The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060. The measured data reveals a configuration that is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p but begins to struggle as resolution scales up, clearly indicating where the bottleneck shifts between the CPU and GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data across the three tested resolutions paints a clear picture of a system where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises. At 1920x1080, the combination produces very high average frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 157 FPS and High reaching 103 FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the workload is light enough for the Radeon RX 9060 to push frames rapidly, and the Core i5-12400F is able to feed it adequately.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop significantly across all settings. The High preset falls from 103 FPS to 67 FPS, a reduction of 36 FPS. Low drops from 157 FPS to 102 FPS. This is a substantial hit, representing roughly a 35% performance loss when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the increased pixel count directly translates to more work for the renderer.

The jump to 3840x2160 (4K) is even more punishing. High settings plummet to 37 FPS, and Ultra dips to just 29 FPS. Even the Low preset, which was incredibly fast at 1080p with 157 FPS, only manages 56 FPS at 4K. The data shows that the RX 9060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth, simply does not have the raw throughput to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is non-linear, with the 4K Ultra preset being nearly unplayable.

The implication is that the limiting component at higher resolutions is the GPU. The CPU's role becomes less critical as resolution increases because the frame rate drops, giving the processor more time to prepare each frame. The performance curve suggests that for a smooth experience, users should target 1080p or 1440p, as 4K demands settings so low that the visual quality is compromised.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores indicate solid multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a Geekbench multicore score of 9472. The single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1680 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3481.

In the context of The Technomancer, this CPU appears to be more than sufficient to keep up with the GPU at lower resolutions. The fact that the 1080p Low preset achieves 157 FPS indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at that point. However, the data suggests that the CPU's headroom is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions either. The frame rate drops are so steep that they can only be attributed to the GPU's rendering capabilities.

The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache likely help with the game's data streaming. The benchmark results show that the i5-12400F performs in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with a score of 19047 (0% delta), and the Intel Core i5-1335U with a score of 18982 (0.3% delta). This indicates that the CPU is a mid-to-high-range performer, well-suited for gaming.

The data implies that the CPU is not the primary constraint in this pairing. Even at 4K Ultra, where the game is clearly GPU-limited, the CPU is likely not running at full capacity. The core count and clock speeds are adequate for the game's demands, which seem to be more heavily weighted towards the graphics processor. The combination of 6 cores and 12 threads provides enough parallelism for modern game engines without becoming a weak link.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration of the Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1632 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the lower-middle range of all tested systems, which is a somewhat surprising result given the individual component specifications. The percentile ranking suggests that many other CPU-GPU pairings are capable of achieving higher frame rates in this specific title.

The combo rank of 1632 out of 2825 indicates that while this system can play the game, it is not among the top performers. This is likely due to the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, which pulls down the overall average performance. The RX 9060's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with an average score of 16129 (a -0.7% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 with a score of 15852 (a 1% delta). This places the RX 9060 in a competitive performance tier, but not at the top.

The rank also reflects that many other combinations, perhaps with more powerful GPUs or better-suited CPUs, achieve higher frame rates. However, the data shows that this combo is capable of delivering playable performance, particularly at 1080p. The ranking is a holistic measure that averages performance across all settings and resolutions, so the 4K results likely drag the overall rank down. If the ranking were only based on 1080p performance, it would likely be much higher.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a detailed look at how this system performs across different settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly capable of high refresh rate gaming. The Low preset achieves an average of 157 FPS, Medium hits 120 FPS (with a minimum of 102 FPS and a maximum of 138 FPS), High reaches 103 FPS, and Ultra manages a solid 80 FPS. This range of performance gives users plenty of options for competitive play or high-fidelity visuals without sacrificing smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops to a level that is still playable but less headroomy. The Low preset averages 102 FPS, Medium drops to 79 FPS (minimum 67 FPS, maximum 90 FPS), High falls to 67 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1440p is a viable resolution for this combo, but users will need to adjust settings to maintain a 60+ FPS experience. The High and Ultra presets fall below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable in fast-paced action sequences.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is borderline. Medium drops to 43 FPS (minimum 37 FPS, maximum 50 FPS), High falls to 37 FPS, and Ultra drops to a stuttery 29 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth of the RX 9060 are insufficient for 4K gaming in this title. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a realistic target for this combination unless the user is willing to accept significant visual compromises for a marginally playable frame rate.

