The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 action RPG, presents an interesting case study when paired with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. This combination, ranked 455th out of 1656 tested combos, demonstrates a clear performance hierarchy that shifts dramatically depending on resolution and graphical presets. The data reveals a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but one that struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K with maximum settings, indicating a complex interplay between the CPU's Zen 3 architecture and the GPU's RDNA 4.0 design.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates on the AMD Socket AM4 platform with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The processor’s 32 MB of L3 cache and 7 nm process node from TSMC contribute to its strong synthetic benchmark performance, placing it in the 84th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 27606 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, which scores 27535, a mere 0.3% difference. This indicates that the 5800X’s performance is well-established and consistent.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be less of a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 233.6 FPS, which is exceptionally high. This suggests the CPU can feed frames rapidly when the GPU is not heavily taxed. However, the game’s engine, originally released in 2016, may not scale perfectly with 16 threads. The 3DMark scores show a significant jump from 2 threads (1846) to 8 threads (6035), but only a modest increase from 8 threads to max threads (7578). This indicates diminishing returns beyond 8 cores, which is relevant since the 5800X has 8 physical cores. The single-thread score of 943 in 3DMark is relatively modest, but the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3327 shows robust per-core performance, which is crucial for older game engines that often rely on fewer, faster cores.

The processor's 105 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth are standard for its generation. The data suggests that at 4K, the CPU is less of a limiting factor, as the FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is more attributable to the GPU. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 153.6 at 1080p to 55.6 at 4K, a 64% reduction. This indicates that the CPU is not the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The benchmark results imply that while the 5800X provides a solid foundation for high frame rates, its influence diminishes as resolution increases, shifting the bottleneck to the graphics card.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a formidable graphics card from the Radeon RX 9000 series, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 48 chip. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock is rated at 2970 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz. Its 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs provide substantial raw compute power, with an FP32 performance of 48.66 TFLOPS. The card’s synthetic benchmark scores, such as a PassMark G3D score of 26795 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 160317, place it in the 82nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 39647 is closely matched with the AMD Radeon Pro 575 (39703, a -0.1% difference), showing that in synthetic tests, the 9070 XT is competitive with professional-grade workstation cards.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s performance is heavily influenced by settings. At 1080p, the RX 9070 XT showcases its power, achieving 233.6 FPS on Low settings and 122 FPS on Ultra. However, the game’s Ultra preset appears to be exceptionally demanding. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 39.6, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. This suggests that the Ultra preset may apply settings that are poorly optimized for modern hardware or that the game’s engine has a hard limit on draw calls and shader complexity. The 16 GB VRAM is ample for this title, as even at 4K Ultra, the memory bandwidth and capacity are unlikely to be fully saturated, given the game’s 2016 release date.

The GPU's performance scaling with resolution is telling. From 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the FPS drops from 153.6 to 100.6, a 34.5% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops further to 55.6, another 44.7% reduction. This progressive decline indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at higher resolutions, and its raw compute power is being taxed by the increase in pixel count. The card’s 128 ROPs and 760.3 GTexel/s texture rate are sufficient for most scenarios, but the 4K Ultra results suggest that the game’s Ultra settings introduce effects that are disproportionately heavy, potentially like volumetric lighting or high-quality shadows, which are known to impact older GPUs and engines severely.

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

Q: What is the performance difference between the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has an average benchmark score of 27606, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800’s score of 27535. This indicates they are virtually identical in overall processing performance.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT compare to the AMD Radeon Pro 575 in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 39647, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro 575’s score of 39703. This places the two cards at nearly the same performance level in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in The Technomancer, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS is 233.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo, and under what conditions?

