The Medium

The Medium, a horror title from 2021, presents a unique challenge for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination. The benchmark data shows a system that delivers playable frame rates across most settings, but its performance ranking reveals a significant bottleneck. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand how this pairing of a six-core CPU and a flagship GPU performs in this specific game.

FAQ

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

A: The combination ranks 673 out of 1689 tested combos, placing it in the top 40% of all systems benchmarked for this game. While this is a solid position, it indicates that many other pairings deliver higher frame rates.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX achieve its maximum potential in this game?

A: No. The data suggests a CPU bottleneck. The RX 7900 XTX, which sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs, is paired with a CPU in the 50th percentile. This imbalance means the processor likely limits the GPU's output, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU does more work.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the highest and lowest settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the difference is substantial. The game runs at an average of 41.8 FPS on Ultra settings, but jumps to 78.6 FPS on Low settings. This represents an 88% performance increase when moving from the highest to the lowest quality preset.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305. This is almost identical to its closest rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300, 0.2% slower) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299, 0.2% slower). It is also within 0.6% of the Intel Core i7-8809G, which scores 2319.

Q: Is the game playable at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the data indicates it is playable. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 60.4 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold often considered the standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much performance is gained by lowering the resolution from 4K to 1080p at High settings?

A: Moving from 3840x2160 High (54 FPS) to 1920x1080 High (66.6 FPS) results in a 23% increase in average frame rate. This shows that the game is quite demanding at 4K, and lower resolutions provide a meaningful performance uplift.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. This processor was released in 2018 and is now end-of-life, but its specifications show it as a capable mid-range part. Its general benchmark scores place it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it performs better than half of all processors tested.

In the context of The Medium, the CPU's role is to handle the game's logic, physics, and streaming. The data suggests this is where the system's primary limitation lies. The combo's rank of 673 out of 1689 is respectable, but the GPU is significantly more powerful than the CPU. The RX 7900 XTX is in the 85th percentile of GPUs, while the i5-9400 is only in the 50th percentile for CPUs. This performance disparity is a classic sign of a bottleneck.

The measured FPS data supports this analysis. The performance scaling between resolutions is not as steep as one would expect from a purely GPU-bound scenario. For example, at High settings, the frame rate only increases from 54 FPS at 4K to 66.6 FPS at 1080p. A more powerful CPU would likely allow the GPU to stretch its legs more, resulting in a larger difference between these resolutions. The i5-9400's six physical cores without hyper-threading may struggle with the game's threaded workloads, capping the maximum frame rate the system can achieve.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a flagship GPU from the Radeon RX 7000 series. It is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its high clocks, including a boost clock of 2498 MHz, and 6144 shading units make it a powerful rendering engine. It launched with an MSRP of 999 USD. Its synthetic benchmark scores are strong, with a Geekbench Vulkan score of 192597 and a Passmark G3D score of 31238.

The GPU's role in The Medium is to render the game's fixed-camera angles, high-resolution textures, and lighting effects. The data shows that the GPU is more than capable of handling the game's demands. At 1080p, the GPU is likely being held back by the CPU. The frame rates at this resolution are high but not exceptionally so for a card of this caliber. For instance, the 60.4 FPS average at 1080p Ultra is a solid result but leaves headroom for a more powerful processor to push higher.

At 4K, the GPU's strengths become more apparent as the resolution becomes the primary bottleneck. The RX 7900 XTX still manages a 54 FPS average at 4K High, which is a demanding workload. The 24 GB of VRAM ensures that there is no memory capacity issue at any resolution or setting. The performance difference between 1080p and 4K is significant, but the GPU handles the increased pixel count better than the CPU handles the increased draw calls at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX combination ranks 673rd out of 1689 tested combos in The Medium. This puts the system in the 60th percentile of all tested configurations. This rank is influenced by the significant imbalance between the CPU and GPU. While the GPU is a top-tier component, the CPU is a more modest, mid-range part.

This rank is not a reflection of the system being unable to play the game, but rather a statement about its efficiency relative to other pairings. Many combos ranked higher will feature a more balanced pairing of a high-end CPU with a high-end GPU. The data implies that a system with a similarly powerful GPU but a newer, faster CPU would likely achieve a much higher rank. The i5-9400's 6-core/6-thread configuration is a limiting factor in this specific game, preventing the system from reaching the upper echelons of the performance chart.

The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (which is 2% slower in average score), show that the RX 7900 XTX is a top-tier performer. However, in this combo, its performance is capped by the processor. The rank of 673 suggests that the system is performing as expected given its weakest link, rather than its strongest.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in The Medium shows a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions and settings.

3840x2160 (4K): At this resolution, the system is heavily GPU-bound. The average frame rates are 41.8 FPS on Ultra, 54 FPS on High, 61.1 FPS on Medium, and 78.6 FPS on Low. The gap between Ultra and Low is 36.8 FPS, showing a significant impact from quality settings. At Ultra, the game is on the edge of playability, while at Low, it is smooth.

2560x1440 (1440p): Dropping to 1440p provides a noticeable performance increase. The average frame rates are 49.5 FPS on Ultra, 59 FPS on High, 70.5 FPS on Medium, and 80.7 FPS on Low. The 1440p Ultra setting is more playable than 4K Ultra, and the High setting just barely misses the 60 FPS mark. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance.

1920x1080 (1080p): At 1080p, the system achieves its highest frame rates. The average FPS is 60.4 on Ultra, 66.6 on High, 73.5 on Medium, and 85 on Low. Even at Ultra settings, the average frame rate is above 60 FPS. The performance scaling between settings is less dramatic here, with a 24.6 FPS difference between Ultra and Low. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is starting to become a more significant factor, preventing even larger frame rate gains. The results show this is the sweet spot for this combo, providing a playable experience across all settings.