The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination. The measured data reveals a system that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU clearly emerging as the primary bottleneck at higher settings. This analysis examines the benchmark results to understand the balance between the 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 processor and the RDNA 3.0 graphics card, and what the numbers imply about the limiting component at different quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the performance ceiling lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 210 FPS, which drops to 137 FPS at 1440p and further to 76 FPS at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that even at the lowest quality preset, the resolution increase places substantial demand on the rendering pipeline.

Moving to High settings reveals a similar pattern with a different magnitude. The 1080p High result of 138 FPS falls to 90 FPS at 1440p and 50 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K here is 64%, nearly identical to the Low setting progression. This consistency suggests that the scaling factor is resolution-driven rather than settings-driven, pointing toward the GPU as the dominant constraint.

The Medium settings data provides additional granularity with min and max FPS values. At 4K Medium, the average is 58 FPS with a range of 49 to 67 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 106 FPS with a range of 90 to 121 FPS. The 1080p Medium result shows 162 FPS on average, with a range of 137 to 186 FPS. The proportional scaling across these three resolutions — 58 to 106 to 162 — shows a roughly linear relationship with pixel count, which is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios.

The Ultra preset offers the steepest curve. From 1080p Ultra at 108 FPS, the frame rate drops to 70 FPS at 1440p and 39 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay, suggesting that this combination struggles with the highest quality settings at the highest resolution. The data implies that the RX 7800 XT, with its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed to its limits when combined with Ultra settings at 4K.

The pattern across all settings shows that doubling the pixel count from 1080p to 4K roughly halves the frame rate. This is textbook GPU-bound behavior. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see less dramatic scaling at higher resolutions, as the processor would be able to feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. Instead, the consistent 60-65% reduction suggests that the rendering workload is the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F + AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT combination ranks 900 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places the combo in the 68th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning that roughly two-thirds of tested combos deliver lower performance in this game, while one-third deliver higher performance.

This mid-to-upper-tier ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual component benchmarks. The RX 7800 XT holds a 51st percentile ranking among all GPUs, placing it squarely in the middle of the pack. The Ryzen 7 9700F, by contrast, ranks in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, indicating that the processor is significantly stronger relative to its peers than the graphics card is relative to its own competition.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's median percentile suggests that the combo's overall ranking in The Technomancer is dragged down by the graphics card. The game appears to be more sensitive to GPU performance than CPU performance, which aligns with the resolution scaling data showing a clear GPU bottleneck. A stronger GPU paired with this same CPU would likely rank higher, while a weaker GPU would likely push the combo lower in the rankings.

The combo's rank of 900 out of 2825 also implies that there is substantial headroom for improvement. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 9700F is capable of driving higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful GPU, as the processor's 94th percentile ranking indicates it has more performance to offer than the current graphics card can utilize in this title.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 32 chip manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The GPU contains 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die, with 3840 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. The 60 ray tracing cores provide hardware support for DirectX 12 Ultimate features, though The Technomancer's 2016 release date means it likely does not utilize these capabilities.

The memory subsystem is a key differentiator for this GPU. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the RX 7800 XT delivers 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a substantial amount of video memory that exceeds the requirements of most games from 2016, including The Technomancer. The generous memory allocation means that capacity is unlikely to be a limiting factor at any resolution tested, even 4K Ultra.

Clock speeds show a base of 1295 MHz, a game clock of 2124 MHz, and a boost clock of 2430 MHz. The gap between base and boost clocks indicates that the GPU is designed to operate at high frequencies under load, with the boost clock representing the maximum achievable frequency. The game clock of 2124 MHz is likely the sustained frequency during gaming workloads, and the measured FPS data suggests that this frequency is maintained across all tested configurations.

The GPU's benchmark scores provide context for its performance. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX 7800 XT scores 4157. Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores are 18290 and 54228 respectively. The PassMark G3D score of 24176 places the GPU in the 51st percentile, with the average benchmark score of 11627. The nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with a delta of -0.5%, the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with a delta of 0.9%, the NVIDIA Tesla K20c with a delta of 1.3%, and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT with a delta of -1.8%.

These rival comparisons show that the RX 7800 XT is clustered tightly with a mix of older and lower-tier cards in the aggregate benchmark, which partially explains the median percentile ranking. However, the measured FPS in The Technomancer shows that the GPU delivers respectable performance, with the 1080p Low result of 210 FPS indicating strong raw throughput.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four quality settings, providing a comprehensive view of performance. At 1920x1080, the results show that the combo is capable of very high frame rates across all settings. Low settings deliver 210 FPS, Medium delivers 162 FPS with a range of 137 to 186 FPS, High delivers 138 FPS, and Ultra delivers 108 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 49% reduction in frame rate, from 210 FPS down to 108 FPS, which is a typical cost for increasing quality settings.

