The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case for the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that scales predictably across resolutions, with the GPU emerging as the primary bottleneck at higher graphical loads. This analysis dissects the measured FPS data to understand the performance ceiling and how this specific pairing of a 6-core Alder Lake processor and a RDNA 3.0 graphics card handles the game’s demands.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across the three tested resolutions paints a clear picture of where the performance limits lie. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 196 FPS, which drops to 128 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 70 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 64.8% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 45.3% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is steep, indicating that the workload is becoming increasingly GPU-bound as pixel count rises.

When examining the High preset, the pattern continues but with a different curve. The 1080p result is 128 FPS, dropping to 84 FPS at 1440p (a 34.4% decrease) and then to 46 FPS at 4K (a 45.2% decrease from 1440p). The more moderate drop from 1080p to 1440p compared to the Low preset suggests that at higher settings, the game is already engaging the GPU more heavily, making the resolution jump less impactful relative to the total frame time.

The Ultra settings tell the most revealing story about the limiting component. Here, the averages are 100 FPS at 1080p, 66 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 34%, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is a substantial 45.5%. This non-linear scaling, where the 4K penalty is disproportionately large, strongly suggests that the Radeon RX 7700 XT is the constraining factor at this resolution. The 12 GB frame buffer and 432.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are being saturated by the combination of high resolution and maxed-out settings.

The data implies that the Intel Core i5-12400 is rarely the bottleneck in this game. The CPU’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz and its 18 MB of shared L3 cache are sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the 196 FPS Low result. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS across different settings at the same resolution. Instead, the FPS varies significantly with settings, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes. The 4K Ultra result of 36 FPS is a clear sign that the GPU is maxed out, while the CPU likely has headroom left on the table.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset at 128 FPS offers a smooth experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 100 FPS is also viable, providing a 28 FPS gain over High for those who prioritize visual fidelity. The data shows no reason to drop below High at 1080p, as even Low at 196 FPS does not provide a tangible benefit for most displays and sacrifices significant image quality.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 84 FPS is the sweet spot. It maintains a frame rate that is comfortable for most gaming scenarios. The Medium preset at 98 FPS is also acceptable, but the jump to High seems worth the 14 FPS cost for the improved visuals. The Ultra preset at 66 FPS is playable, but it is close to the edge of what many consider a smooth experience, and the 18 FPS loss from High may not justify the marginal visual improvements in a game from 2016.

The 4K resolution presents a challenge. The High preset at 46 FPS is below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer. The Medium preset at 54 FPS is closer but still not ideal. The Low preset at 70 FPS is the only option that breaks past the 60 FPS barrier, but it does so by significantly reducing visual quality. For 4K, the data suggests that players should either accept the Medium preset at 54 FPS for a balanced experience or drop to Low to ensure smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 36 FPS is not recommended for anything other than screenshot purposes.

The measured Medium preset rows also provide min and max FPS data, which is useful for assessing frame time consistency. At 1440p Medium, the range is 84 to 113 FPS, a 29 FPS spread. At 1080p Medium, the range is 128 to 173 FPS, a 45 FPS spread. This indicates that while the average FPS is high, there are noticeable fluctuations, which could be perceptible as stutter in fast-paced scenes.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows an average of 46 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings. This is playable but below the 60 FPS standard. For a smoother 4K experience, the Low preset achieves 70 FPS, but with reduced visual fidelity.

Q: What is the best preset for a 1440p monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 yields 84 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS but falls short of a 144 Hz target. The Low preset reaches 128 FPS, which is closer to that target but requires significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 98 FPS is a middle ground.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The evidence indicates the GPU is the primary limiter. With Low settings at 1080p, the combo produces 196 FPS, but this drops to 100 FPS at Ultra. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain similar regardless of the preset. The wide variation in FPS with settings points to the Radeon RX 7700 XT as the deciding factor.

Q: How does the FPS drop from 1440p to 4K compare to the drop from 1080p to 1440p?

