The Technomancer

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile produces a distinctly GPU-limited experience in The Technomancer at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s substantial headroom becomes evident only at 1080p. Analysis of the measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling that shifts the bottleneck as pixel count increases, with the graphics card’s 8 GB VRAM and memory bandwidth playing the decisive role in the most demanding scenarios. This combination ranks 2257th out of 3696 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates how the RTX 4060 Mobile becomes the limiting factor as the pixel workload expands. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 99 FPS at 1080p to 64 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 35 FPS, and then further down to 35 FPS at 4K, representing a cumulative loss of 64 FPS from the baseline. This scaling pattern indicates a near-linear relationship between resolution and performance, typical of a system where the GPU is saturated by the rendering demands.

At Low settings, the same resolution progression shows 150 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 54 FPS at 4K. The 4K result at Low settings (54 FPS) is higher than the 1080p result at Ultra (77 FPS), which reveals that quality presets have a more substantial impact on performance than resolution alone. The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens significantly at higher resolutions: at 1080p, the difference is 73 FPS (150 minus 77), while at 4K, the difference narrows to 26 FPS (54 minus 28). This compression of the settings range at 4K suggests the GPU is so heavily loaded that even reducing quality cannot fully compensate for the pixel count.

The Medium preset provides the only complete FPS range data, with minimum and maximum values recorded. At 1080p Medium, the range spans 98 to 133 FPS, with an average of 115 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range compresses to 64 to 87 FPS, averaging 75 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range narrows further to 35 to 48 FPS, averaging 41 FPS. The progressive narrowing of the FPS range as resolution increases indicates that frame time consistency improves at lower resolutions where the GPU has spare capacity, while at 4K the system is consistently near its performance ceiling.

Examining the percentage drops from 1080p to 4K at each setting reveals the scaling efficiency. For High settings, the drop is 64.6% (from 99 to 35 FPS). For Low settings, the drop is 64.0% (from 150 to 54 FPS). For Medium, the drop is 64.3% (from 115 to 41 FPS). For Ultra, the drop is 63.6% (from 77 to 28 FPS). The remarkable consistency of these percentage drops across all four presets, all falling between 63.6% and 64.6%, strongly indicates that resolution scaling is purely a function of the GPU’s pixel throughput capabilities, independent of the quality settings applied. This uniformity suggests the CPU is never the bottleneck, even at 1080p Low where 150 FPS is achieved.

GPU Role

The RTX 4060 Mobile’s specifications directly explain the observed performance pattern. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, the card has sufficient capacity for 1080p and 1440p gaming but begins to struggle with the texture and buffer demands of 4K in this 2016 Action RPG. The memory configuration is particularly relevant because The Technomancer’s engine appears to be sensitive to bandwidth, as evidenced by the disproportionate performance drop when moving from 1440p to 4K compared to the move from 1080p to 1440p.

The GPU’s clock speeds of 1545 MHz base and 1890 MHz boost, combined with 3072 shading units, produce 11.61 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. This raw throughput translates to the observed frame rates, but the 48 ROPs and 90.72 GPixel/s pixel rate are the more relevant figures for resolution scaling analysis. The pixel rate of 90.72 GPixel/s means that at 4K (8.3 million pixels), the theoretical maximum fill rate is approximately 10.9 frames per second if the GPU were purely fill-rate limited, but the actual results show 35 FPS at High settings, indicating the workload is not purely fill-rate bound and that other factors such as shader complexity and memory latency play significant roles.

The GPU’s 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it in the mid-range tier, and its nearest rival data shows it performs nearly identically to the desktop RTX 2080 (0.7% faster than the RTX 4060 Mobile in average score) and the RX 7700 XT (RTX 4060 Mobile is 0.8% faster). This competitive positioning explains why the card delivers playable frame rates at 1440p but falls below 60 FPS at 4K across all presets. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for the game’s requirements at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with Ultra settings, the card’s 256.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes the constraining factor, as evidenced by the 28 FPS average at that configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this CPU and GPU combination in The Technomancer?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 150 FPS at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This drops to 99 FPS at High settings and 77 FPS at Ultra settings for the same resolution.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, at 1440p the system achieves 98 FPS on Low settings, 75 FPS on Medium settings, and 64 FPS on High settings. However, at Ultra settings the average drops to 50 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Mobile compare to its nearest GPU rivals in average benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4060 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 22729. This is 0.7% lower than the RTX 2080 (22895), 0.8% higher than the RX 7700 XT (22549), 1.3% lower than the Intel Arc B580 (23021), and 1.3% higher than the RTX 5060 Mobile (22435).

Q: What is the frame rate range at 4K Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the system produces a minimum of 35 FPS, a maximum of 48 FPS, and an average of 41 FPS. This is the only 4K configuration with complete min/max data available.

Q: How does the CPU’s benchmark performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212. It is 0.1% faster than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (76155), 0.4% slower than the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P (76492), 0.4% slower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX (76513), and 0.6% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (75779).

Q: At which resolution and settings does the frame rate drop below 30 FPS?

