The Technomancer

The Technomancer pairs an AMD Ryzen 7 9700F with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, a combination that produces a wide spectrum of performance across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system that is capable of smooth 1080p gameplay at high frame rates, but which struggles significantly at 4K, where even the lowest settings fail to maintain 60 FPS. This analysis breaks down the measured results, contextualizes them against other tested configurations, and explains the roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping the experience.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently exceeds 60 FPS on most settings. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset surpasses 60 FPS, while at 3840x2160, no preset reaches even 45 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system delivers an average of 59 FPS, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 67 FPS. This is very close to the 60 FPS target, but the minimum frame rate indicates occasional dips below it.

Q: Is the GTX 1070 the limiting factor at 4K?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests a GPU limitation. The average frame rate at 3840x2160 drops to 27 FPS on High and 21 FPS on Ultra, while even the Low preset only manages 42 FPS. This pattern of significant frame rate drops with increased graphical load indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

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

A: The combo ranks 2336 out of 2825 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the lower percentile of all tested systems. This reflects its age and performance tier relative to more modern hardware.

Q: Does the Ryzen 7 9700F hold back the GTX 1070 at 1080p?

A: The data suggests not at 1080p. The CPU is a high-end part, and the GTX 1070 is the older component. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 117 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to reach high frame rates, though the GPU's limits are still the primary constraint on higher settings.

Q: What is the single most demanding preset tested for this combo?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 is the most demanding combination, producing an average frame rate of just 21 FPS. This is the lowest result recorded across all tested configurations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, built on the Pascal architecture, is the primary graphics processor in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1506 MHz and a boost clock of 1683 MHz. This hardware is squarely in the mid-range tier of its generation, and its performance in The Technomancer reflects its age.

The GPU's role is most clearly defined by the frame rate scaling as settings increase. At 1080p, the GTX 1070 moves from 117 FPS on Low to 60 FPS on Ultra, showing a performance cost of roughly half for the highest visual quality. At 1440p, the pattern continues, with a drop from 76 FPS on Low to 39 FPS on Ultra. However, at 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed. The jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings results in a drop from 50 to 27 FPS, a 46% reduction in performance. Similarly, at Ultra settings, the frame rate plummets from 39 FPS at 1440p to 21 FPS at 4K.

This data indicates that the GTX 1070's 8 GB of VRAM and its compute capabilities are insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in this title. Even the Low preset at 4K only yields 42 FPS, which is not a smooth experience. The GPU's performance is the defining factor at higher resolutions, as its capabilities are exhausted. In contrast, at 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to provide playable performance on all settings, though not always at a locked 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings depend heavily on the user's resolution target and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. The measured data provides a clear picture of the trade-offs for each preset.

For a 1080p display, the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering an average of 77 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the 60 FPS average of the Ultra preset, while still providing a high level of visual quality. For users seeking the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset at 117 FPS is the only option that truly maximizes the display's refresh rate potential. The Medium preset at 90 FPS is a strong middle ground, but High offers a better frame rate than Ultra with a likely minor visual difference.

At 1440p, the options become more constrained. The Medium preset provides an average of 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target. Given the minimum of 50 FPS, some users may find this acceptable, but it is not a guarantee of smoothness. The High preset at 50 FPS is a more consistent experience, though it requires a compromise on frame rate. The Low preset at 76 FPS is the only one that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, but it does so by sacrificing visual detail. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended for a playable experience.

For 4K, the data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for the resolution. No preset achieves a playable frame rate. The Low preset at 42 FPS is the best possible result, but it remains a stuttery experience. The Medium preset at 32 FPS and High at 27 FPS are borderline unplayable. Users with a 4K display should strongly consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or 1080p for a satisfactory experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this system places 2336 out of 2825, putting it in the lower 17th percentile of all tested configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the age and performance tier of the GTX 1070, which is a significant bottleneck in this game at higher resolutions.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a top-tier performer. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F ranks in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69996. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.2% higher score), the Intel Core i7-14700KF (0.2% lower score), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.7% higher score). This places the CPU in elite company, and its performance is not the reason for the combo's low overall rank.

