The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload even for modern hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, using the provided benchmark data. The results show a combination that is capable of high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, but one that faces significant challenges at 4K Ultra settings, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 achieves a rank of 1497 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the 47th percentile of all tested configurations, indicating a mid-pack standing relative to the broader spectrum of hardware pairings. While this might seem unremarkable, it is crucial to contextualize this rank against the individual components' strengths and the game's specific demands.

The ranking reflects a system where the CPU is significantly more powerful than the GPU in synthetic benchmarks. The Ryzen 9 8945HX sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, while the RTX 4070 is in the 81st percentile for GPUs. This imbalance suggests that the combo rank is largely suppressed by the GPU's performance ceiling in this title. The data indicates that the processor is capable of far more, but the graphics card holds back the overall system ranking. The 1497th position is a direct consequence of this pairing, where the GPU's frame rate output dictates the final score.

When examining the CPU's nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 8945HX's performance is tightly clustered. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D in average benchmark scores. It trails the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX by 0.4%. This data confirms that the CPU is a top-tier performer, and any deficiencies in the overall combo rank are not attributable to processor performance. The game's frame rate is not limited by the CPU in most scenarios, as its synthetic scores are so far ahead of what the GPU can feed it.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the defining component for this combo's gaming performance. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. In an action RPG like The Technomancer, which can feature dense environments and texture-heavy assets, this memory configuration is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the bus width and capacity could become a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings.

The GPU's clock speeds are set to a base of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz. The data shows that the GPU's role is predominantly a limiting factor. At 4K Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 31 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the GPU is saturated. The 12 GB of VRAM is also a potential concern at this resolution, as texture data can easily exceed this capacity, leading to performance dips. The measured data shows a significant performance cliff as settings and resolution increase, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

The RTX 4070's synthetic benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 26927, place it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. However, within this combo, the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that the GPU's performance scaling is the primary driver of the frame rates seen in the measured results. For instance, moving from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p results in a drop from 169 FPS to 86 FPS, a 49% reduction. This performance scaling is steep and indicates that the game's visual effects are heavily dependent on the GPU's compute and fill rate capabilities. The GPU is not just a component; it is the performance ceiling for this entire system in The Technomancer.

Resolution Scaling

The benchmark data reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 111 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 72 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 4K, the average falls to 40 FPS, a further 44% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline indicates that the rendering workload is scaling directly with pixel count, and the RTX 4070 is struggling to maintain frame rates as the pixel fill rate demand increases.

This scaling pattern is a clear indicator that the CPU is not the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively static across resolutions. Instead, the data shows a consistent drop, which is the signature of a GPU that is hitting its limits. The gap between 1080p and 4K is substantial; at Low settings, the frame rate drops from 169 FPS to 61 FPS. This demonstrates that even at the lowest graphical settings, the sheer number of pixels at 4K overwhelms the GPU.

Furthermore, the gap between 1440p and 4K is larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p. For example, at Medium settings, 1440p yields 85 FPS, while 4K yields 47 FPS. This nonlinear drop suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s becomes an increasingly severe constraint as resolution rises. The data proves that the RTX 4070 is best utilized at 1080p and 1440p, where it can deliver high frame rates, but it is not suited for 4K gaming in this title, particularly at higher presets.

Settings Recommendations

To get the best experience from this combo, the settings must be chosen based on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor, so the goal is to find a balance between visual quality and performance that keeps the GPU within its comfort zone.

For 1080p gaming, the High preset is an excellent choice. It delivers an average of 111 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 86 FPS, which is still very playable, but the 25 FPS drop from High to Ultra suggests diminishing returns for the visual fidelity gained. For a competitive edge or to maximize refresh rate headroom, the Medium preset at 130 FPS is also a viable option.

At 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 72 FPS, which is a solid experience for an action RPG. The Medium preset at 85 FPS is also good, but High offers a better visual experience with a minimal performance penalty. The Ultra preset at 56 FPS is borderline, and the Low preset at 110 FPS is unnecessary unless aiming for the highest possible refresh rates.

At 4K, the data suggests that this combo is not ideal for high-settings gaming. The High preset averages 40 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is slightly better but still not ideal. The Low preset at 61 FPS is the only 4K option that consistently breaks the 60 FPS barrier. Based on the measured results, the best 4K experience would be with the Low preset, or alternatively, the Medium preset if a 40-50 FPS target is acceptable. The Ultra preset at 31 FPS is not recommended for any playable scenario.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data provides a detailed look at the measured frame rates for this combo.

1080p:

At 1920x1080, the performance is strong across all settings. With Low settings, the combo averages 169 FPS. The Medium preset yields an average of 130 FPS, with a minimum of 110 FPS and a maximum of 149 FPS. High settings produce an average of 111 FPS. The Ultra preset drops the average to 86 FPS, but it remains well above the playable threshold.

1440p:

At 2560x1440, the performance is still respectable. Low settings average 110 FPS. The Medium preset averages 85 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 97 FPS. High settings deliver an average of 72 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 56 FPS, which is starting to approach the lower bounds of smooth gameplay.

4K:

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly stressed. Low settings average 61 FPS, which is just at the edge of playability. The Medium preset averages 47 FPS, with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. High settings average 40 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of only 31 FPS, making it unsuitable for a smooth experience.

The data shows a consistent pattern. The Medium preset is the only one that provides min/max FPS data, showing a variance that scales with resolution. For instance, at 1080p, the delta between min and max is 39 FPS, while at 4K, it is 13 FPS. This indicates that at higher resolutions, the frame rate is more consistent, but this is likely because the GPU is pegged at its maximum load, preventing the frame rate from spiking higher.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores exceptionally well, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. These scores place it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it is more than capable of handling any game's CPU-related workloads.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this system. The massive frame rate drops seen when increasing resolution or settings are purely GPU-driven. The CPU's performance is so high that it can easily keep up with the GPU at all tested resolutions and settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the combo hits 169 FPS, which is a high frame rate that requires a strong CPU, but the 8945HX handles it without issue.

The CPU's large L3 cache (64 MB) and high core count contribute to its ability to handle complex game logic. The data from the nearest rivals shows that the 8945HX is on par with the best desktop and mobile processors, with a 0.1% difference versus the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX. This demonstrates that the CPU will not be a limiting factor for many years. The game's engine, despite being from 2016, will not stress this processor to its limits. The performance ceiling for this combo is unequivocally set by the RTX 4070, not the Ryzen 9 8945HX.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo better for 1080p or 4K gaming?

A: The data shows this combo is significantly better for 1080p gaming. At 1080p High, it averages 111 FPS, whereas at 4K High, it drops to 40 FPS. The GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the best setting preset for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 72 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset reaches 85 FPS, but High offers a better visual experience while still maintaining smooth frame rates.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU is in the 95th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 81st percentile. The frame rates drop consistently with increasing resolution and settings, which is a primary indicator of a GPU-bound system.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p, where it averages 86 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 56 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 31 FPS, which is not a playable experience for most users.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 8945HX compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX?

A: According to the benchmark data, the Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average score that is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX. This indicates they are virtually tied in overall CPU performance.

Q: What is the highest frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 169 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the system's peak capability is at lower resolutions and graphical loads.