The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test case for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 pairing. The data shows this combination performs exceptionally well at 1080p and 1440p, but begins to show its limits at 4K with higher settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings to identify where each component excels and where the bottleneck shifts.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is a desktop processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture with the Vermeer codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This configuration provides strong multi-threaded performance, which is relevant for an Action RPG like The Technomancer that can utilize multiple cores for game logic, physics, and AI. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth further contribute to its capability in feeding the GPU with data.

The benchmark results for the 5700X are robust. In Cinebench R23, it scores 22620 in multi-core and 3193 in single-core tests, while 3DMark 16-thread tests show a score of 6858. Its average benchmark score of 26214 places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The data shows this CPU is competitive, with its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-11900KF, having an average score of 26196, a delta of only 0.1%. This indicates the 5700X is essentially performance-equivalent to that Intel chip in general compute tasks.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is to maintain a high frame rate floor. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 242.5 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that at lower resolutions and settings, the CPU is not the primary constraint, as the GPU is still able to render frames at such a high rate. However, as the resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance ensures it does not cause significant frame drops. The 5700X’s 4.60 GHz boost clock is sufficient for the game’s single-threaded tasks, while its 16 threads handle background processes and the game’s multi-threaded workloads effectively.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the graphics card in this configuration, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using the GB205 chip. It features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, with 6144 shading units and 48 RT cores. Its memory is rated at 1750 MHz, which translates to 28 Gbps effective. This hardware makes it a formidable card for modern gaming, with a PassMark G3D score of 29137 and an average benchmark score of 41687, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070 shows a slight edge. It outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 by 0.6% (average score 41441) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 by 0.2% (average score 41610). It trails the NVIDIA Tesla M40 by -0.5% (average score 41897) and the AMD Radeon Pro 580X by -0.7% (average score 41991). This data indicates the RTX 5070 is a high-end card that trades blows with the previous generation’s flagship, the RTX 3090.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s role is to handle the rendering load, which increases significantly with resolution and settings. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is the primary driver of performance. The data shows that at 1440p High settings, the system hits 110.3 FPS, which is a strong result. At 4K, the GPU’s 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game’s textures, but the raw compute power begins to be taxed. The boost clock of 2512 MHz proves capable of delivering high frame rates at lower resolutions, but at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 46.0, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at that resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend of performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the system is incredibly fast, with average FPS ranging from 126.9 at Ultra to 242.5 at Low. This indicates that at 1080p, the GPU is not fully saturated, and the CPU is capable of feeding it enough data to achieve these very high frame rates. The gap between settings at 1080p is significant, with Ultra being about 48% slower than Low (126.9 vs 242.5).

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain high but drop noticeably. The average FPS at 1440p High is 110.3, which is a 34% decrease from the 1080p High score of 166.2. This drop is expected as the GPU has to render more pixels. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more dramatic. At 4K High, the average FPS is 57.6, which is a 48% decrease from the 1440p High score. This steep decline highlights that 4K is where the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck.

The data shows that the limiting component shifts with resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, the system is primarily GPU-bound, but the CPU’s performance is sufficient to avoid being a bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops significantly across all settings. For instance, at 4K Low, the system still achieves 88.3 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 46.0 FPS. This suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, players will need to dial back settings to Medium or High, as the GPU cannot handle the Ultra preset at that resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this hardware depends on the resolution target. At 1080p, the system can handle the Ultra preset with an average FPS of 126.9, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This makes Ultra the ideal setting at 1080p, as it provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing performance.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset delivers an average FPS of 82.6, which is still very playable and provides a high level of visual fidelity. The High preset at 1440p offers an even higher frame rate of 110.3 FPS, which is beneficial for players with high refresh rate monitors. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p, the High preset is recommended, as it offers a substantial FPS boost over Ultra (110.3 vs 82.6) while still looking excellent.

At 4K, the situation is different. The Ultra preset only averages 46.0 FPS, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target for most players. The High preset at 4K averages 57.6 FPS, which is close to 60 FPS but may not be consistent. The Medium preset at 4K averages 71.4 FPS, providing a smooth experience while still offering decent visual quality. Therefore, for 4K gameplay, the Medium preset is the best choice, as it achieves a comfortable frame rate above 60 FPS while maintaining reasonable graphical fidelity. The Low preset at 4K offers the highest frame rate (88.3 FPS) but at a significant visual cost, making it less desirable for most players.

FAQ

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

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 166.2 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 5070 compared to the RTX 3090 in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 41687, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 3090's score of 41441.

Q: What is the best setting preset to use at 4K resolution for a smooth experience?

A: Based on the data, the Medium preset at 3840x2160 is recommended, as it achieves an average FPS of 71.4, which is above the 60 FPS target, while the Ultra preset only reaches 46.0 FPS.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X scores 22620 in Cinebench R23 multi-core tests.

Q: Does the GPU's VRAM seem sufficient for The Technomancer at 4K?

A: Yes, the RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory. The frame rates at 4K, such as 57.6 FPS at High settings, suggest that VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor, but the GPU's compute power is.

Q: What is the ranking of this CPU+GPU combo in the game's benchmark database?

A: The combo of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is ranked 347 out of 1656 tested combinations for The Technomancer.