The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates CPU and GPU responsibilities. This analysis examines the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, using measured frame rate data to dissect how each component influences performance across resolutions and settings. The data indicates a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, with the CPU proving more than adequate to feed it at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 71.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 46.8 FPS, a reduction of approximately 34%. The jump to 4K High is even more severe, landing at just 27.3 FPS, which is a further 42% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline strongly suggests that the rendering load is overwhelming the graphics card at higher pixel counts.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear, which further points to the GPU being the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 109.2 FPS, indicating the CPU can handle a high frame rate when the GPU is not stressed. However, at 4K Low, the average is only 36.4 FPS. The performance gap between 1080p Low and 4K Low is a 67% decrease, a much larger proportional loss than what would be expected if the CPU were the primary constraint. This shows that as resolution climbs, the GTX 1660 SUPER's fill rate and memory bandwidth become the decisive factors, regardless of the quality preset.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The 1080p results are consistently playable, with even Ultra settings hitting 58.9 FPS. The 1440p results are a mixed bag, with Low and Medium presets (69.3 and 57.6 FPS) being smooth, but High and Ultra falling below the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K results are uniformly low, with no preset breaking 36.4 FPS. This suggests that the system is best suited for 1080p gaming, and that any attempt to run at higher resolutions will require significant compromises in visual quality to achieve a playable frame rate.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18309 and a single-core score of 2584, paint a picture of a well-rounded CPU. In the context of The Technomancer, the single-thread performance is particularly relevant. The game, being from 2016, likely does not scale perfectly across all 12 threads, making strong per-core performance crucial for maintaining a stable frame rate.

The data supports this theory. At 1080p Low, where the GPU load is minimal, the system reaches an average of 109.2 FPS. This high frame rate demonstrates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. Even at 1080p Ultra, which increases the GPU load, the CPU is still able to feed the graphics card enough data to achieve 58.9 FPS. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 5600 has sufficient headroom to handle the game's logic and draw calls without limiting performance.

The CPU's role becomes more passive at higher resolutions. As the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, the CPU's influence on the final frame rate diminishes. The difference between 1080p and 4K at the same settings is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's workload. The CPU's performance, while excellent, is not the limiting factor in these scenarios. The 3DMark single-thread score of 882 and the 2-thread score of 1737 further confirm that the processor has the necessary single and dual-core muscle for a title that may not be heavily multi-threaded. In essence, the Ryzen 5 5600 provides a solid foundation, ensuring the GPU is the only thing holding the system back.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the clear performance ceiling for this combo. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. Its core clocks are listed as a base of 1530 MHz and a boost of 1785 MHz. These specifications are typical for a mid-range card of its generation, and the benchmark data shows it performing in the 55th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's role is to render the scene, and this is where the performance limits are found. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 20.7, a clear sign that the card is overwhelmed by the pixel count and shader complexity. The 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is simply not enough to handle the demands of 4K with high-quality settings. The card's performance is much more comfortable at 1080p, where it can deliver playable frame rates across all presets.

The comparison with its nearest rivals highlights its standing. The GTX 1660 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 14286, which is only 0.2% lower than an AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and 0.7% lower than an AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT. This indicates it is a solid performer within its class, but it is not a high-end part. The measured FPS data shows this; while it can manage 1080p gaming well, it struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 1440p on higher settings. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is also a potential concern for modern titles, though for The Technomancer, the data shows it is the compute and fill-rate limitations, not memory size, that cause the frame rate to plummet at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal experience for this combo is clearly at 1920x1080. The High preset delivers an average of 71.2 FPS, which is an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. This is a significant improvement over the Medium preset, which offers 86.6 FPS, but the jump in quality from Medium to High is often more noticeable than the frame rate cost. For players with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset provides an average of 109.2 FPS, ensuring a very smooth experience.

For those who prioritize visual fidelity, the Ultra preset at 1080p is still viable, with an average of 58.9 FPS. However, this is just below the 60 FPS standard, and the marginal gains over High may not be worth the performance hit. Moving to 2560x1440 requires a change in expectations. The Medium preset is the highest quality setting that maintains a comfortable frame rate, hitting 57.6 FPS. The High preset at 46.8 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive. The 4K resolution is not recommended for this game with this hardware, as even the Low preset only manages 36.4 FPS, which is below what most consider a playable threshold for an action RPG.

The data suggests a simple rule: choose 1080p for the best experience. If the target is a locked 60 FPS, stick to High settings. If more headroom is desired, Medium is a safe bet. The sweet spot is 1080p High, offering a strong balance between the game's visual presentation and a smooth, responsive frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER combo ranks 1466 out of 1656 for this game. This places it in the lower percentile of all tested systems, specifically in the bottom 12% of configurations. This is a low ranking that reflects the GPU's limitations, especially when considering the full range of hardware that can be paired together.

This ranking is consistent with the performance data. While the CPU is a strong performer, ranking in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, the GPU is more modest, ranking in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. The overall combo ranking is dragged down by the graphics card, which is the limiting factor in The Technomancer. The system is functional and can provide a good experience at 1080p, but it is not a high-end configuration.

The rank of 1466 suggests that a large number of other tested combos are capable of higher frame rates in this game, likely due to more powerful GPUs. The data shows that the Ryzen 5 5600 is not the bottleneck; the GTX 1660 SUPER is. For a user looking at this data, the implication is clear: this is a mid-range system that excels at 1080p gaming but will not compete with higher-tier builds in more demanding resolutions or settings. Its position in the rankings is a direct consequence of the GPU's performance ceiling, not a fault of the processor.