more demanding. Low settings still produce a very playable 140 FPS average. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS. High settings produce 63 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 50 FPS. The 4K Medium result is the only 4K setting with min/max data, showing a 27 FPS variance. The data shows that for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the maximum viable option, while Ultra settings will require a tolerance for sub-60 FPS performance or the use of upscaling technologies, which are not reflected in these measured numbers. The jump from 4K Low (140 FPS) to 4K High (63 FPS) is a 55% reduction, highlighting the significant cost of the High preset over Low.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 54 out of 2911 tested combos for The Medium. This places it in the top 1.9% of all systems tested, a position that reflects the high-end nature of both components. The rank is a composite measure, likely considering performance across all tested resolutions and settings.

This high ranking is directly supported by the measured FPS data. The system consistently delivers high average frame rates, with the lowest average being 50 FPS at 4K Ultra. The rank of 54 suggests that there are only 53 other combinations of CPU and GPU that perform better in this specific game. Given the RTX 4090's status as the top consumer GPU in the database, any combos ranked higher are likely paired with a CPU that offers an even stronger gaming performance in this title, possibly due to even higher clock speeds or a more favorable cache configuration for The Medium's specific engine.

The rank is a relative measure, and while it is excellent, it also indicates that the 9900X3D is not the absolute fastest gaming CPU in the database. The data shows that the system is GPU-bound at higher settings, so the CPU's contribution to the rank is more pronounced at 1080p. Despite this, the combination's placement in the top 2% reflects its overall capability and ensures a high-performance experience in The Medium, with the only compromises occurring at the most demanding 4K Ultra preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p and 1440p displays, the Medium preset offers an excellent balance. At 1080p, it delivers 132 FPS, and at 1440p, it maintains 111 FPS. Both are well above the 60 FPS threshold and provide a smooth experience. The High preset is also viable at these resolutions, with 95 FPS at 1080p and 80 FPS at 1440p, but the jump to Ultra provides a diminishing return in visual quality for a significant performance cost.

For 4K displays, the recommendation is more nuanced. The Ultra preset produces an average of 50 FPS, which is not ideal for a smooth experience and dips below the 60 FPS target. The High preset, however, achieves a 63 FPS average, which is a playable and consistent frame rate for this type of game. This makes High the recommended preset for 4K. The Medium preset at 4K offers a significant performance boost to 87 FPS, but the visual compromises might be more noticeable at this high resolution. The data shows the 4K High setting provides the best compromise for a 4K experience.

The Low preset provides the highest frame rates at all resolutions (195 FPS at 1080p, 178 FPS at 1440p, 140 FPS at 4K) but is not recommended for a game like The Medium, where atmosphere and visual fidelity are key components of the horror experience. The Medium preset, with its minimum frame rates above 74 FPS at 4K and above 95 FPS at 1440p, ensures a stable experience without the risk of noticeable stutters. In summary, Medium is the best choice for high refresh rate monitors at 1080p and 1440p, while High is the recommended preset for a 4K experience that balances visual quality with a solid 60 FPS average.