The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, based on a dataset of 12 distinct frame-rate measurements across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data indicates a pairing that is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p play, but which becomes increasingly GPU-limited as resolution and settings increase, ultimately falling below the threshold for smooth 4K gameplay on maximum quality.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 achieves a rank of #1723 out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the 53rd percentile of all tested configurations, positioning it squarely in the middle of the performance distribution. The rank reflects the balance between the two components; the system is neither a top-tier outlier nor a low-end pairing.

The CPU itself holds a strong overall percentile of 78 against all tested processors, and the GPU sits at a 58th percentile against all tested GPUs. The combination of a highly-ranked CPU and a mid-ranked GPU yields a system ranking that is solidly above average, but not exceptional. The data shows that the limiting factor for this combo's rank is the graphics card, as the CPU has more headroom relative to its own field. This is a classic pairing of a strong processor with a capable, but not top-tier, graphics card, resulting in a system that will perform reliably at mainstream resolutions but will not set records at the high end.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern across different quality presets. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 92 FPS, which is a smooth experience for most players. The High preset at 1080p is significantly faster, producing 117 FPS, a 25 FPS improvement over Ultra. The Medium preset raises the average to 137 FPS, and the Low preset achieves a very high 179 FPS. Given these numbers, the High preset at 1080p appears to be the optimal balance, offering a substantial performance increase over Ultra while maintaining a quality level that is likely indistinguishable in fast-paced action. The Ultra preset might be used for single-player immersion, but the High preset is more prudent for maintaining a high refresh rate.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset yields an average of 60 FPS, which is the baseline for smooth gameplay, but has no margin for dips. The High preset at 1440p provides a more comfortable 77 FPS, ensuring a better minimum frame rate. For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended setting, as it offers a significant frame rate advantage over Ultra while still providing a high-quality image. Regarding 4K, the data shows that even the High preset only manages 42 FPS, and Medium hits 49 FPS. The Low preset at 4K is the only one that provides a decent average of 64 FPS. For a good experience at 4K, the Low preset is the recommendation, as it is the only one that approaches the 60 FPS threshold, though High and Medium are still playable if a lower frame rate is acceptable.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data shows a consistent and expected performance drop as resolution increases. From 1080p to 1440p with the High preset, the frame rate falls from 117 FPS to 77 FPS, a reduction of 34.2%. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe, with the High preset falling from 77 FPS to 42 FPS, a reduction of 45.5%. This pattern indicates a significant scaling cost when moving to 4K. The frame rate scaling is not linear; the cost of each pixel is more expensive at higher resolutions.

This scaling behavior is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound workload. The large frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K, rather than a more gradual decline, points to the graphics card being the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU is likely spending more time waiting on the GPU to render frames. The data suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is capable of handling the game at high frame rates at 1080p and good frame rates at 1440p, but it loses its strength at 4K, where the 16 GB VRAM and 256-bit memory bus are not enough to maintain a high frame rate with the most demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080

At 1080p, this combo produces a wide range of averages across settings. The Low preset produces an average of 179 FPS, with the Medium preset at 137 FPS. The High preset achieves 117 FPS, and the Ultra preset yields 92 FPS. The measured data also includes minimum and maximum values for the Medium preset, which are 117 FPS and 158 FPS, respectively. This shows that the 1080p resolution is the sweet spot for this combination of CPU and GPU, with the CPU providing enough bandwidth for the GPU to work at maximum efficiency.

2560x1440

At 1440p, the average frame rates drop, but remain playable. The Low preset yields 117 FPS, the Medium preset gives 90 FPS, and the High preset produces 77 FPS. The Ultra preset is at 60 FPS, which is a very playable baseline, but the Medium preset's minimum of 76 FPS is more comfortable. The data shows that the 1440p resolution is the best balance for high refresh rate gaming with this combo, as the High preset is still above the 60 FPS threshold.

3840x2160

The 4K results show a significant GPU bottleneck. The Low preset is the only one that breaks 60 FPS, with an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset averages 49 FPS, with a min of 42 and a max of 57. The High preset produces 42 FPS, and the Ultra preset is at 33 FPS. The data indicates that for consistent 4K performance, users will need to use the Low preset, as higher settings will result in a slide show. The Ultra preset is effectively unplayable for action games.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo?

A: The data shows that the combo performs best at 1080p, with all settings producing an average of over 92 FPS. The 1440p resolution is also a strong option, with the High setting reaching 77 FPS, while 4K is not recommended if smooth performance is a priority.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset?

A: The Ultra preset is not recommended for most scenarios. The benchmark results show that Ultra yields an average of 92 FPS at 1080p and 60 FPS at 1440p, but the High preset provides a better performance-to-quality balance, offering a higher or similar frame rate with less visual impact.

Q: How does this combo handle 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K is a significant challenge. The Low preset is the only setting that breaks 60 FPS, with an average of 64 FPS. The Medium settings are below 50 FPS, and Ultra is below 34 FPS. The 4K resolution is the most demanding, and this GPU is not strong enough to handle the highest settings.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1080p. The frame rate scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is nearly linear, with a drop from 179 FPS to 92 FPS, which is a typical GPU-bound pattern. The CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the Low preset scores 179 FPS, while the Ultra preset scores 92 FPS, a 48.6% decrease. At 1440p, the drop from Low to Ultra is from 117 FPS to 60 FPS, a 48.7% decrease. And at 4K, the drop is from 64 FPS to 33 FPS, a 48.4% decrease.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM help at 4K?

A: The 16 GB of VRAM on the RX 7700 is substantial, but the benchmark data shows that it is not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The game is likely not using all the VRAM, but the GPU's processing power is the limiting factor, not the memory capacity.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6628 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655 indicate a strong multi-threaded performance, which is useful for modern games. The single-thread performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 at 2916, is also strong, which is important for frame pacing.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is very close. It scores within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 700, and within 1% of the Intel Xeon D-2752TER. The data shows that the 5700 is a capable gaming processor that is not a bottleneck at the tested resolutions. The fact that the FPS numbers scale so consistently with resolution and settings indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU at high frame rates. The 8-core configuration is a good match for the game, as the game likely benefits from the multi-threaded performance, but the single-core speed is also sufficient to avoid stuttering.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, with a chip known as Navi 32. It has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, giving a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1900 MHz and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. It has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The PassMark G3D score is 20974, and its average benchmark score places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's performance is the main factor in this combo's results. At 1080p, it can max out the game at 92 FPS at Ultra, but the performance drops significantly as resolution increases. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is a clear sign of a GPU-limited system. The 16 GB of VRAM is a large amount and should be enough for the game, but the raw compute performance is the limiting factor. The GPU is a good match for a high-refresh 1080p or 1440p monitor, but it is not a 4K card.