The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination. The measured data reveals a system that is capable of smooth gameplay at high refresh rates on lower resolutions, but which struggles to maintain playable frame rates at the highest settings and resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on the balance between the CPU and GPU across the tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking trend in the data is how performance scales with resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 137.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 92.3 FPS, a significant 33% reduction. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 47.5 FPS, which is roughly half of the 1440p figure and about a third of the 1080p number. This steep decline points directly at the GPU as the primary limiting factor as resolution increases.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. At High settings, the FPS drops from 90.2 at 1080p to 62.7 at 1440p, and then plummets to 30.8 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly harsh, with a 51% performance loss. This suggests that the Radeon RX 5700 XT’s memory bandwidth and processing power are being saturated by the pixel count at 4K, especially with higher graphical fidelity.

The data implies that the i5-9400 is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance delta between 1440p and 4K. Instead, the consistent and large drops as resolution increases indicate that the RX 5700 XT is working at its absolute limit, with the game’s visual complexity at 4K outpacing what the GPU can render. The 1080p results, where the CPU has more headroom, show a different story, but the resolution scaling unequivocally highlights the GPU as the constraining component for this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate this combo achieves in The Technomancer?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 137.6 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with the highest visual quality?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system produces an average of 25.8 FPS, which is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, playable performance.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops from 92.3 FPS on Low to 49.1 FPS on Ultra, representing a substantial 47% performance penalty for the higher visual fidelity.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve a 60 FPS average?

A: The system exceeds 60 FPS at 2560x1440 on High settings with an average of 62.7 FPS, and also at 1920x1080 on High settings with 90.2 FPS. It falls short of 60 FPS at 4K on all tested settings.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the measured average frame rate is 105.6 FPS.

Q: How does the 1440p Ultra performance compare to the 1080p Ultra performance?

A: At 1440p Ultra, the combo averages 49.1 FPS, which is significantly lower than the 72.3 FPS average seen at 1080p Ultra. This is a 32% reduction in frame rate.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the undisputed workhorse in this pairing for The Technomancer. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is crucial for feeding the high-resolution textures and effects the game demands. The data shows that this memory subsystem is a key factor in the performance cliff observed at 4K, where the demand for bandwidth outstrips what the card can supply.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a game clock of 1755 MHz and a boost clock of 1905 MHz, are responsible for its raw compute power. With 2560 shading units, the card has the theoretical muscle to process complex scenes. However, the benchmark results show that this power is insufficient for maintaining high frame rates at 4K Ultra, where the average dips to 25.8 FPS. This indicates that the game’s most demanding settings are pushing the GPU’s architecture to its limits, regardless of its clock speed.

The RX 5700 XT’s performance in this title is telling. At 1080p, it has enough headroom to deliver excellent frame rates, even on Ultra settings (72.3 FPS). The jump to 1440p is manageable on Medium (70.9 FPS) and High (62.7 FPS), but Ultra settings (49.1 FPS) begin to show strain. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with even Low settings (47.5 FPS) failing to hit the 60 FPS target. This paints a clear picture of a GPU that is well-suited for 1080p and capable at 1440p with adjusted settings, but not built for 4K gaming in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive look at the combo’s performance across all tested points. At 1920x1080, the system is very capable. The Low preset delivers a high 137.6 FPS average, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset is still very smooth at 105.6 FPS, and the High preset at 90.2 FPS offers a great balance of visual quality and performance. Even the Ultra preset at 72.3 FPS remains highly playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are noticeable but many presets remain viable. The Low preset at 92.3 FPS is still excellent. The Medium preset at 70.9 FPS and the High preset at 62.7 FPS are still comfortably above 60 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The Ultra preset, however, falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 49.1 FPS, indicating that compromises are needed at this resolution for the most demanding settings.

At 3840x2160, the system is out of its depth. The Low preset is the only one that comes close to playability at 47.5 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 41.4 FPS, the High preset to 30.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset to a slide-show-like 25.8 FPS. This data conclusively shows that 4K gaming is not a realistic option for this CPU-GPU combination in The Technomancer, regardless of the settings chosen. The gap between 1440p High and 4K Low is particularly stark, showing how quickly performance degrades once the pixel count is pushed beyond the GPU’s comfort zone.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 90.2 FPS is the standout choice. It provides a significant visual uplift from Medium while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS standard, offering a highly responsive and visually rich experience. The Ultra preset is also viable at 72.3 FPS for those who prioritize maximum fidelity over a higher refresh rate.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 70.9 FPS or the High preset at 62.7 FPS are the best options. The High preset appears to be the sweet spot, as it delivers a solidly playable frame rate while taking advantage of the higher resolution’s detail. Dropping to Medium might be preferable for those who want more headroom to prevent any potential dips, but the data suggests High is a safe and effective choice.

4K gaming is not recommended for this combo. The highest measured average is 47.5 FPS on Low, which is below the 60 FPS target and may feel less smooth. The quality trade-off is too severe, and the performance is too inconsistent. Users with a 4K display should consider running the game at a lower resolution, such as 1440p, to achieve a much better balance of visual quality and performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, plays a supporting but essential role in these results. Its base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz are sufficient to feed the RX 5700 XT at 1080p, as evidenced by the high frame rates at that resolution. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p, as the GPU is able to reach its full potential.

The CPU’s role becomes more apparent when looking at the resolution scaling. As the resolution increases, the performance drops are almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s workload. The i5-9400’s processing power does not need to scale with resolution in the same way, so its performance remains constant. This is why the frame rate drops are so consistent and predictable when moving from 1080p to 4K.

However, this doesn't mean the CPU is irrelevant. The benchmark results show that the i5-9400 is a capable partner for this GPU, but it's not a high-end processor. Its average benchmark score of 2305 places it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, which is a middle-of-the-road position. While it doesn't hold the system back in this game at 1080p, its performance relative to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i7-8809G (0.6% slower), shows it's in a very competitive mid-range segment. The game’s 2016 release date likely means it isn’t heavily multi-threaded, so the 6-core/6-thread configuration is likely sufficient for the game’s engine.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT holds a specific position. The data places this combo at rank 1278 out of 1656 total tested combinations. This means it outperforms a significant portion of the tested systems, but it is also outclassed by a large number of other setups.

This ranking is a reflection of the system’s overall capabilities. The GPU, which is a strong performer in the mid-to-high range, is the primary driver of this ranking. The RX 5700 XT sits at the 68th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid choice. However, the CPU is less remarkable, sitting at the 50th percentile. The combination of a strong GPU with a mid-range CPU yields a system that is good, but not exceptional, in the overall hierarchy of tested hardware.

The rank of 1278 out of 1656 suggests that while this combo can handle the game well at 1080p and 1440p, it does not have the raw power to compete with top-tier systems that feature more powerful GPUs and CPUs. The data shows that it is a balanced, capable setup that will provide a good experience for most users, but it is not at the forefront of performance. The system’s performance is a direct result of its components' strengths and weaknesses, as defined by their respective benchmark scores and percentiles.