The Medium

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 7600 combination delivers a specific performance profile in The Medium, characterized by a high-end processor paired with a mid-range graphics card. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the GPU is the primary limiting factor, particularly at higher visual presets. This analysis walks through the data to explain how the CPU’s 24 cores and the GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM shape the experience, what the ranking means, and which settings provide the most playable results.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. For a game like The Medium, which is a horror title with a fixed-camera perspective and heavy atmospheric rendering, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, AI, and scene streaming. The data from the measured FPS rows suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 92, which is the highest recorded in the dataset. This high frame rate at the lowest preset indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively when the graphical load is reduced.

The processor’s benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51,731 in multi-core and 7,303 in single-core. The PassMark single-thread score is 4,823, and the multi-thread score is 60,860. These numbers place the CPU at the 96th percentile compared to all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, has an average score of 83,807, which is a 0.2% difference. This means the 290K Plus is essentially tied with its closest competitor in general compute performance. For The Medium, this level of CPU power is more than sufficient. The game’s performance ceiling is dictated by the GPU, as seen when comparing the 92 FPS at Low settings to the 41 FPS at High settings at the same resolution. The CPU is not causing frame rate drops; rather, the GPU’s rendering load is the deciding factor.

The 24 cores and 24 threads are high counts for a desktop processor, but The Medium is not a game that scales across that many threads. The single-core performance, which is strong due to the 5.80 GHz boost clock, is more relevant for this title’s engine. The measured results show that even at 1080p, the frame rate drops by more than half when moving from Low to Ultra, which is a clear sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the constraint, the frame rate would remain relatively stable across settings. The data indicates the CPU is idle waiting for the GPU to complete frames, particularly at resolutions above 1080p, where the GPU’s workload increases further.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in The Medium?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 92, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only preset in the dataset that breaks the 90 FPS barrier.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations in The Medium?

A: The combination ranks 2007 out of 2911 total tested combos. This places it in the lower third of all configurations, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range position rather than the CPU’s high-end performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data points to the GPU as the limiting factor. At 2560x1440, the average FPS at Low is 77, but at Ultra it drops to 27. This significant drop across settings, combined with the CPU’s high benchmark scores, indicates the graphics card is the constraint.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only min FPS values recorded are for Medium settings. At 1920x1080, the min is 49 FPS; at 2560x1440, it is 41 FPS; and at 3840x2160, it is 32 FPS. Other settings have null min values in the data.

Q: How does the GPU’s performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 has an average benchmark score of 15,171. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, scores 15,199, which is a -0.2% difference. This means the two cards are effectively equal in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 38, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 44. This is the only 4K preset that reports a minimum FPS value.

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

The resolution scaling pattern in the measured data reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. Starting at 1920x1080, the average FPS for Medium settings is 57. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 48, a decrease of 9 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls to 38, another 10 FPS reduction. This linear decline across resolutions is consistent with the GPU’s rendering throughput being the primary constraint. The CPU, with its high core count and boost clock, is not changing its workload significantly as resolution increases; it is the GPU’s pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth that are stretched.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. At 1080p, the average is 92 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 77 FPS, and at 4K, it is 61 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is approximately 34% (from 92 to 61). This is a substantial reduction, but the frame rate remains playable at 4K Low. For High settings, the drop is from 41 FPS at 1080p to 35 FPS at 1440p and 27 FPS at 4K. The decline is less steep in absolute terms because the starting point is lower, but the relative cost of 4K is clear.

The most telling data point for the limiting component is the Ultra preset. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 33 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it is 27 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it is 22 FPS. The difference between 1080p and 4K Ultra is only 11 FPS, which suggests that the GPU is already saturated at 1080p Ultra, and additional resolution cannot be compensated for by the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a larger gap between 1080p and 4K at lower settings, where the CPU has more headroom. Instead, the frame rates scale proportionally with the number of pixels, confirming that the RX 7600’s 8 GB of VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are the decisive factors.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo rank of 2007 out of 2911 places this configuration in the 69th percentile, meaning it performs better than about 31% of tested combos but worse than the majority. This ranking is surprising given the CPU’s 96th percentile standing among all CPUs. The discrepancy highlights that in The Medium, the GPU is the dominant component for overall performance. The RX 7600’s percentile rank among all GPUs is 57, which is significantly lower than the CPU’s percentile. The combo’s overall rank is pulled down by the GPU’s mid-range capabilities.

Comparing to the CPU’s nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K has an average score of 83,807, which is 0.2% lower than the 290K Plus. This tiny delta means swapping the CPU for its closest rival would have a negligible impact on The Medium’s frame rates. The same applies to the AMD EPYC 4584PX, which is 1.1% lower in average score. These rival CPUs are all high-end server or desktop parts, but their performance in this game would be limited by the same GPU. The combo rank would likely improve only if the GPU were upgraded to a higher-tier card.

