The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test bed for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination. The benchmark data shows a pairing that is capable of high refresh rate gameplay at 1080p but begins to show its limitations as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming the dominant constraint. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to help you understand exactly what this hardware combo delivers.

FAQ

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

A: The combination ranks 908 out of 1656 tested combos, placing it in the middle of the pack. This suggests a balanced but not top-tier setup for this specific title.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 a strong performer relative to its closest competitors?

A: The data indicates it is highly competitive. Its average benchmark score is 18129, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-11400 (18150) and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (18158), with delta percentages of -0.1% and -0.2%, respectively.

Q: How does the Radeon RX 6700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in raw compute power?

A: Its average benchmark score is 33721, which places it slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (33493, deltaPct 0.7%) and the NVIDIA RTX A5000 (33294, deltaPct 1.3%). It is marginally behind the AMD Radeon HD 7950 (34050) and RX 480 (34059).

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 70.5. This indicates a smooth experience for most players on a 60Hz monitor, and it is also viable for higher refresh rate displays.

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

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, it achieves an average of 62.9 FPS. However, at Ultra settings, the average drops to 33.5 FPS, which is not ideal for fast-paced action.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor to balance quality and performance?

A: Based on the measured data, the High preset at 2560x1440 (70.5 FPS) offers an excellent balance. It provides a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset (88.7 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable trend: performance degrades as resolution increases, confirming that the Radeon RX 6700 XT becomes the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers a very high 169 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average drops to 111.1 FPS, a decrease of roughly 34%. This scaling continues to 4K, where the Low preset yields 62.9 FPS, another 43% reduction from the 1440p figure.

The pattern shifts when looking at the highest quality preset. With Ultra settings, the frame rate at 1080p is 91.1 FPS. This falls to 58.6 FPS at 1440p (a 36% drop) and then plummets to 33.5 FPS at 4K (a 43% drop from 1440p). The fact that the percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is similar across Low and Ultra settings (43% and 43%, respectively) strongly suggests that the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors at 4K, regardless of the complexity of the scene being rendered.

The performance differential between settings also widens with resolution. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 77.9 FPS (169 vs 91.1). At 4K, this gap shrinks to 29.4 FPS (62.9 vs 33.5). This compression indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is able to feed the GPU enough data to leverage the differences in graphical fidelity, but at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that the visual settings have a relatively smaller impact on the final frame rate. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, users will need to significantly lower settings to approach a playable 60 FPS average.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, which provides a solid foundation for gaming. In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is most evident at the 1080p resolution, where the GPU is less likely to be the sole bottleneck. The Ryzen 5 3600's multi-threaded performance, as seen in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15045, ensures that it can handle the game's engine overhead and maintain high frame rates.

The benchmark results show that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 169 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond the standard 60 FPS target. Its single-thread performance, reflected in the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2124, is also adequate for the game's primary game logic thread. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache is a significant asset, helping to reduce memory latency and improve performance in scenarios that require frequent data access.

However, as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The Ryzen 5 3600 has enough headroom to handle the increased load from the GPU at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate scaling. The CPU is unlikely to cause stuttering or bottleneck the GPU in this title, making it a well-matched partner for the RX 6700 XT. The data shows that the 3600's performance is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-11400, meaning users should see consistent performance across platforms with these comparable CPUs.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 908 out of 1656, this pairing sits near the 55th percentile of all tested combinations in The Technomancer. This is a respectable position, indicating that the system is capable of delivering a good experience, but it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy. The ranking suggests that there are many other hardware pairings that can achieve higher frame rates, but this specific setup is far from being a low-end performer.

The rank of 908 implies that the hardware is balanced enough to avoid severe bottlenecks in either direction. For example, a much weaker CPU with a top-tier GPU might rank lower due to CPU limitations, while a top-tier CPU with a weak GPU would be held back by graphics performance. The Ryzen 5 3600 and RX 6700 XT combination appears to be well-matched for this game, with the GPU being the primary performance driver at higher resolutions. The CPU's strong multi-threaded scores, such as the 17700 in Passmark multithread, ensure it can keep up with the GPU's demands.

The fact that it is ranked in the middle of the field also reflects the game's age. The Technomancer was released in 2016, and modern hardware is often overkill for it. This combo is likely in the upper-middle tier of systems that can run the game at high settings with high frame rates, but the 908 rank shows that there are many combinations with more powerful GPUs that will push significantly higher numbers, particularly at 1080p and 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

For a 1440p monitor, the High preset is the clear sweet spot. At an average of 70.5 FPS, it provides a fluid gameplay experience that is well-suited for an action RPG. The jump from Medium to High is only a 18.2 FPS decrease (88.7 to 70.5), but the visual quality improvement is typically substantial, making it a worthwhile trade-off. The Ultra preset, at 58.6 FPS, is playable but sits below the 60 FPS target, and the visual gains over High are often marginal in this title.

For 1080p users, the Ultra preset is the recommended choice. With an average of 91.1 FPS, it easily exceeds the 60 FPS threshold and provides the best visual fidelity the game has to offer. The High preset at 114.1 FPS is also an excellent option for those with high refresh rate (120Hz+) monitors, offering a significant performance boost with only a minor visual compromise.

At 4K, the situation is more challenging. The High preset yields only 38 FPS, which is not suitable for a smooth experience. To achieve a playable frame rate, users must drop to the Low preset, which delivers an average of 62.9 FPS. Even the Medium preset at 48.5 FPS is below the ideal 60 FPS target. For the best experience at 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option for this hardware combination, and users should be prepared for a significant reduction in visual detail.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 169.0 FPS
• Medium: 134.3 FPS
• High: 114.1 FPS
• Ultra: 91.1 FPS

At 1080p, the system is clearly GPU-bound at higher settings, but the CPU is strong enough to allow for a massive frame rate at Low. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 46% reduction in performance, but even the lowest result of 91.1 FPS is excellent for a smooth experience.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 111.1 FPS
• Medium: 88.7 FPS
• High: 70.5 FPS
• Ultra: 58.6 FPS

Moving to 1440p, the performance drops are more pronounced. The Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS line, making High the highest playable setting for a 60Hz display. The Low preset remains very fast, indicating that the GPU still has headroom when settings are lowered.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 62.9 FPS
• Medium: 48.5 FPS
• High: 38.0 FPS
• Ultra: 33.5 FPS

At 4K, the GPU is the definitive limiting factor. Only the Low preset achieves an average above 60 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Medium is 14.4 FPS, which is a significant penalty for a modest visual upgrade. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for a playable experience at this resolution.