The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER in this pairing with the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. The benchmark data reveals a system where the GPU is consistently the limiting factor, with the high-end 16-core CPU providing ample headroom. The measured FPS across all resolutions and settings shows a clear performance hierarchy that is heavily influenced by the graphical preset chosen, making the interaction between resolution and settings the primary determinant of the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, clearly indicting the GPU as the performance bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 95.6 FPS at 1920x1080 to 58.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 36.8 FPS, and then further down to 34.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The RTX 2060 SUPER simply cannot maintain the same level of output when the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The scaling is even more dramatic when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 143.8 FPS, which drops to 94 FPS at 1440p and then to 53.1 FPS at 4K. The fact that even at the lowest settings, 4K resolution still cannot break the 60 FPS barrier is telling. This indicates that the game's engine and visual effects at 4K are too demanding for this GPU's raw throughput, regardless of the reduced load from lower graphical fidelity. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the hard ceiling for this title at high resolutions.

The delta between settings widens at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 72.2 FPS (143.8 vs 71.6), while at 4K, that same difference is only 26 FPS (53.1 vs 27.1). This compression at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU is saturated; when the pixel fill rate requirement is extreme, the impact of other settings like shading quality or texture detail is minimized because the core rendering pipeline is already at its limit. The performance drop is not linear, with the jump from 1440p to 4K being particularly punishing.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 with High settings is 95.6 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The data shows the RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, scores 19680, meaning the 2060 SUPER is 0.5% ahead in this metric.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck in this game at 4K?

A: No, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting component. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 27.1 on Ultra to 53.1 on Low, which are low enough figures to suggest the GPU is fully maxed out, leaving the Ryzen 9 5950X with significant headroom.

Q: What is the best performance setting at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields 94 FPS, while Medium produces 73 FPS. For a smoother experience, Low is the best option. For higher fidelity, Medium still offers a playable frame rate.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested system configurations?

A: In The Technomancer, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1136 out of 1656 tested combos.

Q: How much faster is the Ryzen 9 5950X than the Intel Core i5-14600K in average benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 9 5950X has an average benchmark score of 49062, while the Intel Core i5-14600K scores 49166. The data shows the 5950X is actually 0.2% slower than its rival in this aggregate metric.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060 SUPER is the definitive performance gatekeeper for this title. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, it has the capacity for textures, but the processing power is where it struggles at higher resolutions. The core clock speeds are listed as a base of 1470 MHz and a boost of 1650 MHz, yet these figures are secondary to the overall architecture's limits when dealing with The Technomancer's engine. The GPU's 64 ROPs and 136 TMUs are tasked with the pixel and texture work, and the 4K Ultra result of 27.1 FPS shows they are overwhelmed.

The GPU's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a key metric for understanding the results. This raw compute power is insufficient to push high frame rates at 4K with maxed-out settings. The synthetic benchmark scores corroborate this; a Passmark G3D score of 16462 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 place it in a mid-range tier. Its percentile ranking of 63 versus all GPUs indicates it performs better than the majority of cards, but it is not equipped for the most demanding scenarios.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is not shown to be a limiting factor in the measured data, as the game likely fits within this allocation at these settings. Instead, the bottleneck is the GPU's shading and rasterization throughput. The fact that the RTX 2060 SUPER is only 0.5% ahead of the RTX 2070 in average benchmark score, despite being a lower-tier product, suggests that its performance in this game is very much at its expected level. The GPU is the component that determines whether the game is playable, and its performance is the primary subject of this analysis.

How This Combo Ranks

This pairing of the Ryzen 9 5950X and RTX 2060 SUPER sits in the lower-middle portion of the performance chart for The Technomancer, ranking 1136 out of 1656 total combos. This position is largely defined by the GPU's capabilities. The CPU is a top-tier part; its percentile of 93 versus all CPUs and its average benchmark score of 49062 place it far above the average system. However, the GPU's percentile of 63 versus all GPUs pulls the combined ranking down, as the game's performance is heavily dependent on the graphics card.

