The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting benchmark scenario when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. The data reveals a system with immense raw capability, yet the game's age and engine characteristics create a performance profile that is not purely linear across resolutions and settings. This analysis examines the measured FPS data to understand the roles of the CPU and GPU, the impact of resolution scaling, and the optimal settings for this specific combination.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a desktop processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture with the Cezanne codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This configuration is significant for The Technomancer, an Action RPG that often relies on a mix of physics, AI, and game logic, which can utilize multiple threads. The processor's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth provide a solid foundation for feeding the high-end GPU.

Benchmark results for the CPU show a balanced profile. In Cinebench R23, it scores 20655 points in multi-core and 2916 points in single-core tests. This indicates strong multi-threaded performance, which is relevant for a game that may spawn multiple background processes. The 3DMark scores further illustrate this: 6628 for 16 threads, 5585 for 8 threads, and 3382 for 4 threads. The scaling from 4 to 8 threads is substantial (65% improvement), but scaling from 8 to 16 threads is much smaller (only 18.7% improvement), suggesting that while the CPU has headroom, the game's core usage may not fully saturate all 16 threads.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be a supporting one, ensuring that the GPU is not starved of data. The CPU's percentile rank of 78 vs all CPUs places it in the upper quartile of processors. When compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight cluster. The AMD Ryzen 5 7640U has an average score of 25485, which is 0.1% higher, while the Intel Xeon D-2752TER is 0.1% lower. This suggests that for this game, the Ryzen 7 5700's performance is well within the expected range for its class, and it is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck. The single-core score of 901 in 3DMark is adequate for the game's logic, but the multi-core scores are where this CPU demonstrates its capability, ensuring smooth frame pacing even in complex scenes with numerous entities.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a flagship graphics card based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, using the GB202 chip. It is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, yielding a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. For a game like The Technomancer, which was released in 2016, this GPU's specifications vastly exceed the typical requirements of that era. The 32 GB of VRAM is particularly notable, ensuring that texture memory and frame buffers are never a limiting factor at any resolution or setting tested.

The GPU's compute capabilities are immense, with 21760 shading units and 680 tensor cores, delivering 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In PassMark's G3D test, it scores 44065, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show a slight variance: the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT scores 76904, which is 1.1% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is 1.6% lower. This indicates that while the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier performer, the specific benchmark scores are close to those of other high-end cards, suggesting that in this game, the GPU's raw power is more than sufficient.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's dominance is clear. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 237 FPS, which is likely limited by the CPU or game engine's frame rate cap rather than the GPU. The GPU's role is to render frames as quickly as possible, and the data shows it does so with ease. The 32 GB VRAM and high bandwidth ensure that even at 4K Ultra, the GPU is not constrained by memory capacity or bandwidth, as evidenced by the 66 FPS average in that configuration. The GPU is the primary driver of performance scaling as resolution increases, but the game's engine seems to cap the maximum frame rate at higher settings, as seen in the diminishing returns from Low to Ultra settings.

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

The resolution scaling data provides clear insights into the system's bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across all settings. For High settings, the drop is from 204 FPS to 154 FPS, a 24.5% decrease. From 1440p to 4K (3840x2160), the average FPS for High settings further drops from 154 to 85, a 44.8% decrease. This pattern indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases, which is expected for a high-end card.

However, the scaling is not perfectly linear. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 237 FPS at 1080p to 206 FPS at 1440p (a 13.1% decrease), and then to 129 FPS at 4K (a 37.4% decrease from 1440p). This suggests that at lower settings, the CPU or engine overhead becomes more apparent, as the GPU has more headroom. The fact that 1080p Low (237 FPS) is close to 1080p Medium (215 FPS) and 1080p High (204 FPS) implies that the game engine has a frame rate ceiling around 200-240 FPS, likely due to CPU limitations in rendering draw calls.

