The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti pairing. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which begins to show its CPU limitations at 1080p. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to understand how this specific combination handles the game across its four quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking trend in the data is how frame rates collapse as resolution increases, a clear sign that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 181.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 115.9 FPS, a reduction of roughly 36%. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average falling to 61.7 FPS, which is about 47% lower than the 1440p figure and 66% lower than 1080p.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. With Low settings, the system achieves 249.4 FPS at 1080p, 180.1 FPS at 1440p, and 95.9 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is a 27.8% drop, while the 4K result is 61.5% lower than the 1080p score. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 209 FPS at 1080p, 138.5 FPS at 1440p (a 33.7% decline), and 77 FPS at 4K (a 63.2% decline from 1080p). Ultra settings are the most demanding, starting at 143.1 FPS at 1080p, falling to 90.6 FPS at 1440p (a 36.7% drop), and settling at 47.5 FPS at 4K (a 66.8% drop from 1080p).

The fact that the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is very similar across all presets—hovering in the 61-67% range—strongly suggests that the limiting factor is the GPU's raw pixel throughput, not the CPU or memory. The RTX 4070 Ti, with its 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 208.8 GPixel/s pixel rate, is being saturated as resolution climbs. The 4K Ultra result of 47.5 FPS is the only measurement that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this resolution/preset combination is the breaking point for a smooth experience.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting 60 FPS as a baseline, the data shows that 4K is only viable with specific settings. At 4K, the High preset delivers 61.7 FPS, which is just above the target. The Medium preset at 4K provides 77 FPS, offering more headroom, while Low at 4K reaches 95.9 FPS. However, the Ultra preset at 4K falls short at 47.5 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

At 1440p, every preset exceeds the 60 FPS target comfortably. The lowest performer, Ultra, still achieves 90.6 FPS. The High preset at 1440p provides 115.9 FPS, which is a balanced choice for high refresh rate monitors. For the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness, the Ultra preset at 1440p is the sweet spot, delivering 90.6 FPS while using the highest quality settings.

At 1080p, the system is capable of very high frame rates. The Ultra preset reaches 143.1 FPS, while High hits 181.7 FPS. Medium and Low push even higher at 209 FPS and 249.4 FPS respectively. Given the CPU's performance characteristics, the 1080p Ultra setting is the recommended choice for players with 144Hz displays, as it provides a high frame rate with maximum visual fidelity. Pushing beyond that with High or Medium settings yields diminishing returns in visual quality for a large increase in frame rate, which is likely beyond the refresh rate of most monitors.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz and it boosts to 4.30 GHz. The benchmark data shows it is a capable performer for its class, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a single-core score of 1681. The PassMark single-thread score is 3444, and its overall percentile rank is 72, meaning it outperforms 72% of all tested CPUs.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU, but it is not irrelevant. The evidence for this is the scaling between 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p Low, the system produces 249.4 FPS. If the GPU were the only limiting factor, we would expect the 1440p Low score to be proportionally lower, which it is (180.1 FPS). However, the gap between 1080p and 1440p for the Low preset (27.8% drop) is smaller than the gap for the High preset (36% drop). This suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is starting to become a more significant factor, preventing the GPU from reaching even higher frame rates.

The single-core performance of the i3-12100F is strong, as evidenced by its 3dmark_single_thread score of 893 and Cinebench R20 single-core score of 706. This is crucial for older game engines that often rely heavily on a single thread. The processor's 12 MB of L3 cache is shared across the four cores, which helps with data locality. The data indicates that while the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this game at higher resolutions, its 4-core/8-thread configuration is sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 Ti at 1080p, where the GPU is less taxed.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is ranked 225th out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This puts it in the top 13.6% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing.

The high ranking is likely due to the GPU's power. The RTX 4070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 44900 and sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile (with a delta of -0.6%) and the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (with a delta of 1.6%). This indicates the GPU is performing as expected, near the top of its class.

The CPU, while not as dominant, is also performing well. The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516 and its nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which is only 0.1% faster. The fact that a modern quad-core can match a high-end threadripper in average score shows the efficiency of the Alder Lake architecture. The combo's rank of 225 suggests that the i3-12100F is not holding back the RTX 4070 Ti significantly, as the GPU's high percentile rank is the primary driver of the combo's overall position. The data shows a balanced pairing where the GPU is the star, and the CPU provides sufficient support without becoming a major liability.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 47.5, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 4K High preset just reaches 61.7 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system to play at?

A: Based on the data, 1440p is the optimal resolution. All presets at 1440p exceed 90 FPS, with the Ultra preset providing 90.6 FPS and High providing 115.9 FPS, giving a great balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU begins to play a larger role at 1080p. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller for the Low preset (27.8% drop) than for the High preset (36% drop), indicating the GPU is less of a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 Ti compare to its closest rival in this setup?

A: The average benchmark score for the RTX 4070 Ti is 44900. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile with an average score of 45152, which is 0.6% faster. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 is 1.6% slower with a score of 44195.

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 249.4, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the i3-12100F's single-core performance compare to its multi-core?

A: The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 11912, while its single-core score is 1681. The PassMark single-thread score is 3444, and the 3dmark_single_thread score is 893.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measured for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 47.5 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 61.7 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 77.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 95.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 90.6 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 115.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 138.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 180.1 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 143.1 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 181.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 209.0 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 249.4 |

The data confirms a clear hierarchy. At 4K, only the Low and Medium presets offer substantial headroom above 60 FPS, while High barely meets it and Ultra fails. At 1440p, all presets are playable, with the Ultra preset being the most demanding at 90.6 FPS. At 1080p, the system is capable of very high frame rates across the board, making it suitable for high refresh rate displays. The overall picture is one of a GPU-heavy system that excels at 1440p, where it can balance visual fidelity and performance.