The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a clear test of how modern hardware handles an older title at high resolutions. This analysis examines the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination, using measured data to determine playability across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. The fact pack provides specific frame rates for Low, Medium, High, and Ultra presets, allowing for a precise verdict on what this system can deliver.

FAQ

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: At 4K, the system only maintains an average above 60 FPS on the Low preset, with an average of 69 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 53 FPS average, High to 45 FPS, and Ultra to 35 FPS, so 4K gaming is limited to the lowest settings for smooth performance.

Q: What is the highest quality preset that stays above 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: The data shows that all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable at 2560x1440. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the best visual option at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to near alternatives in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6505P, scores 53701, which is a 0.2% difference, indicating nearly identical performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is 0.6% slower with a score of 53288.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile and closest rival?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 17208. Its closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which scores 17083, a negligible 0.7% difference, meaning the two cards perform almost identically in synthetic tests.

Q: Is the game more demanding on the CPU or GPU?

A: The benchmark data shows a clear scaling pattern: frame rates drop significantly as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. For example, the High preset averages 125 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, and only 45 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the workload scales heavily with pixel count.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gaming?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it averages 98 FPS, well above the 60 FPS threshold. This allows for maximum visual quality without sacrificing smooth gameplay.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a system where the graphics card dictates performance at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom. The transition from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K shows a steep decline in average frame rates across all presets. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 125 at 1080p to 82 at 1440p, a 34% reduction, and then to 45 at 4K, a further 45% reduction. This pattern is consistent across Low, Medium, and Ultra presets, confirming that the rendering load is the dominant factor.

At 1080p, the system is clearly not CPU-bound. The Low preset reaches an average of 191 FPS, which is far beyond the 60 FPS target, and even Ultra averages 98 FPS. This suggests the i7-14700F, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, has ample processing power to feed the RTX 3070. The CPU's strong synthetic scores, such as the 35122 multi-core score in Cinebench R23, support this, but the game's scaling indicates the GPU is the limiting factor when pushing pixels.

The role of the CPU becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where frame rates are exceptionally high. At 1080p Low, the 191 FPS average shows the GPU is being fed well, but the difference between Low and Ultra at the same resolution (191 vs 98 FPS) is still a GPU-side effect due to increased shading and texture work. The data does not show a scenario where the CPU causes a frame rate cap or bottleneck, as even the highest frame rates are not constrained. The conclusion is straightforward: for The Technomancer, the RTX 3070's performance is the deciding factor for playability at each resolution, while the i7-14700F ensures no CPU-side limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across the board. The Low preset yields an average of 191 FPS, while Medium averages 147 FPS with a minimum of 125 and a maximum of 169. High settings average 125 FPS, and Ultra sees a drop to 98 FPS, but all remain far above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down but remains playable on every preset. Low averages 125 FPS, Medium averages 96 FPS with a range of 82 to 110, High averages 82 FPS, and Ultra averages 64 FPS. The Ultra preset's average of 64 FPS is just above the 60 FPS line, indicating that this is the boundary for maximum quality at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS, hitting 69 FPS. Medium averages 53 FPS with a minimum of 45 and maximum of 61, showing significant fluctuation. High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35 FPS. These numbers show that 4K gaming requires reduced settings to achieve smooth play, and even then, the margin is thin.

The Verdict

The data provides a clear verdict based on the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the system runs The Technomancer flawlessly, with all presets averaging above 98 FPS. The best settings are Ultra, which delivers an average of 98 FPS, ensuring a fully smooth experience with maximum visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the system also clears the 60 FPS bar on all presets. The Ultra preset averages 64 FPS, making it the recommended choice for high-resolution gaming. This resolution offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with no need to compromise on settings.

At 3840x2160, the system is only partially playable. The Low preset is the sole option that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 69 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, with averages of 53, 45, and 35 FPS respectively. Therefore, 4K gaming is possible only at the lowest settings, which may not be ideal for a game like this. The system can run the game, but for 4K users, visual quality will be significantly reduced to maintain smoothness.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-14700F is closely matched by several other processors in synthetic benchmarks. The Intel Xeon 6505P is essentially identical, with a delta of -0.2% in average score. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is 0.6% slower, making it a near-peer in terms of overall processing power. These alternatives would likely produce very similar frame rates in The Technomancer, as the game is not CPU-bound in this configuration.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070's closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, which is only 0.7% slower in average benchmark score. This indicates that the two cards would deliver nearly identical performance in this game. Other near matches include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 and the AMD Radeon HD 7970M, but these are older architectures with different feature sets. The RX 7600 XT is the most relevant modern alternative, offering a similar level of rasterization performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured FPS and the 60 FPS playable threshold, the optimal settings are as follows:

• 1920x1080: Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays well above 60 FPS, with an average of 98 FPS. This provides the best visual quality without any performance concerns.
• 2560x1440: Ultra preset is also the best choice here, averaging 64 FPS. This is just above the threshold, so it is fully playable while offering the highest fidelity.
• 3840x2160: Low preset is the only setting that maintains an average above 60 FPS, at 69 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for 4K, as any higher preset will result in frame rates that dip below the playable threshold.