A: For the High preset, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 34.4% (128 to 84 FPS), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 45.2% (84 to 46 FPS). This steeper decline at 4K highlights the GPU’s struggle with the higher pixel count.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the data?

A: The highest average FPS is 196, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This shows the combo’s peak frame rate capability when the GPU load is minimized.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever a good choice?

A: The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where it achieves 100 FPS. At 1440p, it drops to 66 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 36 FPS, which is generally considered too low for smooth gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed look at the exact measured FPS values for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 196 FPS average
• Medium: 150 FPS average, with a minimum of 128 FPS and a maximum of 173 FPS
• High: 128 FPS average
• Ultra: 100 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 128 FPS average
• Medium: 98 FPS average, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS
• High: 84 FPS average
• Ultra: 66 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 70 FPS average
• Medium: 54 FPS average, with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS
• High: 46 FPS average
• Ultra: 36 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent hierarchy. At every resolution, the Low preset offers the highest frame rate, followed by Medium, High, and finally Ultra. The performance delta between Low and Ultra is significant: at 1080p, it is a 96 FPS difference; at 1440p, it is a 62 FPS difference; and at 4K, it is a 34 FPS difference. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the graphics card’s resources are taxed progressively more by each preset level.

The min and max FPS data for the Medium preset provides additional insight. At 1080p, the 45 FPS variance between min and max suggests that scenes with heavy effects can cause noticeable frame dips. At 4K, the variance narrows to 16 FPS, which is likely because the GPU is already so saturated that it cannot render frames much faster than the average, resulting in a more consistent but lower frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT holds a specific position. The combo rank is 1395 out of 3696 total combos tested. This places it in the top 37.7% of all configurations, indicating a solid, above-average performer for this title.

The rank suggests that while this combo is not at the top of the charts, it outperforms the majority of systems. This is likely due to the strength of the RX 7700 XT, which has a percentile rank of 67 against all GPUs. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 22549 is competitive, as it sits within 1.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and 0.8% of the RTX 4060 Mobile. The CPU’s percentile rank of 72 is slightly higher, but its average score of 18683 is within 0.9% of the Intel Core i3-14100F.

The combination of a high-percentile CPU and a slightly lower-percentile GPU results in a system that is well-balanced but leans on the graphics card for the final performance output. The 1395 rank out of 3696 combos means that roughly 2301 other configurations perform better in this game, likely featuring more powerful GPUs or newer CPU architectures. However, the data also indicates that this combo is significantly better than the bottom half of the tested pool.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In The Technomancer, a game released in 2016, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic. The benchmark results suggest that this processor is more than capable of handling the game’s demands.

The CPU’s benchmark scores show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 8564. The single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3456. These scores indicate that the CPU can handle both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads.

In the context of this game, the FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The fact that the average FPS scales down as settings increase at the same resolution is a classic sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would see similar FPS numbers across Low and Ultra presets. The data shows a 96 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p, which is a clear indication that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting. The 18 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel memory support likely help to ensure that the CPU can quickly access data and maintain a steady stream of instructions to the GPU.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is a 5 nm RDNA 3.0 graphics card with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. It has a base clock of 1435 MHz and a boost clock of 2544 MHz. The GPU’s role in this game is to render the 3D scene, handle texture mapping, and manage the pixel output. The benchmark results show that this is the component that primarily determines the frame rate.

The GPU’s Passmark G3D score is 22547, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3316. These scores place it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which has a score of 22895, just 1.5% higher. This indicates that the RX 7700 XT is a high-performance part that sits in the same performance class as previous generation flagship cards.

The VRAM capacity of 12 GB is a key factor at higher resolutions. The data shows that the 4K Ultra preset produces only 36 FPS. This low frame rate is likely due to the combination of high resolution and maxed-out settings consuming the available memory bandwidth and compute resources. The 432.0 GB/s bandwidth is substantial, but it is still insufficient to maintain a high frame rate at 4K with all settings maxed. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 35.17 TFLOPS is impressive, but the game’s engine and the demands of 4K rendering are enough to bring the card to its knees at the highest settings.