The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for modern hardware. This analysis examines the pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, using measured data to show how a current flagship GPU behaves when paired with a previous-generation mid-range CPU. The benchmark results reveal a system that is heavily balanced, with performance characteristics that shift dramatically depending on resolution and settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture. It operates at a base clock of 2.60 GHz and can boost up to 4.40 GHz. This configuration provides a solid foundation for gaming, though its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are typical of its generation. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a single-core score of 2029, indicate it is a capable mid-range part from its era.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is crucial at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high across all settings, ranging from 170.1 FPS on Ultra to 212.5 FPS on Low. These numbers suggest that the i5-11400F is able to feed the RTX 5090 enough data to maintain very high performance, even if it might be limiting the absolute maximum potential of the GPU. The CPU’s performance is strong enough that it doesn't drag the experience down significantly, but the scaling pattern suggests some level of CPU involvement.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i5-11400F sits almost exactly level with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, showing a 0% delta in average benchmark score. It is also within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1260P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U. This puts the CPU in a performance tier that is competitive with those parts, even though they are from different market segments. The data indicates that while the CPU is not the newest, its performance is sufficient to support high frame rates in this game, especially when the graphical load is lower.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a powerhouse, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and the GB202 chip. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. With a boost clock of 2407 MHz and 21760 shading units, it is designed to obliterate any graphical workload. Its compute capabilities are immense, with an FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS. This GPU is in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 84306 places it just 0.1% ahead of the RTX 5090 D and 0.2% ahead of the RTX 5050 Mobile.

In The Technomancer, the RTX 5090’s immense power is evident, but its performance is heavily modulated by the resolution and settings. The GPU is clearly capable of producing massive frame rates, as seen in the 1080p Low setting at 212.5 FPS. However, the game’s engine appears to create a bottleneck that prevents the GPU from achieving its full potential at lower resolutions. The GPU’s massive memory pool and bandwidth are not fully stressed by this title, which is from 2016 and likely does not require such resources. The measured data shows that the GPU’s headroom becomes more apparent at higher resolutions where the rendering load increases.

The RTX 5090’s role is to push the boundaries of visual fidelity. The data shows a clear progression: as settings increase from Low to Ultra, the frame rate drops significantly, indicating that the GPU is being tasked with more complex rendering. This is the expected behavior for a GPU of this class, and the results confirm that it is the dominant component when the graphical settings are turned up and the resolution is high.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales across resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are very high, with the Low preset hitting 212.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p, we see a noticeable drop, with the Low preset falling to 185.6 FPS. At 4K, the Low preset drops further to 123.1 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that the CPU is likely the limiting factor at 1080p and even 1440p, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can process them.

The scaling becomes more pronounced at higher settings. For example, on the High preset, the frame rate drops from 184.6 FPS at 1080p to 143.9 FPS at 1440p, and then to 78.6 FPS at 4K. This shows a clear shift in the bottleneck. At 1080p, the system is likely CPU-bound, but as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting component. The drop from 1080p to 4K on the High preset is a 57.4% reduction in FPS, which is a massive decline and points to the GPU being fully utilized at 4K.

The data suggests that at 4K, the RTX 5090 is finally being pushed to its limits, and the CPU is no longer the primary constraint. The frame rates at 4K are still very playable, but they show a significant performance cost. This analysis indicates that for this specific game, the sweet spot for this hardware combination is likely at 1440p, where the CPU can still keep up and the GPU provides a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p without the massive performance penalty seen at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in this game?

A: Yes, at 1080p and 1440p, the data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor. The frame rates on the Low preset are 212.5 FPS at 1080p and 185.6 FPS at 1440p, which are high but do not scale linearly with the GPU’s power. The gap between resolutions narrows as settings increase, indicating the GPU takes over as the bottleneck.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: Based on the data, 1440p offers the best balance. At 1440p on High settings, the system achieves 143.9 FPS, which is a smooth experience. This resolution provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining high frame rates, unlike 4K which shows a substantial performance drop.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090’s average benchmark score is 84306. It is 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D and 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile. It also holds a 1.3% lead over the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 and is 1.6% ahead of the NVIDIA CMP 40HX.

Q: Does increasing the settings from Medium to Ultra have a large impact on performance?

A: Yes, the impact is significant. At 1080p, the frame rate drops from 197.7 FPS on Medium to 170.1 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the drop is more severe, from 93.8 FPS on Medium to 64.6 FPS on Ultra. This shows a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate.

Q: Is the 32 GB of VRAM on the RTX 5090 necessary for this game?

A: The data does not indicate that The Technomancer requires that much VRAM, as it is a 2016 title. The GPU’s memory is not a limiting factor in the measured results. The performance is more influenced by the CPU at lower resolutions and the GPU’s compute power at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181. It is exactly on par with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, showing a 0% delta. It is also within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1260P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U, making it a very competitive performer in its class.

Settings Recommendations

For this specific hardware combination, the data provides clear guidance on the best settings. If the goal is the highest possible frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 212.5 FPS. However, this is likely unnecessary for a smooth experience and sacrifices visual quality. A better approach is to use the High preset at 1440p, which yields 143.9 FPS. This provides a strong balance between visual fidelity and performance, and it takes better advantage of the RTX 5090’s capabilities.

Using the Ultra preset is viable, but it comes with a significant cost. At 1440p, Ultra delivers 112.6 FPS, which is still playable, but at 4K, it drops to 64.6 FPS. For a game like this, the visual difference between High and Ultra may not be worth the performance hit, especially at higher resolutions. The data suggests that High settings are the sweet spot, offering a substantial upgrade over Medium without the steep performance penalty of Ultra. The Medium preset is also a strong option, providing 171.5 FPS at 1440p, but High is recommended for the best overall experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average FPS for the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination in The Technomancer.

• 1920x1080:
• Low: 212.5 FPS
• Medium: 197.7 FPS
• High: 184.6 FPS
• Ultra: 170.1 FPS

• 2560x1440:
• Low: 185.6 FPS
• Medium: 171.5 FPS
• High: 143.9 FPS
• Ultra: 112.6 FPS

• 3840x2160:
• Low: 123.1 FPS
• Medium: 93.8 FPS
• High: 78.6 FPS
• Ultra: 64.6 FPS

This breakdown shows a clear and consistent pattern. At every resolution, the frame rate decreases as settings increase from Low to Ultra. The performance gap between settings is more pronounced at 4K, where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p, the differences are smaller, which supports the conclusion that the CPU is limiting performance at that resolution. The data confirms that this is a system capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, and solid 4K performance on lower settings.