The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, places distinct demands on a PC. For the combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and the AMD Radeon RX 9060, the measured frame rates reveal a system that is capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but one that clearly hits its limits when pushed to 4K. This analysis breaks down the performance data for this specific CPU-GPU pairing, showing how resolution scaling, GPU memory, and settings choices interact to define the playable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The most immediate takeaway from the benchmark data is how sharply performance drops as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 103 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High, that average falls to 67 FPS, a reduction of 36 frames per second. The step to 3840x2160 High is even more punishing, with the average dropping to 37 FPS. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at Medium settings, the 1080p average is 120 FPS, which drops to 79 FPS at 1440p and then to 43 FPS at 4K. The data indicates a clear trend: The Technomancer becomes progressively more GPU-bound at higher resolutions, and the RX 9060's performance ceiling is reached well before 4K.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep. At High settings, going from 67 FPS at 1440p to 37 FPS at 4K represents a 44.8% loss in frame rate. This suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K. The 8 GB of VRAM on the RX 9060 is likely a contributing factor, as higher resolutions demand more memory for textures and geometry. The combination of the GPU’s compute capabilities and its memory bandwidth appears insufficient to maintain a fluid experience at 3840x2160. The jump from 1080p to 1440p, while also significant, shows a more moderate decline, indicating that 1440p is a more reasonable target for this hardware. The frame rate at 1440p High (67 FPS) is much closer to the 1080p High result (103 FPS) in terms of playability than the 4K result is to either of them.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU's clocks are notable: a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. These clock speeds are high, and the data suggests they are being utilized effectively at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU can maintain high frame rates. However, the 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in this game. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 29, and at 4K High it is 37. These low numbers are not just about raw compute power; they suggest that the frame buffer is a limiting factor. When the game needs to store more data than the 8 GB can hold, performance can degrade.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 3322, and in Passmark G3D it scores 17631. Its average benchmark score is 16014, placing it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has a delta of -0.7%, and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, with a delta of 1%. This indicates that the RX 9060's raw performance is very close to these cards. In The Technomancer, the measured data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of the performance differences between settings, especially at higher resolutions. The transition from Low to Ultra at 1080p yields a drop from 157 FPS to 80 FPS, a 49% decrease. At 4K, the same settings change yields a drop from 56 FPS to 29 FPS, a 48% decrease. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions points to the GPU's shader and texture processing capabilities being the main bottleneck, rather than the CPU.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 achieves a combo rank of 1632 out of 2825 total combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the 57.8th percentile of all tested systems. This is a mid-pack ranking, indicating that while the combo is not a top-tier performer, it is also far from the bottom. The ranking reflects that the system can handle the game well at lower resolutions but struggles to compete with higher-end builds at 4K.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU's performance is a strong contributor. The Ryzen 5 5500 has a 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19593. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (deltaPct -0.1%), the Intel Core i5-12500 (deltaPct -0.4%), and the Intel Core i7-10700F (deltaPct 0.5%). This shows that the CPU is competitive with these mid-range processors. In multi-threaded workloads, it scores 16429 in Cinebench R23, which is a solid result. However, the combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The GPU's 59th percentile ranking is lower than the CPU's 73rd percentile, suggesting that the GPU is the more limiting factor in this pairing for this specific game. The combo rank of 1632 is a direct result of this imbalance; the CPU has headroom, but the GPU cannot always take advantage of it, particularly at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. Here is the exact breakdown.

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. With Low settings, the average FPS is 157. This suggests that the game is heavily CPU-bound at this point, as the frame rate is exceptionally high. Moving to Medium settings, the average is 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS. This is a very smooth experience for most displays. At High settings, the average is 103 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold. At Ultra settings, the average drops to 80 FPS. The minimum FPS for Ultra is not provided, but the average indicates that even at the highest settings, the game remains playable at 1080p. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is a 77 FPS drop, which is significant but leaves the game in a good playable state.

At 2560x1440, performance remains respectable. With Low settings, the average FPS is 102, which is still very high. Medium settings produce an average of 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS. This is a solid result for 1440p gaming. High settings yield an average of 67 FPS. This is right at the edge of what many consider a smooth experience, but it is playable. At Ultra settings, the average drops to 52 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS target, indicating that Ultra settings at 1440p are not ideal for this combo. The frame rate drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 50 FPS, showing that the GPU is becoming more strained.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. With Low settings, the average FPS is 56. This is playable but not ideal. Medium settings produce an average of 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS. This is a noticeable drop and can lead to stuttering in action-heavy scenes. High settings yield an average of 37 FPS. This is not a smooth experience for a game like an Action RPG. At Ultra settings, the average is 29 FPS. This is not a playable experience by most standards. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in The Technomancer.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. There is no single "best" preset, but rather a set of trade-offs.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice. The average FPS of 80 is well above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth and visually rich experience. The game was released in 2016, so the Ultra preset is likely not as demanding as in newer titles, and this hardware can handle it. The High preset is also excellent, with 103 FPS giving extra headroom for high refresh rate monitors. The Medium preset, with an average of 120 FPS, is for those who prioritize maximum smoothness over visual fidelity. Given the high frame rates available, there is little reason to use the Low preset at this resolution, as the visual compromise is substantial for a performance gain that is already unnecessary.

At 1440p, the High preset is the recommended balance. The 67 FPS average provides a solid experience, and it is a significant step up in visual quality from Medium, which runs at 79 FPS. The Medium preset is the safer choice for ensuring a stable 60+ FPS experience, as its minimum of 67 FPS is above the target. The Ultra preset, at 52 FPS, is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience, although it may be acceptable for slower-paced exploration. The Low preset at 102 FPS is overkill for most 60Hz displays, and the visual hit is not worth it when High is available.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that it is not a viable option for this combo. Even the Low preset, at 56 FPS, is not consistently smooth, and the visual quality is severely compromised. The Medium preset at 43 FPS and High at 37 FPS are not playable for an action-oriented game. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is a slideshow. If a user has a 4K display, they would need to play at 1080p or 1440p to get a good experience. The performance at 4K is simply too low across all settings to recommend it. The best approach is to stick to 1440p or 1080p, where the system can deliver a good experience.

FAQ

Q: Can this CPU and GPU combo run The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: The measured data shows that it cannot run the game smoothly at 3840x2160. The best result at 4K is with Low settings, yielding an average of 56 FPS, but Medium settings drop to 43 FPS, and High settings to 37 FPS. Ultra settings produce an unplayable 29 FPS average.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice for 1080p, as it provides an average of 80 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. The High preset offers a higher 103 FPS average, but the visual improvement from High to Ultra is typically worth the performance trade-off at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 5500, has a 73rd percentile ranking, while the GPU, an AMD Radeon RX 9060, has a 59th percentile ranking. The steep performance drop from 1440p to 4K further confirms that the GPU's capabilities are the bottleneck.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, has a score of 16129, showing a delta of -0.7%. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852, a delta of 1%, and the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, also a delta of 1%. This shows they are very closely matched in overall performance.

Q: What is the expected performance at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for 2560x1440 with High settings is 67 FPS. This is a playable experience, though it is not as high as the 1440p Low setting, which produces 102 FPS. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, Medium settings, with an average of 79 FPS, might be a safer choice.

Q: What does the combo rank of 1632 out of 2825 mean?

A: This rank places the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination in the 57.8th percentile of all tested combos for The Technomancer. It indicates that the system performs better than over half of the tested configurations but is not among the top performers, primarily due to the GPU's limitations at 4K resolution.