The Technomancer

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a combo rank of 427 out of 2825 tested combinations in The Technomancer, placing it in the top 15% of all systems evaluated. This is a strong overall position, but the data reveals a significant imbalance: the aging six-core CPU frequently limits the GPU's potential, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates are high. The combination is most coherent at 4K Ultra, where the GPU workload dominates and the pairing produces a playable 66 FPS average.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 427 out of 2825 tested combinations places it well above the median system, indicating that this pairing delivers a solid experience for The Technomancer. However, the ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's immense power rather than a balanced partnership. The RTX 5090 D sits in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, while the i5-9400 languishes in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. This 45-percentile gap is the defining characteristic of this combo, and it manifests clearly in the frame rate data. The system is never a poor performer, but it consistently leaves performance on the table that a stronger processor could unlock.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU's average benchmark score of 2254 places it in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, a delta of -0.2%, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, a delta of 0.4%. This shows the i5-9400 is a middling processor even among its direct peers, and it is far outclassed by the GPU's 77712 average benchmark score. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT with a score of 78940 (a -1.6% delta), are similarly powerful, but the pairing with a weaker CPU is what drags the combo rank down from what the GPU alone could achieve. The rank of 427 reflects the GPU's raw capability, but the data suggests that a more balanced system would rank significantly higher.

GPU Role

The RTX 5090 D is the undisputed driver of performance in this combo, and its specifications make it an overwhelming presence for a 2016 Action RPG. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This is paired with a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. In The Technomancer, this translates to frame rates that are more than sufficient for smooth gameplay, even at the most demanding settings.

The GPU's 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs is reflected in its performance. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo still manages an average of 66 FPS, which is impressive for a title that predates the GPU by nearly a decade. The sheer headroom of the 32 GB VRAM is never stressed by this game, as even the most demanding settings are unlikely to approach that capacity. The GPU's FP32 compute of 104.8 TFLOPS and its 21760 shading units provide an enormous amount of processing power that easily overwhelms the game's rendering demands. The GPU is clearly the star of this show, and its capabilities are never the bottleneck in any of the measured scenarios. The data suggests that the GPU is operating well within its comfort zone, with the CPU being the primary constraint on achieving even higher frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic CPU bottleneck that diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the combo produces an average of 150 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 130 FPS, a 13.3% decrease. At 4K High, the average falls to 85 FPS, a 34.6% decrease from 1080p. This scaling pattern is telling: the drop from 1080p to 1440p is relatively modest, but the drop to 4K is steep. This indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is limiting the frame rate, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs.

However, the scaling is not uniform across settings. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops from 137 FPS at 1080p to 119 FPS at 1440p (a 13.1% decrease) and then to 66 FPS at 4K (a 51.8% decrease from 1080p). This shows that as the GPU workload increases with Ultra settings and higher resolutions, the bottleneck shifts from the CPU to the GPU. The 4K Ultra result of 66 FPS is where the GPU is finally working hard enough to become the limiting factor. The data suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the i5-9400's six cores are struggling to feed the RTX 5090 D, capping performance. At 4K, the GPU's rendering load becomes the primary constraint, and the combo's performance becomes more representative of the GPU's true capabilities.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 130 FPS. While 1080p High is faster at 150 FPS, the 1440p result still offers a high frame rate that is well above playable thresholds, and 4K High drops to 85 FPS, which is a significant reduction.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The benchmark results indicate the CPU is the primary limiter at 1080p. The frame rate difference between 1080p High (150 FPS) and 1440p High (130 FPS) is only 20 FPS, suggesting the GPU is not being fully utilized at the lower resolution. The i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads and a 47th percentile ranking, is unable to feed the GPU fast enough.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D's memory configuration affect performance?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, ensures that memory capacity or bandwidth is never a limiting factor in The Technomancer. The game's demands are far below this GPU's capabilities, allowing it to run at high frame rates without any memory-related stutters.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, the average frame rate ranges from 124 FPS on Low to 66 FPS on Ultra. This represents a 58 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a substantial performance cost that may not be worth the visual gains for players prioritizing high refresh rates.

Q: Given the CPU's age, is this combo a good match for this game?

A: The data shows the combo ranks 427th out of 2825, which is a solid result, but the pairing is inefficient. The CPU's 47th percentile rank is a clear weak point. While the combo is playable at all settings, the CPU prevents the GPU from reaching its full potential at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only measured minimum frame rates are at Medium settings: 84 FPS at 4K, 117 FPS at 1440p, and 135 FPS at 1080p. These minimums indicate that even in demanding scenes, the combo maintains a smooth experience at these settings, with no severe frame drops.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is the clear weak link in this pairing, and its specifications explain why it limits the GPU. This is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It has 9 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Its benchmark scores are middling: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs.

In The Technomancer, this CPU is a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 174 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it only reaches 137 FPS. This 37 FPS drop is not purely a GPU workload increase; it also reflects the CPU's struggle to maintain higher frame rates. The CPU's 6 threads are insufficient for feeding the RTX 5090 D at frame rates above 150 FPS, meaning the GPU is often idle waiting for instructions. The CPU's nearest rivals, like the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (scoring 2259, a -0.2% delta) or the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (scoring 2246, a 0.4% delta), are similarly constrained. This means that even a slight CPU upgrade would not fundamentally change the bottleneck at 1080p. The CPU is the component that holds this combo back from being a top-tier performer, and its age is the primary reason for the combo's 427th place ranking.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of settings for this combo in The Technomancer, with the optimal choice depending heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For players on a 1080p display, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 150 FPS. While Low and Medium offer higher frame rates (174 and 158 FPS respectively), the visual fidelity of High is worth the small performance trade-off, and the 150 FPS average is still exceptionally smooth. Ultra at 1080p drops to 137 FPS, which is a noticeable reduction for marginal visual gains.

For 1440p, the High preset is again the standout performer, with an average of 130 FPS. The Medium preset offers 137 FPS, which is slightly faster, but High provides a better visual experience for only a 7 FPS loss. Ultra at 1440p drops to 119 FPS, which is still playable but starts to approach the threshold where some users might prioritize frame rate. At 4K, the situation changes. The Medium preset is the best choice, with an average of 99 FPS and a minimum of 84 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. High drops to 85 FPS, which is playable but with less headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra at 4K falls to 66 FPS, which is a significant compromise and is only recommended for players who prioritize maximum visual quality over frame rate. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 4K offers the best balance of performance and visual quality, while High at 1080p and 1440p is the sweet spot for those resolutions.