The Technomancer

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 3000 series, built on the Zen 2 architecture (codename Matisse) using TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. Memory support is dual-channel DDR4 with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 3600 demonstrates a balanced profile. Its single-thread performance in Cinebench R23 is 2124, while the multi-core score reaches 15045. The 3DMark threaded tests show scaling: 1361 in 2-thread, 2579 in 4-thread, 3844 in 8-thread, and 4605 in 16-thread, with the max-thread score at 4603. This indicates that the processor gains substantial performance from additional threads up to 8, after which returns diminish—a pattern typical of a 6-core/12-thread part where the 16-thread test uses SMT but hits physical core limits.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 17035, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the Intel Core i7-1260P scores 17007 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i5-11400 scores 17067 (0.2% lower), the AMD EPYC 7573X scores 17070 (0.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7742 scores 16998 (0.2% higher). These deltas are negligible, meaning the Ryzen 5 3600 effectively sits at parity with these four processors in overall CPU performance.

For The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient for the game's era. The game was released in 2016 when quad-core CPUs were common, so the Ryzen 5 3600's additional threads provide headroom for background tasks and any game engine overhead. The single-core performance of 892 in Cinebench R20 and 1536 in Geekbench single-core suggests that the CPU can handle the primary game thread without bottlenecking, even at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work per frame.

The measured FPS data supports this interpretation. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 138 FPS average, which is a high frame rate that would require solid CPU throughput to maintain. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see frame rates plateau across different resolutions at low settings, but the data shows otherwise: at 1440p Low, the average drops to 90 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls to 49 FPS. This scaling indicates that the CPU is not the primary constraint; rather, the GPU workload grows with resolution.

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

The Intel Arc B580 is a Battlemage-generation GPU (Arc 5 series) built on the Xe2-HPG architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, along with 20 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz, with memory clocked at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The memory subsystem consists of 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The B580's compute capabilities include an FP32 throughput of 13.67 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s. Its texture rate is 427.2 GTexel/s. The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. It connects via PCIe 4.0 x8 and has a TDP of 190 W, requiring a single 8-pin power connector and a suggested 450 W PSU.

In synthetic benchmarks, the B580 scores 15748 in Passmark G3D and 7729 in Passmark GPU Compute. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 92821 and Vulkan score is 109672. The GPU's average benchmark score is 23021, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are: AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (score 23061, 0.2% higher), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895, 0.6% higher), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (score 23172, 0.7% lower), and NVIDIA P106-100 (score 23249, 1% lower). The B580 sits between the RTX 2080 and the RX 580 2048SP in aggregate performance, with the RTX 3080 being only 0.7% faster on average.

For The Technomancer, the 12 GB VRAM is notably generous for a game from 2016. Even at 4K Ultra, VRAM usage is unlikely to approach 12 GB, meaning the GPU will not be constrained by memory capacity. The 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is also ample for the game's texture streaming. The GPU's raw throughput, however, shows its limits at higher resolutions: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25, which is below playable thresholds.

The GPU's performance scaling across settings is instructive. At 1080p, moving from Low (138 FPS) to Ultra (70 FPS) reduces performance by roughly half. At 1440p, the same settings span from 90 FPS to 46 FPS. At 4K, the range is 49 FPS to 25 FPS. This consistent ~50% reduction from Low to Ultra across all resolutions suggests that the GPU's shading and fill-rate capabilities are the primary determinants of frame rate, with the CPU playing a secondary role.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 138 at 1080p, to 90 at 1440p, to 49 at 4K. This represents a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total reduction from 1080p to 4K is 64%. At High settings, the figures are 90 FPS at 1080p, 59 at 1440p, and 32 at 4K—a 34% drop, then 46%, for a total of 64% reduction as well.

At Medium settings, the averages are 106 FPS at 1080p, 69 at 1440p, and 38 at 4K. The 1080p-to-1440p drop is 35%, and the 1440p-to-4K drop is 45%. At Ultra settings, the values are 70 FPS at 1080p, 46 at 1440p, and 25 at 4K, with drops of 34% and 46% respectively. The consistency of these percentage drops across all four settings is striking.

This pattern indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU workload is largely independent of resolution. Instead, the FPS drops by roughly one-third when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and then by nearly half when moving from 1440p to 4K. This is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the pixel throughput and shading demands scale with resolution.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 4K High, the average is 32 FPS, which is marginally playable but far from smooth. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 25 FPS, which is below the threshold for enjoyable gameplay. The 4K Medium average of 38 FPS is the highest 4K result that approaches playability, and 4K Low at 49 FPS is the only 4K setting that exceeds 45 FPS.

The 1440p results show a more viable range. At 1440p High, the average is 59 FPS, which is right at the edge of smooth gameplay. The 1440p Medium average of 69 FPS provides a comfortable margin above 60. The 1440p Low at 90 FPS is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The 1440p Ultra at 46 FPS is playable but not ideal.

At 1080p, all settings are playable. Even the most demanding Ultra preset averages 70 FPS, while Low reaches 138 FPS. The Medium preset at 106 FPS offers a strong balance. The data clearly shows that 1080p is where this combo can stretch its legs, with headroom for high refresh rates on lower presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the most comfortable resolution. All four settings presets achieve at least 70 FPS at 1080p, with Low reaching 138 FPS and Medium at 106 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (90 FPS) and Medium (69 FPS) exceed 60 FPS, while High (59 FPS) and Ultra (46 FPS) fall below.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its nearest rivals in CPU performance?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 17035. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-11400, scores 17067, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i7-1260P scores 17007 (0.2% lower), the AMD EPYC 7573X scores 17070 (0.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7742 scores 16998 (0.2% higher). All four rivals are within 0.2% of the Ryzen 5 3600, indicating virtual parity.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B580's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for The Technomancer at 4K?

