The Technomancer

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT delivers a solid but not exceptional experience in The Technomancer, ranking 1193rd out of 1656 tested combos. This places the pairing in the bottom third of all configurations, indicating that while the hardware is capable of playable frame rates, it does not excel at maximizing the game's potential. The data shows a system that is balanced enough to handle the game's demands at lower resolutions, but which struggles to maintain smooth performance at higher settings and resolutions, with the GPU emerging as the primary limiting factor in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1193 out of 1656 tested configurations places it in the 28th percentile of all tested pairings. This is a below-average result, suggesting that many other CPU-GPU combinations deliver higher average frame rates in The Technomancer. The ranking reflects the hardware's overall performance profile: the RX 6600 XT, while a capable mid-range GPU, is not top-tier, and the i5-10400F, a 2020-era CPU, provides sufficient but not outstanding processing power for this 2016 title.

Looking at the individual components, the RX 6600 XT sits at the 71st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27985. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, scores 27956, a delta of just 0.1%, meaning the two cards are virtually identical in raw compute performance. The RX 6600 XT also edges out the AMD Radeon R9 M395X by 0.4%, but trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 by 0.9% and the AMD FirePro S7150 by 1.5%. This clustering around the 28000-score mark highlights that the GPU is a solid mid-range performer, but not exceptional.

The CPU, meanwhile, ranks at the 73rd percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 14168. Its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 7552, which scores 14115, a delta of 0.4%. The i5-10400F is also 0.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, 1.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-8500, and 1.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546. These small deltas suggest that the i5-10400F is a well-rounded CPU, but its performance is closely matched by several other processors, indicating it is not a standout part in this particular workload.

The combination's low overall rank, despite both components being near the 70th percentile individually, suggests that The Technomancer may not scale perfectly with this hardware. The game's engine appears to favor certain architectures or configurations, and this pairing does not hit those sweet spots. The data implies that users seeking higher frame rates would need to look at more powerful GPUs or CPUs that rank higher in the database.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 12 MB shared L3 cache and a thermal design power of 65 W. In synthetic benchmarks, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453, along with a Geekbench multicore score of 5783 and a single-core score of 1454.

For The Technomancer, a game released in 2016, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than sufficient to handle the game's logic and physics calculations. The game was designed for the quad-core era, so the i5-10400F's additional threads provide headroom that prevents the CPU from becoming a bottleneck in most scenarios. The boost clock of 4.30 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks, which are often critical in older game engines, are processed quickly.

The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU keeps pace with the GPU across all settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 140.8 FPS, which is a frame rate that the RX 6600 XT is likely pushing with the CPU having ample capacity. Even at 1080p Ultra, the combo manages 74.4 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not choking the GPU at lower resolutions. However, as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the CPU's role diminishes. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 28.6 FPS, which is clearly a GPU-bound scenario, as the CPU's performance would not degrade significantly with resolution changes.

The CPU's 3DMark scores reinforce its capability: it scores 4748 in the 16-thread test and 4735 in the max-thread test, showing strong scaling across cores. The single-thread score of 688 is respectable, and the PassMark single-thread score of 2541 confirms that the processor's per-core performance is adequate for gaming. Overall, the CPU provides a solid foundation, but the GPU is the component that determines the final frame rates in this title.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the most playable resolution. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 109.2 FPS, and at 1080p High it hits 94.1 FPS, both well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, frame rates range from 46.4 FPS at Ultra to 94.6 FPS at Low, making it a viable but less consistent option.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 27985. It is 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (27956), 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 M395X (27883), but 0.9% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (28238) and 1.5% behind the AMD FirePro S7150 (28409).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 28.6 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra it manages 74.4 FPS. This 46 FPS difference is far larger than what CPU limitations would cause, confirming the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Only at low settings. At 4K Low, the combo achieves 50.2 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Medium, it drops to 38.1 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 28.6 FPS. High settings at 4K yield 32 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance?

