The Technomancer

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination delivers a strong performance profile for The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG. The CPU sits in the 94th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 68th percentile of all graphics cards. Across the measured resolutions, this pairing demonstrates that the RTX 3080 is the primary performance driver, with the i7-14700K providing ample headroom to avoid bottlenecks. The data shows that 1080p and 1440p gaming are thoroughly covered, with 4K requiring a settings compromise to maintain smooth frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The benchmark data places the Intel Core i7-14700K in close company with several high-end AMD and EPYC parts. Its average benchmark score of 69355 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 9115, which scores 69288 and is just 0.1% behind. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, putting it a marginal 0.2% ahead of the i7-14700K, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX achieves 69875 (0.7% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 (0.9% ahead). For gaming purposes, these deltas are negligible, meaning a system built around any of these CPUs would produce virtually indistinguishable frame rates in The Technomancer. The practical takeaway is that the i7-14700K's 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient for this title, and users upgrading from any of these rival chips would see no meaningful change in performance.

On the graphics side, the RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 23172 is flanked by some unexpected entries. The NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, which is 0.3% higher, and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 also scores 23250, another 0.3% lead. The AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23273 (0.4% ahead), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 23276 (0.4% ahead). These rival GPUs are not directly comparable in real-world gaming due to architectural differences, but the percentile data suggests that the RTX 3080's raw compute performance is within a narrow band of these parts. In practice, the RTX 3080's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth give it a distinct advantage in modern titles, and the measured FPS in The Technomancer confirms it handles the game with ease at most settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for The Technomancer show a clear pattern: the GPU is the dominant component at every resolution, while the CPU's role remains consistent but secondary. At 1920x1080, the jump from Low to Ultra settings reduces average FPS from 223 to 114, a 109 FPS drop that is entirely attributable to increased graphical load. The CPU, with its 94th percentile ranking, is never the limiting factor here. Moving to 2560x1440, the same settings span yields a drop from 146 FPS at Low to 75 FPS at Ultra, showing a 71 FPS reduction. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra settings—114 FPS down to 75 FPS—represents a 39 FPS loss, which is a 34% decrease. This indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder as pixel count rises, but the CPU still keeps up without issue.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload becomes the sole constraint. The average FPS at Low is 80, dropping to 61 at Medium, 52 at High, and 41 at Ultra. The gap between Medium and High is just 9 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 11 FPS. The CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads are not stressed by this game's engine, which was designed around 2016-era hardware. The data suggests that even at 4K, the i7-14700K is barely breaking a sweat, with the RTX 3080's 68th percentile GPU ranking being the deciding factor. For players with high-refresh 1080p or 1440p monitors, the CPU-GPU balance is ideal; for 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as expected.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run The Technomancer at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 41, which is well below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at 4K is Medium, which achieves 61 FPS on average with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are fully playable with an average of 75 FPS. This is the highest preset available, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold comfortably. Low settings push the average to 146 FPS, Medium to 112 FPS, and High to 96 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3080's average benchmark score is 23172. It is 0.3% behind the NVIDIA P106-100 (23249) and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23250), 0.4% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23273), and 0.4% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M290X (23276). These deltas are within measurement noise and do not reflect real gaming differences.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K overkill for this game?

A: The i7-14700K sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals—such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X—are within 0.2% of its average score. For The Technomancer, the CPU is not a limiting factor at any resolution, as evidenced by the FPS scaling being driven entirely by GPU load. A less powerful CPU would likely perform similarly, but this chip ensures no bottlenecks.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 171, with a minimum of 146 and a maximum of 197. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience even on high-refresh displays.

Q: Does the game support DirectX 12 features on this GPU?

A: The RTX 3080 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) according to its API specifications. The benchmark data includes a PassMark DirectX 12 score of 100, but the game's actual API usage is not specified in the measured FPS data.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run The Technomancer successfully at all three tested resolutions, with varying degrees of settings freedom. At 1920x1080, every preset from Low to Ultra clears the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 114 FPS. At 2560x1440, the same is true, with Ultra averaging 75 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low (80 FPS) and Medium (61 FPS) are playable; High (52 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) fall short of the 60 FPS target. The verdict by resolution is clear: 1080p and 1440p users can max out the game without concern, while 4K users must stick to Medium settings for a playable experience. The RTX 3080's 68th percentile GPU ranking and the i7-14700K's 94th percentile CPU ranking make this a well-balanced pairing for a title from this era.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 223 at Low settings to 114 at Ultra. The Low preset produces the highest frame rates, while High yields 146 FPS and Medium produces 171 FPS with a minimum of 146 and a maximum of 197. Ultra settings drop the average to 114 FPS, but no minimum or maximum values are provided for Low, High, or Ultra at this resolution. At 2560x1440, Low settings average 146 FPS, High averages 96 FPS, and Medium averages 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 and a maximum of 129. Ultra at 1440p averages 75 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the numbers tighten significantly: Low averages 80 FPS, Medium averages 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 71, High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 41 FPS. The only preset with complete min/max data is Medium at each resolution, which shows the frame time consistency at that setting.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 114 FPS. This is the highest quality option and it clears the threshold with a wide margin. At 2560x1440, Ultra remains the best choice, averaging 75 FPS. This provides a 15 FPS buffer over the 60 FPS target, ensuring smooth gameplay. At 3840x2160, Ultra and High both fail to reach 60 FPS, so the best playable setting is Medium, which averages 61 FPS. This is a marginal pass, with a minimum of 52 FPS indicating potential dips below the threshold during intense scenes. For 4K users seeking more headroom, Low settings average 80 FPS, but Medium offers a better visual quality-to-performance balance based on the data.