The Technomancer

The Technomancer, an Action RPG released in 2016, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, using benchmark data collected at multiple resolutions and settings. The data shows a combination that performs admirably at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K, giving a clear picture of where the system's strengths and limitations lie.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 4 architecture and codenamed Phoenix. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 16 MB of L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The processor has a TDP of 65 watts and uses the AMD Socket AM5. It was released on 2024-03-31 with a launch MSRP of $170.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 8400F scores 20,851 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,943 in Cinebench R23 single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score is 24,389, and the single-thread score is 3,685. The processor's percentile vs all CPUs is 77, meaning it outperforms most processors on the market. Its average benchmark score is 25,005. The nearest rivals, according to the data, are the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, which has an average score of 24,964 and a delta of 0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-11850H with an average score of 24,935 and a delta of 0.3%. The Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24,911 with a delta of 0.4%, while the AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25,103 with a delta of -0.4%. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 8400F is essentially tied with its closest rivals in overall CPU performance, with differences of less than half a percent.

For gaming, the 6 cores and 12 threads are well-suited for modern titles, and the high boost clock of 4.70 GHz aids in single-threaded performance, which is crucial for many game engines. In the benchmarks for The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. At lower resolutions like 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor, while at higher resolutions, the GPU typically becomes the bottleneck. The data from the measured FPS will show how this plays out.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 has a combo rank in The Technomancer of 3057 out of 3696 tested combos. This rank places it in the lower third of all tested configurations. The data shows that this combo, while capable at lower resolutions, is not a top-tier performer in this game.

Given the CPU's strong performance (77th percentile), the relatively low combo rank suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint. The GTX 1070 is an older graphics card, released in 2016, and its performance in this game is modest. The combo rank of 3057 out of 3696 indicates that a significant majority of other tested combinations achieve higher frame rates in The Technomancer. This is not a surprising result given the age of the GPU, but the CPU is not the cause of the low ranking.

The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of delivering high frame rates with a more powerful GPU, but with the GTX 1070, the system's overall performance is limited by the graphics card. The combination's ranking may be improved by lowering resolution or settings, which will be discussed in later sections.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Looking at the measured FPS data, the system's performance scales predictably with resolution. At 1080p, the system achieves a high frame rate at low settings, with an average of 117 FPS. At 1440p, the same settings yield a 76 FPS average, and at 4K, the average drops to 42 FPS. This is a clear indication that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not change as much with resolution.

At 1080p, the CPU is more stressed, but the data shows that the system can still produce a high frame rate. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings (Low) is a drop from 117 FPS to 76 FPS, which is a 35% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is from 76 FPS to 42 FPS, a 45% reduction. This indicates that the GPU's performance is heavily scaled by resolution.

The limiting component is the GPU, as the CPU's performance is not the bottleneck when moving to higher resolutions. The GTX 1070's 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit memory bus, with a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s, are not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The data suggests that for a smooth experience at 4K, a more powerful GPU would be needed, but at 1080p and 1440p, the system can provide acceptable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1080p:

• Low: 117 FPS average
• Medium: 90 FPS average, with a range of 76 to 103 FPS
• High: 77 FPS average
• Ultra: 60 FPS average

At 1080p, the system delivers a smooth experience on Low settings, with a high enough frame rate for most players. Medium settings still deliver a solid 90 FPS, and High is also playable at 77 FPS. Ultra is just at the edge of smoothness with 60 FPS, but the minimum FPS is not listed, so it could be higher or lower.

1440p:

• Low: 76 FPS average
• Medium: 59 FPS average, with a range of 50 to 67 FPS
• High: 50 FPS average
• Ultra: 39 FPS average

At 1440p, the system still provides good performance at Low settings, but the frame rate drops more noticeably at higher settings. Medium is still playable at 59 FPS, but High and Ultra are below the 60 FPS target.

