The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 action RPG, places distinct demands on a system. This analysis examines the pairing of an AMD Ryzen 7 5700 CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, using measured frame rate data to understand how each component contributes to performance across resolutions and settings. The data provides a clear picture of a system where the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s eight cores and sixteen threads ensure consistent frame delivery at lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound title. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 117 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset, the average drops to 76 FPS, a reduction of 41 frames. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 42 FPS, which is just over a third of the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that the GTX 1070’s pixel throughput is the limiting factor; the CPU is not the bottleneck at these settings.

The drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 35%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is roughly 45%. This accelerating decline highlights the memory bandwidth and shading unit limits of the GPU. The GTX 1070 has 1920 shading units and a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s, figures that are adequate for 1080p but become strained as the pixel count quadruples at 4K. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory is sufficient in capacity, but the bus width of 256 bit limits the data throughput needed for high-resolution textures.

Looking at the High preset, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p, the average is 77 FPS; at 1440p, it is 50 FPS; and at 4K, it is 27 FPS. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is about 65%, showing that the GPU is working progressively harder. The Ultra preset shows the same pattern, with 60 FPS at 1080p, 39 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. These numbers confirm that the GTX 1070 is the dominant constraint, as the CPU’s performance headroom does not compensate for the GPU’s inability to fill pixels at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Technomancer, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 7 5700 and GTX 1070 ranks 3057 out of 3696 combos. This places it in the lower percentile of tested systems, which is expected given the GTX 1070’s age and its position in the GPU hierarchy. The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is 47, meaning it sits just below the median of all tested graphics cards. The CPU, by contrast, has a percentile of 78, showing that the processor is a stronger component than the graphics card in this pairing.

The combo rank of 3057 suggests that while the CPU is capable, the overall system performance is held back by the GPU. This is not a criticism of the CPU; rather, it reflects the reality that The Technomancer’s frame rates are largely determined by the graphics card at most settings. The rank also implies that many other tested combos use more powerful GPUs, which pushes this pairing down the list. For a user with this hardware, the data indicates that upgrading the GPU would yield a more significant performance improvement than upgrading the CPU.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the Intel Xeon D-2752TER with a deltaPct of -0.1 and the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U with a deltaPct of 0.1. These differences are negligible, showing that the Ryzen 7 5700 performs in line with other mid-range processors. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W5000 with a deltaPct of -0.2 and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M with a deltaPct of -0.5, again indicating that the GTX 1070’s performance is within a tight band of comparable cards. This context reinforces that the combo’s low rank is due to the GPU’s absolute performance level, not an unusual bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a desktop processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on the Zen 3 architecture. Its base clock is 3.70 GHz, and it boosts up to 4.60 GHz. These specifications are more than sufficient for a game released in 2016, as The Technomancer was designed for systems with fewer cores. The CPU’s 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s provide ample data throughput for gaming workloads.

Synthetic benchmarks show the CPU’s strength in multi-threaded tasks. It scores 20655 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 8675 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. Single-thread performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2916 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1907. These numbers indicate that the CPU will not be a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the limiting factor.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p with Low settings, where the average of 117 FPS shows that the processor can keep up with the GPU’s output. At this resolution and settings, the frame rate is high enough that any CPU limitation would manifest as inconsistent frame times, but the data shows no such issue. The 3DMark scores, such as 6617 for max threads and 901 for single thread, further support the CPU’s capability to handle the game’s logic and physics without throttling the GPU.

The CPU’s TDP is 65 W, which is modest, and it uses the AM4 socket with PCIe Gen 3 lanes. These are not performance factors in this game, but they indicate that the CPU is a modern, efficient part. The process node is 7 nm from TSMC, which contributes to its thermal efficiency. For The Technomancer, the data suggests that the CPU provides a stable foundation, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of frame rates across the tested settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable frame rates across all settings. The Low preset averages 117 FPS, making it the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium averages 90 FPS with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103, showing a smooth experience. High averages 77 FPS, while Ultra drops to 60 FPS, which is still acceptable for many users. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent cost for each quality tier, with Ultra being exactly half the frame rate of Low.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease as expected. Low averages 76 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium averages 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 67, indicating that some scenes will dip below 60 FPS. High averages 50 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS. These numbers suggest that for a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is the highest playable option, as High and Ultra will produce noticeable stutter in demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. Low averages 42 FPS, which is borderline for playability. Medium averages 32 FPS with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37, showing that frame rates will fluctuate significantly. High averages 27 FPS, and Ultra averages 21 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for a smooth experience. This resolution is not recommended for this combo, as even the Low preset struggles to maintain a consistent frame rate.

