The Technomancer

The Technomancer is a 2016 Action RPG that stresses GPUs heavily, and this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X with the Intel Arc B580 produces a specific performance profile across resolutions and settings. The data shows a system that is capable of smooth 1080p and 1440p play, but it hits a hard wall at 4K, where even the lowest settings struggle to reach 60 FPS. The following analysis breaks down the measured results, the roles of each component, and the optimal settings for this configuration.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently delivers high frame rates, with an average of 138.9 FPS at Low settings and 91.7 FPS at High settings. At 2560x1440, performance is playable but drops significantly, with High settings averaging 61 FPS and Ultra averaging 46.4 FPS. The 3840x2160 resolution is not viable for smooth gameplay, as even Low settings only average 48.1 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700X compare to its closest rival in CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700X has an average benchmark score of 36029, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14500HX, scores 35940, which is a 0.2% difference. The data shows it is also 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, which scores 36165, and 0.6% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, which scores 35802.

Q: What is the GPU's performance standing relative to other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021, placing it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon 760M, which scores 22999, a negligible 0.1% difference. The data also shows it is 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which scores 23181, and 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, which scores 22729.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance, delivering an average of 61 FPS. The Medium preset is slightly faster at 70 FPS, but the drop in visual fidelity is significant for only a 9 FPS gain. The Ultra preset is too demanding, with an average of 46.4 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay on many displays.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game at high resolutions?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the frame rate drops dramatically across all settings, with the Ultra preset yielding only 26.6 FPS. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the Arc B580's processing power is insufficient for the pixel count, regardless of the CPU's capability.

Q: What are the key specifications of the CPU and GPU in this combo?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The Intel Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with a memory clock of 2375 MHz and a boost clock of 2670 MHz. The GPU's memory bandwidth is 456.0 GB/s.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is built on the Zen 5 architecture and is a high-end desktop processor. Its 8 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient for a game like The Technomancer, which was released in 2016 and is not known for being heavily multithreaded. The CPU's high boost clock of 5.50 GHz ensures that single-threaded performance is excellent, which is often the primary factor for game logic and physics in titles from that era.

Benchmark data reinforces this processor's strength. It scores 31,588 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,459 in single-core, while achieving 17,002 in Geekbench multi-core and 3,353 in single-core. These scores place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it will not be a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14500HX, has a nearly identical average score of 35,940, showing that the Ryzen 7 9700X is at the top of its performance class.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data as efficiently as possible. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of GPU limitation at higher resolutions, but the CPU's strong single-thread performance ensures that at 1080p and 1440p, the system is not holding back the graphics card. The processor's 32 MB of shared L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency, which can be beneficial in open-world environments where data is constantly being streamed.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, which provides a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of VRAM and bandwidth for a game from 2016, meaning texture loading and memory allocation are unlikely to be issues, even at higher resolutions. The GPU's boost clock is 2670 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it is a solid mid-range performer. Its PassMark G3D score is 15,748, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 109,672. The Arc B580 sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 760M, is only 0.1% different in average score. This places it in a competitive tier with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, which it trails by 0.7%.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's performance is the deciding factor for playability. The measured data shows a stark drop in performance as resolution increases. At 1080p, the GPU can handle all presets, from 138.9 FPS at Low to 69.7 FPS at Ultra. At 1440p, the Ultra preset falls to 46.4 FPS, and at 4K, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed, with the High preset only managing 33 FPS. This indicates the Arc B580 is a capable 1080p and entry-level 1440p card for this title, but it lacks the raw power for 4K gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B580 ranks 1289 out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is consistent with the GPU's performance limits at higher resolutions. The rank is heavily influenced by the 4K results, where the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates.

The ranking suggests that while the CPU is high-performing, the GPU is the limiting factor for overall system standing. Many combos with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs would likely rank higher due to better performance in 4K and high-refresh-rate 1440p scenarios. However, it is important to note that this rank does not reflect the combo's excellent performance at 1080p, where it outperforms many other configurations.

The data indicates that this pairing is best suited for gamers who prioritize 1080p gaming with high settings or those who are willing to dial back settings for a 1440p experience. The high CPU score ensures that the system will not feel sluggish in any task, but the GPU's limitations are clearly visible in the benchmark ranking. For a game like The Technomancer, the combo's rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to handle 4K, which drags down its overall standing.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific hardware combination, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The measured data provides clear guidance for each scenario.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended starting point. It delivers an average of 91.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is also viable, with an average of 69.7 FPS, offering improved visual fidelity for those with 1440p or higher refresh rate monitors. For players seeking maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 138.9 FPS is an option, but the visual compromise is substantial.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the best choice for a balanced experience, with an average of 61 FPS. This provides a solid 60 FPS experience for most gamers. The Medium preset is a viable alternative, offering 70 FPS, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the 9 FPS gain for many. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as the 46.4 FPS average is below the standard for smooth play.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that no preset provides a consistently playable experience. The Low preset averages 48.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, and the High preset drops to 33 FPS. For this resolution, it is recommended to lower the resolution to 1440p or accept a lower frame rate, as the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Intel Arc B580 combination in The Technomancer.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 26.6 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 33 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 36.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 48.1 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 46.4 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 61 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 70 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 86.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 69.7 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 91.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 107 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 138.9 |

The data reveals a consistent scaling pattern. At each resolution, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is significant. For example, at 1080p, there is a 69.2 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, while at 4K, the difference is only 21.5 FPS. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the GPU has enough headroom to render higher-quality effects, but at 4K, it is already saturated, and reducing settings has a diminishing return. The most significant performance jump is between High and Ultra at 1440p, where the frame rate drops by 14.6 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset introduces a disproportionately heavy load for this GPU.