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 performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card, based strictly on measured benchmark data. The data reveals a configuration that is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K Ultra settings. The numbers show a clear hierarchy where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's six-core, twelve-thread design provides ample headroom for this title.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the most effective resolution. At this setting, the average frame rate ranges from 58.5 FPS on Ultra to 118.8 FPS on Low, ensuring a smooth experience across all presets.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: Performance at 3840x2160 is limited. The average frame rate peaks at 41.1 FPS on Low settings, drops to 31.7 FPS on Medium, 30.1 FPS on High, and falls to 22.7 FPS on Ultra, indicating that 4K gaming is not viable for this hardware in this title.

Q: Is the GTX 1070 or the Ryzen 5 5500 the limiting factor?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint. At 1440p, dropping from High to Low settings increases the average frame rate from 49.9 FPS to 78.5 FPS, a significant jump that points to a graphics-bound workload. The CPU has sufficient performance headroom, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested hardware combinations?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1381st out of 1656 tested combos for this specific game, placing it in the lower half of the performance spectrum.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 12331. It is 0.7% faster than the NVIDIA Quadro K4200, and 1.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M. It also trails the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER by 1.4%.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-threaded performance help in this game?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500's strong multi-threaded scores, such as 16429 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, suggest it can handle complex game logic. However, the measured FPS scaling with settings indicates that visual effects and resolution are the dominant factors in performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the central component determining frame rates in The Technomancer. This graphics card, based on the Pascal architecture, features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The GPU's core operates at a base clock of 1506 MHz and can boost up to 1683 MHz, which directly influences its pixel and texture processing rates of 107.7 GPixel/s and 202.0 GTexel/s, respectively.

The measured data underscores the GPU's pivotal role. At 2560x1440, moving from Ultra to Low settings increases the average frame rate from 41.1 FPS to 78.5 FPS, a 91% performance swing. This dramatic change is directly correlated with the GPU's workload, as lower settings reduce shader complexity and memory pressure. The card's 1920 shading units are tasked with rendering the game's effects, and their performance is finite. At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmed, with the average frame rate unable to exceed 41.1 FPS even on the least demanding Low preset. The data indicates that the GTX 1070's capabilities are best utilized at 1920x1080, where it can deliver an average of 79.4 FPS on High settings, showing a balanced load on its processing units.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 serves as the system's central processor, providing the foundation for game logic and draw calls. This CPU, built on the Zen 3 architecture, offers 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support help feed data to the GPU. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates strong performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and a single-core score of 2319.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU. The benchmark results show that frame rates are heavily influenced by resolution and graphics settings, which are primarily GPU-centric workloads. For instance, at 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Medium settings is 27.7 FPS (118.8 vs 91.1), showing a clear GPU dependency. The Ryzen 5 5500's substantial processing power, reflected in its 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs, means it is unlikely to be the bottleneck at the tested settings. The data suggests the CPU provides a stable platform, allowing the GTX 1070 to operate at its full potential, but it does not directly contribute to the FPS variance seen across the different resolution and settings combinations.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination is positioned at rank 1381 out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the configuration in the 83rd percentile from the bottom, meaning it outperforms only about 17% of all tested systems. This rank reflects the age and tier of the components; the GTX 1070 is from the GeForce 10-series and is now end-of-life, while the Ryzen 5 5500, though newer, is a budget-oriented 5000-series part.

To contextualize the CPU's performance, the Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 20875, placing it directly alongside the Intel Core i5-12500 (which scores 20897, a 0.1% difference). This indicates that the CPU is not a significant weak link. The GPU, however, has an average score of 12331, and its nearest rivals include the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER (scoring 12504, 1.4% higher). The data suggests that the low overall rank is primarily due to the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, which is where the most demanding settings are tested. The combo's rank is a function of its inability to maintain high frame rates at 4K, dragging its overall standing down despite decent 1080p performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings levels.

At 1920x1080, the configuration performs admirably. The average frame rates are 118.8 FPS on Low, 91.1 FPS on Medium, 79.4 FPS on High, and 58.5 FPS on Ultra. This shows a clear and consistent scaling, with the difference between Low and Ultra being 60.3 FPS. All presets at this resolution are playable, with even the most demanding Ultra setting maintaining an average above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance begins to decline. The average frame rates are 78.5 FPS on Low, 58.9 FPS on Medium, 49.9 FPS on High, and 41.1 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Medium is 19.6 FPS, indicating a significant increase in GPU load. While Low and Medium settings are smooth, High and Ultra settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting a need for settings adjustments for a consistent experience.

At 3840x2160, the configuration struggles. The average frame rates are 41.1 FPS on Low, 31.7 FPS on Medium, 30.1 FPS on High, and 22.7 FPS on Ultra. The data shows that even the lowest settings cannot achieve a stable 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable. The scaling between Low and Ultra is a 18.4 FPS difference, showing that the GPU is entirely saturated.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured average FPS, the optimal settings for this hardware depend on the user's target resolution and performance preference.

For 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 79.4 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is also viable at 58.5 FPS, but the High preset offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance, with a 20.9 FPS advantage over Ultra. For maximum frame rates, the Low preset is available at 118.8 FPS, but it sacrifices significant visual quality.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides the best experience, with an average of 58.9 FPS. This is the highest settings level that stays near the 60 FPS target. The Low preset offers a more comfortable margin at 78.5 FPS, but Medium provides a better visual experience for a modest performance cost. The High preset at 49.9 FPS and Ultra at 41.1 FPS are likely to result in noticeable stuttering and are not recommended for this resolution.

For 3840x2160, no preset is recommended for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 41.1 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but it still falls short of the standard 60 FPS target. Users with this resolution should consider lowering the resolution to 2560x1440 or 1920x1080 to achieve a better balance of visuals and performance.