The Technomancer

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER produces a combination that ranks 2144th out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the lower-middle portion of the database, suggesting that while the hardware is capable, it does not deliver top-tier performance in this specific Action RPG. The rank reflects a system that can run the game, but the data indicates it will not dominate at higher resolutions or settings. The discrepancy between the CPU's high benchmark standing and the overall combo rank points directly to the GPU as the limiting factor for this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame of 2144 out of 3696 puts this configuration in the 58th percentile of all tested pairings. This is a notable position because the CPU alone sits in the 95th percentile against all processors, while the GPU only reaches the 65th percentile against all graphics cards. The gap between these two percentile figures is the first clue that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the bottleneck in this pairing. The data suggests that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D has far more compute headroom than the GPU can utilize in The Technomancer. Consequently, the combo's rank is dragged down by the graphics card's position, rather than elevated by the processor's strength.

When examining the GPU's nearest rivals, the RTX 2070 SUPER is bracketed by the Quadro M4000M at -1% and the RTX 3070 Mobile at -1.2%. This clustering indicates that the GPU's average benchmark score of 20282 is competitive with those parts, but none of them are particularly strong for modern gaming at high settings. For the CPU, the nearest rivals include the Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and the Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, both at a deltaPct of 0.1% from the 9950X3D's average score of 75779. This shows that the CPU is operating at the very top of its class, with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trailing by only 0.4%. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU creates a system where the processor is effectively waiting on the graphics card in every frame.

The game's release date of 2016-06-27 is also relevant here. The Technomancer is an older title, and the data shows that even a GPU from 2019 can handle it at 1080p, but the demands of higher resolutions expose the hardware's limitations. The measured frames per second at 4K Ultra, which average 29, demonstrate that this combo is not designed for maximum fidelity at 4K. The rank of 2144 reflects a system that is adequate for 1080p gaming with high settings, but it falls behind when pushed to 1440p or 4K with more demanding presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU104 chip manufactured on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, and the memory runs at 1750 MHz or 14 Gbps effective. These specifications place the GPU in a position where it can handle 1080p gaming comfortably, but the 8 GB VRAM capacity becomes a constraint at higher resolutions and settings. In The Technomancer, the measured FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 103, which is solid, but the drop to 37 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings shows that the memory bandwidth and capacity are stretched thin.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce this interpretation. Its Passmark G3D score is 18169, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1651. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 90637 and OpenCL score of 83358 indicate that the card has adequate compute capability for older titles. However, the percentileVsAllGpus of 65 means that a third of all GPUs in the database outperform it. The nearest rivals, including the Intel Arc B570 at -1.3% and the Intel Arc A750 at -1.5%, show that the RTX 2070 SUPER is in a competitive but not dominant position. The data implies that for The Technomancer, the GPU is the component that dictates performance, especially as resolution increases.

The measured FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings shows an average of 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91. This spread suggests that the GPU is still capable at this resolution, but the frame times vary, indicating that it is working near its limits. At 4K, the situation worsens. The Low preset at 3840x2160 yields 56 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The GPU's TDP of 215 W and its suggested PSU of 550 W are relevant for system builders, but the performance data is what matters for this analysis. The RTX 2070 SUPER is a capable 1080p card that struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K in this game.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture with the Granite Ridge codename. It has a base clock of 4.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz, and it is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The CPU features 128 MB of L3 cache, which is substantial for gaming workloads. Its benchmark results are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42018 and a single-core score of 2259. The Passmark multithread score of 70255 and the Geekbench multicore score of 26736 further demonstrate its strength. The CPU's avgBenchmarkScore of 75779 places it in the 95th percentile, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its score, confirming it is at the top of the heap.

However, in The Technomancer, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings reaches 157, which is high enough that the CPU is likely not the limiting factor at that resolution. The single-thread performance, as indicated by the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 350 and the Passmark single-thread score of 4737, is more than sufficient for this game. The game is an Action RPG from 2016, and its engine likely does not utilize more than a few cores effectively. The CPU's 16 cores and 32 threads are overkill for this title, and the data suggests that the processor's potential is largely untapped.

