The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, shows its age in this benchmark pairing. The combination of the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with the entry-level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 produces a predictable bottleneck, but the measured frame rates reveal exactly where that bottleneck sits and what it means for a playable experience. This analysis covers resolution scaling, settings recommendations, the combo's standing among tested systems, the GPU's role, and a full breakdown of the measured numbers.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across the three tested resolutions—1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160—shows the classic symptom of a GPU-bound configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 68 FPS. Step up to 1440p Low and the average drops to 44 FPS, a reduction of roughly 35%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 24 FPS, which is only about 35% of the 1080p Low number. This sharp decline as pixel count increases points directly at the GTX 1650 as the limiting component.

The scaling pattern holds across all settings. At High settings, the averages are 45 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 16 FPS at 4K. The 1440p High result represents a 35% decrease from 1080p High, while 4K High shows a 64% decrease from 1080p High. The Ultra preset tells a similar story: 35 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. The consistency of these drops—roughly 30% to 40% from 1080p to 1440p, and another 40% to 50% from 1440p to 4K—is a hallmark of the pixel-throughput limit.

The Ryzen 9 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the constraint here. Its benchmark results, such as a 26,017 multi-core Cinebench R23 score and a 1,614 single-core score, are far beyond what this game demands. A CPU-bound scenario would show FPS remaining relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's work stays constant. Instead, the FPS nearly halves at each resolution step, confirming the GTX 1650's 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 128-bit memory bus are the system's ceiling. The GTX 1650's boost clock of 1665 MHz and 2.984 TFLOPS FP32 are simply not enough to feed the frame buffer at higher resolutions.

This data indicates a fundamental mismatch. The CPU can handle anything the game throws at it, but the GPU becomes the bottleneck at 1440p and especially at 4K. For a player, this means the CPU's headroom is irrelevant—the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are what determine the playable settings and resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K?

A: The data shows 4K performance is only playable in the sense that the game opens. At Low settings, the average is 24 FPS, dropping to 19 FPS at Medium, 16 FPS at High, and 13 FPS at Ultra. These numbers are below the 30 FPS threshold, so 4K is not a viable option for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The 1920x1080 resolution is the only one where the frame rates reach playable levels. At 1080p, the Low settings average 68 FPS, Medium averages 52 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS. All four settings at 1080p exceed 30 FPS, making it the only resolution in the measured data with a playable experience.

Q: How does the GTX 1650's memory size affect performance?

A: The GTX 1650 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 128.1 GB/s bandwidth. This is small by modern standards, but the measured results suggest it is not the primary constraint at 1080p. The larger issue is the GPU's raw compute throughput, as the FPS drops dramatically when resolution increases.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X overkill for this game?

A: In this combination, the CPU's power is far above what The Technomancer needs. The 16-core processor scores a 91st percentile among all CPUs, but the benchmark results show the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's headroom is irrelevant for this game's performance.

Q: What settings should I use for a 60 FPS target at 1080p?

A: Only the Low preset at 1080p reaches 60 FPS, averaging 68 FPS. If you want a 60 FPS target, you must use Low settings. Medium at 1080p averages 52 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS.

Q: Why does the FPS drop so much from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The FPS drops from 68 FPS at 1080p Low to 44 FPS at 1440p Low, a 35% decrease. This is because the GTX 1650's pixel throughput is limited, and higher resolutions require more fill rate. The GPU's 2.984 TFLOPS FP32 and 53.28 GPixel/s pixel rate are the bottleneck.

Q: What is the GTX 1650's standing among other GPUs?

A: The GTX 1650 sits in the 40th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7472. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the AMD Radeon HD 8850M at 7447, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 at 7441, and the AMD Radeon R7 350 at 7425. The Intel Arc A310 scores 7550, which is 1% higher.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data is clear that the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the chosen resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers an average FPS of 68, which is the only setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold. Medium at 1080p averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High at 1080p averages 45 FPS, and Ultra at 1080p averages 35 FPS. The sweet spot for a 1080p experience is Medium, which provides a playable 52 FPS average without sacrificing too much visual fidelity, and its minimum of 44 FPS keeps the frame time relatively consistent. For players who prioritize frame rate, Low at 1080p is the only choice that guarantees a smooth 60 FPS average. Ultra at 1080p is technically playable at 35 FPS, but it is close to the threshold where motion becomes visibly choppy.

At 1440p, the situation is more delicate. The Low preset averages 44 FPS, Medium 34 FPS, High 29 FPS, and Ultra 23 FPS. The Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 30 FPS, and even that is marginal. A player who wants to play at 1440p should be prepared for a Low setting with the understanding that the 44 FPS average is the best case. The Medium preset's 34 FPS average is borderline, and High and Ultra are below the 30 FPS playable threshold.