A: The lowest average FPS is 39.6, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. At High settings, the FPS drops from 100.6 at 1440p to 55.6 at 4K, while CPU-bound scores like 3DMark max threads (7578) remain constant, suggesting the GPU is struggling with the increased pixel load.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of the GPU compared to all other GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is in the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, based on its average benchmark score of 39647.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally capable. With Low settings, the average FPS is 233.6, which is 1.9 times higher than the 122 FPS achieved with Ultra settings. Medium settings yield 178.7 FPS, and High settings produce 153.6 FPS. This shows a wide spread between the lowest and highest presets, indicating that the game’s settings have a substantial impact on performance at this resolution.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU’s workload. Low settings produce 148.5 FPS, which is a 36.4% drop from the 1080p Low result. High settings yield 100.6 FPS, a 34.5% reduction from the 1080p High figure. Medium settings deliver 114.3 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 76.7 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is relatively consistent across settings, with a roughly 35% reduction in FPS, suggesting a uniform increase in pixel count pressure.

At 4K, the performance takes a significant hit. Low settings produce 83.2 FPS, which is still playable but a 44% drop from the 1440p Low result. Medium settings yield 63.1 FPS, and High settings drop to 55.6 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of only 39.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, particularly at Ultra settings, where the FPS falls by 48.4% from 76.7 to 39.6. This indicates that the game’s Ultra preset at 4K pushes the GPU beyond its comfortable performance envelope.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination ranks 455th out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 27.5% of all configurations tested. While this is a respectable ranking, it indicates that there are many other combos that achieve higher performance in this specific game. The ranking suggests that this pair is not the optimal choice for maximizing FPS in The Technomancer, as the game’s engine may favor different hardware characteristics.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 84 and the GPU’s percentile ranking of 82 are both high, yet the combo rank is notably lower. This discrepancy suggests that the combination of these two particular parts does not synergize perfectly for this game. The game’s engine, released in 2016, may not fully utilize the RDNA 4.0 architecture’s features or the Zen 3 CPU’s multi-threading capabilities. The nearest rival for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, has a nearly identical average score, but the GPU’s nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 575, is a workstation card that may have different driver optimizations. The rank of 455 out of 1656 implies that while this is a powerful system, other combinations of CPUs and GPUs are better suited to deliver higher frame rates in The Technomancer.

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

For an optimal experience, the data suggests that High settings at 1440p or 1080p provide the best balance between visual quality and performance. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 100.6, which is above the 60 FPS threshold and smooth for most players. At 1080p High, the FPS rises to 153.6, offering a very fluid experience. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 178.7 FPS, which is higher than High, but the visual fidelity difference may not justify the frame rate increase. Low settings at 1080p yield 233.6 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors but sacrifices visual detail.

At 4K, the options are more limited. Low settings at 4K produce 83.2 FPS, which is playable, but Medium settings drop to 63.1 FPS, and High settings fall to 55.6 FPS, which is below the ideal 60 FPS mark. Ultra settings at 4K are not recommended, as the 39.6 FPS average will result in noticeable stuttering and a less responsive experience. Therefore, for players with a 4K display, Low or Medium settings are the most viable choices, with Medium offering a better visual experience at a still-acceptable 63.1 FPS. For those with 1440p monitors, High settings at 100.6 FPS are the sweet spot, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium without a substantial performance penalty.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly indicates the GPU is the dominant limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 153.6 at 1080p to 100.6 at 1440p, a 34.5% decrease, and then to 55.6 at 4K, a further 44.7% decrease. This progressive decline is consistent with the GPU being responsible for rendering the increasing number of pixels. The CPU’s performance, as measured by 3DMark max threads at 7578, remains constant regardless of resolution, confirming that its workload does not increase with resolution.

The data shows that the performance penalty from 1080p to 4K is not linear. From 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops by roughly 35% across all settings. However, from 1440p to 4K, the drop is more severe, particularly at Ultra settings where the FPS falls by 48.4%. This suggests that the GPU’s resources, such as its 16 GB of VRAM and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth, become increasingly strained at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 39.6 FPS highlights that the game’s Ultra preset at this resolution is disproportionately heavy, likely due to effects that scale with pixel count, such as anti-aliasing or shadow resolution. This analysis confirms that for this combination, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, and users should adjust settings or resolution to achieve their desired frame rate.