4K:

• Low: 42 FPS average
• Medium: 32 FPS average, with a range of 27 to 37 FPS
• High: 27 FPS average
• Ultra: 21 FPS average

At 4K, the system struggles to maintain a smooth frame rate. Only Low settings provide an average above 30 FPS, and Medium, High, and Ultra are all below 30 FPS. This suggests that the system is not suitable for 4K gaming with this combination.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The average FPS is 77 at 1080p with High settings.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded at 4K with Medium settings?

A: The maximum FPS at 4K with Medium settings is 37 FPS, with an average of 32 and a minimum of 27.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 3057 out of 3696 combinations tested in The Technomancer.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at Low settings?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Low is 117, while at 4K Low it is 42, a significant drop.

Q: Can the system achieve a smooth 60 FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: No, the average FPS at 1440p High is 50, which is below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p?

A: The Low preset yields the highest average FPS at 117, but Medium offers a balance with an average of 90 FPS.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this system depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset provides the highest average FPS of 117, but for a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is a strong choice, delivering an average of 90 FPS. The High preset at 77 FPS is still playable, but the Ultra preset drops to exactly 60 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the Ultra preset at 1080p is the limit, but the Medium preset offers more headroom.

At 1440p, the Low preset gives an average of 76 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset at 59 FPS is close to 60, so it is a viable option for those who want better visuals. High and Ultra are below 60 FPS and may result in noticeable stutter.

At 4K, the system is not recommended for high settings. The Low preset yields 42 FPS, which is may not be smooth, but it is the only preset with an average above 30 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra are all below 30 FPS, making them unplayable for most.

For the best experience, the data suggests using Medium settings at 1080p to balance visual quality and frame rate. At 1440p, Low or Medium settings are the best options. At 4K, only Low is playable, but the frame rate is still low.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a graphics card from the GeForce 10-series, based on the Pascal architecture, with the GP104 chip. It was released on 2016-06-09 and has a launch MSRP of 379 USD. The card has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 1506 MHz and boost clock is 1683 MHz. The memory clock is 2002 MHz, which equates to 8 Gbps effective.

The GPU has 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Its pixel rate is 107.7 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 202.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.463 TFLOPS, and the FP16 is 101.0 GFLOPS (1:64). The TDP is 150 W, and it requires a 450 W PSU. The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16.

In benchmarks, the GTX 1070 has a PassMark G3D score of 13,498 and a PassMark G2D score of 846. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,082. The Geekbench scores are 18,801 for Metal, 44,700 for OpenCL, and 22,121 for Vulkan. The passmark DirectX scores are 197 for DirectX 9, 100 for DirectX 11, and 48 for DirectX 12.

The GPU has a percentile vs all GPUs of 47, indicating it is an average performer. Its average benchmark score is 9,780. The nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro W5000 with an average score of 9,803 and a delta of -0.2%, and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M with a score of 9,832 and a delta of -0.5%. The NVIDIA Tesla M10 scores 9,724 with a delta of 0.6%, and the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 scores 9,716 with a delta of 0.7%. This shows that the GTX 1070 is a mid-range GPU, with performance similar to several professional cards.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is critical. The data shows that the frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases, indicating that the GPU is the bottleneck. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for this game, but the GPU's computing power is not high enough for 4K. The GTX 1070's performance in DirectX 12 is relatively low, with a score of just 48, which may explain the lower frame rates at higher settings. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor in this system, and its performance is the reason the combo ranks 3057th out of 3696.

The GPU's role is to render the scenes at the configured resolution and settings. With a 256-bit memory bus and 256.3 GB/s, it can handle a decent amount of data, but the pixel rate and texture rate are not high enough for 4K. The system's performance is best at 1080p, where the GPU can keep up with the CPU's demands. At 1440p, the GPU still manages to deliver playable frame rates, but at 4K, it falls behind.

The overall data shows that the GTX 1070 is a capable 1080p GPU, but it is not suited for high-resolution gaming. The 6 GB of VRAM is enough for this game, but the core performance is limited. The release date of the GPU in 2016 also explains its performance, as it is an older graphics card. The system's results are a direct reflection of the hardware's capabilities.