The CPU's architecture and cache configuration, including the 128 MB L3 cache, are designed to reduce latency in gaming, but this advantage is nullified when the GPU cannot keep up. At 4K Ultra, where the average FPS is 29, the CPU is idling while the GPU works at maximum capacity. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1292 and the 2-thread score of 2549 show that the CPU excels in low-threaded tasks, which is typical for gaming. Yet, the frame rates at 4K are determined almost entirely by the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The CPU's TDP of 170 W and its DDR5 memory support are specifications that indicate a high-end part, but they do not translate into higher FPS when the GPU is the bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo provides a clear picture of its performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 157 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 and a maximum of 139, offering a smooth experience with better visuals. High settings at 1080p yield 103 FPS, and Ultra drops to 80 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with all presets providing playable frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings average 102 FPS, which is still very playable, but the Medium preset falls to 79 FPS with a minimum of 67. High settings at 1440p average 67 FPS, and Ultra drops to 53 FPS. These figures show that the GPU is starting to struggle at this resolution, particularly with higher presets. The 67 FPS minimum at Medium suggests that there are moments where the frame rate dips, which could be noticeable during intense action sequences.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the RTX 2070 SUPER become apparent. Low settings average 56 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings average 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50, indicating that the frame rate is inconsistent. High settings drop to 37 FPS, and Ultra falls to 29 FPS, which is below the acceptable threshold for most gamers. The data shows a clear pattern: each increase in resolution or settings level results in a substantial FPS drop, with the 4K Ultra preset being the worst-case scenario.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the limiting component. At 1080p High, the average is 103 FPS, which drops to 67 FPS at 1440p High, a 35% reduction. Moving to 4K High, the average is 37 FPS, which is a 64% reduction from 1080p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has ample headroom but the graphics card cannot keep up with the increasing pixel count. The RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming in this title.

The Low preset shows a similar trend. At 1080p Low, the average is 157 FPS, which drops to 102 FPS at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 56 FPS at 4K, a 64% reduction from 1080p. The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint. The CPU, with its high single-thread and multicore scores, does not exhibit any signs of bottlenecking. The data suggests that if the GPU were replaced with a more powerful part, the FPS at 4K would improve significantly, while the CPU would remain underutilized.

The medium preset provides additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 and a maximum of 139. At 1440p Medium, the average is 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91. At 4K Medium, the average is 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 50. The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 37, which is the same as the average at 4K High, indicating that the GPU is hitting its limits. The frame time variance at 4K, as shown by the gap between min and max, suggests that the game is experiencing stutter, which is a sign of VRAM or bandwidth constraints.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 resolution. The High preset at 1080p delivers 103 FPS, which is smooth and visually appealing. For players who prefer higher frame rates, the Medium preset at 1080p offers 120 FPS with a minimum of 102, which is ideal for maintaining a consistent 100+ FPS experience. The Low preset at 1080p provides 157 FPS, but the visual quality is significantly reduced, making it less desirable for an Action RPG where immersion matters.

At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 67 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game with fast-paced combat. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67, which is a better balance of visuals and performance. However, the data shows that the frame rate can dip to 67 FPS, which might be noticeable during heavy scenes. For the most consistent experience at 1440p, the Low preset at 102 FPS is recommended, but it sacrifices visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the data does not support any preset for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 56 FPS is the only option that approaches acceptable playability, but it comes with significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 43 FPS and High at 37 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra at 29 FPS is not recommended. The data suggests that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming, and players should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best results. The highest average FPS measured across all rows is 157 at 1080p Low, while the lowest is 29 at 4K Ultra, illustrating the performance envelope.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 delivers the highest average FPS across all settings, with the Low preset at 157 FPS and High at 103 FPS. At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 67 FPS, and at 3840x2160, the High preset averages only 37 FPS. The 1080p resolution is the clear sweet spot for this hardware.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75779, which is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285. This places it in the 95th percentile against all CPUs.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER a bottleneck for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

A: Yes, the data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's percentile is 95, but the GPU's is only 65. The FPS drops from 103 at 1080p High to 37 at 4K High show that the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's capabilities as resolution increases.

Q: What are the measured FPS at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 79, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91. This is a playable frame rate, but the minimum suggests some dips during intense scenes.

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K Ultra?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 29, which is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth gameplay. The data does not support 4K Ultra as a viable option for this combo.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 20282. It is 1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, 1.2% behind the RTX 3070 Mobile, and 1.5% behind the Intel Arc A750. This shows it is in a tight cluster, but not at the top of its class.