A: The only configuration with an average frame rate below 30 FPS is 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which produces 28 FPS. All other tested configurations maintain averages above 35 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for selecting the optimal settings preset at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset at 99 FPS offers the best balance, as it delivers 24 FPS more than Ultra (77 FPS) while only sacrificing 16 FPS compared to Medium (115 FPS). The jump from High to Medium provides an additional 16 FPS, but the visual quality reduction is substantial, making High the recommended choice for most players at this resolution. For competitive play or high refresh rate displays, the Low preset at 150 FPS is the only option that exceeds 144 FPS, though it represents a significant visual downgrade.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 64 FPS is the recommended setting for a smooth experience, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold while providing better visual fidelity than Medium (75 FPS) or Low (98 FPS). The Ultra preset at 50 FPS is playable but may exhibit noticeable stuttering in action sequences, given that the average is already 10 FPS below the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 75 FPS provides the highest frame rate that still maintains acceptable visual quality, making it the best choice for players who prioritize fluidity over fidelity at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, all presets fall below 60 FPS, with results ranging from 28 FPS (Ultra) to 54 FPS (Low). The Medium preset at 41 FPS offers the best compromise, as it provides a 6 FPS improvement over High (35 FPS) while remaining visually superior to Low (54 FPS). The High preset at 35 FPS is the minimum recommended for a playable experience, while Ultra at 28 FPS should be avoided due to its sub-30 FPS average. For players who insist on 4K, the Low preset at 54 FPS provides the most responsive experience, though it sacrifices significant visual quality.

The data indicates that the Medium preset consistently provides the most balanced experience across all resolutions, with average frame rates of 115 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. This preset also has the most complete data, with min/max FPS recorded at every resolution, suggesting it is the most stable configuration in terms of frame pacing. The Ultra preset, by contrast, shows the most significant performance penalty, particularly at 4K where it drops 13 FPS below the High preset.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile ranks 2257th out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the system in the bottom 39% of all tested configurations, indicating that while it is capable of running the game, many other CPU-GPU pairings deliver better performance. The ranking position reflects the GPU’s mid-range status in the current hardware landscape, as the CPU is a high-end mobile processor with a 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

The CPU’s performance class, evidenced by its 95th percentile ranking and average benchmark score of 76212, suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor in this combo’s ranking. The GPU’s 67th percentile ranking and average score of 22729, by contrast, positions it as the bottleneck. The combination’s ranking in the bottom 39% for this game indicates that The Technomancer is more dependent on GPU performance than CPU performance, which aligns with the resolution scaling analysis showing consistent GPU-limited behavior.

The deltaPct values from the nearest rivals provide context for how small performance differences translate to rankings. The CPU’s closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, has a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning these processors are essentially equivalent in benchmark performance. Similarly, the GPU’s closest rival, the RTX 2080, has a deltaPct of -0.7%, indicating the RTX 4060 Mobile is slightly slower. These small differences in component performance can shift the combo ranking by hundreds of positions in a game with 3696 tested configurations, underscoring how competitive the mid-range GPU market is.

The combo ranking of 2257 suggests that players using this system will experience performance in the lower half of the tested spectrum for this game. The 4K Ultra result of 28 FPS and the 1440p Ultra result of 50 FPS are the weakest data points, while the 1080p results are more competitive. The ranking would likely improve if the system were paired with a higher-end GPU, as the CPU has demonstrated headroom in its benchmark scores.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 150 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. The Medium preset produces 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS, demonstrating good frame time consistency. The High preset reaches 99 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 77 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 73 FPS spread, indicating that quality settings have a substantial impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably but remains playable at most settings. The Low preset achieves 98 FPS, nearly matching the 1080p High result. The Medium preset produces 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS, showing a wider frame time variance than at 1080p. The High preset reaches 64 FPS, while the Ultra preset falls to 50 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 48 FPS, narrower than at 1080p, indicating that resolution is beginning to dominate over settings.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset achieves 54 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration above 50 FPS. The Medium preset produces 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, showing the tightest frame time range in the dataset. The High preset drops to 35 FPS, while the Ultra preset falls to 28 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 4K is 26 FPS, the narrowest of any resolution, confirming that the GPU is saturated regardless of quality settings.

The Medium preset is the only configuration with complete min/max data at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 98 to 133 FPS (35 FPS spread). At 1440p, the range is 64 to 87 FPS (23 FPS spread). At 4K, the range is 35 to 48 FPS (13 FPS spread). This progressive tightening of the FPS range with increasing resolution indicates that frame pacing becomes more consistent when the GPU is fully utilized, which is counterintuitive but suggests that at lower resolutions, CPU-side frame generation introduces more variance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, operating at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark results show exceptional multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 51405. The single-thread performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3907. These results place the CPU in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is among the fastest processors available.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role appears to be secondary to the GPU across all tested configurations. The consistent 63-64% FPS drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets is a hallmark of GPU-limited performance, as a CPU-limited scenario would show smaller percentage drops at higher resolutions where the GPU takes longer to render each frame. The fact that the 1080p Low preset reaches 150 FPS without the CPU becoming a bottleneck suggests that even at high frame rates, the processor has ample headroom for this game’s workload.

The CPU’s 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth provide sufficient data throughput for the game’s engine. The Passmark data compression score of 677755 and integer math score of 195180 indicate strong general-purpose compute capabilities that benefit game logic and physics calculations. However, the game’s 2016 release date means it likely does not utilize modern multi-threading techniques, so the CPU’s 32 threads may not be fully leveraged, but the high single-thread performance ensures that legacy code paths run efficiently.

The CPU’s nearest rival data shows it performs nearly identically to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, with a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning the choice between these processors would have negligible impact on The Technomancer’s performance. The comparison to the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which is 0.6% slower in average benchmark score, further emphasizes that the CPU is operating at the top of its class. Given that the GPU is the clear bottleneck in this combination, upgrading the CPU would provide no measurable benefit in this game, as the RTX 4060 Mobile’s performance ceiling is reached well before the CPU’s capabilities are exhausted.