The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a unique scaling challenge for the Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. Benchmark results show that this combination is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but the older CPU still exerts a measurable influence at 1080p. The data indicates a system that delivers excellent 4K performance, with the RTX 5090 D providing the overwhelming majority of the horsepower, while the i5-10400F acts as a capable, though not elite, supporting component.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable decline in performance as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline is telling. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 157 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 136 FPS, a reduction of 21 FPS. The jump to 4K is more severe, with the average falling to 85 FPS, which is 51 FPS below the 1440p result. This pattern indicates that the rendering load is scaling significantly with pixel count, which is typical for a game of this era.

The scaling behavior at different settings presets provides further insight into the bottleneck. When comparing the Low preset across resolutions, the frame rates are 183 FPS at 1080p, 159 FPS at 1440p, and 129 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is roughly 19%, which is smaller than the drop seen at High settings (37.5%). This suggests that at Low settings, the CPU is becoming a more significant limiting factor, preventing the GPU from fully stretching its legs at lower resolutions. The GPU is capable of pushing well beyond 183 FPS at 1080p Low, but the processor's single-thread performance likely caps the output.

At the Ultra preset, the frame rate at 4K falls to 66 FPS, while at 1440p it is 120 FPS, and at 1080p it is 144 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 1440p Ultra is 24 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 54 FPS. This widening delta at higher resolutions confirms that the RTX 5090 D is the primary driver of performance. The GPU is working progressively harder to fill the additional pixels, and the CPU's role becomes relatively less important as the resolution increases. The data strongly suggests that for this specific game, the 4K experience is almost entirely dictated by the graphics card's raw throughput.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the undisputed performance leader in this pairing. Its specifications are formidable, featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This is particularly relevant for a game like The Technomancer, which can be demanding on memory at high resolutions. The 4K High preset achieving 85 FPS is a direct result of this immense bandwidth and the GPU's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz, are high, but the real story is the sheer scale of the silicon. With 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, the RTX 5090 D has the resources to process the complex geometry and effects of an Action RPG at 4K. The benchmark results show that even at the Ultra preset at 4K, the combo maintains an average of 66 FPS, a playable frame rate, which underscores the GPU's ability to handle the most demanding settings.

The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck is most evident when observing the frame rate scaling. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is 63 FPS (129 vs. 66), a massive spread that highlights the GPU's sensitivity to graphical fidelity. This is a clear sign that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting. In contrast, the CPU's performance is far more static. The GPU's absolute dominance is further reflected in its benchmark scores, with a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 310,674, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. While its nearest rivals list shows a delta of only 1.1% from the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT in average score, the measured in-game results here demonstrate a far greater practical performance gap in this specific scenario, likely due to the 5090 D's massive memory advantage.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F plays a supporting, yet critical, role in this configuration. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it is a solid modern processor, but its architecture is dated. Its base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.30 GHz are respectable, but its performance in synthetic benchmarks like Cinebench R23 (10,283 multi-core, 1,451 single-core) and Geekbench (6,257 multi-core, 1,420 single-core) shows it is a mid-range part, sitting in the 68th percentile of all CPUs.

The CPU's influence on the game's frame rates is most apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 183. This is a high number, but it is the lowest of the three resolutions tested for that preset, and the difference between 1080p and 1440p Low is only 24 FPS (183 vs. 159). This relatively small gap suggests that the CPU is beginning to limit the frame rate at 1080p. The GPU could likely render more frames, but it is waiting on the processor to submit draw calls. This is a classic CPU bottleneck scenario.

