The Technomancer

The Technomancer, an Action RPG released in 2016, presents a demanding workload for modern hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data reveals a configuration that scales predictably with settings, with the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions while the CPU provides ample headroom at 1080p.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It operates with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, built on a 5 nm process. This high core count and boost capability are reflected in its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 43695 and a single-core score of 6168. The processor’s 64 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth further contribute to its ability to feed data to the GPU.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s performance is more than sufficient. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 233.3 FPS, a figure that is unlikely to be constrained by the processor. The Ryzen 9 7900X’s 3DMark scores, including 10972 for 16 threads and 2137 for 2 threads, indicate strong scaling across thread counts, which helps maintain high frame rates when the game engine utilizes multiple cores. The processor sits in the 93rd percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 50556. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235, scores 50598, a negligible delta of -0.1%, meaning the 7900X is effectively tied with that chip in overall CPU performance.

The data suggests that the CPU’s role in this game is to provide a stable foundation, ensuring that frame times remain consistent. The 7900X’s single-threaded performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2952 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4238, is critical for handling the game’s simulation and physics logic. In this configuration, the CPU does not appear to be a limiting factor at any tested resolution or setting, as the FPS variations align more closely with GPU workload changes.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, with a base clock of 1920 MHz. The GPU has 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs, which directly influence its fill rate and pixel processing capabilities. Its Passmark G3D score of 26927 places it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU’s memory capacity and bandwidth are significant for The Technomancer, especially at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 40.2, indicating that the RTX 4070 is heavily taxed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical features. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS provides the raw compute power needed for the game’s rendering effects, but the 12 GB VRAM buffer appears adequate for the tested presets, as no texture-related stutters are suggested by the data. The RTX 4070’s average benchmark score is 37283, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, scores 37507, a delta of -0.6%, showing they are closely matched in synthetic tests.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K highlights the GPU’s role as the dominant bottleneck. At 1080p High, the card produces 154.6 FPS, but at 4K High, it falls to 53.8 FPS, a reduction of over 65%. This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the processor has ample headroom. The RTX 4070’s 200 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this performance class, and the data confirms it is the component that determines playability in this title.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of GPU-limited performance. Starting at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 233.3 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low reduces this to 153.5 FPS, a drop of 34.2%. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 81 FPS, a further 47.2% reduction from 1440p. This progressive decline indicates that the rendering workload is scaling directly with pixel count, placing increasing strain on the RTX 4070.

At High settings, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers. The system runs at 154.6 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 99.4 FPS at 1440p (a 35.7% decrease) and then to 53.8 FPS at 4K (a 45.9% decrease from 1440p). The percentage drops are remarkably consistent across resolutions, suggesting that the GPU is the limiting component throughout. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see a flattening of FPS at lower resolutions, where the CPU’s maximum frame rate would cap the output. Instead, the FPS continues to rise significantly at 1080p, reaching 233.3 FPS on Low, which demonstrates that the Ryzen 9 7900X is not holding the system back.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p, the system achieves 120.3 FPS, which is already lower than the High preset at the same resolution. At 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 40.2, a 66.6% reduction from 1080p Ultra. This steeper decline at Ultra settings indicates that the additional graphical features (e.g., shadows, reflections) exponentially increase GPU workload. The data collectively points to the RTX 4070 as the primary performance limiter in this configuration, with its 12 GB VRAM and 192-bit bus being sufficient but not excessive for the game’s demands.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this configuration?

A: The highest average FPS is 233.3, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X has an average benchmark score of 50556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 5 235’s score of 50598, making them statistically equivalent.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37283.

Q: What performance can be expected at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system delivers an average FPS of 120, which is a smooth experience for most displays.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the average FPS drops to 40.2 at 4K Ultra, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 43695) is not saturated.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 4K Ultra?

A: The 1080p Low preset achieves 233.3 FPS, which is 5.8 times higher than the 40.2 FPS seen at 4K Ultra, highlighting the massive GPU workload increase.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset at 154.6 FPS is the best choice, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium (180.2 FPS) while still maintaining frame rates well above 144 Hz. The Ultra preset at 120.3 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays, but the 22% performance loss compared to High may not justify the marginal visual gains.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 99.4 FPS, which is excellent for 100 Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 120 FPS is a better option for 120 Hz displays, offering a 20.7% FPS increase over High. The Ultra preset at 75.4 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, so High or Medium is recommended for a smoother experience. The Low preset at 153.5 FPS is overkill for most 1440p monitors and sacrifices too much visual fidelity.

For 4K resolution, the Ultra preset at 40.2 FPS is not recommended for responsive gameplay. The High preset at 53.8 FPS is borderline, offering a playable but not fluid experience. The Medium preset at 65.3 FPS is the best compromise, providing a playable frame rate with moderate visual quality. The Low preset at 81 FPS is the only 4K option that approaches a smooth 60+ FPS experience, but it significantly reduces graphical detail. For 4K gaming, users should prioritize Medium or Low settings to maintain playability, as the RTX 4070 cannot sustain high frame rates at higher presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 233.3 FPS
• Medium: 180.2 FPS
• High: 154.6 FPS
• Ultra: 120.3 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 153.5 FPS
• Medium: 120.0 FPS
• High: 99.4 FPS
• Ultra: 75.4 FPS

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 81.0 FPS
• Medium: 65.3 FPS
• High: 53.8 FPS
• Ultra: 40.2 FPS

The data shows a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions: Low is the fastest, followed by Medium, High, and finally Ultra. The performance gap between Low and Ultra widens with resolution, from a 48.4% difference at 1080p (233.3 vs 120.3 FPS) to a 50.4% difference at 4K (81.0 vs 40.2 FPS). This indicates that the Ultra preset’s additional effects have a compounding cost at higher pixel counts. The 1440p Medium result of exactly 120 FPS is notable, as it aligns with common 120 Hz refresh rates, making it a sweet spot for that resolution. The 4K High result of 53.8 FPS is the only sub-60 FPS measurement outside of 4K Ultra, reinforcing that 4K gaming with this GPU requires careful settings management.