At 4K, the data shows no viable preset. Low averages 24 FPS, Medium 19 FPS, High 16 FPS, and Ultra 13 FPS. None of these meet the 30 FPS threshold, so the recommendation is to avoid 4K entirely with this combo.

For the best overall experience, the data suggests 1080p Medium as the most balanced choice. It offers a 52 FPS average with a 44 FPS minimum, which is a comfortable margin above the 30 FPS threshold. The 1080p Low preset's 68 FPS is more suitable for a player who prefers a higher frame rate over visual quality. The 1080p Ultra's 35 FPS average is a hard sell because the visual gain over Medium is often not worth the 17 FPS drop.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 ranks 3568 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the bottom 3.5% of all combinations, which is a poor position driven entirely by the GPU. The Ryzen 9 5950X is a high-end CPU, with an average benchmark score of 51947 and a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score are the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX (52073, which is 0.2% higher), the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121, 0.3% higher), the Intel Core i9-13900F (51730, 0.4% lower), and the Intel Core i7-14700 (52301, 0.7% higher). The CPU's performance is not the issue.

The GTX 1650 is the weak link. Its average benchmark score of 7472 places it in the 40th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (7447, 0.3% lower), the Intel UHD Graphics 750 (7441, 0.4% lower), the AMD Radeon R7 350 (7425, 0.6% lower), and the Intel Arc A310 (7550, 1.0% higher). This GPU is an entry-level part that was designed for light gaming at 1080p, and the data confirms that the combination's rank is the outcome of the GPU's limits.

The rank of 3568 out of 3696 is a clear indicator that this setup is not a balanced pair for a game like The Technomancer. The CPU provides a massive amount of headroom that the GPU cannot utilize. In a game with a lower resolution or lighter graphics, the CPU could shine, but the measured data shows that the GPU is the weakest link. This ranking is a warning for any user considering this combination for a modern or demanding title.

GPU Role

The GTX 1650 is the primary determinant of this combo's in-game performance. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 128.1 GB/s bandwidth is a modest capacity, but the data does not indicate a memory capacity bottleneck at 1080p. The more significant factor is the GPU's compute capability. The GTX 1650 has 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. Its base clock is 1485 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. The FP32 performance is 2.984 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 53.28 GPixel/s. These numbers are entry-level for a standalone GPU.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is the pixel-pushing engine. At 1080p, the FPS averages from 68 FPS (Low) to 35 FPS (Ultra) show that the GPU has enough pixel throughput for 1080p, but the margins are thin. The 53.28 GPixel/s pixel rate is enough for 1080p at Low and Medium, but the Ultra setting's 35 FPS average is a sign that the GPU is near its limit. At 1440p, the pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p, and the GPU's fill rate falls apart, with the 29 FPS High and 23 FPS Ultra results being below playable. At 4K, the pixel count is four times higher than 1080p, and the GPU's pixel rate is overwhelmed, with the 24 FPS Low result being the best case.

The GPU's boost clock of 1665 MHz is not a variable here; the GPU's performance is consistent with its specs. The GTX 1650's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M, has a similar average score, and the comparison to the Intel UHD Graphics 750 shows that the GTX 1650 is only slightly faster in synthetic average. The data shows that the GTX 1650 is a 1080p card, and it is not capable of handling higher resolutions in a demanding title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for The with the Ryzen 9 5950X and GTX 1650 is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: average 68 FPS
• Medium: average 52 FPS, minimum 44 FPS, maximum 60 FPS
• High: average 45 FPS
• Ultra: average 35 FPS

At 1080p, the range from Low to Ultra is 68 to 35 FPS, a 33 FPS spread. The Medium's minimum and maximum values (44 and 60 FPS) show that the frame time is not perfectly stable, but the average of 52 FPS is a comfortable playable.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: average 44 FPS
• Medium: average 34 FPS, minimum 29 FPS, maximum 39 FPS
• High: average 29 FPS
• Ultra: average 23 FPS

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one to average above 30 FPS (44 FPS). The Medium's minimum of 29 FPS and maximum of 39 FPS indicate a fluctuation around the 30 FPS threshold. The High and Ultra settings fall below the 30 FPS mark.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: average 24 FPS
• Medium: average 19 FPS, minimum 16 FPS, maximum 22 FPS
• High: average 16 FPS
• Ultra: average 13 FPS

At 4K, the best case is Low at a 24 FPS average. The Medium's minimum of 16 FPS and maximum of 22 FPS show a high variance, but none of the 4K results are playable.

The data also includes the combo's rank in the game, which is 3568 out of 3696 combos, and a percentile that places it in the bottom 3.5%. The performance is GPU-bound, and the bottleneck is the GTX 1650's pixel throughput. The CPU, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not stressed by this game, as the 1080p FPS is the same at higher resolutions when the GPU is the limit. The measured FPS breakdown is the definitive picture: 1080p is playable across all settings, 1440p is playable only at Low, and 4K is not playable at any setting.