The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination. This pairing places a modern, high-end GPU alongside a mid-range CPU from an older generation. The measured data reveals how this specific dynamic plays out across various resolutions and settings, providing a clear picture of where the bottlenecks lie and how to optimize the experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti secures a rank of 1386 out of 3696 tested combos in this game. This places it in the top half of all tested configurations, indicating a solidly capable system for running The Technomancer. Specifically, the combo sits at the 62.5th percentile of all possible pairings, meaning it outperforms a majority of other CPU-GPU combinations tested.

This ranking is a reflection of the significant strength of the GPU, which is in the 75th percentile among all GPUs, combined with a CPU that is closer to the middle of the pack, sitting in the 47th percentile. The i5-9400’s position is not a hindrance at lower resolutions, but its performance ceiling becomes a more relevant factor as the resolution drops. The data suggests that the RTX 3070 Ti is the primary driver of this combo's above-average standing. Its average benchmark score of 29945 is substantially higher than the CPU's average of 2254, highlighting the disparity in processing power between the two components. The result is a system that can deliver high frame rates, but the CPU will ultimately determine the maximum achievable performance in less GPU-intensive scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip. It is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. This is a crucial asset for The Technomancer, as the game’s textures and effects at higher settings can be demanding on memory throughput. The GPU's base clock is 1575 MHz, with a boost clock of 1770 MHz, allowing it to handle the game's rendering workload effectively.

In the measured results, the GPU's power is evident. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 174 FPS, showing the RTX 3070 Ti is far from being the limiting factor at this resolution. Even at 4K with High settings, it manages a playable 47 FPS average. The GPU's performance is the reason why this combo can achieve high frame rates at 1440p, a resolution where it is likely still the primary performance driver. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for this title, as the data does not indicate any memory-related performance cliffs at the tested settings. The GPU's 75th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its high-end status, making it the clear performance anchor for this combo.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data shows a consistent and predictable scaling of performance as settings are adjusted.

For 1080p, the High preset is the recommended starting point. It delivers an excellent average of 132 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. While the Ultra preset is also playable at 103 FPS, the drop of 29 FPS from High may not be worth the marginal visual gain, given that High already provides a very smooth experience. The Medium preset at 154 FPS is an option for those prioritizing maximum frame rates, but High offers a better balance.

At 1440p, the High preset remains the sweet spot. It produces an average of 86 FPS, which is ideal for a smooth and responsive experience on most 1440p displays. The Ultra preset is still playable at 67 FPS, but it introduces more strain on the system. The Medium preset at 101 FPS provides a significant performance buffer, but High's visual fidelity is generally preferred.

For 4K, the recommendation shifts. The High preset is playable at 47 FPS, but it sits on the edge of what many consider a smooth experience. The Medium preset provides a more comfortable 55 FPS average, with a minimum of 47 FPS, making it the most balanced choice for 4K. The Low preset at 72 FPS is an option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else at this resolution, but the visual compromise is significant. Overall, the High preset is the best experience at 1080p and 1440p, while Medium is the most sensible choice for 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance scaling across all settings and resolutions. The data is consistent and shows clear trends.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: The average FPS is 174, the highest of any tested configuration. This indicates that the CPU is the primary limiting factor here, as the GPU has ample headroom.
• Medium: The average FPS is 154, with a minimum of 131 and a maximum of 178. This is a 20 FPS drop from Low, showing a shift towards a more balanced load.
• High: The average FPS is 132. This is a very strong result, offering a smooth experience.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 103. This is a significant drop from High, but still a very playable frame rate.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: The average FPS is 131. This is a substantial drop from the 1080p Low result, but it still indicates that the GPU is handling the load without being fully saturated.
• Medium: The average FPS is 101, with a minimum of 86 and a maximum of 116.
• High: The average FPS is 86. This is an ideal result for a 1440p monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate, as it stays well above 60 FPS.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 67. This remains a smooth experience, but shows the cost of the highest settings.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: The average FPS is 72. This is a notable performance level for 4K, showing the strength of the GPU.
• Medium: The average FPS is 55, with a minimum of 47 and a maximum of 64. This is the most consistent result at 4K, with a playable average.
• High: The average FPS is 47. This is on the lower end of playable, but it is a consistent frame rate.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 37. This is the most demanding configuration, and it pushes the system to its limits, resulting in a less smooth experience.

The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the GPU becomes more of a bottleneck, and the frame rate drops become more pronounced when moving from Low to Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, it can. The measured data shows playable frame rates at 4K. The Medium preset yields an average of 55 FPS, and the High preset yields an average of 47 FPS, indicating that the game is playable at this resolution on these settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the data strongly suggests the CPU is the primary limiting factor. The frame rate difference between Low (174 FPS) and High (132 FPS) is relatively small, indicating that the GPU has enough headroom to render more frames, but the CPU is unable to feed it at a higher rate.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144Hz monitor?

A: For a 144Hz monitor, the High preset at 1080p is the best choice, delivering an average of 132 FPS. At 1440p, the Medium preset at 101 FPS or the High preset at 86 FPS are the best options, depending on whether you prefer higher frame rates or higher visual fidelity.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The difference is significant. The High preset produces an average of 86 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces an average of 67 FPS. This is a 19 FPS drop for the higher visual settings.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 Ti's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 29945. It is 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, which has a score of 29783. It is also 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (29928). However, it is 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30095) and 1.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30433).

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 37, which occurs at 4K resolution with the Ultra settings preset. This is the most demanding configuration tested.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, along with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. These specifications are typical of a mid-range desktop CPU from its generation. Its performance, as measured by an average benchmark score of 2254, places it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a capable but not high-end processor.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role becomes increasingly apparent as resolution decreases. The frame rate difference between 4K and 1080p is much smaller than the difference between 1080p and 1440p, which is a classic sign of CPU limitation at lower resolutions. For example, at High settings, the jump from 1080p (132 FPS) to 1440p (86 FPS) is a 46 FPS drop, while the jump from 1440p (86 FPS) to 4K (47 FPS) is a 39 FPS drop. This shows that the CPU is not able to push frame rates much higher than the 132 FPS seen at 1080p, regardless of the GPU's capability. The data implies that while the RTX 3070 Ti is powerful enough for very high frame rates, the i5-9400's 6 threads are the limiting factor in achieving them. This is a common scenario for older CPUs paired with newer, high-end GPUs.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals a clear picture of the system's bottleneck. The most significant frame rate drops occur when moving from 1080p to 1440p, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is comparatively less severe. This indicates a transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions.

For example, on the High preset, the average FPS drops from 132 at 1080p to 86 at 1440p, a 34.8% reduction. When moving from 1440p to 4K, the average FPS drops from 86 to 47, a 45.3% reduction. The 1080p to 1440p drop is less than the 1440p to 4K drop, which is expected as the GPU load increases. However, the absolute FPS values tell a more important story. At 1080p, the system is capped at 174 FPS on Low settings, a clear sign of a CPU limit, as the GPU should be capable of much more. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the frame rates are much lower and scale more directly with the workload.

This analysis shows that the system is well-balanced for 1440p and 4K gaming, where the GPU is the primary performance driver. However, at 1080p, the CPU's performance ceiling prevents the user from taking full advantage of the RTX 3070 Ti's power. The data suggests that for this specific game, the i5-9400 is a limiting factor only at lower resolutions, and the RTX 3070 Ti is the dominant component at higher resolutions.