The Technomancer

The Technomancer is a 2016 Action RPG that, on paper, should be easy for modern hardware to handle. The benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 tells a more nuanced story, however. The results show a combo that is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p but begins to buckle under the demands of 4K, particularly when the game's more demanding presets are enabled. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the combo's ranking, and the GPU's specific role in shaping the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the measured data is how dramatically performance scales with resolution. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 219 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops that to 144.5 FPS, a reduction of roughly a third. At 4K (3840x2160) with Low settings, the average FPS falls further to 77. This pattern clearly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the limiting component as resolution increases; the GPU's workload expands with pixel count, while the Intel Core i5-12400's role becomes less critical.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is substantial but expected, yet the jump to 4K is particularly punishing. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 146.4 at 1080p to 93.6 at 1440p, and then down to 49 at 4K. This 4K result is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider playable, suggesting that the GPU is being saturated. The data implies that for a smooth 4K experience, the user must rely on lower settings presets, as even Medium settings at 4K only yields 60.4 FPS. The game's Ultra preset is the most demanding, and the 41 FPS average at 4K confirms that this setting is reserved for lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 achieves a combo rank of 546 out of 1656 tested combos. This places it in the top third of all systems tested, which is respectable given the age of the game and the modern components involved. A rank of 546 out of 1656 suggests that while this combo is not at the absolute top tier for this specific title, it outperforms a majority of the other configurations in the database.

This ranking confirms the raw power of the RX 9070, but it also hints at a potential bottleneck in the Core i5-12400. The CPU's benchmark scores show it to be a capable mid-range processor; its average benchmark score of 19850 places it within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-11600K and 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-9700. However, in a game like The Technomancer, which has a 2016 release date, the frame rate is often heavily influenced by the GPU. The fact that the combo ranks in the 546th position rather than higher suggests that the older game engine may not be fully utilizing the multi-threading capabilities of the 12th-generation Intel processor, leaving some performance on the table.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the workhorse of this pairing, and its specifications explain the benchmark results. It comes with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are critical for handling the high-resolution textures and assets that The Technomancer can present at 4K. The GPU's clock speeds are also a factor; with a boost clock of 2520 MHz and a game clock of 2070 MHz, it has the raw speed to push high frame counts, as evidenced by the 219 FPS average at 1080p Low.

The GPU's performance percentile of 79 relative to all other GPUs underscores its high-end positioning. Its benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 25381 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 165532, are strong. However, the data shows that even this powerful GPU is challenged by The Technomancer's Ultra preset at 4K. The 41 FPS average at that setting is a clear indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. The 16 GB of VRAM is unlikely to be a limiting factor here, as the game's release date suggests it was not designed to use that much memory, so the performance drop is more likely due to the computational load of the preset than memory capacity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo is overwhelmingly powerful. The Low preset produces an average of 219 FPS, which is far beyond what any standard monitor can display. High settings still deliver a very smooth 146.4 FPS, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate gaming. Medium settings hit 170.1 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset manages an average of 111.6 FPS. At this resolution, the user has the freedom to choose any preset for a fluid experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains highly playable. The Low preset averages 144.5 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play. High settings produce 93.6 FPS, a solid number for most players. Medium settings offer a good balance with 110.7 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still playable, drops to 75.1 FPS. This is a noticeable step down from the 1080p result but still above the 60 FPS target, making High or Medium the recommended presets for a consistently smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the tables turn. The Low preset is the only one that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, with an average of 77. Medium settings just barely hit the 60 FPS mark at 60.4. High settings drop to 49 FPS, which may cause noticeable stutter on a standard 60 Hz display. The Ultra preset is effectively unplayable at 41 FPS. This resolution demands significant compromises. To achieve a locked 60 FPS experience, users must stick to Low settings, while Medium is a borderline option for those who can tolerate occasional dips.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 111.6 FPS is the clear recommendation. It provides the best visual quality while still offering a frame rate high enough for any modern monitor. For 2560x1440, the High preset at 93.6 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a frame rate that is well above 60 FPS, ensuring a responsive and smooth experience.

For 3840x2160, the situation is more delicate. The Medium preset at 60.4 FPS is the highest quality option that maintains a playable frame rate, but it is right on the edge. For a more consistent experience, the Low preset at 77 FPS is the safer choice, providing a higher average FPS that will keep the game feeling fluid even in demanding scenes. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at 4K, as their average FPS of 49 and 41 respectively will result in a subpar experience. The data suggests that for a 4K setup, the user should prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity and select the Low or Medium preset.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: The benchmark data shows an average FPS of 41 at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is not a smooth experience. This preset is not recommended for 4K play.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440 gaming?

A: The High preset provides an average of 93.6 FPS, which offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset is a good alternative if you want to ensure a higher frame rate, as it averages 110.7 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K. It is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 9070 a high-performance GPU?

A: Yes, its performance percentile of 79 indicates it is better than 79% of all GPUs in the database. Its Passmark G3D score is 25381.

Q: What is the most demanding setting for the GPU?

A: The data indicates that the Ultra preset is the most demanding, as it yields the lowest average FPS across all resolutions. At 1080p it averages 111.6 FPS, but this drops to 75.1 FPS at 1440p and 41 FPS at 4K.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 146.4, which provides a very smooth experience for high-refresh-rate monitors. This is a significant improvement over the 49 FPS seen at 4K with the same settings.