The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 action RPG, presents an interesting test for modern high-end hardware. This analysis examines the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, using measured FPS data and benchmark scores. The combination ranks 32nd out of 1656 tested combos, placing it in the top 2% of all configurations tested for this specific title. This pairing of a 6-core Zen 4 processor with the flagship Ada Lovelace GPU demonstrates how a contemporary CPU and GPU handle a last-generation game engine.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 108 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for most users, though it shows the significant performance cost of the Ultra preset compared to lower settings.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7600X has an average benchmark score of 26272, which places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U, scores 26262, a negligible 0% difference, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X scores 26214, which is 0.2% slower.

Q: What is the GPU's benchmark percentile ranking?

A: The RTX 4090 achieves an average benchmark score of 66473, placing it in the 91st percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, scores 66733, a -0.4% difference, indicating the 4090 is slightly behind in this specific aggregate benchmark.

Q: What is the maximum measured FPS at 1080p?

A: The highest measured average FPS for this combo is 299.8 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This represents the ceiling for this configuration in The Technomancer, approaching the limits of typical high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Does the CPU support overclocking?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. It has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a TDP of 105 W.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GPU?

A: The RTX 4090 features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This high bandwidth is crucial for feeding the GPU's 16384 shading units at high resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and is manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. The CPU's base clock is 4.70 GHz, which can boost up to 5.30 GHz under load. This combination of modern architecture and high clocks produces strong single-thread and multi-thread performance.

Benchmark data shows the CPU's capabilities. In Cinebench R23, it scores 24128 points in multi-core and 3406 points in single-core tests. This strong single-core performance is often critical for older game engines like the one powering The Technomancer, which may not scale well across many threads. The CPU's 3DMark results also show a scaling pattern: 2028 points with 2 threads, 3796 with 4 threads, 5715 with 8 threads, and 6879 with 16 threads. The small gain from 8 threads (5715) to max threads (6845) suggests that the game benefits from additional threads but hits diminishing returns beyond 8.

The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support, with a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, provide the data throughput needed to keep the RTX 4090 fed. The CPU's percentile ranking of 83rd among all tested CPUs indicates it is a strong performer. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U, has nearly identical average scores (26262 vs 26272), but the 7600X's desktop-oriented design with higher thermal headroom often allows for more sustained performance in gaming scenarios. In The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be providing a solid foundation that rarely bottlenecks the GPU, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU workload dominates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship of the GeForce 40-series, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD102 chip. It is manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC, packing 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. The GPU has a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz. Memory clocks run at 1313 MHz, effective to 21 Gbps.

The RTX 4090's memory subsystem is a key strength: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus delivers 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This massive bandwidth is essential for 4K gaming, where the GPU must process large textures and geometry data. The GPU's compute power is equally impressive, with 16384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs. It achieves 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s. The pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s helps drive high resolutions.

In benchmark tests, the RTX 4090 scores 38194 in Passmark G3D and 317684 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms its top-tier status. Interestingly, its nearest rivals in the aggregate benchmark are professional workstation cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4 and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56, scoring 66733 and 67097 respectively. The 4090's score of 66473 is slightly below these, but in real-world gaming, the 4090's architecture and drivers give it a significant advantage. For The Technomancer, the GPU's raw power is the primary driver of FPS, particularly at 4K where the CPU is less likely to be the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 7600X and RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 32nd out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This placement in the top 2% of all configurations indicates an exceptionally capable pairing. The high ranking is primarily attributed to the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 4090's compute and memory bandwidth are well-suited for pushing high frame rates, even in a game from 2016.

The CPU's contribution to this rank is supportive rather than leading. With an 83rd percentile CPU score and a 91st percentile GPU score, the system's overall performance is heavily weighted toward the graphics card. This is typical for a game like The Technomancer, which is visually demanding but does not require an extreme number of CPU cores. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration of the 7600X is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at most settings. The rank of 32 suggests that only a few other combinations, likely featuring even higher-end CPUs or more specialized configurations, outperform this setup in this specific title. The data indicates this is a high-end pairing that delivers near-top-tier performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 299.8. This drops to 253.2 at Medium, 219.4 at High, and 170.8 at Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 129 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for higher visual fidelity. All settings at 1080p are well above 144 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high. Low settings produce an average of 217 FPS. Medium settings yield 166.6 FPS, while High settings drop to 138.8 FPS. Ultra settings at 1440p produce 108 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction in FPS, roughly 25-30% depending on the settings, which aligns with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the performance reflects the GPU's immense power. Low settings average 114.5 FPS. Medium settings drop to 92 FPS, and High settings produce 78.1 FPS. Ultra settings at 4K yield 57.7 FPS, which is the most demanding configuration measured. The 4K data shows a clear trend: the gap between Low and Ultra is 56.8 FPS, and the system remains playable at all settings, though Ultra dips below 60 FPS. This suggests that for 4K gaming, High settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and display refresh rate.

For 1920x1080, the system is overkill for most scenarios. Even Ultra settings produce 170.8 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of most 144Hz monitors. Players with a 240Hz or higher display can still use High settings to achieve 219.4 FPS. Low settings are unnecessary unless targeting maximum frame rates above 300 FPS.

At 2560x1440, High settings provide an excellent experience at 138.8 FPS. This is ideal for 144Hz monitors. Medium settings at 166.6 FPS are also a strong choice for those wanting a slight performance buffer. Ultra at 108 FPS is viable for 100Hz+ displays, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may not justify the 30 FPS loss. Low settings at 217 FPS are only relevant for competitive play on very high refresh rate monitors.

For 3840x2160, High settings at 78.1 FPS offer the best experience. This is well above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience on most 4K displays. Medium at 92 FPS is also a good choice for those prioritizing frame rate. Ultra at 57.7 FPS is playable but may be subject to frame pacing issues on some displays, making it less ideal than High. Low at 114.5 FPS is unnecessary, as the visual degradation is significant. The data clearly shows that High settings at 4K provide the sweet spot for this combination, delivering a playable frame rate without sacrificing too much visual quality.