A: The i5-10400F scores 10297 in Cinebench R23 multicore, 4324 in Cinebench R20 multicore, and 1037 in Cinebench R15 multicore. Its Geekbench multicore score is 5783, and its PassMark multithread score is 12115.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p Ultra?

A: At 1440p Ultra, the combo achieves 46.4 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS mark, making it a less ideal setting for smooth gameplay. For a better experience, 1440p High at 64 FPS is recommended.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. With Low settings, it achieves 140.8 FPS, which is a very high frame rate indicating that the GPU is not stressed. Moving to Medium, the frame rate drops to 109.2 FPS, still excellent. High settings yield 94.1 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 74.4 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the combo is capable of smooth gameplay even at the highest settings, with a massive 66.4 FPS difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. Low settings produce 94.6 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings drop to 70.9 FPS, and High settings to 64 FPS. Ultra settings, however, bring the frame rate down to 46.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 48.2 FPS, showing that the GPU is becoming more stressed at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings produce 50.2 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium settings drop to 38.1 FPS, High to 32 FPS, and Ultra to 28.6 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K is only viable at Low settings, and even then, it is borderline. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 21.6 FPS, which is smaller than at lower resolutions, suggesting that the GPU is hitting its limits across all settings.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the combo performs best at 1080p, is acceptable at 1440p for lower settings, and is only marginally playable at 4K with the lowest settings. The frame rate drops are more significant at higher resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals how the combo's performance degrades as pixel count increases. From 1080p to 1440p, the frame rate drops are moderate. At Ultra settings, the combo goes from 74.4 FPS at 1080p to 46.4 FPS at 1440p, a decrease of 37.6%. At High settings, the drop is from 94.1 FPS to 64 FPS, a 32% decrease. At Medium settings, it goes from 109.2 FPS to 70.9 FPS, a 35.1% decrease. At Low settings, it drops from 140.8 FPS to 94.6 FPS, a 32.8% decrease. These percentages are consistent, indicating that the GPU is scaling predictably with resolution.

The transition from 1440p to 4K shows a more dramatic falloff. At Ultra settings, the combo drops from 46.4 FPS to 28.6 FPS, a 38.4% decrease. At High settings, it goes from 64 FPS to 32 FPS, a 50% decrease. At Medium settings, it drops from 70.9 FPS to 38.1 FPS, a 46.3% decrease. At Low settings, it goes from 94.6 FPS to 50.2 FPS, a 46.9% decrease. These larger percentages indicate that the GPU is being overwhelmed at 4K, with the frame rate halving in some cases.

The data suggests that the limiting component is the GPU. The CPU's performance does not change with resolution, so if the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain similar across resolutions. Instead, the significant drops at higher resolutions point directly to the RX 6600 XT being unable to keep up with the pixel workload. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming in this title, especially at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience for this combo is at 1080p with Medium settings, which achieves 109.2 FPS. This provides a high frame rate with good visual quality, and the 31.6 FPS difference between Medium and High at 1080p is substantial enough to justify the lower preset. For users who prioritize visuals, 1080p High at 94.1 FPS is also an excellent choice, offering a smoother experience than Ultra while maintaining a high level of detail. At 1080p Ultra, the 74.4 FPS is still playable, but the 19.7 FPS drop from High to Ultra may not be worth the marginal visual improvements.

At 1440p, the recommended setting is High, which produces 64 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience. Medium at 70.9 FPS is also viable, but High offers a better balance of visuals and performance. At 1440p Ultra, the 46.4 FPS is below the 60 FPS mark, making it less desirable. For users with 1440p monitors, High settings are the sweet spot.

At 4K, the data suggests that only Low settings are playable, at 50.2 FPS. Medium settings at 38.1 FPS and High at 32 FPS are too low for a smooth experience, and Ultra at 28.6 FPS is not recommended. Users with 4K displays should either lower the resolution or accept the visual compromises of Low settings. The overall recommendation is to play at 1080p Medium or High for the best balance of frame rate and visual fidelity, as the combo's performance at higher resolutions is limited by the GPU.