The Technomancer

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 pairing in The Technomancer demonstrates a significant performance delta across resolutions and settings. The data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but capable of exceptional frame rates at 1080p, making it a versatile, albeit demanding, setup for this 2016 Action RPG. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance data.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is built on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, and features 8 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 4.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it carries a 96 MB shared L3 cache. This processor is rated in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 58386. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (0.1% ahead), Intel Core i9-14900 (0.5% ahead), Intel Xeon w5-2545 (0.2% behind), and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 (0.7% behind), showing it sits in a tightly contested performance tier.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be supportive rather than limiting, given the GPU-oriented nature of the workload. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 249 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's single-thread and multi-thread capabilities are more than sufficient to feed the RTX 5070. The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22807 and single-core score of 2228 suggest it has the headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming, especially in a title from 2016 that likely does not scale perfectly with 16 threads. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration, combined with the high boost clock of 5.60 GHz, ensures that even at 1080p where CPU overhead is most pronounced, the system does not appear CPU-bound.

The data implies that the CPU is not the bottleneck in any of the measured scenarios. For instance, the transition from 1080p Low (249 FPS) to 1440p Low (162 FPS) represents a 35% drop, which is primarily attributable to the GPU's workload increasing with resolution. If the CPU were a constraint, we would expect to see a smaller performance gap or a plateau at higher frame rates. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D's Passmark single-thread score of 4704 and multithread score of 41318 reinforce that it is a high-end part, and its 92nd percentile ranking confirms it outperforms the vast majority of CPUs, making it a robust foundation for this game.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU with 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2325 MHz, boosting to 2512 MHz, and it has a TDP of 250 W. The GPU sits in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40377. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (0.1% ahead), AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (0.8% ahead), AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (1.2% behind), and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (2% behind), placing it in a competitive mid-to-high tier.

The RTX 5070's performance in The Technomancer is clearly the dominant factor in determining frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 46 FPS, while at 1080p Low it reaches 249 FPS. This wide spread is typical of a GPU-bound title where pixel throughput is the primary challenge. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is likely sufficient for this game, even at 4K, as the title's 2016 release predates the massive VRAM demands of modern titles. The memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s is a notable asset, helping to maintain performance at higher resolutions where data transfer rates become critical.

The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 29137 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 indicate its raw compute capabilities. However, the measured FPS data shows that the RTX 5070 struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 4K with High settings (59 FPS) and falls short at Ultra (46 FPS). This suggests that The Technomancer's rendering engine is demanding, and that the GPU's performance is the limiting factor at 4K. At 1440p, the GPU provides a much more comfortable experience, with High settings delivering 107 FPS, indicating that the RTX 5070 is better suited for this resolution in this specific game.

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

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data provides a clear picture of the trade-offs between visual fidelity and performance.

At 1080p, the Medium preset stands out as the best balance. It delivers an average of 191 FPS with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. This is a substantial improvement over High settings, which average 163 FPS, and it is only 58 FPS behind Low (249 FPS). The Medium preset's minimum of 162 FPS ensures a consistently smooth experience, even in demanding scenes, making it the recommended choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. High settings at 1080p are also viable, but the drop to Medium offers a 17% performance uplift with likely minimal visual impact in a game of this era.

For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 107 FPS. This is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience. The Medium preset offers 125 FPS, which is a 17% increase, but High is likely the sweet spot for visual quality without sacrificing too much performance. Ultra settings at 1440p drop to 83 FPS, which is still playable, but the jump from High to Ultra does not seem justified given the 22% performance penalty. Low settings at 1440p yield 162 FPS, but this is likely unnecessary for most users who prioritize visual quality.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset is the only option that provides a playable experience, with an average of 69 FPS and a minimum of 58 FPS. High settings average 59 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra drops to 46 FPS, which is not recommended. Low settings at 4K average 89 FPS, but this undermines the purpose of playing at 4K. Therefore, for the best experience at 4K, Medium settings are the recommended choice, as they provide a near-60 FPS average with a floor that does not dip below 58 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming with this combo?

