The Technomancer

The Technomancer is an Action RPG that launched in 2016, and pairing the Intel Core i9-14900K with the Intel Arc B390 produces a very specific performance envelope. The measured data shows a system where the CPU is exceptionally strong, while the GPU is a significant limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down exactly what that combination means for players.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the database records, the Intel Core i9-14900K sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 79097. Its nearest rivals in the CPU charts are all within a narrow band of performance. The Intel Core i9-14900KF posts an average score of 79371, which is only 0.3% higher than the 14900K. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus reaches 79574, a 0.6% advantage. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, leading by 1.2%. On the other side, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 trails by 1.7% with a score of 77740. For any workload that relies on the processor, swapping between these four chips would produce nearly indistinguishable results.

The GPU side tells a much different story. The Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals are all older or entry-level NVIDIA parts. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M posts 1460, a 1.5% deficit. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM reaches 1446, trailing by 2.5%. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, sitting 2.7% behind. In practical terms, the Arc B390 behaves like these low-end GPUs, meaning games that stress the graphics card will see performance similar to what those legacy parts would deliver.

For this specific pairing, the CPU is not the bottleneck in any scenario. Any of the four rival CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates because the Arc B390 is the constraining component. Conversely, if someone paired this CPU with any of the four rival GPUs, the gaming experience would be comparable to what the Arc B390 produces, since they all cluster within a few percent of each other. The data indicates that this combination is effectively a high-end processor held back by an entry-level graphics solution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results across resolutions clarify which component drives performance in The Technomancer. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS. Moving to Medium settings drops that to 61 FPS, High settings to 52 FPS, and Ultra to 40 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution shows a steady decline of roughly 18 to 21 FPS per preset step, which points to the GPU being the primary factor, since the CPU has ample headroom.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern appears but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings produce 52 FPS, Medium drops to 40 FPS, High to 34 FPS, and Ultra to 26 FPS. The gap between presets is similar to 1080p, again indicating the GPU is doing most of the work. When moving from 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the frame rate falls from 79 to 52, a 34% reduction. That drop is consistent with a GPU-limited scenario where pixel count is the main variable.

At 3840x2160, the performance collapses further. Low settings average 28 FPS, Medium 22 FPS, High 19 FPS, and Ultra 15 FPS. Comparing 1080p to 2160p at Low settings shows a drop from 79 to 28 FPS, a 65% decrease. The CPU, with its 24 cores, 32 threads, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache, is not the cause of these numbers. The Arc B390, with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, simply cannot feed frames fast enough at higher pixel counts.

The resolution scaling data makes the roles clear. At 1080p, the combination is borderline playable on Low and Medium presets, meaning both components contribute but the GPU is near its limit. At 1440p, no preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, and at 2160p, the GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. The CPU never becomes the limiting factor in this game; its single-core and multi-core capabilities far exceed what The Technomancer requires. The recorded measurements show that the GPU dictates every preset change and resolution shift.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Starting with 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system performs best. At Low settings, the average frame rate is 79 FPS, which comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold. Medium settings produce an average of 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. This is the only preset at any resolution that stays at or above 60 FPS on average while also providing a minimum that dips below but remains close. High settings drop the average to 52 FPS, and Ultra falls to 40 FPS. Neither of these presets reaches the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates all sit below the playable mark. Low settings deliver 52 FPS, which is a solid experience but not 60. Medium averages 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS. High settings average 34 FPS, and Ultra drops to 26 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 26 FPS, showing that even the most demanding preset is a significant step down from the least demanding.

At 3840x2160, the results are the weakest in the dataset. Low settings average 28 FPS, Medium averages 22 FPS with a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is only 13 FPS, meaning the GPU is so saturated that preset changes have a smaller absolute impact than at lower resolutions.

The measured data shows a clear trend. At 1080p, the system can handle Low and Medium presets at or near 60 FPS. At 1440p, the best case is Low at 52 FPS, which is 8 FPS short of the threshold. At 2160p, even Low settings fall 32 FPS short. The minimum and maximum values recorded only exist for the Medium preset at each resolution, and they follow the averages: 1080p Medium ranges from 52 to 70, 1440p Medium ranges from 34 to 46, and 2160p Medium ranges from 19 to 25.

How This Combo Ranks

The database places this specific combination at rank 3285 out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. That puts it in the bottom 11% of all systems measured, which aligns with the GPU's low percentile standing. The CPU alone ranks in the 95th percentile, but the combo rank is dragged down by the Arc B390's 9th percentile GPU standing.

The rank of 3285 means that out of 3696 total combinations, there are 3284 that perform better in this game. Only 411 combos perform worse. This is a notable discrepancy between the processor's capability and the overall system result. A user looking at the CPU benchmarks would expect high performance, but the game-specific data shows that the GPU prevents this combo from reaching anywhere near the top.

The rank also indicates that most other CPU and GPU pairings tested in the database deliver better frame rates in The Technomancer. This is not a reflection of the CPU, which is among the best available, but of the GPU's limited fill rate and shader throughput. The Arc B390's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply too low for a demanding title at higher settings.

The Verdict

Can this PC run The Technomancer? The answer depends entirely on the resolution and preset. At 3840x2160, the system cannot run the game at a playable level on any preset. The recorded data shows zero playable settings at this resolution, with the best average being 28 FPS at Low, which is far below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the same conclusion applies. No preset reaches 60 FPS, and the best average is 52 FPS at Low. That is playable in a loose sense, but it does not meet the database's playable threshold of 60 FPS. The verdict for 1440p is also no playable settings.

At 1920x1080, the system does clear the bar on two presets. Low settings average 79 FPS, well above 60. Medium settings average 61 FPS, which just passes the threshold, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. The best playable setting at 1080p is Medium, with an average of 61 FPS. High and Ultra presets at 1080p do not reach 60 FPS, averaging 52 and 40 respectively.

So the direct answer is yes, but only at 1080p with Low or Medium settings. For players targeting 1440p or 2160p, this combination will not provide a 60 FPS experience on any preset. The system is playable at 1080p, and the Medium preset is the recommended choice since it offers a better visual experience than Low while still averaging 61 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and preset for this system in The Technomancer?

A: The best playable combination is 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which averages 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. Low settings at 1080p average 79 FPS, but Medium is the highest preset that still clears the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this PC run the game at 2560x1440?

A: No. At 2560x1440, the highest average frame rate is 52 FPS on Low settings. Medium averages 40 FPS, High averages 34 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has an average benchmark score of 79097. The Intel Core i9-14900KF scores 79371, which is 0.3% higher. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus scores 79574, 0.6% higher. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, 1.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower.

Q: What GPUs perform similarly to the Intel Arc B390?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% lower.

Q: What are the frame rates at 3840x2160?

A: At 4K, Low settings average 28 FPS, Medium averages 22 FPS with a minimum of 19 and maximum of 25, High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. No preset at this resolution is playable.

Q: How does this combo rank overall?

A: This combination ranks 3285 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. That places it in the bottom portion of all systems measured, despite the CPU ranking in the 95th percentile among all processors.