The rank implies that a significant number of other tested configurations deliver higher frame rates. This is not a reflection of a weak CPU, but rather a pairing of a very strong processor with a mid-range GPU. The data shows that the combo's performance is almost entirely GPU-limited, meaning that a system with a weaker CPU but a stronger GPU would likely rank higher in this specific game. The Ryzen 9 5950X's massive 16-core, 32-thread configuration is overkill for a title that is clearly bound by the RTX 2060 SUPER's output.

The delta between the CPU and its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600K which is only 0.2% faster in average score, is minuscule and irrelevant to the in-game results. The ranking of 1136 is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates, particularly at 1440p and 4K resolutions. This benchmark underscores the importance of a balanced system; a high-end CPU cannot compensate for a GPU that is the primary bottleneck in a graphically intensive game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete matrix of performance. At 1920x1080, the system delivers a playable experience across all presets. The Low preset achieves a high 143.8 FPS average, which drops to 110.6 FPS on Medium, 95.6 FPS on High, and finally 71.6 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a clear 72.2 FPS spread between the most and least demanding presets, giving users significant freedom to prioritize frame rate or visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the impact of the increased resolution is immediate. The Low preset still manages a solid 94 FPS, but the Medium preset falls to 73 FPS. High settings yield 58.8 FPS, which is on the cusp of smooth gameplay, while Ultra drops to 48.4 FPS. The margin between presets narrows, with a 45.6 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, indicating the GPU is being pushed harder.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a playable average of 53.1 FPS. Medium drops to 41.3 FPS, High falls to 34.1 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 27.1 FPS. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is just 26 FPS, showing that the GPU is so heavily saturated that even reducing settings has a diminished return. The data clearly shows a system that is excellent for 1080p gaming and capable at 1440p, but not suited for 4K with this title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate. For a 60 FPS target, 1080p is the clear sweet spot. The High preset at 95.6 FPS provides a great balance of visual quality and performance, while even the Ultra preset at 71.6 FPS surpasses the 60 FPS threshold, offering a fully maxed-out experience without compromise.

At 2560x1440, the decision becomes more nuanced. To consistently stay above 60 FPS, the Medium preset at 73 FPS is the recommended choice. The High preset at 58.8 FPS is very close and might be preferable for those who want better visuals and can tolerate a slightly lower frame rate, but it does dip below the 60 FPS mark. The Low preset at 94 FPS is the best option for competitive play or for those who prioritize a high refresh rate experience.

At 3840x2160, the game is not playable at higher settings. The Low preset at 53.1 FPS is the only option that offers a reasonably smooth experience, though it may still have noticeable frame pacing issues. The Medium preset at 41.3 FPS is a significant drop and is not recommended for action gameplay. For a 4K experience, the data suggests that users would need to accept a lower preset and a sub-60 FPS frame rate, or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X plays a supporting role in this benchmark, providing a vast amount of processing power that is not fully utilized by The Technomancer. With 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 38607 demonstrates immense parallel processing capability. However, this game's engine does not appear to be heavily multi-threaded, as the performance is so clearly pinned to the GPU's frame rendering times.

The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5450, ensures that it is not a limiting factor even when the GPU is producing high frame rates at 1080p. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 143.8 FPS, a figure that requires a capable processor to feed the GPU. The Ryzen 9 5950X's high boost clock of 4.90 GHz and strong IPC from the Zen 3 architecture are more than sufficient for this task.

The CPU's role is to provide a stable platform and avoid bottlenecking the RTX 2060 SUPER. The fact that the combo ranks 1136 out of 1656 is due to the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's. The Ryzen 9 5950X is a top-tier processor, ranking in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, and its performance in this game is more than adequate. It is a prime example of a high-end CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, where the latter is the sole determinant of the gaming experience in this title.