The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 action RPG, presents a demanding workload that quickly exposes the limits of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Arc B390 combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is consistently GPU-bound, with the integrated graphics solution struggling to maintain playable performance at higher presets. The data indicates that this pairing is best suited for lower resolutions and reduced graphical fidelity, where the CPU's capable multi-threading can still provide a stable foundation.

Resolution Scaling

The performance degradation from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 79 FPS at 1920x1080 to 52 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 34%. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 28 FPS, representing a 65% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This pattern of significant losses with each resolution step is characteristic of a system where the renderer is overwhelmed, not the processor.

The scaling at Medium settings follows a similar trajectory. The average frame rate goes from 61 FPS at 1080p to 40 FPS at 1440p, a 34% drop, and then to 22 FPS at 4K, a 64% decline from the 1080p figure. The High preset shows a marginally less severe but still substantial drop: 52 FPS at 1080p falls to 34 FPS at 1440p (a 35% reduction) and then to 19 FPS at 4K (a 63% reduction from the starting point). The uniformity of these percentage drops across different settings suggests that the scaling penalty is primarily a function of pixel count, not shader complexity.

At Ultra settings, the frame rates are already low at 1080p, with an average of 40 FPS. This falls to 26 FPS at 1440p and a nearly unplayable 15 FPS at 4K. The data shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 39 FPS, but at 4K, that difference shrinks to 13 FPS. This convergence indicates that at higher resolutions, the system is so heavily pixel-bound that the additional work from higher graphical presets has a diminishing absolute impact, as the renderer is already at its limit.

The measured results strongly suggest that the limiting component is the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities. The CPU, with its six cores and twelve threads, is unlikely to be the cause of such drastic frame rate collapses when resolution increases. The consistent pattern of performance halving with each doubling of pixel count is the signature of a GPU that has run out of fillrate or memory bandwidth. The fact that the GPU uses "System Shared" memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," further compounds the issue, as the memory performance is not dedicated and can be a major constraint at high resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT is a 5000-series desktop processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Cezanne. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide a solid foundation for gaming. However, in this specific pairing, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU's performance ceiling. The benchmark results indicate that the processor has sufficient headroom to feed the integrated graphics at lower resolutions, but it is not the limiting factor.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are evidenced by its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17272 and a Passmark multithread score of 20325. These figures place it in the 74th percentile of all CPUs, indicating a capable processor for general and multi-threaded tasks. Its single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 1843, is also adequate for older game engines like the one powering The Technomancer. The processor's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12490F with an average score of 20802, which is a 0.3% difference, showing that the 5600GT is competitively positioned in its class.

The architecture's efficiency is notable, with a 7 nm process node from TSMC and a 65 W TDP. The integrated Radeon Vega 7 graphics, while present, are not the primary graphics processor in this configuration; the system is using the Intel Arc B390. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p Low, where the 79 FPS average is likely near the maximum the GPU can output. At 4K, the CPU is almost certainly idle, waiting for the GPU to finish rendering each frame. The 3DMark scores, such as 913 for single-thread and 5554 for max threads, further confirm that the processor's computational power is not the constraint in this game.

The core and thread configuration is more than adequate for a 2016 title. The 12 threads ensure that the game's background tasks and AI computations are handled without issue. However, the measured frame rates show no signs of a CPU limitation, such as frame rate plateaus that do not improve with lower resolutions. Instead, the frame rates scale directly with resolution, pointing squarely at the GPU. Therefore, while the CPU is a strong performer, its role in this specific benchmark is to provide a stable platform that is never the primary source of performance loss.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its performance, however, is severely constrained by its memory configuration, which is "System Shared". This means it relies on the system's main memory for both storage and bandwidth, with the bandwidth described as "System Dependent". This is a critical weakness for a game like The Technomancer, which can be demanding on memory bandwidth.

The GPU's benchmark results are telling. Its only recorded score, a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low score, indicating entry-level performance at best. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 with a score of 1443, are older, low-end discrete graphics cards. The delta percentages are small (1.3% and 2.7% respectively), confirming that the Arc B390's raw compute power is on par with these legacy parts.

