The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for modern hardware. With the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, the data reveals a combination that is powerful but heavily influenced by the game's engine and age. The measured FPS across resolutions shows a clear narrative of GPU scaling, CPU headroom, and the limitations of a title from a previous generation.

Resolution Scaling

The performance delta between 1080p and 4K is the most telling indicator of this system's behavior in The Technomancer. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 160 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 105 FPS, a 34% reduction. At 4K, the average falls to 58 FPS, which is a 64% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline is a classic sign that the game is becoming heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the rendering load outpacing the capabilities of even the top-tier RTX 5090.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 245 at 1080p to 160 at 1440p and then 88 at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K. For Medium settings, the numbers are 188, 123, and 67 FPS respectively. The most demanding Ultra preset shows 125 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops from 1080p to 4K are remarkably uniform across presets, ranging from 64% to 65%. This uniformity indicates that resolution scaling is the primary bottleneck factor, independent of the visual complexity being rendered.

What this data suggests is that the limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU. The RTX 5090, despite its immense power, cannot maintain high frame rates when pushing 8.3 million pixels in this particular title. The game's engine, likely not optimized for modern hardware architectures, shows diminishing returns as the resolution increases. The transition from 1440p to 4K is especially harsh, with a 45% performance hit on High settings (105 to 58 FPS). This indicates that The Technomancer's rendering pipeline struggles with the sheer pixel count of 4K, creating a situation where even the most powerful consumer GPU available becomes the limiting factor.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, it is a formidable mobile CPU. In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be largely supportive rather than a bottleneck. The data at 1080p, where CPUs typically matter most, shows that the processor is more than capable of feeding the GPU. At Low settings with 1080p, the system achieves 245 FPS, a figure that suggests the CPU is not holding back performance.

Further evidence of CPU headroom is seen in the percentile rankings. The Ryzen 9 8945HX has a percentile of 95 against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 76212. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, show nearly identical performance with a deltaPct of 0.1%. This places the CPU in the top tier of available processors, making it an unlikely source of frame rate limitations in a game from 2016.

The game's reliance on single-thread performance is a factor, but the Ryzen 9 8945HX's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6030 is substantial. The multi-core score of 42713 is equally impressive, showing the processor's capability in heavily threaded workloads. In The Technomancer, the 32 threads provide ample parallel processing power, but the game likely doesn't utilize them all effectively. The fact that frame rates drop so significantly at higher resolutions, regardless of CPU strength, points to the GPU as the primary constraint.

The data implies that the CPU is a non-issue in this pairing. The bottleneck is consistently the GPU at 4K, and even at 1080p, the system is able to achieve frame rates that would be considered excellent. The processor's high clock speeds and core count provide a stable foundation, ensuring that frame pacing remains consistent and that the GPU is never starved for data. The combination is well-balanced, but the game's age shows that it cannot fully leverage the CPU's modern capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K with High settings for this combo?

A: The average frame rate at 4K with High settings is 58 FPS. This is the only 4K preset that does not dip below 60 FPS, indicating that playable performance is possible but not without compromise.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 perform at 1080p in this game?

A: At 1080p, the RTX 5090 shows significant strength. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 245 FPS, while High settings yield 160 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is not the primary limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck in The Technomancer?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck. The system reaches 245 FPS at 1080p Low, indicating the processor is feeding the GPU adequately. The Ryzen 9 8945HX's high single and multi-core scores support this, showing it has ample headroom for this title.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers an average of 123 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 82 FPS. This is a 33% reduction in frame rate for the higher visual fidelity.

Q: How does the combo's overall ranking look in the database?

A: The combo is ranked 551 out of 2825 tested combinations in this game. This places it in the top 20% of all tested systems, indicating it is a strong performer despite the game's age.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 4K Medium settings is 57 FPS. This is the only recorded minimum FPS below 60 FPS across all tested configurations, highlighting that demanding 4K scenarios can cause noticeable dips.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of performance across all resolutions and settings. The most complete dataset is available for Medium settings, which includes minimum and maximum FPS values.

At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well. Low settings deliver the highest average at 245 FPS. High settings produce 160 FPS, while Medium settings average 188 FPS with a minimum of 160 FPS and a maximum of 216 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 125 FPS. All settings at this resolution are comfortably above 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show the expected decline. Low settings average 160 FPS, High settings average 105 FPS, and Medium settings average 123 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS and a maximum of 141 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 82 FPS. The performance here is still very playable, with even the most demanding preset staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

The 3840x2160 resolution is where the system begins to show strain. Low settings average 88 FPS, which is still respectable. High settings drop to an average of 58 FPS, just below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Medium settings average 67 FPS, with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS. This is the only configuration with a recorded minimum below 60 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with an average of only 45 FPS, indicating that it is not suitable for a consistent high-refresh-rate experience at 4K.

The data shows that the sweet spot for 4K is the Medium preset, which offers a playable average while maintaining a reasonable minimum. The High preset is borderline, and Ultra is for those who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is ranked 551 out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 19.5% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing. The ranking indicates that while this hardware is top-tier, the game's engine prevents it from achieving the absolute top spot.

The CPU's performance is a significant contributor to this ranking. With an average benchmark score of 76212 and a percentile of 95, the Ryzen 9 8945HX is a very high-performing processor. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, has nearly identical performance with a deltaPct of 0.1%. This means the CPU is not a differentiator in this ranking; it is firmly in the top tier.

The GPU, with an average benchmark score of 79842 and a percentile of 92, also performs well. However, its nearest rivals are not typical gaming GPUs. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB is a datacenter card with a deltaPct of 0.3%, and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is a previous-generation mobile GPU with a deltaPct of 1.1%. This suggests that in synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 is closely matched with these other products, but in The Technomancer, its gaming-specific strengths are not fully utilized.

The rank of 551 suggests that there are 550 combos that perform better in this specific game. This could be due to variations in driver optimization, CPU-GPU pairing, or memory configurations. The data shows that this combo is powerful, but it is not the absolute best for The Technomancer. The game's age and its engine's limitations likely cap performance, preventing the top-tier hardware from reaching its full potential.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance priorities. For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, the Medium preset is the only reliable choice. It delivers an average of 67 FPS with a minimum of 57 FPS, which is close to the target and mostly stable. The High preset, at 58 FPS average, is borderline and may suffer from noticeable dips. The Ultra preset is not recommended at this resolution due to its sub-60 FPS average.

At 1440p, the system has substantial headroom. The High preset delivers 105 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset offers even more performance at 123 FPS, but the visual difference between Medium and High may be worth the 18 FPS trade-off for some users. The Ultra preset, at 82 FPS, is also a viable option for those who want maximum fidelity and still maintain a high frame rate.

At 1080p, all presets are playable. The Ultra preset, with 125 FPS, is the best choice for taking full advantage of high-refresh-rate displays while enjoying the game's best visuals. The High preset at 160 FPS is ideal for competitive play or for users with 165Hz or 240Hz monitors. The Low preset at 245 FPS is only necessary for esports-level frame rates, which are not typical for an action RPG like The Technomancer.

The data suggests that the High preset at 1440p offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, providing a high frame rate without compromising on detail. For 4K users, the Medium preset is the recommended path to a smooth experience. The Ultra preset is best reserved for 1080p and 1440p, where the hardware can comfortably handle its demands. The measured minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 57 FPS, which is the only data point below 60 FPS, indicating that this is the most demanding playable configuration in this dataset.