A: The Medium preset offers the best experience at 1080p, with an average of 191 FPS and a minimum of 162 FPS. This provides a high frame rate with a safety margin, outperforming High (163 FPS) while remaining close to Low (249 FPS).

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate is 46 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. To achieve a playable experience at 4K, the Medium preset is required, which averages 69 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an average benchmark score of 58386. It is 0.1% behind the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-14900, 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon w5-2545, and 0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 1440p High settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. At 1440p High, the system achieves 107 FPS, and the CPU's high benchmark scores indicate it is not a bottleneck. The GPU's workload scaling with resolution is the primary driver of the performance difference from 1080p.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the system?

A: The minimum FPS recorded is 58 FPS, which occurred at 4K with Medium settings. This is the only measured row with a min FPS value, indicating it is the lowest point the system reaches in the tested scenarios.

Q: How does the system's frame rate scale from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 163. This drops to 107 FPS at 1440p (a 34% decrease) and further to 59 FPS at 4K (a 64% decrease from 1080p). This scaling indicates a strong GPU dependency.

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

The performance scaling across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 163 at 1080p to 107 at 1440p, a 34% reduction, and then to 59 at 4K, a 64% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline is directly proportional to the increase in pixel count, confirming that the RTX 5070 is the limiting component.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 249 FPS at 1080p to 162 FPS at 1440p (35% decrease) and then to 89 FPS at 4K (64% decrease). At Medium settings, the drop is from 191 FPS at 1080p to 125 FPS at 1440p (35% decrease) and 69 FPS at 4K (64% decrease). At Ultra settings, the drop is from 127 FPS at 1080p to 83 FPS at 1440p (35% decrease) and 46 FPS at 4K (64% decrease).

This uniform scaling pattern across all presets is a strong indicator that resolution, rather than settings complexity, is the primary factor affecting performance. The CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases, as the GPU's pixel processing workload becomes the dominant bottleneck. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has ample headroom to support the RTX 5070, as the performance scaling follows the GPU's theoretical limits. The 64% drop from 1080p to 4K is consistent with a GPU that is fully saturated at 4K, requiring a significant reduction in settings to maintain playable frame rates.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's capabilities. At 1920x1080, the system excels across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 249 FPS. Medium settings yield 191 FPS, with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. High settings average 163 FPS, and Ultra settings average 127 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 122 FPS, showing that the GPU has significant headroom at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings average 162 FPS. Medium settings average 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings average 107 FPS, and Ultra settings average 83 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 79 FPS, indicating that the GPU is becoming more constrained as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the system is pushed to its limits. Low settings average 89 FPS. Medium settings average 69 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. High settings average 59 FPS, and Ultra settings average 46 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 43 FPS, and the system struggles to maintain 60 FPS at High and Ultra settings. The Medium preset is the only one that provides a consistently playable experience at 4K, with the minimum of 58 FPS being just below the 60 FPS target.

The data shows that the system is most comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, where it can achieve high frame rates even at Ultra settings. At 4K, the user must make significant compromises, opting for Medium settings to maintain a playable experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 532nd out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 19% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing given the game's age and the hardware's specifications.

This ranking suggests that while the combo is capable, there are 531 other configurations that achieve higher performance in this specific game. The rank is a relative measure, and the fact that it falls in the upper quintile indicates that the system is well above average. However, the ranking also implies that other combinations of CPUs and GPUs can outperform this setup, likely due to the RTX 5070's position in the 82nd percentile of GPUs and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D's 92nd percentile ranking.

The rank of 532 out of 2825 is a holistic measure that considers the system's performance across all tested scenarios. Given that the system achieves 59 FPS at 4K High and 107 FPS at 1440p High, it is clear that the combo is on the lower end of high-end performance for this title. The data suggests that while this is a capable pairing, it is not the top-tier combination for The Technomancer, and users seeking higher frame rates at 4K might need to consider more powerful GPUs. The ranking reflects a balance between the CPU's strong processing power and the GPU's mid-to-high tier performance, resulting in a system that is excellent for 1080p and 1440p gaming but requires settings compromises at 4K.