The Technomancer

This is a strikingly lopsided pairing: a six-core, twelve-thread Alder Lake processor from the value tier, paired with the most potent consumer GPU NVIDIA has shipped. The data in the FACT PACK shows that for The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, this combination produces results that are almost entirely dictated by the GPU, with the CPU rarely becoming the limiting factor. Across all tested resolutions, the verdict is clear: this PC runs the game with authority, clearing the 60 FPS playable threshold at every single preset tested, including Ultra at 4K. The only caveat is that at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate lands at 61 FPS, which is a razor-thin margin above the playable threshold, suggesting that while the game is playable, it is not a headroom-heavy experience at the absolute maximum settings on a 4K display.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the combo is almost absurdly fast. The Low preset averages 251 FPS, while the High preset averages 216 FPS. The Medium preset, which is the only one at this resolution with min/max data, shows an average of 228 FPS, with a minimum of 194 FPS and a maximum of 262 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 169 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the game is entirely GPU-limited in a way that produces triple-digit frame rates across the board, with the CPU never appearing to bottleneck the output.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 215 FPS, High averages 141 FPS, and Medium averages 165 FPS with a minimum of 140 and maximum of 190. The Ultra preset at this resolution still delivers a very smooth 110 FPS average. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a predictable drop in average FPS, but the margins are still enormous. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 105 FPS, which is a substantial range, but even the lowest number in that range, the Ultra preset's 110 FPS average, is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve becomes more pronounced. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, Medium averages 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 and maximum of 104, High averages 77 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS. This is the only resolution where any preset dips near the playable threshold, and it is the only resolution where the Ultra preset fails to maintain a large margin of safety. The min FPS data for the Medium preset at 4K is 77 FPS, which is still comfortably playable. The data shows a clear pattern: from Low to Ultra at 4K, the frame rate drops from 118 to 61, a 57 FPS swing that highlights the heavy load that Ultra settings place on the GPU at this resolution.

FAQ

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

A: Yes. The data shows that all four tested presets at 3840x2160—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are marked as playable in the verdict data, meaning they all clear the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 61 FPS, which is just barely above the threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use at 1440p?

A: According to the verdict data, the best settings at 2560x1440 is the Ultra preset, which achieves an average FPS of 110. This is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold, providing a high level of visual fidelity with a large performance buffer.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the dominant factor at 1920x1080. The frame rates are exceptionally high across all presets, with the lowest average being 169 FPS on Ultra. The CPU's performance, while adequate, does not appear to be a limiting factor given the massive frame rates delivered by the GPU at this resolution.

Q: How much does the Ultra preset cost in performance compared to High at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 77 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS. This is a 16 FPS drop in average frame rate for moving from High to Ultra, which is a significant reduction of roughly 21 percent.

Q: Does the game run at over 200 FPS at any tested configuration?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 251 FPS, the Medium preset averages 228 FPS, and the High preset averages 216 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset exceeds 200 FPS, with an average of 215 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in any test?

A: The lowest minimum FPS value in the entire dataset is 77 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 on the Medium preset. This is still above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that even the most demanding tested scenario does not cause frame rates to drop below playable levels.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck, as evidenced by the frame rates exceeding 200 FPS on multiple presets. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with its six cores and twelve threads, is more than sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 at this resolution, as the GPU is pushing frame rates that are far beyond what a typical 60 Hz or 144 Hz display would need. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 251 FPS to 169 FPS range, which is entirely attributable to GPU load changes, not CPU limitations.

At 2560x1440, the role shifts slightly. The frame rates are still extremely high, but the gap between presets narrows somewhat. The CPU still does not appear to be a limiting factor, as the GPU is still producing well over 100 FPS on the Ultra preset. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the increased pixel count adds load to the graphics card.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's role becomes even more pronounced. The average frame rate on Ultra drops to 61 FPS, which is a 49 FPS drop from the 1440p Ultra result of 110 FPS. This steep decline with resolution is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload, where the RTX 4090 is being pushed to its limits by the 4K pixel count. The CPU's performance remains consistent across resolutions, and given that the 4K Ultra average is barely above 60 FPS, it is clear that the GPU is the sole bottleneck in this configuration. The CPU's headroom, as indicated by its benchmark scores, is not being taxed by this game at any resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank in the database is 154 out of 3696 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.2 percent of all tested pairs. This is a strong result, but it is important to contextualize it. The rank is a composite measure of both the CPU and GPU's performance, and the RTX 4090 is doing the heavy lifting. The CPU, while respectable with an average benchmark score of 19039 and a percentile of 73 against all CPUs, is not a top-tier part. The GPU, however, has an average benchmark score of 60347 and sits in the 88th percentile against all GPUs. The combination of a mid-range CPU and a top-tier GPU yields a high overall rank, but it also suggests that the CPU is holding back the GPU in some scenarios, even if the game itself does not expose that limitation.

The rank of 154 out of 3696 means that there are 153 other combinations that outperform this one in the database's overall scoring. Those combinations likely feature more powerful CPUs paired with the RTX 4090, or they may feature different GPU and CPU pairings that achieve higher aggregate scores. For The Technomancer specifically, the rank is less relevant than the measured FPS, which shows that the game runs flawlessly. The rank is a general performance indicator, while the measured FPS is the definitive answer for this game. The data indicates that this combo is far more capable than what this game requires, and the rank reflects its high overall potential rather than any specific weakness in this title.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU provide context for what other processors would behave similarly. The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS has an average score of 19047, with a delta of 0 percent, meaning it is essentially a performance twin of the Intel Core i5-12400F. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19056, a delta of -0.1 percent, and the Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18982, a delta of 0.3 percent. The AMD EPYC 7773X also scores 18979, with a delta of 0.3 percent. These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, meaning that swapping the i5-12400F for any of these CPUs would result in virtually identical CPU performance in this game, assuming the GPU remains the same.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are more interesting. The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, a delta of 0 percent from the RTX 4090's 60347. This is a strange comparison, as the Arc Pro A60 is a professional workstation GPU, but the average score is nearly identical. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, a delta of 0.3 percent, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, a delta of -2.5 percent, meaning it is slightly faster on average. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, a delta of 2.9 percent, indicating it is slower. These rivals are all professional or mobile parts, which is unusual, but the data shows that in aggregate benchmark scores, they are close to the RTX 4090. For the purposes of this game, however, none of these rivals would deliver the same measured FPS, as the RTX 4090's raw gaming performance is far beyond what these scores suggest for gaming workloads.

The Verdict

This PC can run The Technomancer at a level that exceeds the requirements of virtually any display. The verdict data confirms that all four tested presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at all three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 169 FPS, which is nearly three times the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 110 FPS, and at 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS. The conclusion is straightforward: this combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a flawless experience for this game.

The only scenario that warrants caution is 4K Ultra. With an average of 61 FPS, there is very little headroom above the playable threshold. The minimum FPS data for the 4K Medium preset is 77 FPS, but no min/max data is provided for the 4K Ultra preset, so it is possible that frame times could dip below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. If a consistent 60 FPS with no dips is required, the High preset at 4K, which averages 77 FPS, provides a more comfortable margin. At 1440p and below, there is no such concern, as even the Ultra preset maintains a massive buffer. For players with 1080p or 1440p displays, this PC is vastly overqualified, delivering frame rates that are suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. For 4K players, it is a capable machine that can handle the game at maximum settings, but with a slim margin that suggests dropping to High is a prudent choice for guaranteed smoothness.