The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 880M combination. The benchmark data reveals a system where the integrated GPU is the decisive factor, with the powerful CPU relegated to a supporting role. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings paint a clear picture of a hardware pairing that is severely constrained by its graphics solution, particularly at higher display resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a system that is almost entirely GPU-limited. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 66 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average falls to 43 FPS, a reduction of 23 FPS. The jump to 4K at Low settings further cripples performance, with the average plummeting to 24 FPS. This pattern of significant losses with each resolution increase is a hallmark of a component that is running out of pixel-pushing capability.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 51 at 1080p, to 33 at 1440p, and finally to 18 at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 35% reduction, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is even more punishing. This indicates that the Radeon 880M's processing power is not scaling with the increased pixel count, and the memory bandwidth, which is system-dependent, becomes a significant bottleneck.

This data suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, is not the source of the frame rate collapse. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less of a performance delta between resolutions, as the CPU workload would remain relatively constant. Instead, the consistent and dramatic FPS drops at higher resolutions point directly to the Radeon 880M's inability to handle the increased rendering load. The 4K results, with averages ranging from 12 to 24 FPS, are firmly in the field of unplayable, regardless of the quality preset.

Settings Recommendations

Given the GPU-bound nature of the system, the settings recommendations are straightforward: prioritize lower resolutions to achieve playable frame rates. The data shows that the only configuration that consistently breaks the 60 FPS barrier is 1080p with Low settings, which yields an average of 66 FPS. This should be considered the baseline for a smooth experience.

For users who can tolerate slightly lower frame rates for better visual fidelity, 1080p Medium is a viable option, with an average of 51 FPS. This provides a more detailed image while still maintaining a frame rate that is generally considered acceptable for an Action RPG. The 1080p High preset, at 44 FPS average, is a compromise that may be acceptable for some, but it is pushing the boundaries of smoothness.

At 1440p, the picture becomes more challenging. The Low preset manages an average of 43 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset at 33 FPS and High at 28 FPS are likely to feel sluggish for many players. The Ultra preset, with an average of 22 FPS, is not recommended for any serious gameplay. At 4K, the data is clear: no setting provides a playable experience. The highest average is 24 FPS at Low, which is below the threshold for a fluid action game. The data suggests that 1080p is the target resolution for this combo, with settings adjusted based on the user's preference for visual quality versus frame rate.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 880M is the central figure in this performance analysis. Its specifications, including a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, are impressive for an integrated GPU, but they are not enough for the demands of The Technomancer at high resolutions. The GPU's performance percentile of 43 places it below the median of all GPUs, indicating its modest standing in the broader performance landscape.

The memory configuration is a critical factor. The 880M uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a major limitation, as the GPU must share the system's memory bus with the CPU. In a game like The Technomancer, which likely requires significant memory bandwidth for textures and geometry, this shared arrangement becomes a bottleneck. The benchmark results reflect this, with the GPU's passmark G3D score of 7615 being a modest figure that aligns with its 43rd percentile ranking.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX and the NVIDIA GeForce MX330, with score deltas of just 0.1% and -0.3%, respectively. This places the 880M in the company of older, dedicated entry-level graphics cards. The data indicates that while the 880M is a capable integrated solution for light workloads, it is simply outmatched by the rendering demands of a modern game at higher settings. The 12 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate are features that are not fully leveraged in this title, as the raw fill rate and shader processing power are insufficient for the game's engine at high resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested combinations for The Technomancer, this particular pairing of the Ryzen 9 8945HX and the Radeon 880M ranks at 3608 out of 3696 combos. This places it in the bottom 2.4% of all tested systems, a stark indication of its performance limitations within this specific game. This low rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's inability to keep pace with the game's graphical demands.

The rank is a crucial data point because it contextualizes the measured FPS. While a 66 FPS average at 1080p Low might seem acceptable, the rank shows that the vast majority of other hardware configurations tested for this game perform better. The combination is likely held back significantly by the integrated GPU, which is a fraction of the performance of even entry-level discrete graphics cards. The high-performance CPU, which ranks in the 95th percentile against all CPUs, is essentially wasted in this scenario, as it cannot compensate for the GPU's shortcomings. The data implies that this system is not well-suited for The Technomancer, and users would need to significantly lower their expectations for visual quality and resolution to achieve a playable experience.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a powerhouse processor, as evidenced by its benchmark scores. With 16 cores and 32 threads, and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. Its average benchmark score of 76212 places it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, being only 0.1% behind. This is a top-tier mobile processor designed for heavy multi-threaded workloads.

However, in The Technomancer, the CPU's role is largely passive. The benchmark data shows that the game is heavily GPU-limited, meaning the CPU is likely waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames. The CPU's immense processing power cannot translate into higher FPS when the GPU is the bottleneck. The PassMark multi-thread score of 51405 and the data compression score of 677755 are impressive, but they are irrelevant to the game's performance in this configuration.

The CPU's architecture, Zen 4 on the 5 nm process, provides high instructions-per-clock (IPC), which is beneficial for game logic and physics. However, the game's frame rate is determined by the graphics pipeline. The data suggests that the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution or setting, as the FPS scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The system would likely perform nearly identically with a much weaker CPU, as long as the same Radeon 880M was used. The CPU's contribution here is to ensure that it is never the cause of a frame rate dip, but it cannot boost the overall performance beyond what the GPU can deliver.

FAQ

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

A: The benchmark data indicates that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achievable. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 34 on Ultra to 66 on Low, while at 1440p and 4K, averages fall below 43 and 24 FPS, respectively.

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the average FPS is 66. No other tested configuration reaches a 60 FPS average. The 1080p Medium preset comes closest with an average of 51 FPS, but it does not hit the 60 FPS mark.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX the bottleneck in this game?

A: No. The data shows that FPS drops significantly with increases in resolution, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU is ranked in the 95th percentile and is more than capable of handling the game's processing needs. The AMD Radeon 880M is the limiting component.

Q: How does this system compare to other tested configurations for The Technomancer?

A: This combo ranks 3608 out of 3696 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom percentile. This suggests that almost all other hardware pairings tested for this game deliver better performance.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 66 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 34 FPS. This is a difference of 32 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset nearly halves the frame rate compared to Low.

Q: Does the Radeon 880M have enough memory bandwidth for this game?

A: The GPU uses "System Shared" memory, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." The benchmark results, which show poor performance at high resolutions, imply that the shared memory setup is a significant limiting factor for this game's demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact average FPS measurements for each resolution and settings combination.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 24 FPS average
• Medium: 18 FPS average (min 16, max 21)
• High: 16 FPS average
• Ultra: 12 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 43 FPS average
• Medium: 33 FPS average (min 28, max 38)
• High: 28 FPS average
• Ultra: 22 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 66 FPS average
• Medium: 51 FPS average (min 43, max 59)
• High: 44 FPS average
• Ultra: 34 FPS average