The i5-10400F's performance is adequate for this game, but it does not scale perfectly with the GPU. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 157 FPS, which is excellent. However, the difference between the High and Low presets is only 26 FPS (183 vs. 157). In contrast, at 4K, the difference between High and Low is 44 FPS (129 vs. 85). This demonstrates that the CPU is providing a more consistent performance ceiling, while the GPU's performance swings wildly with settings. The processor's cache configuration, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache, is sufficient for the game, but it lacks the low-latency, high-bandwidth characteristics of newer designs. The data shows that for this game, the i5-10400F will not be the limiting factor at 4K, but it will prevent the system from reaching the absolute maximum frame rates possible at 1080p with lower graphics settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 367th out of 2,825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 13% of all configurations, which is a strong showing. This high rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's raw power. The RTX 5090 D is a top-tier component, and its inclusion in this combo ensures that the system can handle the game at high resolutions and settings.

However, the rank also reveals the potential for a mismatch. The i5-10400F is a solid but not exceptional CPU. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Xeon 6756E and AMD EPYC 7552, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.2% and 0.5% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class. The combo's rank of 367 suggests that while the GPU is powerful enough to place the system well above average, the CPU is holding it back from the top 10%. A system with a more modern, higher-performance processor would likely rank higher, as the GPU would be fed more effectively, particularly at 1080p and 1440p.

The data confirms that this combo is a "GPU-first" build. The rank is high enough to guarantee a great experience, but it is not a reflection of a balanced pairing. In games that are more CPU-intensive, this combo would likely rank lower, but The Technomancer's scaling behavior shows that it leans heavily on the graphics card. The 367th rank out of 2,825 reflects the sheer power of the RTX 5090 D, but it also serves as a note that the i5-10400F is a budget-conscious choice that slightly tempers the GPU's full potential. The system is a high-performance machine, but not the absolute pinnacle of what the RTX 5090 D could achieve with a more capable processor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 4K gaming, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. It delivers an average of 85 FPS, which is smooth and well above the 60 FPS threshold typically desired for a single-player Action RPG. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 66 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 4K provides 99 FPS, but the visual jump from Medium to High is often significant, making High the superior choice.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset is the clear winner. It achieves an average of 120 FPS, which is excellent for a high-refresh-rate monitor. The High preset at 1440p offers 136 FPS, but the extra 16 FPS is unlikely to be noticeable compared to the visual improvements of Ultra. For competitive play or maximum smoothness, the Medium preset at 1440p provides 144 FPS, but the Ultra settings are the recommended choice for the best experience.

For 1080p, the system is heavily GPU-bound, and the CPU begins to show its limitations. The Ultra preset delivers 144 FPS, which is a fantastic experience. However, the Low preset only achieves 183 FPS, which is a smaller jump than expected, indicating a CPU bottleneck. Given that the Ultra preset already provides a frame rate far beyond what most displays can show, there is no reason to lower the settings to anything below High. The High preset at 1080p delivers 157 FPS, and the Medium preset at 166 FPS. For a game like The Technomancer, the visual fidelity of the Ultra preset is well worth the slight reduction in frame rate, especially since it is still above 144 FPS. The recommendation is to use the Ultra preset for 1080p and 1440p, and the High preset for 4K to maintain a high and stable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p Ultra is the sweet spot, offering 120 FPS. 4K High is also excellent at 85 FPS, but 1440p Ultra provides a higher frame rate with minimal visual compromise.

Q: Is the CPU holding back the GPU in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, but only at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the frame rate is 183 FPS, which is likely limited by the CPU's single-thread performance. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the frame rate varies greatly with settings (129 FPS on Low vs. 66 FPS on Ultra).

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset at 4K yields an average of 66 FPS. This is playable, but the High preset at 85 FPS provides a more comfortable margin and is recommended for a smoother experience.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 367th out of 2,825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 13% of all systems, indicating a very high level of performance.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB of VRAM necessary for this game?

A: The game's performance at 4K High (85 FPS) and Ultra (66 FPS) suggests the GPU has ample resources. The 32 GB of VRAM and 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth ensure that memory capacity and speed are not limiting factors at any tested setting.

Q: What is the expected performance difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The High preset averages 136 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 120 FPS. This is a 16 FPS difference, which is a minor trade-off for the visual enhancements provided by the Ultra settings.