The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates the capabilities of this processor and graphics card pairing. The data shows a system anchored by the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, a combination that delivers playable performance primarily at 1080p, with significant compromises required at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the performance ceiling and bottleneck characteristics of this specific configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks at 3157 out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the lower percentile of all possible configurations, indicating that while it is functional, it is far from optimal for this specific title. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU, which is the primary bottleneck in this scenario.

The processor itself is a high-end component, holding a 91st percentile ranking among all CPUs benchmarked. Its average benchmark score of 53288 places it in close competition with other server and workstation-class chips. For instance, it is a mere 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P and 0.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon 634. Conversely, it trails the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 by 0.3% and the Intel Core i7-14700F by 0.6%. These figures highlight that the 7900X is a top-tier processor in a general sense, offering immense multi-threaded capability.

However, the graphics card tells a different story. The GTX 1660 SUPER holds a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12986. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (0.4% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 580 (0.4% faster), and the AMD Radeon 740M (0.9% faster). The only rival it beats in this group is the NVIDIA Tesla M2090, which it outperforms by 0.7%. This places the GPU firmly in the mid-range to lower-mid-range tier, a stark contrast to the CPU's high-end positioning.

The consequence of this pairing is a system where the CPU is severely underutilized in gaming scenarios like The Technomancer. The data suggests that the overall combo rank of 3157 is dragged down by the GPU's inability to keep pace with the CPU's processing power. The Ryzen 9 7900X is capable of feeding frames much faster than the GTX 1660 SUPER can render them, making the graphics card the definitive limiting factor in this benchmark.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the central component determining this combo's gaming performance. Its specifications reveal why it struggles with The Technomancer's higher settings. The GPU is built on the Turing architecture and features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a critical factor, as The Technomancer's texture-heavy scenes can quickly consume available VRAM.

The card's clock speeds are set at 1530 MHz base and 1785 MHz boost. While these clocks are respectable, the underlying hardware—1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units—defines its raw rendering throughput. The data shows a peak FP32 performance of 5.027 TFLOPS, which is modest for modern gaming demands. The card's power envelope is rated at 125 W TDP, and it relies on a single 8-pin power connector.

In the context of The Technomancer, the GTX 1660 SUPER's performance characteristics are directly visible in the FPS numbers. The GPU's mid-range standing, as indicated by its 53rd percentile rank, is the primary reason for the combo's overall low rank. The data indicates that the card is sufficient for 1080p gaming but is quickly overwhelmed when pixel count increases. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is likely a contributing factor to the significant performance drop at 4K, as the card may be forced to swap textures, causing stutters and frame rate dips beyond what raw compute power would suggest.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and steep decline in performance as resolution increases, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound system. The scaling is not linear, highlighting the intense pressure placed on the graphics card's memory bandwidth and compute units.

At 1080p with Medium settings, the combo achieves 84 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average FPS drops to 55, a 34.5% reduction. Scaling further to 4K with Medium settings yields an average of just 30 FPS, another 45.5% drop from the 1440p figure. This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For example, at High settings, the frame rate falls from 72 FPS at 1080p to 47 FPS at 1440p (34.7% drop) and then to 26 FPS at 4K (44.7% drop).

This behavior strongly suggests that the system is entirely limited by the GPU. The Ryzen 9 7900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is more than capable of handling the game's CPU-side logic, even at 1080p. The fact that performance degrades so dramatically with resolution indicates that the GTX 1660 SUPER is running at its maximum capacity, and the only way to improve frame rates is to reduce the rendering load on the GPU.

The data implies that the CPU has significant headroom. At 1080p Low, the system hits 110 FPS, which is a high frame rate but still far from the CPU's potential limit. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates regardless of resolution, as the CPU's workload (draw calls, game logic) remains relatively constant. The steep FPS decline with resolution is conclusive evidence that the GPU is the sole performance limiter in this configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The results are as follows:

• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Low: 110 FPS average.
• Medium: 84 FPS average, with a minimum of 72 and maximum of 97 FPS.
• High: 72 FPS average.
• Ultra: 56 FPS average.