A: The 12 GB GDDR6 memory with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is more than adequate for a 2016 Action RPG. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 25, which is limited by the GPU's compute throughput rather than memory capacity. The VRAM size is not a constraint in this game.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Low preset averages 90 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 46 FPS. This is a reduction of 49% when moving from Low to Ultra. The Medium preset at 69 FPS and High at 59 FPS sit between these extremes, showing a consistent scaling of performance with graphical fidelity.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 2787 out of 3696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places it in the lower half of all tested combos, which is consistent with the GPU's 68th percentile ranking and the CPU's 71st percentile ranking—both solid mid-pack performers but not top-tier.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 4K?

A: At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 38, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 44. This minimum of 32 FPS indicates that even the Medium preset at 4K can experience dips below 30 FPS during demanding scenes.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and the Intel Arc B580 ranks 2787 out of 3696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places it in the 75th percentile of tested combos (rank 2787 divided by 3696). To contextualize this ranking, consider that the CPU sits in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU sits in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. The combo's rank is broadly consistent with these individual percentile positions.

The rank of 2787 suggests that the majority of tested combinations outperform this pairing. This is not surprising given the hardware's age: the CPU was released in 2019 and the GPU in 2024, but the GPU's performance class places it below many newer or higher-tier cards. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% higher average score) and the RTX 3080 (0.7% lower), which are older but higher-tier parts. The fact that the B580 trades blows with these cards in aggregate benchmarks explains its mid-pack positioning.

In The Technomancer specifically, the measured FPS data shows that the combo can deliver 60+ FPS at 1080p on all presets and at 1440p on Low and Medium presets. This is a respectable performance envelope for a game from 2016. The 4K results are weaker, with only the Low preset exceeding 45 FPS. The combo's rank of 2787 reflects that many other combinations can achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K, but for 1080p and 1440p gaming, this pairing holds its own.

The rank also indicates that the combination is not bottlenecked in an unusual way. The CPU and GPU are reasonably well matched, as evidenced by the consistent resolution scaling discussed earlier. Neither component drastically limits the other; the GPU becomes the limiter at 4K, while at 1080p Low, the CPU's single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core of 2124) is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all presets are playable. The Low preset achieves 138 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset at 106 FPS provides a strong balance of visual quality and performance, while the High preset at 90 FPS still offers a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 70 FPS is the most visually demanding but remains above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 69 FPS is the best choice for a 60 Hz display, as it provides a comfortable margin above the refresh rate. The High preset at 59 FPS is marginally below 60, which may cause occasional judder on a 60 Hz monitor. The Low preset at 90 FPS is excellent for 1440p 75 Hz or 144 Hz displays. The Ultra preset at 46 FPS is only suitable if visual fidelity takes precedence over smoothness.

At 4K, the Low preset at 49 FPS is the only setting that approaches playability, though it may still feel less smooth than ideal. The Medium preset at 38 FPS is playable on a 30 Hz display but will stutter on 60 Hz. The High preset at 32 FPS and Ultra at 25 FPS are not recommended for active gameplay, as frame rates below 30 are generally considered too low for a responsive Action RPG.

For the best overall experience, the Medium preset at 1080p (106 FPS) or 1440p (69 FPS) offers the most favorable combination of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 4K (38 FPS) is the only 4K option that is borderline playable, but users prioritizing frame rate should drop to Low (49 FPS). The data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combo across all resolutions, as it consistently provides the best balance between the Low and Ultra extremes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, for a total of 12 data points. All values are average FPS unless otherwise noted.

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 138 FPS average
• Medium: 106 FPS average, with a minimum of 90 and a maximum of 121
• High: 90 FPS average
• Ultra: 70 FPS average

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 90 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 79
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 46 FPS average

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 49 FPS average
• Medium: 38 FPS average, with a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 44
• High: 32 FPS average
• Ultra: 25 FPS average

The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum values across all three resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 90 to 121 FPS, a spread of 31 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 59 to 79 FPS, a spread of 20 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 32 to 44 FPS, a spread of 12 FPS. This tightening of the FPS range as resolution increases further confirms that the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at higher resolutions, as frame time variance decreases when the GPU is fully saturated.

The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the drop from Low (138) to Ultra (70) is 49%. At 1440p, the drop from Low (90) to Ultra (46) is 49%. At 4K, the drop from Low (49) to Ultra (25) is 49%. The consistency of this 49% reduction across all resolutions indicates that the settings presets scale the GPU workload in a uniform way, regardless of resolution.

The resolution scaling within each preset is equally consistent. For Low, the FPS drops from 138 to 90 to 49 as resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p to 4K. For Medium, the sequence is 106, 69, 38. For High, it is 90, 59, 32. For Ultra, it is 70, 46, 25. Each step from 1080p to 1440p represents roughly a one-third reduction, and each step from 1440p to 4K represents roughly a half reduction. This geometric scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload where pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, but the measured FPS does not drop by a factor of four, indicating that other factors such as memory bandwidth and cache efficiency mitigate the pixel-count increase.