The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both resolution and graphical presets. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, using measured FPS data to determine the system's capabilities and bottlenecks across a range of settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 7700 secures a rank of 1275 out of 2825 tested combos for this specific title. This places the system in the upper-middle tier of all tested configurations, indicating that while it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy, it offers a substantial level of capability for running The Technomancer. The ranking suggests the combo is well-balanced for this game, capable of delivering playable frame rates at most settings, though it will encounter limitations at the most demanding presets and highest resolutions.

The Core i7-13700K is a formidable processor, with an average benchmark score of 46881. This places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs tested. Its closest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, which are essentially performance equals, with the i7-13700K trailing them by a negligible 0.2% and 0.3% respectively. It also slightly edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 by a 0.5% margin. This high level of CPU performance ensures that it is rarely the limiting factor in The Technomancer, even at lower resolutions where the frame rate demand on the processor is highest.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds an average benchmark score of 15852, placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its performance is closely matched with the AMD Radeon R9 370X, which is a 0.1% difference, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500, which is 1.1% behind. It also trades blows with newer cards like the AMD Radeon RX 9060 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, falling behind them by 1% and 1.7% respectively. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary determinant of the combo's overall rank, and its mid-range standing is reflected in the measured frame rates, which show a clear ceiling at higher settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the definitive performance gatekeeper for this combo in The Technomancer. Equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, it provides a substantial 624.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This ample VRAM capacity and bandwidth are crucial for handling the game's textures and assets at higher resolutions, preventing stuttering and texture pop-in that can occur with less capable cards.

The GPU's clock speeds are central to its performance. It operates at a base clock of 1900 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The boost clock is the maximum theoretical speed, but the sustained game clock is more representative of real-world performance. The difference between these figures shows that while the card can reach high frequencies, its actual performance is sustained at a level that is consistent with its mid-range classification. The raw compute power is delivered through 2560 shading units, which are supported by 160 texture mapping units and 96 render output units.

The card's RDNA 3.0 architecture is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, which contributes to its efficiency. Its performance in the PassMark G3D benchmark, a score of 20974, aligns with its overall standing. The GPU's role is clearly illustrated by the FPS scaling in the measured data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 179 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 33 FPS. This steep decline is a direct result of the GPU's rendering load increasing with resolution and graphical complexity, confirming that the RX 7700's capabilities define the boundaries of this combo's performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with limitations. The data shows an average of 42 FPS at 4K High settings and 49 FPS at 4K Medium. For a smoother experience, lowering to 4K Low yields an average of 64 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for a high refresh rate experience?

A: At 1920x1080, the system can achieve very high frame rates. The data shows an average of 137 FPS at Medium settings and 179 FPS at Low settings, making 1080p the best choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Medium and Ultra settings?

A: The performance cost of Ultra is significant. At 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops from 90 FPS on Medium to 60 FPS on Ultra, a 33% decrease. This pattern is consistent across all resolutions.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 7700 in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The CPU's high benchmark scores and 89th percentile ranking suggest it has ample headroom, while the GPU's mid-range standing and the sharp FPS drops with increased resolution point to it as the performance ceiling.

Q: What kind of frame rates can be expected at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 77 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and smoothness, suitable for standard 60Hz monitors and most 144Hz displays.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM of the RX 7700 prevent performance issues in this game?

A: The 16 GB VRAM capacity is a significant asset. For a game from 2016 like The Technomancer, this is more than sufficient to handle the highest resolution textures at 4K, ensuring that VRAM capacity is not the cause of performance drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-limited but with ample performance. The Low preset delivers an average of 179 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 137 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 158 FPS. The High preset sees a further reduction to 117 FPS average. The most demanding Ultra preset still manages to produce an average of 92 FPS. This shows the combo is more than capable of handling the game at 1080p, even at the highest settings, and could easily drive a high-refresh-rate monitor.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset provides an average of 117 FPS, which remains very playable. The Medium preset achieves an average of 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. The High preset produces a solid 77 FPS average. The Ultra preset yields an average of 60 FPS, which is exactly at the threshold for standard 60Hz displays. This resolution offers a strong balance of visual quality and performance, with High settings being the sweet spot for a consistently smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset is the only one that provides a comfortably playable experience, with an average of 64 FPS. The Medium preset drops to an average of 49 FPS, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 57 FPS. The High preset lowers the average to 42 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 33 FPS. At this resolution, the system is only suitable for 4K gaming when settings are reduced to Low or Medium, and even then, frame rates are not consistently high.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly demonstrates where the system's limits lie. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 179 FPS at 1080p to 117 FPS at 1440p, a 35% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K, it drops to 64 FPS, another 45% decrease. This shows a massive performance hit when rendering four times the number of pixels at 4K compared to 1080p.

The pattern is similar at Medium settings, with an average of 137 FPS at 1080p, falling to 90 FPS at 1440p, and then to 49 FPS at 4K. At High settings, the averages are 117 FPS, 77 FPS, and 42 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. Even at Ultra settings, where the averages are lower to begin with, the scaling is consistent: 92 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p, and 33 FPS at 4K.

This data strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the limiting component. The severe frame rate penalties at 4K, where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are stretched, contrast with the comparatively modest penalties at 1440p. The Core i7-13700K, with its high benchmark scores, is able to feed the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU's rendering capacity is exhausted as resolution increases. The difference between the 1080p and 4K results shows a classic GPU-bound scenario.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience, the High preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended configuration. This combination yields an average of 77 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, while providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium settings. It offers a great balance, ensuring the game looks good without sacrificing playability.

If the user prioritizes a higher frame rate on a 144Hz monitor, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is an excellent choice. This setup delivers an average of 137 FPS, which is well within the range to take full advantage of a high refresh rate display. The visual difference between Medium and High at 1080p is often less noticeable than the jump in smoothness.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset is the only viable option for a consistently playable experience, averaging 64 FPS. While this requires significant graphical compromises, it is the only way to get near-60 FPS performance at this resolution. The Medium preset at 4K is borderline, with an average of 49 FPS and a minimum of 42 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced segments but could feel inconsistent during action.

The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution. The performance cost is substantial, and the visual gains over High are typically marginal. At 1440p, the drop from 90 FPS on Medium to 60 FPS on Ultra shows a clear loss of smoothness for questionable visual benefit. The system's sweet spot lies with the High preset at 1440p, or Medium/High at 1080p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a high-end processor that provides a robust foundation for this gaming combo. With 16 cores and 24 threads based on the Raptor Lake architecture, it offers immense multi-threaded processing power. Its benchmark results are impressive, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. This level of performance ensures that the CPU is not a limiting factor in The Technomancer.

The processor's high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2529 and a 3DMark single-thread score of 1136, is particularly important for gaming. Many game engines, including one from 2016 like that of The Technomancer, rely heavily on a few primary threads. The i7-13700K's strong single-core capabilities ensure these threads are processed quickly, allowing the GPU to receive a steady stream of data.

The data confirms this role. At 1080p, the system achieves frame rates well over 100 FPS, which would place a significant load on the CPU. The fact that it can sustain these high frame rates indicates the processor has ample headroom. The performance drop-offs seen at higher resolutions are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU ones. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking and its tight competition with other top-tier processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and Ryzen 9 7845HX further solidify its position as a high-performance component that enables the RX 7700 to perform to its full potential.