The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both resolution and graphical presets. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER across a full matrix of settings. The data reveals a configuration capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p, solid 60+ FPS at 1440p, and a playable, though not perfectly smooth, 4K experience. The benchmark results indicate that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution increases, while the 6-core, 12-thread CPU provides consistent headroom for the game's logic.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination. For users targeting a standard 60 FPS experience, the High preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 70 FPS, making it the most balanced choice for visual fidelity and smooth gameplay. This configuration offers a substantial improvement over the Medium preset's 76.8 FPS at the same resolution, but the jump to Ultra drops the average to 49.7 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the data supports more aggressive choices. The High preset achieves a robust 104.7 FPS, while Ultra still holds at 83 FPS. For esports-style or high-refresh-rate displays, the Low preset provides a massive 157.1 FPS, but this comes at a significant visual cost. The optimal experience for most users at 1080p is the High preset, as it maintains well over 100 FPS while retaining the game's intended graphical quality. The Medium preset's 123.5 FPS offers diminishing returns over High given the linear performance curve.

For 4K, the data presents a different story. No preset achieves a consistent 60 FPS; the Low preset tops out at 55.6 FPS, with High falling to 34.8 FPS and Ultra at just 26.4 FPS. The Medium preset, at 43.5 FPS, represents the most balanced compromise for 4K, though users prioritizing frame rate over detail may prefer Low. The 4K results show a clear performance ceiling that this GPU cannot overcome, making 1440p the practical maximum resolution for a fully smooth experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K with a stable 60 FPS?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 55.6 on the Low preset, with Medium at 43.5 FPS, High at 34.8 FPS, and Ultra at 26.4 FPS. No setting reaches the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the best preset for a 1440p monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate?

A: The High preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 70 FPS. This exceeds the 60 FPS threshold while providing better visual quality than Medium (76.8 FPS) or Low (104.4 FPS), which are needlessly demanding on the GPU for the extra frames.

Q: How much performance is gained by dropping from Ultra to Low at 1080p?

A: The measured data shows a jump from 83 FPS on Ultra to 157.1 FPS on Low. This represents a large performance headroom gain, but it requires sacrificing the highest graphical effects.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p with this configuration?

A: At 1080p, the data suggests a balance, but the GPU is likely the primary limiter. The Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 cores and 12 threads with a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, which is sufficient for the game's logic. The sharp FPS drop from 157.1 on Low to 83 on Ultra indicates the GPU's rendering load is the dominant factor.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 2600 perform in synthetic benchmarks relative to its peers?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 19616, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-1345U, scores 19691, which is only 0.4% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 7530U scores 19508, 0.6% lower, showing the 2600 is well within the performance envelope of modern mid-range processors.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 2070 SUPER and its closest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 22206, putting it in the 65th percentile. It trails the NVIDIA RTX A400 by 0.5% (22307) and the RTX 4060 Mobile by 2.3% (22729), but it leads the GTX TITAN Z by 0.9% (22006) and the RX 5700 by 2.5% (21670).

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on the High preset reduces the average FPS from 104.7 to 70, a drop of approximately 33%. The subsequent move to 3840x2160 further reduces the average to 34.8 FPS, representing another 50% decline from the 1440p result.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. On Ultra, the FPS falls from 83 at 1080p to 49.7 at 1440p and then to 26.4 at 4K. The Low preset shows the same trend: 157.1 FPS at 1080p, 104.4 FPS at 1440p, and 55.6 FPS at 4K. The consistent proportional drops indicate that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER's rendering throughput, not the CPU, is the limiting factor.

The data suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power become saturated at higher resolutions. The RTX 2070 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The game's demands at 4K, particularly with higher texture and shading loads, overwhelm this capacity. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, does not show signs of becoming a bottleneck, as the FPS scaling is purely resolution-driven.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER holds a rank of 1026 out of 1656 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum, which is consistent with the measured FPS results. The rank reflects that while the GPU is a capable mid-range part, it is not among the top-tier performers for this specific title, especially at higher resolutions.

The combo's rank is influenced by the balance between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 5 2600, with an average benchmark score of 19616 and a 77th percentile ranking, is a solid mid-range processor. The RTX 2070 SUPER, with an average score of 22206 and a 65th percentile ranking, is slightly less dominant relative to the competition. The combination's overall position in the 1026th spot suggests that many other tested combos feature either faster CPUs or more powerful GPUs, which provide better margins in this game's demanding scenes.

The percentile data for the individual components helps contextualize the rank. The CPU's 77th percentile indicates it outperforms the majority of tested processors, while the GPU's 65th percentile is lower. This mismatch suggests the GPU is the weaker link in the pairing for this game. If the CPU were paired with a higher-tier GPU, the combo's rank would likely improve, but with the current configuration, it remains in the middle of the pack.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen architecture, manufactured on a 12 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, with a total of 16 MB of shared L3 cache. In The Technomancer, these specifications provide ample processing power for the game's AI, physics, and game logic systems.

The measured FPS data shows that the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at any tested resolution. At 1080p on the Low preset, the system achieves 157.1 FPS, which is a high frame rate that would stress a weaker CPU. The fact that the FPS scales consistently with resolution and settings indicates that the GPU's workload is the limiting factor, not the CPU's ability to feed the graphics card.

Synthetic benchmarks reinforce the CPU's capability. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 11186, with a single-core score of 1579. The Passmark multi-thread score is 13160, and the single-thread score is 2239. These results place the CPU in the 77th percentile of all processors, showing it is more than adequate for the demands of a 2016 Action RPG. The high thread count is particularly beneficial for modern games that can utilize multiple cores, ensuring the system maintains smooth frame delivery even in complex scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates provides a detailed picture of the system's performance across all nine tested combinations of resolution and settings.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 157.1 FPS, the Medium preset reaches 123.5 FPS, and the High preset produces 104.7 FPS. The Ultra preset, while the most visually demanding, still maintains a respectable 83 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the RTX 2070 SUPER has significant headroom, allowing for high refresh rate monitors to be fully utilized on lower presets or for a smooth 60+ FPS experience on the highest settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. The Low preset averages 104.4 FPS, providing a very smooth experience. The Medium preset falls to 76.8 FPS, and the High preset lands at 70 FPS, both comfortably above the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset, however, drops to 49.7 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for fast-paced action. This makes High the recommended setting for 1440p, as it balances visual quality with a solid frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become apparent. The Low preset is the only setting that approaches playability, with an average of 55.6 FPS. The Medium preset averages 43.5 FPS, the High preset averages 34.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 26.4 FPS. None of these frame rates are ideal for a smooth experience, making 4K viable only for users willing to accept lower visual quality or lower frame rates. The data clearly shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming.