The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, is not the kind of title that typically stresses modern flagship hardware, but the measured results for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 tell a clear story about where the limits lie. This combination, ranked 213 out of 2825 tested combos, delivers frame rates that range from playable at 4K Ultra to exceptionally high at 1080p Low, and the data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by both the game’s age and the CPU’s capabilities at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a combo rank of 213 out of 2825 tested combos in this game. This places it in the top tier of all tested configurations, indicating that it delivers performance well above the vast majority of systems.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500X3D compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D has an average benchmark score of 37018, which is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Core Ultra 5 225, both showing a delta of 0.2% (scores of 36945 and 36938 respectively). It is also within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-12900T (score 37112) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (score 37093), showing that its synthetic CPU performance is competitive with these near-identical scoring parts.

Q: What is the single-threaded performance of the CPU, and how does it impact gaming?

A: The CPU’s PassMark single-thread score is 2941. In an older game like The Technomancer, which may not utilize many cores effectively, this single-thread score is a crucial indicator of how well the CPU can handle the primary game logic and draw calls, directly contributing to the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and how does it relate to high-resolution gaming?

A: The RTX 4090 features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This large memory capacity is more than sufficient for The Technomancer at any resolution, ensuring that VRAM capacity is not a bottleneck, even at 4K with high-detail settings.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the system achieve its highest average frame rate?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 211 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is nearly double the 1080p Ultra average of 166 FPS, illustrating the significant performance headroom available when graphical settings are reduced.

Q: Does the data indicate that the CPU or GPU is the main limiting factor at 1080p?

A: Yes. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a much smaller performance drop than from 1440p to 4K. For instance, at High settings, the FPS drops from 181 at 1080p to 141 at 1440p (a 22% decrease), but then to 77 at 4K (a 45% decrease from 1440p). This pattern suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is the primary limiting factor, while at 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth of a graphics card, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. Its specifications are immense: 16384 shading units, 512 tensor cores, and 128 RT cores, all running at a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. This raw compute power translates to a FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS, which is more than enough to handle any game from 2016. The card’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, with a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s, ensures that texture streaming and memory bandwidth are non-issues at any resolution in The Technomancer.

In the context of this game, the GPU's role is almost entirely about resolution scaling. At 4K, the card is finally being pushed. The data shows a clear progression: at 4K Low, the average FPS is 118; at Medium it drops to 91; at High it is 77; and at Ultra it is 61. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, as increasing the graphical workload directly and proportionally reduces the frame rate. The 4090’s sheer power is what allows for a playable experience at 4K Ultra, a feat that few other cards could manage for this title.

However, at 1080p and even 1440p, the GPU has significant headroom. The RTX 4090 is capable of far more than the game demands, and the frame rates are likely capped by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with instructions. The GPU is effectively waiting for the processor. The PassMark G3D score of 38194, while placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, doesn't fully capture its gaming performance in this specific scenario, where it is often underutilized. The card's role is to provide a massive performance ceiling, ensuring that the only limits encountered are those of the CPU and the game engine itself.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific combination of hardware in The Technomancer, the choice of settings is a trade-off between chasing incredibly high refresh rates and maximizing visual fidelity. The data provides a clear picture of what each preset offers at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system is massively overqualified. Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS is 166, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. The Medium preset offers an average of 191 FPS, while Low pushes it to 211 FPS. Given that the visual difference between High and Ultra is often minimal in a game of this era, and the frame rates are already so high, there is little reason to sacrifice visual quality. The best experience at 1080p is to use the Ultra preset, as the performance is still exceptionally high and the game will look its absolute best. The High preset at 181 FPS is also a reasonable choice if you prefer a slight performance buffer, but the Ultra preset’s 166 FPS is still well above what any standard 144Hz monitor can display.

At 2560x1440, the system remains very strong. The High preset delivers 141 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Medium preset is slightly faster at 165 FPS, and Low hits 183 FPS. Ultra drops to 110 FPS, which is still very playable and would be a good choice for a 120Hz display. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p, the High preset is the clear winner. It provides a significant improvement in graphical fidelity over Medium while maintaining an average frame rate that is well above 140 FPS. The Ultra preset, with its 110 FPS average, is also viable, but the High preset offers a better balance for competitive or fast-paced play.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is finally challenged. The High preset yields an average of 77 FPS, which is a solid experience for a 60Hz or 75Hz monitor. The Medium preset is faster at 91 FPS, providing a smoother experience. Low hits 118 FPS, and Ultra drops to 61 FPS. For a 60Hz display, the Ultra preset at 61 FPS is perfectly playable and will offer the best visual experience. However, for a higher refresh rate 4K display (120Hz or above), the High preset at 77 FPS or the Medium preset at 91 FPS will provide a much smoother experience. Given that the visual leap from High to Ultra is often not as dramatic as the frame rate cost, the High preset at 4K appears to be the sweet spot, offering a significant fidelity boost over Medium while maintaining a comfortable 77 FPS average. The Medium preset at 91 FPS is the better choice for those who prioritize smoothness above all else.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested configurations for The Technomancer, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination is a top performer. With a rank of 213 out of 2825 combos, it sits in the top 7.5% of all systems tested. This high ranking reflects the sheer power of the RTX 4090, which is the primary driver of the system's high placement, even when paired with a mid-range CPU.

