The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both resolution and graphical settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, using the data from the benchmark database to interpret the balance between the CPU and GPU across different configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound performance scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 155 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces this to 96.8 FPS, a drop of 37.5% from the 1080p figure. At 4K, the average FPS falls further to 56.8, which is 63.4% lower than the 1080p result. This steep decline as pixel count rises strongly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a 41.3% reduction in FPS, which is substantial. This suggests that the game’s rendering load at 4K is heavily taxing the GPU’s capabilities. The RTX 3080 Ti, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 384-bit memory bus, has the bandwidth to handle high resolutions, but the raw compute demand of The Technomancer at 4K still overwhelms it, resulting in sub-60 FPS performance on High settings.

Interestingly, the transition from 1080p to 1440p also shows a significant drop, indicating that even at 1440p, the GPU is already the bottleneck. The data shows that the CPU, an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D with 8 cores and 16 threads, has ample headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 234.8 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can push frames far beyond what the GPU can render at higher quality settings. The performance cliff between 1080p and 4K is therefore almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s workload.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a high-end Ampere architecture GPU with a boost clock of 1665 MHz and a base clock of 1365 MHz. It features 10,240 shading units and 112 ROPs, which are crucial for pixel processing. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is configured on a 384-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. This memory subsystem is well-suited for high-resolution textures, but the benchmark results show that even this bandwidth is not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 41.6.

The GPU’s role as the bottleneck is most evident when comparing performance across settings at the same resolution. At 4K, moving from Low (83.4 FPS) to High (56.8 FPS) results in a 31.9% performance penalty. The jump from High to Ultra at 4K incurs an additional 26.8% drop in FPS, landing at 41.6. This demonstrates that the Ultra preset is particularly demanding, likely due to effects that heavily tax the GPU’s compute and memory resources.

The RTX 3080 Ti’s benchmark scores place it in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41,224. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, has an average score of 41,441, which is only 0.5% higher. This indicates that the 3080 Ti is performing near the top of its class. However, in The Technomancer, the data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor for achieving high frame rates at 4K, regardless of its relative standing. The card’s 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but the game’s workload at 4K Ultra proves to be too heavy for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. A defining feature is its large 96 MB of shared L3 cache, which is designed to improve gaming performance. The CPU’s benchmark results show it is a powerful processor, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 24,063 and a single-core score of 3,397. Its average benchmark score of 26,574 places it in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is able to drive frame rates well above 200 FPS on Low settings (234.8 FPS). This suggests that the game is not heavily threaded or that the 5800X3D’s single-thread performance is more than adequate. Even at 1080p High, the CPU is able to sustain 155 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors.

The CPU’s performance relative to its rivals is notable. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-11900K, has an average score of 26,546, which is only 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 scores 26,617, which is 0.2% higher. These very small deltas indicate that the 5800X3D is on par with these other top-tier processors. However, the measured FPS in this game suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor until frame rates reach extremely high levels, which only occur at 1080p with lower settings. The CPU’s strong multithreaded scores, such as a Passmark multithread score of 28,309, provide ample headroom for the game’s demands.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 398th out of 1,656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the combo in the top 24% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing. The rank reflects the overall performance of the system across all measured settings and resolutions.

This ranking is consistent with the individual component performance. The GPU and CPU are both in the 83rd percentile of their respective categories. The combo’s rank of 398 suggests that while it is a very capable system, there are many other pairings that yield higher average frame rates in this specific title. The fact that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions means that the CPU’s considerable power is not fully utilized in many scenarios, which could explain why the combo does not rank higher.

The data shows that the system’s performance is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where it achieves 96.8 FPS on High settings. At this resolution, the CPU and GPU work together effectively to deliver a smooth experience. The 4K performance is playable on High settings at 56.8 FPS, but the drop to 41.6 FPS on Ultra shows that the highest settings are reserved for less demanding titles. The combo’s rank of 398 out of 1,656 confirms its high-end status, but it also highlights that in a game like The Technomancer, the RTX 3080 Ti’s limits are reached before the 5800X3D’s potential is fully realized.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 4K with High settings is 56.8.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D has an average benchmark score of 26,574, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900K's score of 26,546.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 398th out of 1,656 tested combinations for The Technomancer.

Q: At which resolution does the system achieve the highest average FPS?

A: The highest average FPS is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the system reaches 234.8 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the High preset yields 96.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 80.7 FPS, a difference of 16.1 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the most demanding option that can maintain this target, with an average of 56.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K falls below this threshold at 41.6 FPS, making it less suitable for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K offers a more comfortable margin at 61.4 FPS, which is a better choice for consistent performance.

At 1440p, the High preset provides an excellent balance, achieving 96.8 FPS. The Ultra preset still delivers a very playable 80.7 FPS, making it a viable option for users who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates. The Medium preset at 117.5 FPS is also a strong choice for high refresh rate displays.

For 1080p gaming, the system is capable of very high frame rates. The High preset reaches 155 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 119.7 FPS is also excellent for this purpose. The Low and Medium presets push frame rates even higher, up to 234.8 FPS, but these settings are likely unnecessary for most users given the high performance at higher quality settings. The data indicates that the High preset at 1440p is the sweet spot, offering a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p with a frame rate that remains well above 60 FPS.