The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 pairing. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the CPU begins to assert its influence as the resolution drops. This combination delivers a highly playable experience across the board, though the performance scaling from 1440p to 4K suggests that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting, while the older six-core processor becomes a more significant factor at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

Analyzing the measured FPS data, the scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 117.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 77.5 FPS, a reduction of 40 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average further falls to 43.3 FPS. This steep decline, particularly the 34.2 FPS loss from 1440p to 4K, is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The RTX 4070’s rendering workload at 4K is simply too demanding for its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, causing a direct and significant performance hit.

However, the data also shows the CPU's role in limiting performance at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 182 FPS, but this is only a 29 FPS improvement over the 153 FPS at High settings. This relative plateau suggests that the Intel Core i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is reaching its limit in feeding the RTX 4070 enough frames at this resolution. The GPU has the headroom to render more, but the CPU cannot keep up with the instruction stream, capping the frame rate. This is further supported by the 1080p Medium result of 168.8 FPS, which shows a smaller jump from Low than the jump from Medium to High, indicating the CPU is the limiting factor in the Low-to-Medium transition.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At 4K, the FPS spread between Low (84.4 FPS) and Ultra (43.3 FPS) is a massive 41.1 FPS, confirming the GPU is the dominant constraint. At 1440p, the spread is 74.6 FPS (from 152.1 Low to 77.5 Ultra), still showing strong GPU influence. But at 1080p, the spread narrows to 64.5 FPS (from 182 Low to 117.5 Ultra). While still significant, the diminishing returns at the lower end of the settings spectrum point to the CPU becoming a more critical component in achieving very high frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in The Technomancer?

A: The combination ranks 525 out of 1656 tested combos in this game, placing it in the top third of all tested systems.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU becomes a limiting factor at 1080p, where the frame rate difference between Low (182 FPS) and High (153 FPS) settings is relatively small. At higher resolutions, the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

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

A: The Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168. This puts it 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 and 1.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-8500, but 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C and 1.2% behind the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37283. This makes it 2.5% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5300M, but 0.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and 2.2% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high refresh rate experience?

A: For 144Hz or higher refresh rates, 1080p is the best choice. With an average of 153 FPS on High settings and 117.5 FPS on Ultra, the system can comfortably drive a high-refresh monitor. At 1440p, the 100.5 FPS average on High settings is also suitable for a 100Hz or 120Hz display.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K, the system averages 53.5 FPS on High settings, which is playable, but it falls to 43.3 FPS on Ultra. To maintain a smoother 60 FPS, players would need to use Medium settings, which yield an average of 62.2 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 525th out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer, placing it in the 68th percentile of all tested systems. This is a strong ranking, indicating that the pairing delivers well above-average performance in this title. The ranking reflects the system's ability to provide high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while still being capable of 4K gaming. The CPU, which sits in the 73rd percentile against all CPUs, provides a solid foundation. Its average benchmark score of 14168 is within 1.2% of its nearest rivals, showing it is a competitive mid-range processor. The GPU is even more impressive, sitting in the 81st percentile against all GPUs, with an average score of 37283. This combination of a mid-high range CPU and a high-range GPU ensures that the system is well-balanced for most gaming scenarios, though the data shows the CPU can be a limiting factor at 1080p when trying to push extremely high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings.

1080p:

At 1920x1080, the system excels. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 182 FPS. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 168.8 FPS. The High preset delivers 153 FPS, and the demanding Ultra preset still manages a very respectable 117.5 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 64.5 FPS, showing the GPU has a significant impact even at this resolution.

1440p:

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset yields an average of 152.1 FPS. Medium settings produce 117.6 FPS, while High settings deliver 100.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is quite demanding, drops the average to 77.5 FPS. The 74.6 FPS difference between Low and Ultra highlights a greater performance cost from the settings at this resolution compared to 1080p.

4K:

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The Low preset results in an average of 84.4 FPS. Medium settings lower this to 62.2 FPS, and the High preset produces a still-playable 53.5 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, bringing the average down to 43.3 FPS. The performance drop from Low to Ultra is 41.1 FPS, showing that the RTX 4070 is struggling with the rendering load at this resolution, especially at higher detail levels.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the optimal settings depend on the user's display and performance goals. For a standard 60Hz display, the 4K High preset is an excellent choice, delivering an average of 53.5 FPS, which is close to the refresh rate limit. For a 1440p monitor with a 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate, the 1440p High preset is ideal, as it provides a 100.5 FPS average, striking a great balance between visual fidelity and smoothness. If a user prioritizes maximum frame rates and has a high-refresh 1080p monitor, the 1080p High preset at 153 FPS is recommended, as it offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium while still maintaining a very high frame rate. The 1080p Ultra preset is also a strong option at 117.5 FPS, but the 35.5 FPS loss compared to High may not justify the minor visual gains for competitive play. The analysis suggests that the "High" preset across all resolutions offers the most balanced performance, avoiding the diminishing returns of the Ultra settings while providing a substantial quality jump over Medium and Low.