The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates CPU and GPU responsibilities. For the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination, the benchmark data shows a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions but capable of delivering excellent frame rates at 1080p. The measured results indicate that this pairing is best suited for 1440p High settings, where it achieves a playable 59.7 FPS, while 4K gaming requires significant graphical compromises to remain fluid.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 2560x1440 with High settings provides the best balance, delivering an average of 59.7 FPS. This is the highest resolution where the system consistently hits the 60 FPS target with quality visuals.

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

A: The data shows that 4K (3840x2160) is possible but challenging. At High settings, the average FPS drops to 35.7, which is below the smoothness threshold. To get a playable 53.1 FPS at 4K, settings must be reduced to Low.

Q: How does the i5-12400's single-thread performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i5-12400 has a 3dmark_single_thread score of 910. Its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-9700 and Intel Core i7-8700, have average benchmark scores within 0.1% and -0.2% of the i5-12400, respectively, indicating very similar overall performance.

Q: What is the GPU's relative performance ranking?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has a percentile rank of 69 against all GPUs, and its average benchmark score is 25120. This places it in a competitive position, with its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, being only 0.2% slower in average score.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is significant. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 142 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 70.6 FPS. This represents a 71.4 FPS drop, or roughly a 50% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The FPS drops significantly from 1080p (92.3 FPS at High) to 4K (35.7 FPS at High), which is a classic indicator of the GPU becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its L3 cache is 18 MB shared. In the context of The Technomancer, a 2016 title, the CPU's role is to handle the game's simulation and logic threads. The benchmark data shows that the CPU's performance is more than adequate for this task, as the frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU at higher resolutions.

The i5-12400's multi-threaded capabilities are robust, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15935. However, the game's engine appears to be more sensitive to single-thread performance, where the CPU scores 2249 in Cinebench R23 singlecore. This is a strong result, ensuring that the game's main thread does not become a bottleneck. The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, has an average score of 19831, a negligible 0.1% difference, confirming that the i5-12400's processing power is on par with older high-end chips.

The data implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is a direct result of GPU load. For instance, at 1080p High, the system achieves 92.3 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 35.7 FPS. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU is able to feed frames faster than the GPU can render them at higher resolutions. The 12 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and the game's logic, ensuring consistent performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing for The Technomancer. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU's boost clock is 1665 MHz, and it has a substantial 4864 shading units. The GPU's performance profile is defined by its memory bandwidth and raw compute power, which are heavily taxed by the game's rendering requirements.

The RTX 3060 Ti's role is to manage the graphical fidelity, and the data shows it is the primary determinant of frame rate. The GPU has a percentile rank of 69 against all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 25120. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, scores 25180, a delta of -0.2%, indicating that the RTX 3060 Ti is competitively positioned within its performance class.

The impact of the GPU is most evident in the resolution scaling. The measured FPS shows that the GPU's workload increases dramatically with resolution. At 1080p Low, the GPU can output 142 FPS. When the resolution is increased to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 93.8 FPS. This trend continues to 4K Low, where it falls to 53.1 FPS. This demonstrates that the 8 GB VRAM and the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's textures, but the compute units are the limiting factor. The GPU’s 16.20 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the engine that drives these frame rates, and the data confirms that it is the bottleneck at 1440p and 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across different settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable. The average frame rates are 142 FPS on Low, 108.5 FPS on Medium, 92.3 FPS on High, and 70.6 FPS on Ultra. This shows a linear progression where each tier of settings reduces the frame rate. The gap between Low and Ultra is 71.4 FPS, which is substantial. For competitive play or high refresh rate monitors, the Low setting is the best choice, but for a balance of quality and speed, High provides a solid 92.3 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance is still strong but shows the GPU's strain. The average FPS is 93.8 on Low, 69.9 on Medium, 59.7 on High, and 47.2 on Ultra. This resolution is the sweet spot for the RTX 3060 Ti. The High preset achieves almost exactly 60 FPS, which is ideal for most gamers. The Ultra preset dips below 60 FPS, making it less desirable. The Low preset offers excellent performance but sacrifices visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The average FPS is 53.1 on Low, 39.7 on Medium, 35.7 on High, and 28.8 on Ultra. None of the settings achieve a stable 60 FPS. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, but the visual compromises are significant. The Ultra preset, with an average of 28.8 FPS, is not suitable for a smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the bottleneck.

At High settings, the FPS drops from 92.3 at 1080p to 59.7 at 1440p, a reduction of 32.6 FPS. From 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops to 35.7, a further reduction of 24 FPS. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU has enough headroom to maintain the frame rate, but the GPU's rendering workload becomes too heavy.

The scaling from 1080p Low (142 FPS) to 1440p Low (93.8 FPS) is a 48.2 FPS drop. The further drop to 4K Low (53.1 FPS) is another 40.7 FPS. This suggests that the demand on the GPU is not linear, but it increases significantly with each step up in resolution. The 4K resolution requires the GPU to process four times the number of pixels as 1080p, and the data reflects this massive increase in workload.

This scaling behavior is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively consistent across resolutions. The steep decline in FPS as resolution increases confirms that the RTX 3060 Ti's processing power is the primary constraint, and the i5-12400 is not holding the system back.

Settings Recommendations

The optimal settings depend on the user's resolution target and preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

For 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 92.3 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a high level of visual quality. The Ultra preset, at 70.6 FPS, is also viable for those who want maximum fidelity, but the 21.7 FPS drop from High might not be worth the marginal visual gains. The Low preset is recommended only for competitive play where maximizing FPS is paramount.

For 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear winner. It achieves an average of 59.7 FPS, which is essentially 60 FPS. This is the best combination of smoothness and visual quality. The Medium preset, at 69.9 FPS, is a good alternative for those who prefer a higher frame rate buffer, but the visual difference between Medium and High is noticeable. The Ultra preset, at 47.2 FPS, is not recommended due to the sub-60 FPS average.

For 3840x2160, the High and Ultra presets are not viable for a smooth experience. The Low preset, with an average of 53.1 FPS, is the only option that approaches playability. However, the visual quality is severely compromised. Gamers with 4K displays should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p and using High settings for the best experience, as the data shows that this provides a superior balance of quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti combination ranks 1206 out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum for this specific game.

This ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual component performance. The CPU is in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. However, the game's age and its specific engine demands may favor other, more specialized hardware combinations. The ranking suggests that while this combo is capable, it is not among the top performers for this title.

The relative performance of the components is strong. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19850 is nearly identical to its rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894). The GPU's average score of 25120 is also competitive, with the AMD Radeon RX 6700M scoring 25180. The combo's mid-pack ranking in the game is likely due to the specific way The Technomancer utilizes hardware, possibly showing a preference for higher core counts or different architecture traits. The data shows that the system is not a top-tier performer, but it provides a solid 60 FPS experience at 1440p High, which is a respectable outcome for a 2016 title.