• 2560x1440 (1440p):
• Low: 72 FPS average.
• Medium: 55 FPS average, with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 63 FPS.
• High: 47 FPS average.
• Ultra: 37 FPS average.

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Low: 39 FPS average.
• Medium: 30 FPS average, with a minimum of 26 and maximum of 35 FPS.
• High: 26 FPS average.
• Ultra: 20 FPS average.

The 1080p results are the most playable. The Low preset yields a very smooth 110 FPS, while Medium and High presets provide 84 and 72 FPS respectively, all of which are suitable for a responsive experience. The Ultra preset, at 56 FPS, is still playable but shows a significant 22% performance hit compared to High.

At 1440p, the frame rates become more marginal. The Low preset maintains a playable 72 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 55 FPS, which may be noticeable in fast-paced action. High and Ultra presets, at 47 and 37 FPS, are on the border of playability, and the Ultra preset may feel sluggish. The 4K results are universally poor. Even the Low preset only achieves 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable at 20 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware combination in The Technomancer.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Technomancer with this hardware?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. It is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves high frame rates across all settings, with the Low preset reaching 110 FPS and even the demanding Ultra preset hitting 56 FPS.

Q: Is this combo more limited by the CPU or the GPU?

A: The benchmark results show a clear GPU bottleneck. The performance drops dramatically from 110 FPS at 1080p Low to just 39 FPS at 4K Low. If the CPU were the limiting factor, frame rates would remain more consistent across resolutions. The Ryzen 9 7900X is a high-end processor with a 91st percentile rank, while the GTX 1660 SUPER is a mid-range card at the 53rd percentile.

Q: Can this system handle 1440p gaming in The Technomancer?

A: It can, but with significant compromises. The Low preset yields a playable 72 FPS, and the Medium preset produces a somewhat playable 55 FPS. However, the High and Ultra presets, at 47 and 37 FPS respectively, may not provide a consistently smooth experience.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its direct rivals in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 12986 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.4% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and the AMD Radeon RX 580, and 0.9% slower than the AMD Radeon 740M. It is 0.7% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla M2090.

Q: Is 4K gaming a possibility with this combination?

A: No. The data shows that even at the lowest settings, the average frame rate is only 39 FPS. At higher settings, the frame rate drops to 30 FPS or below, which is not a playable experience for a fast-paced game. The 4K results are consistently poor across all settings.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset provides a 56 FPS average, which is 16 FPS lower than the High preset's 72 FPS. This represents a 22.2% performance penalty for the visual improvements offered by the Ultra settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the user's target resolution and preference for visual fidelity.

For 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice for the best balance of visual quality and performance. It delivers a smooth 72 FPS average, which is well within the range for a responsive gaming experience. While the Ultra preset is playable at 56 FPS, the visual difference may not justify the significant performance drop. For players seeking maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 110 FPS is the clear choice, but it comes with a substantial reduction in graphical detail. The Medium preset offers a middle ground at 84 FPS, which is also an excellent option.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently high frame rate at 72 FPS. The Medium preset, at 55 FPS, is on the edge of smoothness and may be acceptable for those who prioritize visuals. The High and Ultra presets, at 47 and 37 FPS, are not recommended for a fluid experience, as they fall below the threshold for comfortable gameplay in a demanding action RPG.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that this resolution is not viable. The highest playable setting is Low, which still only achieves 39 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 30 FPS, making them unsuitable for play. Users with a 4K display should strongly consider lowering the resolution to 1440p or 1080p for a better experience.

In summary, the data-driven recommendation is to run the game at 1920x1080 with the High preset. This configuration offers a high-quality visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. If a higher resolution is a priority, the Low preset at 1440p is the only acceptable alternative, while 4K should be avoided entirely with this hardware.