The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that starkly exposes the performance ceiling of the Intel Arc B390 graphics processor when paired with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D. The measured data reveals a system where the CPU’s immense processing power is largely held in check by the GPU, resulting in frame rates that range from barely playable at 1080p to completely unplayable at 4K. The benchmark results show a classic bottleneck scenario, where the graphics card is the definitive limiting component across all tested resolutions and settings.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic and consistent decline in performance as resolution increases, which is a clear indicator of GPU-bound rendering. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p with the same Low settings sees the average drop to 52 FPS, a significant 34% reduction. Moving further to 4K (3840x2160) at Low settings, the average plummets to 28 FPS, representing a 65% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep curve with each pixel count increase demonstrates that the Intel Arc B390 is saturated by the rendering load well before the resolution reaches its maximum.

The pattern holds across all quality presets. With High settings, the system averages 52 FPS at 1080p, 34 FPS at 1440p, and only 19 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, starts at a marginal 40 FPS average at 1080p, falls to 26 FPS at 1440p, and becomes a slideshow at 4K with a 15 FPS average. The frame rate drops are not linear; the gap between 1440p and 4K is often larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p, particularly at lower settings. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU that runs out of raw throughput and memory bandwidth as the pixel fill rate requirement quadruples.

This data strongly implies that the component limiting performance is the GPU. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, with its 16 cores and boost clock of 5.70 GHz, is far more capable than what these frame rates suggest. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload (draw calls, physics, game logic) remains relatively constant while the GPU's workload (pixel shading, fill rate) scales with resolution. Instead, the performance falls off a cliff, which is the definitive signature of a graphics card that cannot keep up with the demands of The Technomancer at higher resolutions.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, and its specifications reveal why it struggles with The Technomancer. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock is respectable for integrated graphics, the sheer amount of work required to render a modern game at high resolutions overwhelms its other capabilities. The GPU's rendering power is quantified by its pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, yet these figures are insufficient for the demands of 4K gaming.

A critical aspect of this GPU is its memory configuration. The Intel Arc B390 has "System Shared" memory, meaning it does not have its own dedicated VRAM. Instead, it borrows from the system's main memory, and its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent." This is a major disadvantage for gaming. The Technomancer, like most games, requires fast, dedicated memory for textures and frame buffers. Sharing memory with the CPU introduces latency and bandwidth contention, which likely contributes to the low frame rates observed. The data shows that even at 1080p Medium settings, the average FPS is 61, with a minimum of 52 FPS, indicating that the shared memory architecture is a performance hindrance.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in a very low percentile. It scores 1482 on the 3dmark_3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 test and sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% faster). These are all extremely old, entry-level graphics solutions, confirming that the Arc B390 is positioned at the very bottom of the performance stack. The data from The Technomancer aligns perfectly with this ranking; it is a GPU meant for basic tasks, not for gaming at demanding settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a high-end desktop processor that is vastly more powerful than the GPU it is paired with. It features 16 cores and 32 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42018 and a Geekbench multicore score of 26736, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. This processing power is entirely sufficient to feed any modern game with data, and it is certainly not the limiting factor in The Technomancer.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals underscores its capability. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (0.1% faster), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (0.1% faster), AMD EPYC 8224P (0.3% faster), and Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (0.4% faster). These are all top-tier server or desktop processors, showing that the 9950X3D is at the pinnacle of CPU performance. In the context of these benchmark results, the CPU is essentially idle waiting for the GPU to finish its work.

The data suggests that the game's performance is entirely GPU-bottlenecked. The CPU's role in this specific configuration is to provide a stable platform, but its vast potential is untapped. The measured FPS in The Technomancer shows no signs of CPU limitation, such as stuttering or frame rate dips that are independent of resolution. The fact that the frame rate scales predictably with resolution is the strongest evidence that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is more than capable of handling the game's logic, and the Intel Arc B390 is holding the entire system back.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that it cannot run 4K smoothly. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 19. Even at the lowest settings, the average is only 28 FPS, which is below the threshold for a playable experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination?

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the only resolution that offers a playable experience. At 1080p, the system achieves frame rates ranging from 40 FPS on Ultra to 79 FPS on Low, which is the most viable option for this hardware.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390 scores 1482 on the 3dmark Steel Nomad test. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, is 1.3% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 is 2.7% faster. This indicates it is at the bottom of the GPU performance chart, in the 9th percentile.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D the reason for the low frame rates?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. The frame rates scale with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, where the graphics card is unable to keep up with the CPU.

Q: What settings should I use for the best experience at 1440p?

A: The data shows that even at Low settings, the average FPS at 1440p is only 52, with Medium settings dropping to 40 FPS. While playable, the experience is marginal, and users may prefer 1080p for higher and more stable frame rates.

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

A: At 1080p, the average FPS on Low settings is 79, while on Ultra settings it drops to 40. This is a 49.4% reduction in frame rate, showing that the Ultra preset is significantly more demanding on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Given the severe GPU bottleneck, the settings recommendations are driven entirely by the need to maximize frame rate. The data indicates that for a playable experience, users must prioritize resolution over visual fidelity. At 4K, all settings are unplayable, with the highest average FPS being 28 at Low settings and the lowest being 15 at Ultra. Therefore, 4K is not a viable option for this hardware.

At 1440p, the situation improves slightly but remains marginal. The Low preset provides an average of 52 FPS, which is the only setting that approaches a standard playability target. The Medium preset averages 40 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the High (34 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) presets are too demanding for consistent gameplay.

The best experience, according to the measured data, is at 1080p. The Low preset offers the highest average FPS at 79, providing a smooth experience. The Medium preset, with an average of 61 FPS, is also a strong option, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset at 52 FPS is still playable, but the Ultra preset at 40 FPS is at the lower edge of playability. For the most consistent and responsive experience, the data supports using the Low preset at 1080p. If a user prefers better visuals and can tolerate slightly lower frame rates, the Medium preset at 1080p is the best compromise, as the step down in performance from Medium to High is significant (61 to 52 FPS), while the visual difference may not be worth the cost.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rate data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all tested configurations.

At 1920x1080, the system performs best. The Low settings yield an average of 79 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. The High settings result in an average of 52 FPS. The Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 40 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance drops considerably. The Low settings produce an average of 52 FPS. The Medium settings yield an average of 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. The High settings result in an average of 34 FPS. The Ultra settings average 26 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. The Low settings produce an average of 28 FPS. The Medium settings yield an average of 22 FPS, with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS. The High settings result in an average of 19 FPS. The Ultra settings average only 15 FPS.

This breakdown shows a consistent trend: the frame rate decreases as resolution and settings increase, with the most dramatic drops occurring at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2500 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This ranking places it in the bottom 11.5% of all systems tested, which is a very poor result.

This low ranking is entirely attributable to the GPU. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a top-tier processor, but the Arc B390's performance is so low that it drags the entire system down. The data shows that the system's overall performance is defined by its weakest link, and in this case, that is the graphics card. The ranking highlights a fundamental mismatch in this hardware pairing, where a high-end CPU is paired with an entry-level integrated GPU, resulting in a system that is unsuitable for gaming at any resolution above the minimum settings. The system is effectively crippled by the GPU, and the CPU's power is left unused, resulting in a poor overall gaming experience.