The GPU’s nearest rivals further contextualize the ranking. The RTX 3050 OEM is 0.2% faster in average score, and the AMD Radeon 680M is 0.7% faster. These are all budget or integrated-class GPUs, confirming that the RX 7600 is positioned at the entry level of discrete graphics. The combo rank of 2007 reflects this position. It is not a failure of the CPU, which is top-tier, but a reflection of the GPU’s limitations in a game that is heavily dependent on pixel shading and memory throughput.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and playability for this combo. At 1920x1080, Medium produces an average FPS of 57, with a minimum of 49 and a maximum of 66. This is above the 50 FPS threshold typically considered acceptable for a horror game, where smooth camera movement is critical for immersion. The 49 FPS minimum indicates that the frame rate stays within a narrow band, avoiding severe stutters. At 2560x1440, Medium averages 48 FPS, which is lower but still playable for a slower-paced title like The Medium. The minimum of 41 FPS at 1440p suggests occasional dips but no unplayable drops.

The Low preset offers the highest frame rates, with 92 FPS at 1080p and 77 FPS at 1440p. However, Low settings in The Medium likely reduce the atmospheric effects that are central to the horror experience. The data shows that Low at 4K averages 61 FPS, which is the only way to achieve smooth 4K gameplay with this combo. For users with a 4K display, Low settings are the recommended choice, as Medium at 4K drops to 38 FPS, which is borderline for a game that relies on precise timing of scripted events. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it averages below 35 FPS at 1080p and falls to 22 FPS at 4K. These frame rates would result in a jarring experience.

The High preset sits between Medium and Ultra, with averages of 41 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and 27 FPS at 4K. While High offers better visuals than Medium, the frame rate penalty is significant. The jump from Medium to High at 1080p costs 16 FPS (from 57 to 41), which is a 28% reduction. This trade-off is not worth it for a game that benefits from consistent frame pacing. Therefore, the data strongly supports Medium as the default choice for 1080p and 1440p displays, with Low reserved for 4K or for users who prioritize frame rate above all else.

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

The dataset provides 12 unique combinations of resolution and settings, each with an average FPS and some with minimum and maximum values. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low averages 92 FPS, Medium averages 57 FPS with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 66, High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. These numbers show a clear hierarchy, with Low being the only preset above 60 FPS. The Medium preset’s maximum of 66 FPS indicates that the system can occasionally hit 60 FPS, but the average is below that threshold.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across all presets. Low averages 77 FPS, which is still smooth. Medium averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 and maximum of 56. High averages 35 FPS, and Ultra averages 27 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p is the only one in this resolution that reports min/max values, showing a range of 41 to 56 FPS. This consistency suggests that the GPU is handling the load without large spikes. At 3840x2160, the results are more constrained. Low averages 61 FPS, which is remarkable for 4K on a mid-range card. Medium averages 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 and maximum of 44. High averages 27 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. The 4K Medium preset has the tightest min/max range in the entire dataset, indicating stable but low performance.

The data reveals that the RX 7600’s 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Low settings at 4K, as evidenced by the 61 FPS average. However, as settings increase, the VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth become insufficient, causing the frame rate to plummet. The jump from Low to Medium at 4K costs 23 FPS (from 61 to 38), which is a 38% reduction. This is the largest single-setting drop in the dataset, underscoring the GPU’s memory limitations at high resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 33 chip. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The base clock is 1720 MHz, with a boost clock of 2655 MHz and a game clock of 2250 MHz. The GPU’s 2048 shading units and 32 ray accelerators are responsible for the rendering workload in The Medium. The game’s use of fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds places a heavy burden on texture memory and fill rate, which are the GPU’s core strengths.

The 8 GB of VRAM is the most critical specification for this game. The measured results show that at 4K, the GPU can handle Low settings (61 FPS) but struggles with Medium (38 FPS). This pattern suggests that the game’s texture assets require more than 8 GB at Medium or higher settings, forcing the GPU to swap data from system memory, which reduces frame rates. At 1080p, the VRAM is less of a constraint, as evidenced by the 92 FPS at Low and 57 FPS at Medium. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1080p but becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s clock speeds are typical for a mid-range card, with a boost of 2655 MHz that allows for competitive performance in synthetic benchmarks. Its average benchmark score is 15,171, which is 0.2% lower than the RTX 3050 OEM and 0.7% lower than the AMD Radeon 680M. These rivals are all in the same performance class, confirming that the RX 7600 is not a high-end part. In The Medium, this translates to playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with medium settings, but not at 4K with high presets. The GPU’s 57th percentile rank among all GPUs aligns with the combo’s overall rank of 2007, reinforcing that the graphics card is the primary determinant of this configuration’s performance in this title. The data does not support any claims of the GPU being a performance outlier; it performs exactly as its specs suggest, with the CPU providing ample headroom that is never fully utilized.