The Medium

The Medium, a fixed-camera horror title from 2021, presents a unique stress profile that blends heavy CPU-driven scene management with demanding GPU rendering. The data for this specific configuration—the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900M—paints a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial multi-threading capabilities keep frame pacing stable. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across all settings to understand exactly where the limits of this mobile platform lie.

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

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is a mobile processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Strix Halo). It houses 16 physical cores and 32 threads, a configuration that excels in heavily threaded workloads. The base clock is 3.00 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. For a horror game like The Medium, which features a dual-reality mechanic that often requires rendering two distinct worlds simultaneously, this level of multi-threading is theoretically a boon. The CPU's L3 cache is 64 MB shared, and it supports quad-channel LPDDR5X memory with a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, which helps feed the GPU and CPU cores efficiently.

In the context of this game's measured results, the CPU appears to be a silent partner. When looking at the FPS at 1080p, the lowest resolution tested, the CPU's influence is most apparent. At Low settings, the system hits an average of 123 FPS, which is a high enough figure to suggest the CPU is not holding back performance at that point. However, as the resolution increases, the frame rates drop significantly, indicating a shift in the bottleneck. The CPU's benchmark percentile is 95, making it a top-tier part, and its average benchmark score of 77740 places it slightly behind the Intel Core i9-14900K (which scores 79097, a -1.7% delta) but ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX (score 76212, a 2% delta). This suggests it has ample headroom for gaming.

The data implies that the CPU's role here is to maintain consistent frame times, particularly in the Medium settings where we have min/max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate fluctuates between 65 and 88 FPS, with an average of 77. This narrow band suggests that the CPU is providing stable frame pacing, even when the GPU is working harder due to increased visual fidelity. The processor's robust multi-core performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35314) is likely what prevents severe stutters in The Medium's more complex scenes, where the game engine has to manage the narrative logic and the rendering of the spirit world. The CPU is not the star here, but it provides a stable foundation; the GPU is the component that determines the final frame rate.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7900M is the clear performance driver in this pairing. This mobile GPU, based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture (Navi 31 chip), is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2090 MHz. For The Medium, which is known for its high-resolution textures and detailed environments, the 16 GB VRAM capacity is a significant asset, ensuring that texture loading does not become a limiting factor even at 4K. The GPU's performance percentile is 94, and its average benchmark score of 97487 places it just 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro VII (score 97131) but 4.3% behind the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 (score 101872).

The GPU's dominance in the bottleneck equation is clear when examining the resolution scaling. The FPS drops are dramatic and consistent as resolution increases. At Low settings, the GPU is so capable that it produces high frame rates even at 4K (81 FPS), but the scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a 34% reduction (123 to 81 FPS). This is the expected behavior for a GPU-limited scenario. The RX 7900M has 4608 shading units and 72 RT cores, which are substantial numbers, but The Medium's engine still requires massive pixel throughput at higher resolutions. The GPU's pixel rate is 401.3 GPixel/s, but the sheer volume of pixels at 4K (3840x2160) overwhelms the raw compute, leading to the lower FPS observed.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K and 1440p, while the CPU has enough power to keep up. The transition from Low to Ultra settings at any resolution shows the GPU bearing the brunt of the workload. For example, at 1440p, the average FPS drops from 103 (Low) to 37 (Ultra), a 64% reduction, which is a massive hit that points directly to the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth being saturated by the increased shading and texture work. The GPU's 576.0 GB/s bandwidth is high, but the demands of Ultra settings in The Medium at 1440p still exceed what it can deliver, resulting in that 37 FPS average.

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

The measured FPS data provides a textbook example of GPU-bound scaling. As resolution increases, so does the pixel count, and the frame rate drops proportionally. At Low settings, the FPS falls from 123 at 1080p, to 103 at 1440p, and then to 81 at 4K. This is a 34% drop from 1080p to 4K. While the 4K number is still playable, the pattern is clear: the GPU is working progressively harder. At High settings, the drop is steeper in absolute terms, going from 55 FPS at 1080p, to 46 FPS at 1440p, and down to 36 FPS at 4K. This 35% reduction from 1080p to 4K is similar in proportion, but the lower starting point makes the 4K result less viable for smooth gameplay.

The Medium and Ultra settings tell an even more revealing story. At Medium, the 4K average is 51 FPS, which is exactly 66% of the 1080p average of 77 FPS. At Ultra, the 4K average of 29 FPS is also 66% of the 1080p average of 44 FPS. This consistent 33-34% performance penalty when moving from 1080p to 4K indicates that the system is purely pixel-bound. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance gap between resolutions, as the CPU load would remain similar while the GPU struggled. Instead, the linearity of the drops confirms that the AMD Radeon RX 7900M's rendering pipeline is the primary constraint.

