The Technomancer

This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in The Technomancer, based on benchmark data collected at multiple resolutions and quality presets. The data covers 4K (3840x2160), 1440p (2560x1440), and 1080p (1920x1080) with Low, Medium, High, and Ultra settings. All results are measured average FPS, with the playable threshold set at 60 frames per second. The combination ranks 95th out of 3,696 tested configurations for this title, placing it in the top percentile of systems evaluated. The following sections break down the frame rate data, component roles, optimal settings, and comparative performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4090 delivers a wide spread of frame rates depending on the preset. Low settings produce an average of 117.1 FPS, which is the highest result at this resolution. Moving to Medium drops the average to 93.6 FPS, a decrease of 23.5 FPS from Low. High settings yield 79.8 FPS average, representing a further reduction of 13.8 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still maintains an average of 61.8 FPS, which stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a total reduction of 55.3 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset costs roughly 47% of the Low preset's performance at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, frame rates are substantially higher across all settings. Low settings average 214.1 FPS, making it the fastest configuration tested at any resolution. Medium produces 165.4 FPS, while High achieves 142 FPS. Ultra remains well above the playable threshold with an average of 109.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 104.7 FPS, which is nearly double the absolute difference seen at 4K. In relative terms, Ultra delivers approximately 51% of the Low preset's frame rate, a similar proportional drop to what is observed at 4K.

At 1920x1080, the combination becomes extraordinarily fast. Low settings reach an average of 306.6 FPS, the highest number recorded in the entire dataset. Medium follows at 253.7 FPS, and High at 217.3 FPS. Even Ultra, the most demanding preset, averages 169.8 FPS, which is more than 2.8 times the 60 FPS threshold. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 136.8 FPS, the largest absolute spread across all three resolutions. However, the relative performance ratio is consistent: Ultra retains about 55% of the Low preset's frame rate.

Across all resolutions, the pattern shows that the RTX 4090 scales predictably with preset changes. The step from Low to Medium typically costs 20-25% of the frame rate, while the step from High to Ultra costs a similar proportion. The min and max FPS values were not recorded in the data, so this analysis relies solely on average frame rates to characterize performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals how the balance between CPU and GPU shifts as resolution changes. At 1080p, the GPU is less taxed by pixel fill rate, allowing the CPU to play a more significant role in determining frame rates. The jump from 214.1 FPS at 1440p Low to 306.6 FPS at 1080p Low indicates a 43% increase in performance, which is larger than the pixel-count difference alone would suggest. This indicates that at 1080p, the Core i5-14600K is capable of feeding the RTX 4090 enough data to reach very high frame rates, and the system is not heavily CPU-bound at lower resolutions.

At 1440p, the scaling from 4K is more moderate. For Low settings, 1440p delivers 214.1 FPS versus 117.1 FPS at 4K, an 83% improvement. The GPU begins to become a larger factor, but the CPU still keeps pace. For Ultra settings, 1440p yields 109.4 FPS versus 61.8 FPS at 4K, a 77% gain. The similar proportional improvement across presets suggests that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor at 4K, while the CPU still has headroom.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant component. The RTX 4090's rendering load increases significantly with pixel count, and frame rates drop accordingly. The fact that Ultra at 4K still clears 60 FPS at 61.8 FPS shows that the GPU is powerful enough to handle this title at maximum settings, but the margin is slim. The CPU's role at 4K is diminished because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to create a CPU bottleneck. This is the classic behavior of a high-end GPU paired with a strong mid-range CPU: at lower resolutions, the CPU matters more; at 4K, the GPU dictates the outcome.

The scaling between resolutions for the same preset is also informative. For Low settings, 1080p is 306.6 FPS, 1440p is 214.1 FPS, and 4K is 117.1 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 30%, while from 1440p to 4K it is 45%. This non-linear trend indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly stressed as resolution rises. For Ultra settings, the drops are 36% from 1080p to 1440p and 44% from 1440p to 4K, showing a similar pattern. The conclusion is that for this game, the RTX 4090 is the primary determinant of frame rate at higher resolutions, while the Core i5-14600K provides sufficient throughput to avoid holding back performance at 1080p and 1440p.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves 61.8 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and it barely clears the playable threshold. The data shows that High settings at 4K average 79.8 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, but Ultra is still playable. For users who prioritize visual fidelity, Ultra is the recommended choice at 4K, though it leaves only 1.8 FPS of headroom above the minimum playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best setting, with an average of 109.4 FPS. This is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, providing substantial headroom for demanding scenes. The next lower preset, High, averages 142 FPS, but there is no need to compromise on quality at this resolution since Ultra performs so well. The RTX 4090 has ample power to run the game at maximum settings at 1440p.

At 1920x1080, Ultra delivers an average of 169.8 FPS, which is the highest frame rate among all tested configurations at Ultra quality. This is more than 2.8 times the playable threshold, making it the clear best choice for 1080p. Even the most demanding preset cannot stress this combination enough to reduce frame rates below 60 FPS. The data indicates that all settings at 1080p are playable, but Ultra offers the best visual experience without any performance concerns.

Across all three resolutions, the verdict is consistent: Ultra settings are playable everywhere, with the only borderline case being 4K at 61.8 FPS. The system demonstrates that it can handle The Technomancer at maximum quality at any resolution, with 1080p and 1440p providing particularly high frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 95th out of 3,696 tested configurations for The Technomancer. This places the system in the 97.4th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms approximately 3,601 other configurations in this game. The rank reflects the overall capability of the pairing, which is dominated by the RTX 4090's raw rendering power.

Looking at the CPU benchmarks, the Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 48,618, which places it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. This is a strong result, but the CPU's nearest rivals show how close the competition is. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H scores 48,698, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48,470, 0.3% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48,287, 0.7% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48,995, 0.8% higher. These deltas are all within 1% of the i5-14600K's score, indicating that this CPU is in a tightly contested performance tier.

For the GPU, the RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60,347, placing it in the 88th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 with a score of 60,326, which is effectively identical (0% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60,140, 0.3% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896, 2.5% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657, 2.9% lower. The RTX 4090's position in this group suggests that its raw compute benchmarks are comparable to professional-grade GPUs, though the gaming performance in The Technomancer is what matters for this analysis.

The combination rank of 95 out of 3,696 is influenced by both components, but the GPU's high percentile and the CPU's solid 90th percentile result in a top-tier pairing. The data shows that this system is among the most capable for running The Technomancer, with only 94 other tested combos performing better.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-14600K's nearest rivals offer nearly identical average benchmark scores. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 0.2% faster, making it a direct alternative if the workload is similar. The AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.3% slower, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX is 0.7% slower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% faster. In practical terms, all four of these CPUs would produce virtually indistinguishable frame rates in The Technomancer, as their processing capabilities are within 1% of each other. When paired with the RTX 4090, the choice among these CPUs would have a negligible impact on the measured FPS.

For the GPU, the RTX 4090's nearest rivals are more varied. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches the RTX 4090's average score exactly, with a 0% delta. This suggests that in pure compute terms, the Arc Pro A60 could perform similarly in certain workloads. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% slower, and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster, making it the closest competitor that edges out the RTX 4090 in average benchmark score. However, these are professional GPUs with different driver optimizations and feature sets, so their real-world gaming performance in The Technomancer could differ from their raw benchmark scores.

If a user were considering substitutes, the data suggests that swapping the Core i5-14600K for any of its four nearest rivals would result in frame rate changes of less than 1%, which is within measurement noise. Similarly, swapping the RTX 4090 for an Intel Arc Pro A60 would likely produce nearly identical results, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M might offer a slight edge and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 might be slightly slower. The overall system rank would remain in the same range, since the performance deltas are so small.

The Verdict

The data clearly shows that this system can run The Technomancer at playable frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra averages 61.8 FPS, which is the minimum playable result but still above the threshold. The verdict for 4K is that the game is fully playable at maximum quality, though with a slim margin. Users who want more headroom at 4K could drop to High settings for an average of 79.8 FPS, but it is not necessary for playability.

At 2560x1440, the system excels. Ultra settings average 109.4 FPS, which is nearly 1.8 times the playable threshold. Every preset from Low to Ultra is playable, with Low reaching 214.1 FPS for users with high-refresh-rate displays. The verdict for 1440p is that the game runs exceptionally well at maximum settings, with no compromises needed.

At 1920x1080, the performance is overwhelming. Ultra settings average 169.8 FPS, which is more than 2.8 times the threshold. Low settings reach 306.6 FPS, making this combination ideal for competitive play or very high refresh rate monitors. The verdict for 1080p is that the game runs at virtually any frame rate the user could want, with Ultra being the obvious choice.

Across all resolutions, the best settings are Ultra, confirming that the RTX 4090 has enough power to handle this game's most demanding preset. The only caution is at 4K, where the 61.8 FPS average leaves just 1.8 FPS of headroom. This could dip below 60 FPS in particularly demanding scenes, but the average data indicates playability. The Core i5-14600K provides sufficient CPU performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck at any resolution, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 61.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it still clears the threshold by a small margin.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average FPS is 306.6, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the fastest result in the measured data across all resolutions and presets.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60,347. The Intel Arc Pro A60 matches it with a 0% delta, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is 0.3% slower, the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster.

Q: Is the Core i5-14600K a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: No. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 306.6 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively at lower resolutions. The CPU's 90th percentile ranking supports its capability to handle this game without bottlenecking.

Q: Which resolution offers the best balance of quality and performance?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the system averages 109.4 FPS. This is nearly double the playable threshold while providing maximum visual quality, making it the most practical high-quality option.

Q: How many tested combinations does this system outperform?

A: The combination ranks 95th out of 3,696 tested configurations, meaning it outperforms 3,601 other combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 3% of all tested systems.