The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for modern hardware. This analysis examines the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, using measured data to determine the optimal way to play this title. The benchmark results reveal that this combination is overwhelmingly powerful for this game, delivering high frame rates even at demanding resolutions and settings. The data shows that the primary consideration is not whether the hardware can run the game, but rather how to best balance visual fidelity against the display's refresh rate.

Settings Recommendations

The measured results indicate that the Ultra preset is the only setting that pushes this combination to its limits, while all other presets provide exceptionally high performance. At 4K (3840x2160), the Ultra preset yields an average of 62.3 FPS, which is the lowest measured performance across all configurations. This is still playable, but it represents a significant drop from the High preset's 83 FPS. For users with standard 60Hz displays, Ultra at 4K is a viable option, but for those seeking smoother motion, the High preset is the sweet spot.

For 1440p (2560x1440) gaming, the High preset delivers a robust 146.6 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 114.7 FPS, which is still very smooth, but the 32 FPS difference between High and Ultra is substantial. The data suggests that High at 1440p provides the best balance between visual quality and performance, as it clears the 144Hz threshold with headroom to spare. The Medium preset at 170.9 FPS and Low at 220.4 FPS are even faster, but they compromise visual detail unnecessarily.

At 1080p (1920x1080), the performance is exceptionally high across all presets. The High preset averages 225.5 FPS, which is ideal for 240Hz displays. The Ultra preset still manages 173 FPS, making it a strong choice for high-refresh 1080p gaming. The Low preset's 298.1 FPS is effectively a benchmark artifact, as the visual sacrifices are not worth the performance gain when the High preset already exceeds 200 FPS. The best experience for most users will be the High preset at 1080p or 1440p, as it delivers the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining frame rates well above 140 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations, this pairing sits near the top of the pile. The data places this specific combo at rank 14 out of 1656 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This top 1% placement underscores that the Ryzen 7 7700X and RTX 5090 together are an elite pairing for this title. The ranking confirms the sheer processing power of both components, as the game itself is not particularly demanding by modern standards.

The GPU alone is in the 94th percentile of all tested graphics cards, indicating it is a top-tier performer. Its average benchmark score of 84306 is nearly identical to its closest rivals, with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D scoring 0.1% higher and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile scoring 0.2% higher. This places the RTX 5090 in a performance tier where minor score differences are negligible. The CPU, similarly, is in the 89th percentile of all processors, with its average score of 34313 being within 0.8% of its nearest rivals like the AMD EPYC 4244P and Intel Core Ultra 7 165H. This combination of top-tier CPU and GPU ensures that neither component becomes a significant bottleneck in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant force in this pairing, providing the vast majority of the rendering horsepower. Its massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, which is far more than The Technomancer requires. This means that memory capacity and bandwidth are non-issues; the card will not be constrained by VRAM at any resolution or setting tested. The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz, are high, but the architecture's raw throughput is what truly matters.

The benchmark data shows the GPU's capability scale with settings. The transition from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a performance drop from 119 FPS to 62.3 FPS, a 47.6% reduction. This is a classic sign of the GPU being the primary workload driver. The card's compute power, rated at 104.8 TFLOPS for FP32, is more than sufficient to handle this game's DirectX 12 workload, as evidenced by the high frame rates. The RTX 5090's performance here is not about struggling to keep up; it is about delivering such high numbers that the CPU and game engine become the limiting factors, particularly at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings. At 4K (3840x2160), the frame rates range from 62.3 FPS on Ultra to 119 FPS on Low. The High preset achieves 83 FPS, and Medium sits between at 94.7 FPS. This shows a linear progression, with each step down in settings providing roughly a 11-15 FPS increase.

Moving to 1440p (2560x1440), the performance increases significantly. The Low preset hits 220.4 FPS, while Medium achieves 170.9 FPS. High is at 146.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 114.7 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p at High settings results in a 63.6 FPS improvement, highlighting how much of a resolution burden is placed on the GPU. At 1080p (1920x1080), the numbers become extreme. Low hits 298.1 FPS, Medium reaches 263.6 FPS, and High still manages 225.5 FPS. Even the Ultra preset at 1080p achieves 173 FPS, which is higher than the High preset at 1440p. This data confirms that at 1080p, the CPU is likely becoming a more significant factor, as the frame rates are approaching the limits of what the Ryzen 7 7700X can feed to the GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting to use for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: Based on the data, the High preset at 2560x1440 is the best choice, delivering an average of 146.6 FPS. This exceeds the 144Hz refresh rate, providing a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 114.7 FPS, which is below the 144Hz target.

Q: Can this hardware run the game at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 produces an average of 62.3 FPS. This is playable, but it is the lowest performance point measured. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to the High preset at 4K yields 83 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 5090's 32 GB of VRAM necessary for this game?

A: No. The Technomancer is a 2016 title, and the benchmark results show no indication of VRAM limitations at any resolution or setting. The 32 GB of memory is far more than the game requires, ensuring it is not a bottleneck.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other systems tested?

A: This specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 14th out of 1656 tested combinations for this game. This places it in the top 1% of all tested systems.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 225.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 173 FPS. The Ultra preset is 52.5 FPS slower, a significant difference that may be noticeable on very high refresh rate displays.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more important for achieving high frame rates in this game?

A: The data shows that at higher resolutions like 4K, the GPU is the primary factor, as seen by the large frame rate differences between settings. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU's capabilities become more relevant, but the GPU remains the dominant component.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X serves as a strong foundation for this system. With 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, it offers substantial processing power. Its base clock of 4.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz are high, and its single-threaded performance is particularly strong, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4281. This is crucial for gaming, where single-thread performance often dictates the maximum frame rate the CPU can support. The CPU's multi-threaded capability is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30325.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. At 1080p, the frame rates are so high (up to 298.1 FPS) that the CPU is likely approaching its limits. However, the 7700X is well-equipped for this task. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce latency, and its support for DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth provides ample data throughput. The benchmark results show no signs of CPU bottlenecking, as the frame rates scale consistently with GPU load across resolutions. The 7700X is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 5090 in this title, ensuring that the GPU is the primary driver of performance.