The GPU, in contrast, ranks in the 47th percentile against all GPUs, with an average score of 9780. Its nearest rivals are the AMD FirePro W5000 (0.2% lower score), the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (0.5% lower score), and the NVIDIA Tesla M10 (0.6% higher score). The GTX 1070's performance is average compared to all GPUs, but its age means it is far behind modern parts. The combination of a top-tier CPU with an average-tier GPU creates a significant imbalance, and the GPU's limitations dominate the gaming performance, dragging the overall combo rank down.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a high-end desktop processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This CPU is a powerhouse, and its benchmark scores reflect that. It achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 4691 and a multithread score of 36470. Its performance is so strong that it sits within 1% of rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and the Intel Core i7-14700K.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic. The data shows that this CPU is more than capable of handling this task. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 117 FPS. This high frame rate is a strong indicator that the CPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution and settings combination. The CPU can process the game's data quickly enough to allow the GPU to reach its maximum potential.

As the resolution increases, the CPU's workload often decreases relative to the GPU's, as more work is shifted to pixel rendering. Therefore, the CPU's performance is even less of a concern at 1440p and 4K. The frame rate drops observed at those resolutions are almost entirely attributable to the GTX 1070's inability to render the increased pixel count. The Ryzen 7 9700F's substantial processing power ensures that it will not introduce a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a complete matrix of average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset. There are no missing values for the average FPS, though minimum and maximum values are only provided for the Medium preset at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the performance is as follows:

• Low: 117 FPS average.
• Medium: 90 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103.
• High: 77 FPS average.
• Ultra: 60 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops:

• Low: 76 FPS average.
• Medium: 59 FPS average, with a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 67.
• High: 50 FPS average.
• Ultra: 39 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the performance is severely limited:

• Low: 42 FPS average.
• Medium: 32 FPS average, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 37.
• High: 27 FPS average.
• Ultra: 21 FPS average.

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern: as resolution and settings increase, the average frame rate decreases. The Medium preset data also reveals that the minimum frame rates are significantly lower than the averages, indicating that the experience is not perfectly smooth and is subject to dips in performance. For instance, at 1440p Medium, the average is 59 FPS, but the minimum is 50 FPS, showing a 9 FPS variance. At 4K Medium, the variance is 10 FPS, from 27 to 37. This suggests that even at settings where the average is near playable, there will be moments of noticeable stutter.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K has a massive impact on performance, which clearly illustrates the nature of the bottleneck in this system.

From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average frame rate decreases by a factor of roughly 1.5 to 1.6 across all settings. For 1080p High (77 FPS) to 1440p High (50 FPS), the drop is 35%. For 1080p Low (117 FPS) to 1440p Low (76 FPS), the drop is 35%. This is consistent with the increase in pixel count from 2.07 million to 3.69 million, which is a 78% increase. The frame rate does not drop by an equal amount, suggesting that the system is not purely pixel-bound at these resolutions and the CPU is helping to maintain performance.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is far more punishing. The pixel count jumps from 3.69 million to 8.29 million, a 125% increase. However, the frame rates plummet. At High settings, the drop is from 50 FPS to 27 FPS, a 46% decrease. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 39 FPS to 21 FPS, a 46% decrease. The frame rate drops are nearly proportional to the increase in pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The GTX 1070 is completely saturated at 4K, and its rendering capabilities are the sole limiter on performance.

This analysis reveals that the system is well-balanced at 1080p, where the CPU and GPU work together effectively. At 1440p, the GPU begins to become the primary constraint. At 4K, the GPU is the absolute bottleneck, and the powerful CPU is left largely idle, waiting for the GPU to finish its work. The performance degradation from 1080p to 4K is severe, with the average frame rate dropping by more than half, and in some cases, to less than a third, of the 1080p results.