The measured frame rates in The Technomancer reflect this low standing. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 79 is the highest achieved, but it drops quickly as settings increase. The 1080p Medium average is 61 FPS, and High drops to 52 FPS. These numbers are playable, but they are far from smooth for a 2016 title. The situation becomes untenable at higher resolutions. At 1440p, the High preset averages 34 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 19 FPS. The Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at all resolutions, with a 40 FPS average at 1080p and a 15 FPS average at 4K.

The GPU's 12 ray tracing cores and 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are not enough to overcome the memory bandwidth limitations. The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are theoretical maximums that are likely never reached due to memory constraints. The fact that the GPU is an IGP with no dedicated VRAM means it is competing with the CPU for memory access, which can lead to stuttering and inconsistent frame times. The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the critical limiting component in this configuration, and its performance is the primary reason for the low frame rates observed at higher settings and resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combination is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This preset yields an average of 79 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate for any configuration. The 1080p Medium preset, with an average of 61 FPS, is also a viable option, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. The measured minimum for Medium is 52 FPS, which is still within a playable range for an action RPG.

The data indicates that High settings at 1080p, with a 52 FPS average, are a marginal choice. While the frame rate is technically playable, it is close to the 50 FPS threshold where smoothness can degrade. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with a 40 FPS average, is not recommended for a consistent experience. At higher resolutions, the situation worsens significantly. The 2560x1440 Low preset, with a 52 FPS average, is the only option at that resolution that approaches playability, but it is not a significant improvement over 1080p High.

For a stable and responsive experience, the 1920x1080 Low setting is the clear winner. It provides the highest average frame rate and avoids the potential for drops below 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is a reasonable alternative for users who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate, as its minimum of 52 FPS is still acceptable. The data suggests that any attempt to run the game at 4K, regardless of settings, will result in an unplayable experience, with the highest average being 28 FPS at Low. The 4K Medium preset shows a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS, which is far too inconsistent for action gameplay.

The performance gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 39 FPS, but the average frame rate difference between Medium and High is only 9 FPS. This suggests that the Medium preset is the most efficient in terms of performance per visual feature. However, the 61 FPS average for Medium is not a large margin above the 52 FPS average for High, making the lower preset the safer choice for maintaining a high frame rate. Ultimately, the measured data points to 1080p Low as the only setting that consistently delivers a high frame rate, with 1080p Medium being a secondary option for users who accept a slight performance hit for better graphics.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Technomancer, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT and Intel Arc B390 pairing ranks 3285 out of 3696 total combinations. This places it in the bottom 11% of all tested systems, confirming its position as a low-performance configuration. The rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a relatively strong performer. The combination's overall standing is heavily weighted by the graphics component's ability to render frames, and the Arc B390's lack of dedicated memory severely hampers its capability.

The rank suggests that the vast majority of other tested combinations, likely including those with even modest discrete graphics cards, outperform this setup. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs is a strong indicator of why this combo performs so poorly. The CPU's 74th percentile ranking shows that the processor is not the issue; it is the graphics solution that drags the entire system down. This is a clear case where a capable CPU is paired with an underpowered GPU, resulting in a system that is unbalanced for gaming.

The comparison to the GPU's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710, further contextualizes the rank. These are legacy, low-end parts from years ago, and the Arc B390's performance is comparable to theirs. This means that the system is effectively operating at a level of performance that was considered entry-level in previous hardware generations. The combo rank of 3285 out of 3696 is a numerical representation of this reality, showing that for The Technomancer, this combination is near the bottom of the pile. The data indicates that users should expect very low frame rates in demanding scenes, and the overall experience will be far from optimal.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for this CPU and GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 with Low settings provides the best experience, with an average frame rate of 79 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset is a secondary option at 61 FPS average.

Q: Can this system handle The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 28 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 22 FPS, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS, all of which are unplayable.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT or the Intel Arc B390 the bottleneck?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is the clear bottleneck. The GPU's performance is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its shared memory configuration limits its bandwidth. The CPU, in the 74th percentile, is more than capable for this game.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, which is a 1.3% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, a 2.7% difference.

Q: What is the average frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 79 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 39 FPS difference between the two extremes.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-threading performance matter for this game?

A: The CPU's 12 threads are sufficient for the game, but they are not the limiting factor. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17272 indicates strong multi-threading, but the frame rates are constrained by the GPU's rendering speed.