The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER across resolutions and settings, interpreting the data to understand where the bottleneck lies and what the experience implies for players.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, 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 position it as a solid mid-range desktop part. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and a single-core score of 2319, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 20875 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, which scores 20897, a negligible delta of -0.1%. This suggests the Ryzen 5 5500 is a well-balanced performer for its generation, with strong multi-threaded capability that can feed a modern GPU in most scenarios.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 156.2 FPS, which is significantly higher than at 4K. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is capable of pushing frame rates well beyond 60 FPS, demonstrating that it is not a limiting factor when the GPU has less work to do. However, the data also shows that the CPU's performance ceiling is not being fully tested here, as even at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 80.7 FPS, which is still high and suggests the GPU is starting to take on more of the load. The 3DMark multi-threaded scores (5386 for 16 threads, 5411 for max threads) indicate that the processor scales well with additional threads, which is beneficial for a game that can utilize multiple cores. The data suggests that for this title, the Ryzen 5 5500 provides ample headroom, ensuring that the GPU, not the CPU, becomes the primary constraint as resolution and settings increase.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, offering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its boost clock of 1770 MHz and 2560 shading units deliver a raw compute capability of 9.062 TFLOPS. The GPU's average benchmark score of 22206 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22307, a delta of -0.5%, showing the 2070 SUPER is just slightly behind that professional card. Against the AMD Radeon RX 5700, it is 2.5% ahead, indicating a competitive position in its class.

The measured FPS data for this GPU in The Technomancer reveals its performance envelope. At 1080p Low, the card achieves 156.2 FPS, but as settings increase to Ultra, the frame rate falls to 80.7 FPS, a drop of nearly 48%. This trend is more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 1440p, the spread is from 99.5 FPS (Low) to 51.7 FPS (Ultra), and at 4K, it ranges from 58.7 FPS (Low) to 30.9 FPS (Ultra). The 8 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for this game's textures at most settings, but the data shows that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are heavily taxed at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls below 31, indicating a very demanding load. The GPU's performance is the clear limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU has already shown it can produce high frame rates at 1080p.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Technomancer with this CPU-GPU combo for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo delivers 65.4 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1920x1080 with High settings, it achieves 101.1 FPS, offering a comfortable margin. The 4K resolution only reaches 58.7 FPS on Low settings, so 1440p High is the most reliable choice for 60 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 156.2 on Low to 80.7 on Ultra. This represents a performance reduction of approximately 48%, showing that the Ultra preset is significantly more demanding on the GPU.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 58.7, which is lower than the 1080p Low score of 156.2. This large drop when increasing resolution points to the GPU's rendering capabilities, not the CPU, as the constraint.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 22206, while its closest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22307. This shows the 2070 SUPER is just 0.5% slower than the RTX A400 in these tests, indicating a very close performance level.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 156.2, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This demonstrates the upper limit of the combo's frame rate capability when the graphics load is minimized.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 4K with any settings?

A: Yes, at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 58.7, which is near the 60 FPS target. However, at 4K Medium, it drops to 46.1 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 30.9 FPS, which is less smooth.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance. At 1920x1080, the average FPS scales from 156.2 on Low, to 120.4 on Medium, 101.1 on High, and 80.7 on Ultra. This shows a clear step-down in performance as graphical fidelity increases. At 2560x1440, the scores are 99.5 (Low), 77.2 (Medium), 65.4 (High), and 51.7 (Ultra). The 1440p High setting is the only one that remains above 60 FPS, while Ultra falls below. At 3840x2160, the performance drops further: 58.7 (Low), 46.1 (Medium), 39.5 (High), and 30.9 (Ultra). No 4K setting achieves 60 FPS, and only Low comes close. The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: the Low preset offers the highest frame rates, while Ultra imposes the heaviest penalty, with Medium and High falling in between. The data shows that each step up in settings costs roughly 15-20% of the previous frame rate, irrespective of resolution.

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

Analyzing the scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck. For High settings, the FPS drops from 101.1 at 1080p to 65.4 at 1440p, and then to 39.5 at 4K. This is a reduction of about 61% from 1080p to 4K. For Low settings, the drop is from 156.2 at 1080p to 99.5 at 1440p, and then to 58.7 at 4K, a reduction of about 62%. The consistent percentage drop across different settings indicates that the performance scaling is primarily driven by the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance delta between 1080p and 4K, as the resolution increase would not affect CPU load as much. The fact that the frame rate nearly halves when moving to 4K strongly suggests that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary constraint. The GPU's 448.0 GB/s bandwidth and 9.062 TFLOPS of compute power are being saturated at higher resolutions, while the Ryzen 5 5500 has sufficient headroom to keep feeding frames.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. For a 1080p display, the High preset at 101.1 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual quality and smoothness, well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 80.7 FPS is also playable and provides maximum fidelity, but the drop from High to Ultra is noticeable. For 1440p, the High preset at 65.4 FPS is the recommended choice, as it is the only setting above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 77.2 FPS is also viable if a higher frame rate is preferred, but High provides better visuals with a still-smooth frame rate. For 4K, no setting achieves 60 FPS, but the Low preset at 58.7 FPS is the most playable option, offering a near-60 FPS experience. The Medium preset at 46.1 FPS is a compromise, but the visual improvement may not justify the lower frame rate. The data suggests that for this combo, prioritizing High settings at 1080p or 1440p yields the best overall experience, while 4K requires a significant reduction in settings to remain fluid.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 1034 out of 1656 total combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum, indicating that while it is capable of running the game, many other configurations deliver higher frame rates. The rank is a relative measure, and given that the combo achieves 101.1 FPS at 1080p High, the lower rank suggests that a significant number of other systems are equipped with more powerful GPUs or CPUs. The percentile placement of the individual components (CPU at 79th, GPU at 65th) suggests the GPU is the weaker link, and the combo rank reflects this, as it is likely dragged down by the GPU's position relative to other tested cards. This rank implies that for a smoother 4K experience or higher frame rates at Ultra settings, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, while the CPU would remain adequate for the task. The data shows that this combo is a competent 1080p and 1440p performer, but it is not positioned near the top of the leaderboard for this particular game.