The 2560x1440 results show a clear step down from 1080p. Low settings produce 137 FPS, Medium averages 106 FPS with a range of 90 to 121 FPS, High averages 90 FPS, and Ultra averages 70 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 67 FPS, representing a 49% reduction, identical to the percentage drop at 1080p. This consistency suggests that the settings scaling is uniform across resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more constrained. Low settings still manage 76 FPS, Medium averages 58 FPS with a range of 49 to 67 FPS, High averages 50 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS. The Ultra result at 4K is the only configuration that falls below 40 FPS, indicating that this is the most demanding scenario in the tested matrix. The range of 49 to 67 FPS at Medium shows that even the average result of 58 FPS can dip below 50 FPS during demanding scenes.

Comparing the Medium settings across resolutions provides the clearest picture of scaling. The 1080p Medium result of 162 FPS drops to 106 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 58 FPS at 4K, a further 45% reduction. The total drop from 1080p to 4K at Medium is 64%, showing that the pixel count increase has a compounding effect on performance.

The High settings results follow a similar trajectory: 138 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 50 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 44%, mirroring the Medium setting pattern. This consistency across settings reinforces the conclusion that resolution is the primary driver of performance changes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For 1080p displays, all four settings deliver playable results. The Ultra preset at 108 FPS provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 138 FPS offers a significant frame rate increase with only a modest visual quality reduction. For players prioritizing maximum smoothness, Low settings at 210 FPS will take full advantage of high refresh rate monitors.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset at 70 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for competitive gaming where higher frame rates are preferred. The High preset at 90 FPS strikes a better balance between visual quality and performance, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Medium settings at 106 FPS offer even more headroom while still maintaining decent visual fidelity. Low settings at 137 FPS will appeal to players who prioritize frame rate above all else.

The 4K resolution presents more challenges. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is below the commonly accepted 60 FPS standard and may feel sluggish in action sequences. The High preset at 50 FPS is an improvement but still falls short of 60 FPS. Medium settings at 58 FPS are the closest to the 60 FPS target, with the range of 49 to 67 FPS indicating that some scenes will exceed 60 FPS while others will fall below. Low settings at 76 FPS are the only 4K configuration that consistently exceeds the 60 FPS threshold.

For the best overall experience, the data suggests that Medium settings at 1440p or High settings at 1080p provide the optimal balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 106 FPS with a range of 90 to 121 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay with minimal dips. The High preset at 1080p at 138 FPS offers a similar experience with slightly higher visual quality. At 4K, Medium settings at 58 FPS are the recommended choice, as they provide the best compromise between fidelity and playability.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The CPU has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support includes DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth.

The processor's benchmark results show strong single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. The PassMark single-thread score of 4691 places the CPU in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. The multi-thread score of 36470 further reinforces the processor's capability. Other PassMark scores include 421988 for data compression, 21488 for data encryption, 33688 for extended instructions, 183 for find prime numbers, 77955 for floating point math, 120788 for integer math, 2122 for physics, and 45890 for random string sorting.

The nearest rivals in the benchmark database provide context for the CPU's position. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 with a delta of 0.2%, the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70163 with a delta of -0.2%, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 with a delta of 0.7%, and the Intel Core i7-14700K scores 69355 with a delta of 0.9%. These deltas are all within 1% of the Ryzen 7 9700F's average benchmark score of 69996, indicating that the processor is competitive with these high-end alternatives.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The resolution scaling data shows consistent frame rate drops as resolution increases, which is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see smaller frame rate differences between 1080p and 4K, as the processor would be able to maintain similar frame rates regardless of resolution.

The 1080p Low result of 210 FPS suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high frame rates, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution and settings increase. The Ryzen 7 9700F's 8 cores and 16 threads provide ample processing power for The Technomancer's CPU demands, and the high single-thread score indicates that the processor can handle the game's main thread efficiently. The combination of high single-threaded performance and strong multi-threaded capabilities makes the 9700F well-suited for this title, even if the GPU limits overall performance at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The 1440p resolution provides the best balance of performance and visual quality. At High settings, the combo delivers 90 FPS, while Medium settings achieve 106 FPS with a range of 90 to 121 FPS. Both exceed the 60 FPS threshold with comfortable margins.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: The 4K Ultra preset averages 39 FPS, which is below the commonly accepted 60 FPS standard. This configuration is the only one in the measured data that falls below 40 FPS, indicating that it is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RX 7800 XT compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 7800 XT has an average benchmark score of 11627, placing it in the 51st percentile. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with a delta of -0.5%, the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with a delta of 0.9%, the NVIDIA Tesla K20c with a delta of 1.3%, and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT with a delta of -1.8%.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F ranks in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. This places it among the top processors, significantly higher than the GPU's 51st percentile ranking.

Q: How much does the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K?

A: The drop is consistent across settings. At Low settings, frame rate falls from 210 FPS at 1080p to 76 FPS at 4K, a 64% reduction. At High settings, it falls from 138 FPS to 50 FPS, also a 64% reduction. At Ultra settings, it falls from 108 FPS to 39 FPS, a 64% reduction.

Q: Which component limits performance in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The consistent 64% frame rate reduction from 1080p to 4K across all settings, combined with the GPU's 51st percentile ranking versus the CPU's 94th percentile, points to the RX 7800 XT as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings.