The Technomancer

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a commanding performance profile in The Technomancer, with measured data showing that every preset at every tested resolution clears the 60 FPS playable threshold. The benchmark results indicate a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance ensures that even at 1080p, frame rates scale dramatically with preset changes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the data shows a clear progression from Low to Ultra settings. The Low preset produces an average of 116.7 FPS, which drops to 88.5 FPS on Medium, 74.7 FPS on High, and finally 60.1 FPS on Ultra. This represents a 56.6 FPS difference between the lowest and highest presets, indicating that the RTX 4090’s raw throughput is the limiting factor at 4K, with each tier of graphical fidelity exacting a measurable toll on frame rates. The Ultra preset’s 60.1 FPS average sits just above the playable threshold, suggesting that this setting is the ceiling for 4K gaming on this combination.

Moving to 2560x1440, the headroom expands considerably. The Low preset averages 214 FPS, Medium reaches 164 FPS, High hits 143.9 FPS, and Ultra maintains 109 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 105 FPS, which is nearly double the absolute difference seen at 4K. This scaling pattern reveals that at 1440p, the GPU is still the dominant factor, but the reduced pixel count allows the architecture to flex its capabilities more freely, with the Ultra preset still delivering a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the results become almost absurdly high. Low settings produce 305.3 FPS, Medium yields 256.6 FPS, High reaches 220 FPS, and Ultra still manages 166.4 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 138.9 FPS, the largest absolute spread across all resolutions. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced, as the i5-14600KF’s boost clock of 5.30 GHz and 20 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 without creating a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to operate at near-peak efficiency.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 60.1 FPS. This is a razor-thin margin, but the data confirms that the combination can handle the highest fidelity at 4K. The High preset at 74.7 FPS offers more breathing room, but Ultra is technically playable per the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 109 FPS. This provides a substantial cushion above the playable threshold, meaning users can enable the maximum preset without sacrificing smoothness. The jump from High (143.9 FPS) to Ultra (109 FPS) is a 34.9 FPS reduction, but the final number remains well within acceptable territory for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For 1920x1080, Ultra is again the best settings choice, delivering 166.4 FPS. This is more than double the playable threshold, making this resolution the sweet spot for competitive or high-refresh-rate play. Even the most demanding preset leaves enough headroom to maintain consistent frame pacing, and the data shows no scenario where this combination dips below 60 FPS at any resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals a clear division of labor. At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. The RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are taxed heavily by the pixel count, and the CPU’s role is minimized. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 56.6 FPS, which is purely a GPU workload increase, as the CPU has ample headroom to process the same game logic at both settings.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The GPU still dominates, but the reduced resolution means the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes more relevant. The i5-14600KF’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4594 and Geekbench single-core score of 2445 indicate strong per-thread capability, which helps maintain high frame rates even when the GPU is not fully saturated. The 105 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p shows that the GPU is still the primary driver, but the CPU is no longer idle.

At 1920x1080, the CPU’s role becomes more pronounced. The 138.9 FPS spread between Low and Ultra suggests that at lower resolutions, the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can issue draw calls, but the i5-14600KF’s 14 cores and 20 threads prevent this from becoming a hard bottleneck. The fact that Ultra still hits 166.4 FPS indicates that the CPU can keep pace with the GPU’s output, though the diminishing returns from Low to Ultra hint that the CPU is starting to influence the upper bounds of performance.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run The Technomancer, and the data shows it does so with authority at every resolution and preset combination tested. At 3840x2160, the verdict is playable at all four presets, with Ultra averaging 60.1 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by a single frame. At 2560x1440, all presets are playable, with Ultra at 109 FPS providing a comfortable margin. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra at 166.4 FPS offering exceptional performance.

The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: this combination clears 60 FPS at every setting from Low to Ultra across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. The only caveat is that 4K Ultra is a marginal pass, so users who prefer a larger frame rate buffer might opt for High settings at 74.7 FPS, but the technical requirement is met. For the vast majority of scenarios, this system is overqualified for the game, delivering performance that far exceeds the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 has an average benchmark score of 49228, which is 0.3% lower than the i5-14600KF’s 49394. This means the Ryzen 9 7900 would behave nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios, though its different core configuration might alter multi-threaded workloads slightly. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G scores 49196, a 0.4% delta, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, an 0.8% delta, both of which are close enough to produce similar frame rates in The Technomancer. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 scores 49796, which is 0.8% higher, making it a marginally stronger alternative.

For the GPU, the nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60 with an average score of 60326, a 0% delta from the RTX 4090’s 60347. This suggests the Arc Pro A60 would deliver nearly identical frame rates in this game, despite being a workstation-oriented card. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140, a 0.3% delta, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is 2.5% higher, indicating slightly better performance. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, a 2.9% delta, meaning it would be slightly slower but still in the same performance class.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 60.1 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playable threshold, though the margin is slim.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers 109 FPS, making it the best settings choice that stays well above the playable threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p?

A: The average FPS drops from 305.3 on Low to 166.4 on Ultra, a difference of 138.9 FPS, but the Ultra preset still remains far above 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant factor, as the RTX 4090’s workload scales heavily with resolution, while the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: Are there any settings where this system fails to reach 60 FPS?

A: No, the data shows all presets at all three tested resolutions (1080p, 1440p, 4K) average above 60 FPS, with the lowest being 60.1 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Arc Pro A60 has an average score of 60326, which is a 0% delta from the RTX 4090’s 60347, indicating nearly identical performance in this context.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 106 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 3% of all configurations, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing playable performance at every preset and resolution. The rank reflects the GPU’s exceptional 4K capability and the CPU’s strong single-thread performance, which together ensure that no setting combination falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The high ranking is further supported by the GPU’s 88th percentile versus all GPUs and the CPU’s 90th percentile versus all CPUs, indicating that both components are near the top of their respective hierarchies. This combo is not just playable; it is positioned among the elite configurations for this title, with the only practical limitation being the marginal 4K Ultra result.