At 4K, the GPU's workload increases significantly, and the FPS drops to a range of 66 to 129. The difference between 4K Low (129 FPS) and 4K Ultra (66 FPS) shows that the GPU is heavily loaded at this resolution, and the settings have a pronounced impact. The data indicates that the limiting component is the GPU at 4K, as the FPS scales inversely with resolution. Conversely, at 1080p, the CPU or engine is the limiting factor, as the FPS does not increase proportionally when lowering settings from High to Low. This analysis suggests that for maximum frame rates, 1080p is CPU-bound, while 4K is GPU-bound, with 1440p being a transitional point.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, all settings provide playable frame rates, with Low at 237 FPS, Medium at 215 FPS, High at 204 FPS, and Ultra at 184 FPS. Given that the differences between High and Ultra are relatively small (a 9.8% drop from 204 to 184 FPS), the Ultra preset offers the best visual quality without a significant performance hit, especially for users with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 183 is also respectable, but the visual fidelity of Ultra is likely worth the 20 FPS trade-off.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 154 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Ultra preset at 120 FPS is also very smooth and offers the best visual experience. The Medium preset at 180 FPS is the highest frame rate in this resolution, but the visual difference between Medium and High may be noticeable. For users prioritizing visual quality, Ultra is the best choice, as it remains above 120 FPS. For those seeking a balance, High offers a 34 FPS advantage over Ultra while still providing excellent visuals.

For 3840x2160, the data shows that the High preset at 85 FPS is the sweet spot for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 99 FPS is also viable, but the Ultra preset at 66 FPS may dip below the 60 FPS threshold in demanding scenes, making it less ideal for consistent play. The Low preset at 129 FPS is the highest frame rate, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. Therefore, for 4K, the Medium or High presets are recommended, with High providing a better visual experience at 85 FPS, which is still smooth for most players. The Ultra preset is only advisable for users with VRR displays who can tolerate frame rates in the 60s.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS for the Ultra preset at 2560x1440?

A: The measured average FPS for the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 is 120 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D's PassMark G3D score compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT?

A: The RTX 5090 D scores 44065 in PassMark G3D, while the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT has an average score of 76904, which is 1.1% higher.

Q: What is the CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 scores 20655 points in the Cinebench R23 multi-core test.

Q: At which resolution does the GPU become the primary limiting factor?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160, the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as frame rates drop significantly from 1440p, indicating the GPU is fully saturated.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1920x1080?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is 183 FPS.

Q: How many threads does the Ryzen 7 5700 have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 has 16 threads, based on its 8 cores with Simultaneous Multithreading.

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

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

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 237. Medium settings yield an average of 215 FPS, with a minimum of 183 and a maximum of 248. High settings produce an average of 204 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers 184 FPS on average. This data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with Low being the fastest and Ultra being the slowest, but all presets are well above 180 FPS, indicating a highly playable experience at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a noticeable drop from 1080p. Low settings average 206 FPS. Medium settings average 180 FPS, with a minimum of 153 and a maximum of 207. High settings average 154 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 120 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a high average frame rate suitable for most displays.

At 3840x2160, the GPU workload increases substantially. Low settings average 129 FPS. Medium settings average 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114. High settings average 85 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS. This resolution demonstrates the GPU's capability, but the Ultra preset's average FPS is significantly lower than at other resolutions, suggesting that users may need to adjust settings for a smoother experience at 4K.

The data also shows that for the Medium preset, which is the only one with min/max values for all resolutions, the frame time consistency is good. At 1080p, the minimum is 183 FPS (a 14.9% drop from the average), while at 1440p, the minimum is 153 FPS (a 15% drop), and at 4K, the minimum is 84 FPS (a 15.2% drop). This consistency indicates stable performance without major stutters, even at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a rank of 97 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places the system in the top 3.4% of all configurations tested, which is an exceptional result. This high rank is primarily driven by the GPU's immense power, as the CPU, while capable, is not the top performer in its class. The rank indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, but it is not the absolute best, likely due to the CPU's position relative to newer or higher-end processors.

The rank of 97 out of 2825 suggests that there are 96 other combos that perform better in this game. These are likely systems with even newer flagship CPUs paired with the same or similar GPU, or perhaps configurations with faster memory. However, the 97th rank is a strong showing, and the data indicates that this system is capable of delivering high frame rates at all resolutions and settings tested. The combo's rank reflects the GPU's dominance, as the RTX 5090 D's specifications and benchmark scores place it in the 92nd percentile, which is directly reflected in the game's performance. For users with this combination, the data confirms that they are in the upper echelon of performance for The Technomancer, and the system will handle the game with ease, even at 4K with high settings.