The Technomancer

This page analyzes the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B570 in The Technomancer, based on benchmark data. The results show a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions, but which hits a hard wall at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data indicates that 60 FPS is the target for smooth gameplay. At 1920x1080, this system is fully capable of running the game at the highest preset. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 62 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most demanding preset that maintains playable performance at this resolution. Lower presets provide more headroom, with High at 80 FPS, Medium at 93 FPS, and Low at 121 FPS, but the Ultra preset is the sweet spot for visual fidelity without sacrificing playability.

Moving up to 2560x1440, the performance ceiling drops significantly. The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 61 FPS. This is a borderline result, as the minimum FPS dips to 52, but the average remains playable. The High preset falls short at 52 FPS, and Ultra drops further to 41 FPS. The Low preset runs at 79 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of visuals and performance at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot maintain 60 FPS on any preset. The Low preset achieves the highest average at 44 FPS, followed by Medium at 33 FPS, High at 29 FPS, and Ultra at 22 FPS. None of these meet the playable threshold, so 4K gaming requires a significant reduction in resolution or settings, or an upgrade to the graphics card.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data shows a clear shift in bottleneck behavior across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong frame rates across all presets. The scaling from Low (121 FPS) to Ultra (62 FPS) shows a 49% performance drop, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiter at this resolution. The CPU, with its high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303), has ample headroom to feed the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates compress further. The gap between Low (79 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) is 48%, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower. This suggests the GPU is still the dominant factor, as the increased pixel count directly impacts the render load. The CPU's role remains secondary; its performance is sufficient to avoid holding back the GPU at this resolution.

The situation changes at 3840x2160. The frame rates are uniformly low, ranging from 44 FPS on Low to 22 FPS on Ultra. The scaling between Low and Ultra is a 50% drop, but the absolute performance is far below the 60 FPS target. The data suggests that the GPU is now severely overburdened. The Arc B570's memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s and its 160-bit bus are likely limiting factors at this resolution, as the sheer volume of pixels exceeds its capabilities. The CPU, while powerful, cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to process the 4K workload.

The role of the CPU is further clarified by the resolution scaling. At 1080p, the difference between High and Ultra is 18 FPS (80 vs 62), while at 1440p it is 11 FPS (52 vs 41). This narrowing gap indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes more saturated, and the CPU's influence on frame rate diminishes. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is not a limiting factor in this game; the data points to the GPU as the definitive performance ceiling.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run The Technomancer at 60 FPS on a 1080p monitor?*

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 62 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. High, Medium, and Low presets also exceed 60 FPS, with averages of 80, 93, and 121 FPS respectively.

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

A: The Medium preset is the most demanding option that maintains an average of 61 FPS at 2560x1440. The High preset drops to 52 FPS, and Ultra to 41 FPS, both below the playable threshold. Low runs at 79 FPS but offers reduced visual quality.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 44 on the Low preset. Medium averages 33 FPS, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. None of the presets reach the 60 FPS target, so 4K is not playable.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83807). It is also 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090), but 1.3% behind the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85072).

Q: How does the GPU compare to the Intel Arc A750?

A: The Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750 (20582). The performance difference is negligible, so the two cards should deliver very similar frame rates in most games.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 2560x1440 on Medium settings is 52 FPS. While the average is 61 FPS, the frame rate can dip below the 60 FPS threshold during demanding scenes.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals in the benchmark data, several other components would deliver comparable performance in this system.

For the CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is the closest match. Its average benchmark score of 83807 is within 0.2% of the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus. In gaming, this difference is imperceptible, so users with either CPU should expect nearly identical frame rates. The AMD EPYC 4584PX is also close, with a score of 83090 (1.1% slower), and the AMD EPYC 9135 at 82980 (1.2% slower). These server-class chips would behave similarly in this game, though their platform requirements differ. The AMD EPYC 7F72 is slightly faster, with a score of 85072 (1.3% faster), but again, this is a server part.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc A750 is the direct sibling. Its average score of 20582 is 0.1% higher than the Arc B570's 20556. In practice, these two cards are performance twins, so a system with an A750 would produce almost identical FPS numbers in The Technomancer. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is also a close match, with a score of 20534 (0.1% slower), though this is a laptop GPU, so desktop users would need to consider power and thermal limits. The AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20662, 0.5% faster) and NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, 0.4% slower) are also in the same performance band, but they are older, mobile-focused parts that may lack modern driver support.

The practical takeaway is that swapping the CPU or GPU for any of these near-identical alternatives would not change the verdict: 1080p Ultra and 1440p Medium remain playable, while 4K remains out of reach.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section details the exact measured frame rates for each resolution and settings preset.

3840x2160

• Ultra: Average 22 FPS
• High: Average 29 FPS
• Medium: Average 33 FPS, Minimum 28 FPS, Maximum 39 FPS
• Low: Average 44 FPS

2560x1440

• Ultra: Average 41 FPS
• High: Average 52 FPS
• Medium: Average 61 FPS, Minimum 52 FPS, Maximum 70 FPS
• Low: Average 79 FPS

1920x1080

• Ultra: Average 62 FPS
• High: Average 80 FPS
• Medium: Average 93 FPS, Minimum 79 FPS, Maximum 107 FPS
• Low: Average 121 FPS

The data shows a clear pattern: frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings. The 1080p results are all comfortably above the 60 FPS target. The 1440p results are borderline, with only Medium and Low clearing the threshold. The 4K results are uniformly below 60 FPS, with even the Low preset failing to reach playable performance.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and Intel Arc B570 combination is a capable gaming system for The Technomancer, but its viability depends entirely on the target resolution.

At 1920x1080, this PC is fully capable. The verdict is clear: all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) achieve an average FPS above 60. The Ultra preset, at 62 FPS, is the recommended setting for the best visual experience while maintaining smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the system is partially capable. The verdict shows that Low and Medium presets are playable, with Medium being the best option at 61 FPS. However, the High preset (52 FPS) and Ultra preset (41 FPS) fail to meet the 60 FPS threshold, so users must compromise on visual quality to play at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system is not playable. The verdict lists no playable settings. The highest average FPS is 44 on Low, which is far below the 60 FPS target. Users with a 4K display would need to lower the resolution to 1440p or 1080p to achieve playable frame rates.

In summary, this PC is a solid choice for 1080p gaming and can handle 1440p with adjusted settings. It is not suitable for 4K gaming in The Technomancer, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's performance is more than adequate for this title, so any future upgrades should focus on the graphics card to unlock higher resolutions and presets.