The FPS data also shows a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra settings is significant. At 1080p, the difference is 77 FPS (157 vs 80). At 1440p, it is 50 FPS (102 vs 52). At 4K, it is 27 FPS (56 vs 29). This indicates that the graphics settings have a substantial impact on performance, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 1080p with high settings?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 103 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F bottlenecking the AMD Radeon RX 9060 in this game?

A: The data suggests it is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 157 FPS, indicating the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU effectively. The significant frame rate drops at higher resolutions point to the GPU as the limiting factor.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combination?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the best resolution. All settings presets, from Low (157 FPS) to Ultra (80 FPS), are playable. 2560x1440 is also viable, but users will need to use Low or Medium settings to stay above 60 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this setup?

A: It is not recommended. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 56 (Low preset), and the Ultra preset only achieves 29 FPS. The GPU does not have enough bandwidth or VRAM to deliver a smooth 4K experience.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is -0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852, which is 1% lower.

Q: What is the relative performance of the CPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039 and is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, scores 19047, which is essentially identical (0% delta).

Settings Recommendations

The measured frame rate data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience in The Technomancer. For users with a 1080p monitor, the High preset (103 FPS) is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium (120 FPS) with only a 17 FPS cost. The Ultra preset (80 FPS) is also viable, providing the best visual fidelity while still maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. There is little reason to use the Low preset at this resolution, as even Ultra offers a smooth experience.

For 1440p displays, the situation is more nuanced. The Low preset (102 FPS) is the only one that provides a high refresh rate experience. The Medium preset (79 FPS) is acceptable, but the minimum FPS of 67 suggests there could be occasional dips. The High preset (67 FPS) is right at the edge of the 60 FPS threshold, and the Ultra preset (52 FPS) drops below it. The data suggests that for a balanced experience at 1440p, the Medium preset is the best choice, as it offers a good visual compromise while keeping the average FPS in a playable range.

At 4K, none of the presets offer an ideal experience. The Low preset (56 FPS) is the only one that approaches playability, but it requires significant visual sacrifices. The Medium preset (43 FPS) and High preset (37 FPS) are too slow for a smooth action RPG, and the Ultra preset (29 FPS) is unplayable. The recommendation is to avoid 4K with this combo and instead target 1440p or 1080p. If 4K is necessary, the Low preset is the only option, but users should expect a compromised experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the clear determinant of performance in this pairing, especially at higher resolutions. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, the memory bandwidth is 288.0 GB/s. This is a modest figure for a modern GPU, and it directly impacts the 4K performance. The GPU's boost clock is 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz, and it has 1792 shading units. The texture rate is 334.9 GTexel/s, and the pixel rate is 191.4 GPixel/s.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a mixed profile. Its Passmark G3D score is 17631, which is in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. However, its DirectX 12 score is only 44, and its DirectX 11 score is 182. These low API-specific scores are unusual and may indicate driver overhead or architectural quirks. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 88183, while the Vulkan score is 39476. These numbers suggest that the GPU performs better in compute-heavy workloads than in traditional rasterization.

The 4K data shows the GPU's limitations. The fact that the 4K Low preset (56 FPS) is significantly slower than the 1080p Ultra preset (80 FPS) highlights how the GPU struggles with pixel throughput. The 8 GB VRAM is likely a constraint at 4K, as the game may require more memory for high-resolution textures. This is supported by the steep drop from 1440p High (67 FPS) to 4K High (37 FPS), which is a 45% performance loss.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129 (-0.7% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700, which scores 15852 (1% delta). This indicates that the RX 9060 is positioned in a competitive tier, but its performance in The Technomancer is limited by its memory bandwidth and capacity. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary component to upgrade if users want to improve performance at 1440p or 4K in this title.