The CPU itself, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D, is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its average benchmark score of 37018 and its 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs show that it is a solid performer, but it is not a top-tier part. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Core Ultra 5 225, are within 0.2% of its average score, indicating that it is in a very competitive performance tier. The CPU’s performance in The Technomancer is likely a limiting factor at lower resolutions, but its high single-thread score (2941) ensures that it can still push very high frame rates.

The GPU, on the other hand, is in a league of its own. Its average benchmark score of 60347 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. While its nearest rivals in the database, including the Intel Arc Pro A60 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, have nearly identical average scores (60326 and 60140 respectively), this is a reflection of the specific synthetic benchmarks used, not its gaming prowess. In a real-world gaming scenario like The Technomancer, the RTX 4090's massive compute resources and memory bandwidth are what allow the system to achieve high frame rates at 4K, where it is finally pushed to its limits. The combination's overall rank of 213 is a result of the GPU's incredible power being able to compensate for the CPU's more modest capabilities, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling across resolutions in The Technomancer provides a textbook example of how a system transitions from being CPU-bound to GPU-bound. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops significantly, but the rate of that drop changes based on the settings.

At Low settings, the frame rates are 211 FPS at 1080p, 183 FPS at 1440p, and 118 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 28 FPS (13.3%), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 65 FPS (35.5%). This suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is the primary limiting factor at 1080p, but the GPU becomes more of a constraint as resolution increases. The CPU is able to feed the GPU with enough data at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU's workload becomes so heavy that it becomes the bottleneck.

At High settings, the frame rates are 181 FPS at 1080p, 141 FPS at 1440p, and 77 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 40 FPS (22.1%), and the drop from 1440p to 4K is 64 FPS (45.4%). This shows a much more pronounced drop at 4K, which is typical for a game that is more GPU-intensive at higher detail levels. The 4K High average of 77 FPS is a significant decrease from the 1440p High average, indicating that the RTX 4090 is working much harder at this resolution.

This scaling pattern is a clear indicator that the limiting component changes with resolution. At 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is the bottleneck. The RTX 4090 is so powerful that it can render the frame faster than the CPU can prepare the next one, capping the frame rate. As you move to 1440p and 4K, the GPU's rendering workload increases, and it eventually becomes the limiting factor. The data shows that the system is well-balanced for 1440p and 4K gaming, where the GPU is utilized to a greater degree, but at 1080p, there is an inherent CPU limitation that prevents the system from reaching its full potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in The Technomancer is detailed and consistent. The data includes average FPS, and for the Medium settings across all resolutions, it also includes minimum and maximum FPS, providing a more complete picture of performance stability.

At 1920x1080:

• Low: The average FPS is 211. This is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo.
• Medium: The average FPS is 191, with a minimum of 163 and a maximum of 220. The narrow range between min and max indicates very stable performance.
• High: The average FPS is 181.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 166. This shows that even at the highest settings, the system is well above the 144Hz threshold.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: The average FPS is 183.
• Medium: The average FPS is 165, with a minimum of 140 and a maximum of 190. The minimum of 140 FPS is still very high, showing no significant frame drops.
• High: The average FPS is 141. This is a strong result for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 110. This remains a very playable frame rate for most displays.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: The average FPS is 118.
• Medium: The average FPS is 91, with a minimum of 77 and a maximum of 104. The minimum of 77 FPS is still within the territory of smooth gameplay.
• High: The average FPS is 77. This is right at the edge of 60Hz and 75Hz monitor refresh rates.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 61. This is the most demanding setting and just barely maintains a 60 FPS average.

The data shows a consistent and predictable scaling pattern. The Medium settings, with their reported min/max FPS, show that the game runs very smoothly with no major hitches or stutters. The performance is excellent across the board, with the system only showing signs of strain at 4K Ultra, where it still manages to achieve a playable 61 FPS average. This confirms the raw power of the RTX 4090, even when paired with a more modest CPU.