This scaling behavior suggests that the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 CPU is not impeding performance at any resolution. The frame rate is determined almost entirely by the GPU's ability to fill pixels. The data implies that players who want to play at 4K should stick to Low or Medium settings to maintain a reasonable frame rate, while 1080p and 1440p offer much more headroom for higher visual quality. The bottleneck is unambiguously the GPU, and the CPU has been selected well to avoid being a limiting factor in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired smoothness. For a standard 60 FPS target, the analysis is straightforward. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers an average of 77 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS, making it a solid choice for a smooth experience. High settings at 1080p drop to 55 FPS, which is still playable but might not be ideal for players sensitive to frame pacing. The Low preset at 1080p is the only one that exceeds 120 FPS (123 average), which could be useful for high refresh rate displays, but it comes at the cost of visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the situation gets tighter. The Low preset is the only one that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, with an average of 103 FPS. The Medium preset averages 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS, which is borderline. For a locked 60 FPS experience, the Medium preset is the best choice, as the average is above the target and the minimum is close. The High preset at 1440p averages 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and would feel less fluid. For 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset is viable for 60 FPS, with an average of 81 FPS. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, and the High preset at 36 FPS and Ultra at 29 FPS are not recommended for a responsive experience.

The best "experience per the measured rows" is arguably the Medium preset at 1440p. It provides a balance of visual quality and performance, with an average FPS (65) that is close to the 60 FPS target and a minimum (55) that indicates only occasional dips. While the Low preset at 4K offers higher FPS, the resolution and visual quality trade-off is significant. The Medium preset at 1440p offers a better balance of image clarity and smoothness than Low at 4K, making it the most balanced recommendation. For players who prioritize frame rate above all else, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear winner, but for the best all-around experience, Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand database of tested hardware combinations for The Medium, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and the AMD Radeon RX 7900M ranks at 1207 out of 2911 tested combos. This places it in the 41st percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms more than half of the other configurations but is not in the top tier. This ranking is a holistic measure that likely includes all settings and resolutions, which means the weaker 4K performance drags down its overall standing.

The rank suggests that while this is a highly capable mobile platform, it is not the absolute best for this specific title. The GPU, while powerful, is not the top-tier desktop equivalent, and the mobile form factor likely imposes thermal constraints that prevent it from reaching the performance of higher-ranked desktop systems with more robust cooling. The combo's rank of 1207 indicates that there are other systems that can run The Medium with higher average frame rates across the board. However, it is crucial to contextualize this rank. The system is a laptop, and its performance is impressive for a mobile solution.

The data implies that this combo is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and solid for 1440p, but it will struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings. The rank of 1207 out of 2911 is a respectable middle-ground result, suggesting that many other tested configurations are either desktop behemoths or have more balanced specs for this specific game. The CPU's high percentile (95) and the GPU's high percentile (94) do not translate to a top-100 rank, which highlights how the specific demands of The Medium—particularly its heavy VRAM usage and resolution scaling—can favor other hardware combinations.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The following is a complete breakdown of the measured average FPS data, with min and max values included where they were recorded.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 123 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo.
• Medium: Average 77 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS.
• High: Average 55 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 44 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 103 FPS.
• Medium: Average 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS.
• High: Average 46 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 37 FPS.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 81 FPS.
• Medium: Average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 43 FPS and a maximum of 58 FPS.
• High: Average 36 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 29 FPS.

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern. At 1080p, the system is capable of high frame rates across all settings, with the Low preset providing a competitive advantage for esports-style play. At 1440p, the Medium preset is the last stop before frame rates drop below 60 FPS, and at 4K, the system is only comfortable with the Low preset. The min/max data for the Medium preset at all three resolutions shows a spread of roughly 15-20 FPS, indicating some scene-to-scene variance, but not a major instability issue. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p and 4K produce averages that are too low for a smooth experience, confirming that this combo is best utilized at lower resolutions or with reduced settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Medium with this hardware for a consistent 60 FPS experience?

A: The 1440p resolution with the Medium preset is the best choice for a consistent 60 FPS experience, as it averages 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset also works well, averaging 77 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but only with the Low preset, which averages 81 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal, while High (36 FPS) and Ultra (29 FPS) are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. This is evidenced by the significant frame rate drops as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K (e.g., 123 to 81 FPS at Low settings), which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900K?

A: The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 has an average benchmark score of 77740, which is 1.7% lower than the Intel Core i9-14900K's score of 79097. This indicates the Intel part is slightly faster in general synthetic workloads.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 7900M compare to the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000?

A: The RX 7900M has an average benchmark score of 97487, which is 4.3% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000's score of 101872. This suggests the Quadro is slightly more powerful in raw compute benchmarks.

Q: What is the overall ranking of this specific CPU and GPU combo for The Medium?

A: This combo ranks 1207 out of 2911 tested combinations. This places it in the upper-middle tier, indicating it outperforms a majority of other systems but is not among the top performers for this specific game.