The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily influenced by graphical settings and resolution, with performance scaling that points clearly to the GPU as the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the relationship between the CPU, GPU, and the game's engine.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings presets, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 171 FPS at 1920x1080 to 111 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 60 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160 brings the average down to 61 FPS, which is a 110 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This represents a 64% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings.

The scaling pattern is similar at High settings, where the average FPS drops from 112 at 1080p to 73 at 1440p, and finally to 40 at 4K. This is a 72 FPS total reduction, or a 64% decrease, mirroring the Low preset's scaling. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic absolute drop, going from 87 FPS at 1080p to 57 FPS at 1440p and then to 31 FPS at 4K. The 56 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K represents a 64% loss in performance.

The fact that the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is nearly identical (64%) across Low, High, and Ultra settings is a strong signal. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would plateau at lower resolutions, and the percentage drop would be much smaller. Instead, the consistent scaling suggests that the Radeon RX 6700 XT's rendering workload is the primary constraint, and its performance degrades predictably as pixel count increases. The data shows that even at Low settings, the 4K resolution is too demanding for this GPU to maintain high frame rates.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 22 chip, is the clear performance limiter in this pairing. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for the game's demands at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest the GPU's compute capabilities, rather than memory capacity, are being stressed.

The GPU's clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 2321 MHz, a game clock of 2424 MHz, and a boost clock of 2581 MHz. These high frequencies help the card achieve a texture rate of 413.0 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s. These specifications explain why the card can deliver 171 FPS at 1080p Low settings. However, the FP32 performance of 13.21 TFLOPS is what ultimately governs the shader workload, and it is this metric that appears to be the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The benchmark results for the GPU in other tests corroborate this. The Passmark G3D score of 19786 and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2435 place the GPU in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 27425 puts it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which has an average score of 27565 (a deltaPct of -0.5%). This suggests that while the RX 6700 XT is a capable performer, it is not in the top tier of graphics cards, and The Technomancer's 4K Ultra settings, yielding only 31 FPS, are simply beyond its capabilities.

How This Combo Ranks

When considering the entire database of tested CPU and GPU combinations, this specific pairing of the Ryzen 7 9700F and the RX 6700 XT achieves a comboRankInGame of 1464 out of 2825 combos. This places it in the 52nd percentile, meaning it performs better than just over half of all tested combinations in this specific game. This rank is a direct result of the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, which pulls the overall average down despite strong 1080p performance.

The rank is somewhat paradoxical given the CPU's strength. The Ryzen 7 9700F has an avgBenchmarkScore of 69996, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-14700KF (avgScore 70163, deltaPct -0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avgScore 69515, deltaPct 0.7%). This indicates the CPU is a top-tier performer. However, the combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's 72nd percentile standing. The data clearly shows that a more powerful GPU would be needed to boost this combo's rank, as the current configuration is not balanced for maximum performance in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo excels. The Low preset yields an average of 171 FPS, which is exceptionally high. The Medium preset provides an average of 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 151 FPS. High settings still deliver a very playable 112 FPS average. The most demanding Ultra preset produces an average of 87 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings drop to a 111 FPS average. Medium settings average 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 and a maximum of 98 FPS. High settings produce a 73 FPS average, which is just at the edge of what is considered optimal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset falls to 57 FPS, which is playable but indicates the system is starting to struggle.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive limiting factor. Low settings are the only preset to break the 60 FPS barrier, averaging 61 FPS. Medium settings drop to a 47 FPS average (with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 54 FPS). High settings yield a 40 FPS average, and Ultra settings bottom out at 31 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this combo unless the user is willing to accept sub-60 FPS performance or significantly lower graphical fidelity.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 112 FPS.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the system only reaches 61 FPS on Low settings. All other presets fall below 60 FPS, with Medium at 47 FPS, High at 40 FPS, and Ultra at 31 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F's performance compare to the Intel Core i7-14700KF?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996, which is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-14700KF's score of 70163.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 111 FPS on Low settings to 57 FPS on Ultra settings, a difference of 54 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, based on its average benchmark score.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS recorded is 111 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience depends on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it delivers an average of 87 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 112 FPS is also excellent for users with high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1440p, the High preset, with an average of 73 FPS, offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset (86 FPS) is also a strong option for those who prefer a higher frame rate. The Ultra preset, at 57 FPS, is playable but may not be ideal for all users, as it dips below the 60 FPS mark.

For 4K resolution, the data suggests that only the Low preset, with an average of 61 FPS, provides a consistently playable experience. While Medium settings at 47 FPS might be acceptable for slower-paced games, The Technomancer is an Action RPG, and the lower frame rate could impact gameplay responsiveness. Therefore, if 4K is a priority, Low settings are the only recommended preset, and users should be prepared for a significant reduction in graphical quality.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a high-end processor, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This configuration provides substantial processing power, as evidenced by its Passmark multithread score of 36470 and single-thread score of 4691. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth ensure that it will not be a bottleneck for most gaming workloads.

However, the benchmark data from The Technomancer indicates that the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. At 1080p Low settings, where the CPU would typically be under the most strain, the system achieves 171 FPS. This high frame rate shows that the Ryzen 7 9700F is capable of feeding frames to the GPU without issue. The fact that the FPS drops so dramatically with resolution increases is the definitive proof that the GPU's rendering speed, not the CPU's processing speed, is the limiting factor.

The CPU's performance compared to its rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (avgScore 69515) and the Intel Core i7-14700K (avgScore 69355), shows it is at the top of its class. This strength is reflected in the high frame rates at 1080p. But the data makes it clear that in this particular game, the Ryzen 7 9700F has ample headroom. The system's overall performance is capped by the Radeon RX 6700 XT, meaning that users with this CPU would see significant gains from a GPU upgrade, particularly if they wish to play at 1440p or 4K with higher settings.