The Technomancer

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination delivers a highly capable experience in The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG. The data shows a pairing that excels at high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, while still managing playable frame rates at 4K. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, the role of each component, and how to optimize settings for the best experience.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, backed by a 32 MB shared L3 cache. This processor’s strength is evident in its benchmark scores; for example, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 31588 and a single-core score of 4459. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4654 indicates strong per-core performance, which is crucial for games that rely on fewer threads.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s high single-thread performance is likely the primary driver for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. The game, being from 2016, may not be heavily multi-threaded, so the 9700X’s capability in 2-thread workloads (3dmark_2_threads score of 2525) and 4-thread workloads (3dmark_4_threads score of 4869) becomes more relevant than its peak multi-thread output. The processor’s 65W TDP and 4nm process node also suggest efficient operation, allowing the GPU to be the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

The CPU's ranking against other processors is solid. With an average benchmark score of 36029, it sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14500HX (scoring 35940, a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (scoring 36165, a -0.4% difference). These delta percentages are marginal, meaning the 9700X performs nearly identically to these competitors in synthetic benchmarks. For The Technomancer, this suggests that the CPU will not be a limiting factor, and the measured FPS will be primarily determined by the GPU’s workload.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high refresh rates?

A: At 1920x1080, the combo achieves an average of 228.9 FPS on Low settings and 154 FPS on High settings. At 2560x1440, it achieves 154.1 FPS on Low and 99.5 FPS on High. For 144Hz or higher monitors, 1080p with High settings is the most consistent choice.

Q: Can this hardware handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 79.6 on Low settings to 44 on Ultra. For a playable 60 FPS target, Medium settings (63.8 FPS) are the maximum you can use, while High settings (52.8 FPS) are playable but not consistently fluid.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X is very strong in both areas. Its PassMark single-thread score is 4654, which is high, but its multi-thread score is 37161, showing excellent scaling. In 3DMark, its 16-thread score (9824) is nearly identical to its max-thread score (9771), indicating that the CPU is fully utilized at 16 threads.

Q: Is the RX 9070 XT a significant step up from its nearest rivals?

A: The data shows it is essentially tied. The RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 39647 and sits in the 82nd percentile. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 575, scores 39703, a delta of -0.1%, meaning the RX 9070 XT is slightly slower. The NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39568, a delta of 0.2%, making them statistically equivalent.

Q: What is the scaling from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 154. At 1440p High, it drops to 99.5, and at 4K High, it falls to 52.8. This represents a 65.7% drop from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the processor's production status and release date?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is marked as "Active" in production and was released on 2024-08-07. The GPU, AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, is also "Active" and was released later on 2025-03-05.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT ranks 465th out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 28% of all systems tested, which is a strong result. While not a top-tier ranking, it indicates that this combo outperforms the majority of other hardware pairings in this specific game.

Given that the CPU and GPU are both highly capable components on their own, the rank is likely influenced by the game's engine and its specific demands. The 465th rank suggests that while this combo is fast, there are many other combinations that achieve higher frame rates, likely those with more powerful GPUs that can handle 4K Ultra settings more effectively. However, for the vast majority of users targeting 1080p and 1440p, this rank is more than sufficient. The data shows that the combo is well-balanced, with the GPU being the limiting factor at higher resolutions, which is typical for a modern, high-end pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

1920x1080: At this resolution, the combo is exceptionally fast. Low settings produce an average of 228.9 FPS. Moving to Medium yields 180.7 FPS, which is a 21% decrease. High settings reduce the average to 154 FPS, a further 15% drop. Ultra settings are still very playable at 117.3 FPS, representing a 24% decrease from High. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a total reduction of 48.8%, but even the lowest number is well above the refresh rate of most monitors.

2560x1440: At 1440p, the combo remains strong. Low settings average 154.1 FPS. Medium settings drop to 118.6 FPS, a 23% reduction. High settings average 99.5 FPS, another 16% decrease. Ultra settings are still smooth at 74.5 FPS, which is a 25% drop from High. The frame rates here are excellent for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, with High settings offering a good balance of visual quality and performance.

3840x2160: At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 79.6 FPS, which is still fluid. Medium settings drop to 63.8 FPS, a 20% reduction. High settings average 52.8 FPS, a 17% drop from Medium. Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding 44 FPS, a 17% reduction from High. This shows that while the combo can handle 4K, it is best suited for Low or Medium settings to maintain a 60 FPS experience.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting factor. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 154 at 1080p to 99.5 at 1440p, a 35.4% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops to 52.8, a 46.9% decrease. This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where increasing pixel count directly impacts the frame rate.

The data for Low settings tells a similar story. At 1080p Low, the average is 228.9 FPS. At 1440p Low, it is 154.1 FPS, a 32.7% drop. At 4K Low, it is 79.6 FPS, a 48.3% drop from 1440p. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 65.2%, which is very close to the 65.7% drop seen at High settings. This consistency confirms that the GPU is the primary constraint across all settings.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the CPU would be maxed out at both resolutions. Instead, the FPS scales almost linearly with the pixel count, indicating that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is being fully utilized. The CPU’s high single-thread performance ensures it is never the bottleneck, even at 1080p with 228.9 FPS.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on your display and performance targets.

For 1080p and 1440p gaming, the High preset is the recommended sweet spot. At 1080p, it delivers 154 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, it yields 99.5 FPS, which is ideal for 100Hz+ displays. The visual quality improvement over Medium is substantial, and the performance hit is acceptable. Ultra is viable only if you have a 144Hz+ monitor at 1080p, as it provides 117.3 FPS, but the jump from High to Ultra is not worth the 24% performance loss at 1440p (74.5 FPS vs 99.5 FPS).

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best choice for a smooth experience. It delivers 63.8 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. High is not recommended for 4K, as the 52.8 FPS average will be noticeable during fast-paced action. Low is the only way to achieve consistently high frame rates at 4K, hitting 79.6 FPS, but it compromises visual fidelity. Ultra at 4K is not recommended, as the 44 FPS average is below the playable threshold for most users.

In summary, for the best overall experience, use High settings at 1080p or 1440p. If you prioritize visual quality over frame rate, Ultra is only viable at 1080p. For 4K, stick to Medium to maintain a playable frame rate. This combo is powerful enough to handle The Technomancer with ease at mainstream resolutions, and the data shows clear guidance on how to balance performance and visuals.