The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. This combination of a Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 3.0 GPU delivers a wide range of performance depending on resolution and settings. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but capable of high frame rates at 1080p, offering a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies for this particular game.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X provides the computational foundation for this pairing. With 8 cores and 16 threads, it offers substantial parallel processing capability for the game’s logic and physics. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz are the key frequencies driving single-threaded performance, which is often critical for game engine tasks. The processor’s 32 MB of L3 cache helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency.

In the context of The Technomancer’s results, the CPU appears to be more than sufficient. The data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 193.1 FPS. This high frame rate at a resolution where the GPU has less work suggests that the CPU is not the primary limiting factor. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see a performance ceiling that prevents the frame rate from climbing to such levels, regardless of how low the graphical settings are set. The Ryzen 7 3700X sits in the 85th percentile when compared to all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 28631 places it in close competition with the Intel Core i5-12600, which scores 28654 (a delta of -0.1%). This indicates that the CPU is a solid, mid-to-high-tier performer that can feed a powerful GPU without holding it back in this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration. Its specifications are formidable: 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus provides 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth, ensuring that high-resolution textures and data are fed to the GPU cores without stalling. The GPU’s boost clock of 2394 MHz and game clock of 2025 MHz are the frequencies that determine its raw rendering speed. With 5376 shading units, the GPU has a massive amount of parallel execution resources for pixel and vertex processing.

The GPU’s role is clearly demonstrated by the scaling of frame rates with settings at 4K. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 91 on Low to 48.6 on Ultra. This dramatic swing of over 40 FPS is a direct consequence of the GPU’s workload increasing with higher graphical fidelity. The RX 7900 XT is ranked in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 38358. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile, scores 38349, a negligible 0% delta. This performance class is what allows the system to push playable frame rates at 4K, though the Ultra preset proves to be a significant challenge, as evidenced by the sub-50 FPS average.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K at High settings results in average FPS of 166.2, 108.1, and 60.2, respectively. This is a substantial drop of 58.1 FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further drop of 47.9 FPS when moving from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline indicates that the rendering resolution is placing an exponentially increasing load on the GPU.

This scaling behavior confirms that the RX 7900 XT is the limiting component. The CPU’s performance, as evidenced by its ability to drive 193.1 FPS at 1080p Low, is not the constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU’s workload (game logic, draw calls) remains constant. Instead, the FPS falls proportionally with the increase in pixel count, which is the signature of a GPU that is working at its limit. The data shows that at 1440p, the system still delivers excellent performance (108.1 FPS on High and 162 FPS on Low), making it a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, the system is still capable of a smooth experience on High settings, but the Ultra preset’s 48.6 FPS average is a clear indication that the GPU is being pushed to its absolute maximum.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Technomancer, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT holds a rank of 383 out of 1656 tested combos. This places it in the top 23% of all systems tested, which is a respectable position for a high-performance pairing. The rank reflects the overall capability of the system across all tested resolutions and settings.

The data suggests that this combo is stronger than the average tested system, but it is not at the very top of the leaderboard. The 383rd rank implies there are many other combinations, likely featuring newer or more powerful CPUs and GPUs, that achieve higher average frame rates in this game. However, the ranking also indicates that this setup outperforms the majority of the 1656 combos in the database. Given that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, the rank is likely more dependent on the RX 7900 XT’s performance than the Ryzen 7 3700X. The CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is not starved of data, and its strong benchmark scores relative to its rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT (delta of 0.1%) and the AMD EPYC 7203P (delta of 0.2%), suggest it is doing its job effectively, allowing the GPU to perform to its full potential.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for different priorities. For players seeking the highest possible frame rates, particularly on a 1080p or 1440p high-refresh-rate display, the Low preset is the clear winner. At 1080p, it yields an average of 193.1 FPS, and at 1440p, it remains exceptionally high at 162 FPS. This preset sacrifices visual fidelity for maximum smoothness.

For a balanced experience that maintains high frame rates without compromising too much on visual quality, the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers 166.2 FPS at 1080p and 108.1 FPS at 1440p, both of which are well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K, the High preset achieves a solid 60.2 FPS average, making it the best option for a 4K experience. The Medium preset offers a marginal improvement in visuals over Low but with a significant performance cost, dropping from 193.1 to 175.7 FPS at 1080p and from 162 to 127.4 FPS at 1440p. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and while it provides the best visual quality, it is only recommended for players with a 1080p or 1440p monitor who prioritize graphics over frame rate. At 4K, the Ultra preset’s 48.6 FPS average falls below the ideal smoothness threshold. The data indicates that the High preset is the most efficient, providing the best balance of performance and visual quality across all resolutions.