The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test case for the Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060. The benchmark data reveals a combination that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, yet demonstrates strong capabilities at 1080p, positioning it as a solid performer for its class in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates across the three tested resolutions illustrate a classic GPU-bound scaling curve, particularly at higher quality settings. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 103 FPS at 1920x1080 to 67 FPS at 2560x1440, a substantial 36 FPS decline. Pushing further to 3840x2160 sees the average plummet to 37 FPS, which is a 64% reduction from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the primary limiting factor, as the demand on pixel throughput and memory bandwidth at 4K far exceeds what the GPU can deliver for this title.

The scaling pattern changes character when the settings are lowered. At the Low preset, the frame rate drops from 157 FPS at 1080p to 102 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 56 FPS at 4K. While the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is less severe (64%) compared to the High preset, it still shows a significant performance wall. The data suggests that even at reduced graphical loads, the RX 9060 cannot maintain playable 4K performance, but it does free up enough headroom to make 1440p a very viable option.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with scores of 120 FPS, 79 FPS, and 43 FPS across the three resolutions. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a 41 FPS drop, which is a larger absolute difference than the jump from High to Medium at the same resolution. This suggests that the game's Medium settings introduce a significant increase in GPU workload compared to Low, but the transition from Medium to High is less demanding in relative terms. The 4K performance at Medium, with an average of 43 FPS and a minimum of 37 FPS, is on the edge of playability but lacks consistency.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding 80 FPS at 1080p, 52 FPS at 1440p, and a low 29 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is clearly unplayable, and even the 1440p score is below the 60 FPS target that many users prefer. The data from these four presets clearly indicates that for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1440p, users must choose between High and Medium settings, while 1080p users have the luxury of high refresh rates on all but the Ultra preset.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060, based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, is the definitive bottleneck in this pairing for The Technomancer. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is a critical factor. While 8 GB is generally sufficient for 1080p gaming, the data suggests that at 4K resolution, the combination of higher texture detail and memory pressure contributes to the significant frame rate drops. The GPU's pixel rate is listed at 191.4 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 334.9 GTexel/s, which are the raw throughput metrics that determine how quickly it can fill the screen with details. These figures, while not directly comparable to rivals, place the card in a performance tier that is clearly not designed for native 4K gaming in this title.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1700 MHz and a boost of 2990 MHz, indicate a high-boosting design that helps maintain performance at lower resolutions. However, the average benchmark score of 16014 and its 59th percentile ranking among all GPUs place it in the mid-range segment. This is further corroborated by its nearest rivals, which include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, with a score of 16129 (0.7% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, with a score of 15852 (1% lower). The RX 9060's performance is essentially on par with these cards, confirming its position as a capable 1080p and entry-level 1440p solution.

The disparity between the CPU's and GPU's benchmark centiles is stark. The Core i5-11400F sits in the 71st percentile for all CPUs, while the RX 9060 is in the 59th percentile for GPUs. This 12-percentage-point gap is a clear indicator of a CPU that can feed a stronger GPU than the one installed. In The Technomancer, this means that at 1080p, the CPU has ample headroom, and the game's performance is almost entirely dictated by the GPU's capabilities. The game's engine appears to be well-optimized for multi-threaded CPUs, and the i5-11400F's 6 cores and 12 threads, boosting up to 4.40 GHz, are more than sufficient to avoid creating a CPU bottleneck in this scenario.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Technomancer, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 achieves a rank of 1632 out of 2825 possible combinations. This places it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms a majority of other CPU-GPU pairings in this game. This is a respectable position, but it is not a top-tier result. The ranking reflects the fact that while the CPU is relatively strong, the GPU holds the combo back from reaching the higher echelons of the performance charts.

This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the GPU's own 59th percentile standing. The combo's performance is effectively gated by the graphics card. A system with a more powerful GPU would likely rank significantly higher, as the i5-11400F's performance headroom would be better utilized. The data suggests that this combo is a balanced pairing for 1080p gaming, but it is not optimized for high-refresh-rate 1440p or 4K gaming, where the GPU's limitations become the defining factor of the overall experience.

The nearest rivals for the GPU, such as the RTX 3060 Ti and RX 7700, would likely produce very similar in-game results and rankings, as their average benchmark scores are within 1% of the RX 9060. This confirms that the combo's position in the rankings is more a function of the GPU's tier than the specific CPU choice. The i5-11400F, with an average benchmark score of 17177, is a solid foundation, but the final ranking is dictated by the graphics card's performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance envelope. At 1920x1080, the system excels, delivering high average frame rates across all presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 157 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset averages 120 FPS, with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS, showing a stable and smooth experience. The High preset averages 103 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains a respectable average of 80 FPS. For 1080p gaming, this combo is highly capable, easily exceeding the 60 FPS target on all presets and approaching or surpassing 100 FPS on most.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains solid but requires more careful settings selection. The Low preset averages 102 FPS, which is excellent. The Medium preset averages 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS, providing a good balance of visual quality and smoothness. The High preset averages 67 FPS, which is still playable but is starting to approach the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 52 FPS, which dips below the ideal 60 FPS target and will be noticeable to users sensitive to frame pacing. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 1440p, the Medium or High presets are the recommended choices.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the GPU become fully apparent. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset averages 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS, indicating significant frame drops during intense scenes. The High preset averages 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages a low 29 FPS. None of these results provide a smooth, playable 4K experience. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in The Technomancer, as even the lowest settings fail to maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p display, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 103 FPS. This provides a significant improvement in visual fidelity over Medium (120 FPS) while still maintaining a very high frame rate. The Ultra preset is also viable, with an average of 80 FPS, for those who prioritize maximum visual quality over raw frame rate. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution, as even Ultra is playable.

For 1440p users, the Medium preset is the best recommendation. With an average of 79 FPS and a minimum of 67 FPS, it offers a smooth experience that stays above 60 FPS in most scenarios. The High preset, averaging 67 FPS, is also acceptable, but its minimum frame rate is not recorded, meaning there is a risk of drops below 60 FPS. The Low preset provides the highest frame rates (102 FPS) but compromises visual quality. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as its 52 FPS average falls short of a smooth experience.

At 4K, there is no ideal preset to recommend. The data shows that all presets fail to deliver consistently playable frame rates. The Low preset, with an average of 56 FPS, is the closest to playable, but it is not consistently smooth. Users with a 4K display should consider lowering the resolution or upgrading the GPU, as this combo is not designed for this workload. The Medium preset's minimum of 37 FPS highlights the instability at this resolution, making it a poor choice.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this CPU and GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: The data strongly favors 1920x1080, where the combo delivers over 100 FPS on High settings. 2560x1440 is also viable with Medium settings, but 3840x2160 does not provide a consistently playable experience on any preset.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, which is 1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852, also 1% lower.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a bottleneck for the RX 9060 in this game?

A: No. The CPU's performance percentile (71st) is significantly higher than the GPU's (59th). The measured frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates a GPU bottleneck, as performance drops consistently with increasing resolution, a classic sign of the graphics card being the limiting factor.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p on High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with the High preset is 67 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, but it leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

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

A: No. The highest average frame rate at 3840x2160 is 56 FPS on the Low preset, which is below the 60 FPS target. All other presets yield averages below 43 FPS, indicating an unplayable experience.

Q: How does this combo's performance rank compared to all other tested combinations for this game?

A: It ranks 1632 out of 2825 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle portion of the performance spectrum, indicating it is a capable but not top-tier pairing for this specific title.