The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions reveal a system that is consistently bound by the graphics card, with the CPU’s substantial processing power remaining largely underutilized. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance dictated by resolution and settings, where the RX 570’s 4 GB memory and Polaris architecture are the primary limiting factors.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 exposes a severe performance cliff that is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 66.8 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 42.8 FPS, a reduction of 24.0 FPS. Scaling further to 3840x2160 yields only 26.2 FPS, which is a 40.6 FPS decline from the 1080p baseline. This pattern indicates that the RX 570 is being pushed to its absolute limits as pixel count increases.

The scaling behavior becomes more telling at higher graphical presets. At High settings, the frame rate falls from 45.0 FPS at 1080p to 29.7 FPS at 1440p, and then plummets to 15.9 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and High settings at 4K is 10.3 FPS, while at 1080p, that same gap is 21.8 FPS. This compression of performance at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU that has run out of compute throughput and memory bandwidth. The 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth and 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are simply insufficient for the 8.3 million pixels of 4K.

The data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in any configuration. The Ryzen 9 9900X, with its 12 cores and 24 threads, is capable of far more work than the RX 570 can feed it. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU load would be highest relative to the GPU, the 66.8 FPS result is likely constrained by the graphics card’s rendering speed rather than any processor limitation. The benchmark results indicate that this pairing is only viable for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a stretch and 4K being impractical for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 66.8 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration that approaches a smooth 60 FPS experience, and it does so with the lowest visual quality preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: At 2560x1440, the frame rates are playable but not ideal. The best result is 42.8 FPS on Low settings, dropping to 33.0 FPS on Medium and 29.7 FPS on High. Ultra settings yield 25.7 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the AMD Radeon RX 570 in this title?

A: No. The measured data shows that 4K performance is critically low across all settings. The best 4K result is 26.2 FPS on Low, with High at 15.9 FPS and Ultra at 10.4 FPS. This indicates the GPU is severely overburdened at 3840x2160.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1920x1080?

A: At 1080p, the difference between the lowest and highest presets is significant. Low settings average 66.8 FPS, while Ultra settings average 35.8 FPS. This represents a 31.0 FPS drop, showing that the visual quality presets have a substantial impact on the frame rate.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 1609 out of 1656 tested combinations. This places it in the bottom 3% of all tested systems, indicating that this pairing is far below the median performance level for The Technomancer.

Q: Does the CPU's performance vary significantly between single and multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X shows a large difference in its synthetic benchmarks. It scores 1286 in 3dMark single-thread and 12552 in 3dMark 16-thread tests. This large gap confirms that the CPU has massive multi-threading capabilities, but these are not relevant to the game’s performance, which is GPU-bound.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The processor’s substantial L3 cache of 64 MB and support for DDR5 memory provide a robust foundation for any workload. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 6555 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 46438 in multi-core, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs.

However, in The Technomancer, this processing power is largely irrelevant. The measured FPS data shows no scenario where the CPU could be the limiting factor. Even at 1080p with Low settings, the frame rate is capped by the GPU. The game’s engine appears to be well-optimized for multi-threading, but the RX 570’s 2048 shading units and 32 ROPs cannot produce frames fast enough to challenge the CPU.

The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU from 2017 creates a massive imbalance. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 54450 is significantly higher than what is needed for this game. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D, scores 54681, which is only 0.4% higher, showing that the 9900X is already at the peak of its performance class. This excess capability means that the system’s frame rate is entirely dictated by the GPU’s rendering speed, making any CPU upgrade pointless for this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 1609 out of 1656 is a poor result, placing the system in the bottom 3% of all tested combinations for The Technomancer. This ranking reflects the GPU’s age and performance class rather than any deficiency in the CPU. The data suggests that the vast majority of tested systems, which likely include more balanced CPU-GPU pairings or more modern graphics cards, achieve higher frame rates.

This low rank is consistent with the GPU’s overall standing. The RX 570 sits in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, but its direct rivals according to the data are modern cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT. These cards have average benchmark scores of 30109 and 30097, respectively, which are nearly identical to the RX 570’s 30158. However, these rivals are much more recent releases with newer architectures, and the data shows the RX 570 is placed in the same performance tier by average score. The issue is that the game’s engine may be more demanding on the older GCN 4.0 architecture, leading to worse in-game performance than the raw benchmark scores would suggest.

The CPU’s rank is not the issue. The Ryzen 9 9900X is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs and outperforms its rivals in the nearestRivals list. The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average score of 54097, which is 0.7% lower than the 9900X. The combination of a top-tier CPU and a bottom-tier GPU for this game results in a system that is heavily GPU-bound, explaining the poor overall ranking.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the resolution most suited to this hardware, the frame rates are usable but inconsistent. Low settings yield an average of 66.8 FPS, which is the only configuration that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52.0 FPS, which is still playable but with noticeable dips. High settings reduce the average to 45.0 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 35.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is a 31.0 FPS decline, showing that the graphical presets have a major impact on the GPU load.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes marginal. Low settings average 42.8 FPS, which is acceptable for slower-paced games but not ideal for action sequences. Medium settings average 33.0 FPS, and High settings average 29.7 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 25.7 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent 20-30% reduction in frame rate across all settings, indicating that the GPU is struggling with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. Low settings average 26.2 FPS, which is technically playable but feels sluggish. Medium settings drop to 19.7 FPS, High to 15.9 FPS, and Ultra to 10.4 FPS. These numbers are all below the threshold for a responsive experience. The data shows a clear and consistent degradation pattern, with the frame rate halving from 1080p to 4K at every settings level.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the only way to achieve a consistently smooth experience is to use 1920x1080 with Low settings. This configuration produces an average of 66.8 FPS, which provides a sufficient frame buffer to avoid major stuttering. For players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, this is the most effective choice.

For those who want a better visual experience without dropping below 30 FPS, the 1080p Medium preset is the best compromise. At 52.0 FPS, it offers a significant improvement in visual quality over Low while maintaining a playable frame rate. The 1440p Low preset, at 42.8 FPS, is also viable for players with 1440p monitors who are willing to accept lower graphical detail.

The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended, as it yields an average of 35.8 FPS at 1080p and drops below 30 FPS at 1440p. The data indicates that the RX 570 does not have the compute resources to handle the highest settings in this game. Therefore, the optimal experience, balancing performance and visuals, is found at 1080p with Medium settings. This provides a frame rate that is 16.2 FPS higher than High settings and 31.0 FPS higher than Ultra, while still delivering a substantial upgrade over Low.