The data for Medium presets at each resolution includes min and max FPS values, providing insight into frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range from 76 to 103 is tight, indicating stable performance. At 1440p Medium, the range from 50 to 67 shows more variance, but it is still within a manageable band. At 4K Medium, the range from 27 to 37 is wide in percentage terms, highlighting the GPU’s inability to maintain a consistent output at this resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is based on the Pascal architecture and manufactured on a 16 nm process. It has 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The base clock is 1506 MHz with a boost clock of 1683 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory runs at 2002 MHz, providing a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s over a 256-bit bus. These specifications define its performance envelope in The Technomancer.

The GPU’s synthetic benchmark scores show a mixed picture. Its Passmark G3D score is 13498, which is solid for its class, but its DirectX 12 score is only 48, indicating that the card is not optimized for modern APIs. The Geekbench Vulkan score is 22121, which is better, but the game itself likely uses DirectX 11, where the card performs more consistently. The GPU’s percentile versus all GPUs is 47, placing it just below the median of all tested cards.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU’s role is dominant. At 1080p Low, the 117 FPS average shows that the card can handle the game’s workload when pixel count is low. As resolution increases, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors. The 4K results, where even Low settings only produce 42 FPS, demonstrate that the card lacks the raw throughput for high-resolution gaming. The FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS is modest by modern standards, but it is sufficient for a 2016 title at lower resolutions.

The GPU’s TDP is 150 W, and it requires a single 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. These are not performance factors, but they indicate the card’s power envelope. The memory clock of 2002 MHz with 8 Gbps effective speed is the bottleneck at 4K, as the bus width cannot deliver enough data to the shading units. For this game, the GPU is the clear performance limiter, and the data shows that users should target 1080p or 1440p for a satisfactory experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers an average of 77 FPS, which is smooth and visually superior to Medium’s 90 FPS. The Ultra preset at 60 FPS is also playable, but the drop from High to Ultra is 17 FPS, which may not justify the visual improvements. For most users, High is the recommended preset at 1080p, as it balances quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target. The Low preset at 76 FPS is smoother, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. High at 50 FPS is playable but may exhibit stutter in intense scenes. The data suggests that Medium is the best compromise at 1440p, as it provides a good balance of visual fidelity and frame rate. Users who prioritize smoothness over graphics can drop to Low, while those who accept lower frame rates can try High.

At 3840x2160, no preset delivers a consistently playable experience. The Low preset at 42 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but even it will have frame drops. Medium at 32 FPS is too low for most users, and High and Ultra are not viable. The recommendation for 4K is to lower the resolution to 1440p or adjust the in-game scaling settings, though the data does not include such an option. For this combo, 4K is not a practical target.

The Medium preset at 1080p, with its min of 76 and max of 103, shows the most consistent frame delivery, making it a safe choice for users with 60 Hz monitors. The High preset at 1080p also provides a stable experience with no min/max data to suggest variance. Ultimately, the data indicates that the GTX 1070 is best paired with a 1080p monitor for The Technomancer, with High settings being the sweet spot.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average FPS is 77 at 1920x1080 with High settings.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows that even at Low settings, the average FPS at 3840x2160 is 42, which is below the 60 FPS target. At Ultra, it drops to 21 FPS, indicating that 4K is not a viable option for this pairing.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 5700 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700 has an average benchmark score of 25517, which is within 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 7 5825U and 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen 5 7640U, showing near-identical synthetic performance.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The GTX 1070 has a percentile of 47, meaning it performs better than 47% of all GPUs in the database.

Q: At 1440p, which preset provides the highest average FPS above 60?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 76 FPS, which is the only preset that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 59 FPS.

Q: What is the combo’s rank in the game’s tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 3057 out of 3696 tested combinations, placing it in the lower portion of the field due to the GPU’s performance level.