The Technomancer

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a severely GPU-limited experience in The Technomancer, producing playable frame rates only at 1080p with reduced settings, while higher resolutions and Ultra presets fall well below acceptable thresholds. The combo ranks in the bottom 11th percentile of all tested configurations, confirming that the integrated graphics solution is the definitive bottleneck, despite the CPU being a highly capable mid-range desktop part.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer), built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This processor features a 32 MB L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU shows strong single-thread performance with a Geekbench single-core score of 1989 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1541, while its multi-threaded capabilities are evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11838 and a Passmark multithread score of 21858.

The data indicates the 5600X is more than adequate for the computational demands of The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG. Its 12 threads and high boost clock provide ample headroom for game logic, physics, and AI. The processor's benchmark percentile of 75 versus all CPUs places it in the upper quartile of tested processors. Its average benchmark score of 21771 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with a 0.1% delta over the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and a -0.5% delta versus both the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U and Intel Core i7-11700. This suggests that in a balanced system, the 5600X would not be a limiting factor in this title.

However, in this specific configuration, the CPU's potential is entirely unrealized. The measured frame rates in The Technomancer are determined by the GPU, not the CPU. The fact that the 5600X scores 3364 in Passmark single-thread tests and 917 in 3DMark single-thread tests is irrelevant to the final output when the graphics processor is incapable of rendering frames quickly enough to stress the CPU. The performance ceiling here is set by the Intel Arc B390, and the 5600X sits largely idle, waiting for the GPU to deliver frames. The benchmark results show that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU load is typically highest, the system only manages 79 FPS, a figure that a 6-core/12-thread Zen 3 processor could handle without breaking a sweat.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the primary performance constraint in this pairing. This is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture (codename Panther Lake), manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. Its specifications include 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 ROPs, and 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a TDP of 80 W. Critically, its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the system's main memory, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent."

The GPU's benchmark results are extremely poor. It scores 1482 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all legacy low-end discrete graphics cards: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% ahead). This places the Arc B390's raw compute performance in the same class as decade-old entry-level mobile and desktop GPUs, which is a clear indicator of its inability to handle modern gaming loads.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's memory constraints are particularly damaging. With no dedicated VRAM, the shared system memory becomes a bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions and texture settings. The GPU's theoretical pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are far too low for the demands of a 3D action RPG at 1440p or 4K. The data shows that the GPU can only produce 19 FPS at 4K High settings, and even dropping to 4K Low only yields 28 FPS. The GPU is the undeniable limiting factor, and its performance dictates every measured result in this combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions clearly demonstrates a GPU-bound scenario. The measured FPS drops are dramatic and consistent with a graphics processor that lacks both raw compute power and sufficient memory bandwidth.

At 1080p, the system achieves playable frame rates on lower presets. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 79, dropping to 61 at Medium, 52 at High, and 40 at Ultra. Moving to 1440p, there is a significant performance hit across all settings. The 1440p Low average is 52 FPS, a 34% drop from 1080p Low. The 1440p High average is 34 FPS, a 35% drop from 1080p High. This substantial decrease when moving from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU is already saturated at 1080p and has no headroom to handle the increased pixel count.

The transition to 4K is catastrophic. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 28, which is a 65% reduction from 1080p Low. The 4K High average is 19 FPS, an 82% reduction from 1080p Low. The 4K Medium average is 22 FPS with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS. The 4K Ultra average is just 15 FPS. These numbers indicate that the Arc B390 is utterly incapable of rendering The Technomancer at 4K resolution. The linear scaling pattern, where performance drops proportionally with the number of pixels, confirms that the GPU's shading units and memory system are the limiting factors. The CPU's role in this scaling is negligible, as the 5600X's performance is constant regardless of resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3285 out of 3696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places the combo in the bottom 11.1% of all systems tested, which is a very poor result. The rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is a high-performing part with a 75th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The disparity between the CPU's capability and the GPU's performance is stark. The 5600X's average benchmark score of 21771 places it in the company of processors like the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and Intel Core i7-11700, both of which are capable of powering high-end discrete graphics cards. However, the Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, a GPU from 2014 that was considered entry-level even then. This massive performance gap between the two components means that the system's overall ranking is dragged down entirely by the GPU. The data shows that this is a severely unbalanced configuration, and its rank in the bottom 11% reflects that imbalance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured frame rates for this combo in The Technomancer is as follows.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the average frame rates are uniformly low. With Low settings, the average FPS is 28. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 22, with a minimum of 19 and a maximum of 25. With High settings, the average FPS is 19. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 15. None of these results are playable, as they all fall below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered the minimum for a fluid experience.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance improves but remains marginal. With Low settings, the average FPS is 52. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 40, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 46. With High settings, the average FPS is 34. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 26. The Low and Medium presets are playable, but the High preset is borderline, and the Ultra preset is not.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system finally reaches acceptable performance levels. With Low settings, the average FPS is 79. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 61, with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 70. With High settings, the average FPS is 52. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 40. The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo can provide a consistently playable experience, and even then, Ultra settings produce an average that is below 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This configuration yields an average FPS of 79, which is the highest of any tested preset and provides a smooth gameplay experience. The 1080p Medium preset, with an average of 61 FPS and a minimum of 52 FPS, is also a strong choice, offering better visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate that is above 60 FPS on average.

The 1080p High preset, with an average of 52 FPS, is a viable alternative for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate smoothness, but it may exhibit occasional stuttering during intense scenes. The 1080p Ultra preset, with an average of 40 FPS, is not recommended, as the performance drop is significant and may lead to a less responsive feel. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only recommended option, providing 52 FPS, while the Medium preset at 40 FPS is playable but not ideal. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not recommended. All 4K presets are completely unplayable and should be avoided. The data clearly indicates that this system is a 1080p machine for this game, and users should adjust their settings accordingly to prioritize frame rate over resolution.