The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting scalability test for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti pairing. The data indicates a system where the GPU is the dominant factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s capabilities become increasingly relevant as resolution drops. This combination sits at rank 497 out of 1656 tested configurations, placing it in the upper third of all hardware pairings for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation reveals the bottleneck dynamics. At Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops from 119.4 FPS at 1920x1080 to 79.7 FPS at 2560x1440, a decline of approximately 33%. Moving to 3840x2160, the Ultra preset falls further to 44.3 FPS, which represents a 63% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep curve at Ultra settings strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the pixel throughput demand outpaces what the RTX 3080 Ti can deliver at 4K.

The scaling picture shifts when examining lower settings. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 sees FPS drop from 189.1 to 152.4, a more modest 19% reduction. However, the jump from 1440p Low to 4K Low shows a 46% decrease to 81.7 FPS. This non-linear scaling suggests that at 1080p Low, the system is approaching a CPU-limited state, where the Ryzen 5 4600G’s six cores and twelve threads are struggling to feed frames fast enough to keep the GPU fully occupied. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 189.1 FPS while 1440p Low hits 152.4 FPS indicates the CPU begins to throttle the frame rate ceiling before the GPU becomes the sole constraint.

Comparing High settings across resolutions reinforces the GPU-bound narrative. The 151.5 FPS at 1080p High drops to 97.2 FPS at 1440p, a 36% reduction, then further to 54.8 FPS at 4K, a 44% reduction from the 1440p figure. This consistent degradation pattern across High and Ultra settings is characteristic of a graphics-card-limited scenario, where the RTX 3080 Ti’s raw compute power is the primary variable. The data shows that for smooth 4K gameplay, users must accept the Low preset, while 1440p offers a much broader range of playable settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is a Zen 2 architecture processor built on the 7 nm process, featuring six cores and twelve threads with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications place it in the 75th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17489. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12450H, which scores 17475 with a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning the 4600G is effectively tied with that mobile chip in synthetic workloads.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role becomes most apparent at 1080p with lower graphical settings. The 189.1 FPS result at Low settings is telling — it is only 24% higher than the 152.4 FPS at 1440p Low, despite the 1440p resolution requiring 78% more pixels. This gap compression indicates that the 4600G is nearing its frame generation ceiling. The processor’s single-thread performance, measured at 726 in 3dmark_single_thread and 1919 in Cinebench R23 single-core, is adequate for this 2016 title, but it does not provide the headroom that newer CPUs might offer.

The 3dmark multi-threaded scores show scaling from 2732 at 4 threads to 4889 at max threads, demonstrating reasonable multi-core utilization. However, the game’s engine, released in 2016, likely does not fully exploit twelve threads, making single-core strength more critical. The Ryzen’s boost clock of 4.20 GHz is respectable but not exceptional by modern standards, which explains why the system cannot push far beyond the 190 FPS mark even at the lowest settings and resolution. For players targeting 60 FPS or even 144 FPS, the CPU is sufficient, but it prevents the RTX 3080 Ti from achieving its maximum potential at 1080p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a formidable graphics card based on the Ampere architecture and GA102 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm process. It comes with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a massive 912.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The card’s boost clock is 1665 MHz, with 10240 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units. It also includes 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores, though these ray tracing and AI features are unlikely to be heavily utilized in The Technomancer given its 2016 release date and DirectX 12 Ultimate support.

The GPU’s benchmark results place it in the 83rd percentile against all GPUs, with an average score of 41224. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which scores 41441 with a deltaPct of -0.5%, meaning the 3080 Ti is within half a percent of the 3090 in average synthetic performance. This proximity is notable, as the 3090 typically commands a premium for its larger memory pool, but in this game’s workload, the 3080 Ti is effectively equivalent. The RTX 5070, a newer generation card, scores 41687 with a deltaPct of -1.1%, showing the 3080 Ti remains competitive even against newer hardware.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s raw power is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions. The 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 532.8 GTexel/s texture rate provide substantial headroom for the game’s visual effects. The 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this title, as even at 4K Ultra, the game does not appear to exceed memory capacity based on the measured FPS figures. The 186.5 GPixel/s pixel rate is critical for maintaining fill rates at 4K, where the 44.3 FPS Ultra result indicates the card is working hard but still falls short of a smooth experience. The data suggests that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at 4K Ultra, as the FPS drops to nearly half of the 1440p Ultra figure.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 2560x1440 offers the best balance, with High settings achieving 97.2 FPS and Ultra settings hitting 79.7 FPS. This resolution avoids the CPU bottleneck seen at 1080p while remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold at most settings.

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K smoothly?

A: Only at Low settings, where the average FPS is 81.7. Medium drops to 66.2 FPS, High falls to 54.8 FPS, and Ultra is 44.3 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience at 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to the RTX 3090 in this context?

A: The benchmark scores show the 3080 Ti averages 41224 versus the RTX 3090’s 41441, a deltaPct of -0.5%. This indicates the 3080 Ti performs within half a percent of the 3090 on average, making them effectively equivalent for The Technomancer.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 4600G holding back the RTX 3080 Ti?

A: At 1080p Low, the system achieves 189.1 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s frame generation limit. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows only a 19% drop despite a 78% increase in pixel count, indicating the CPU becomes a limiting factor at lower resolutions.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 152.4 FPS, while Ultra produces 79.7 FPS. This represents a 48% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested configurations?

A: The combination ranks 497 out of 1656 total combos tested for The Technomancer, placing it in the top 30% of all hardware pairings for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured results show a clear progression across settings. Low settings deliver an average of 189.1 FPS, Medium achieves 173.8 FPS, High produces 151.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 119.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 69.7 FPS, representing a 37% reduction in performance for maximum visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected decline. Low settings average 152.4 FPS, Medium hits 119.7 FPS, High reaches 97.2 FPS, and Ultra manages 79.7 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 72.7 FPS, a 48% reduction, which is slightly larger than the 1080p gap due to increased GPU load.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. Low settings still produce a playable 81.7 FPS, but Medium drops to 66.2 FPS. High settings fall to 54.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for many players, and Ultra bottoms out at 44.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 37.4 FPS reduction, a 46% drop, indicating that even the most demanding settings are not disproportionately punishing relative to the lower presets.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing a smooth experience at 3840x2160, the Low preset at 81.7 FPS is the only measured configuration that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 66.2 FPS is also viable for those who can tolerate occasional dips below 60, but the High preset at 54.8 FPS is borderline. Ultra at 44.3 FPS should be avoided for competitive or fast-paced play, though it may be acceptable for slower exploration.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset at 119.7 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The High preset at 97.2 FPS is also excellent, and even Ultra at 79.7 FPS remains well above the smoothness threshold. Users with high refresh rate monitors will find Low at 152.4 FPS ideal for maximum frame rates, but Medium or High are recommended for a more immersive visual experience without sacrificing responsiveness.

For 1920x1080, every preset exceeds 119 FPS, making this resolution the most flexible. The Ultra preset at 119.4 FPS delivers full visual fidelity while still maintaining high frame rates. High at 151.5 FPS is the sweet spot for those seeking a balance between quality and speed, while Low at 189.1 FPS is best suited for maximizing frame rates on high refresh rate displays. Given the CPU limitations observed at this resolution, there is little reason to choose Medium over High, as the 22.3 FPS difference between them does not justify the visual downgrade. The data suggests that 1440p High or Ultra provides the best overall experience, as it leverages the GPU’s strength while avoiding the CPU bottleneck that caps performance at 1080p.