The Technomancer

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 lands at rank 568 out of 1656 tested combinations in The Technomancer. That places this combo in the top 34% of all configurations tested, a solidly above-average standing. The CPU itself holds an 84th percentile ranking against all processors, while the GPU sits at the 79th percentile against all graphics cards. This suggests a balanced pairing where neither component dramatically outclasses the other, yet both contribute to a competitive overall position for a game released in 2016.

The rank of 568 implies that roughly two-thirds of tested combos deliver higher frame rates in this title. However, the measured data reveals this is not a weak performer by any means. The combination of a 10-core, 16-thread Alder Lake processor with a modern RDNA 4.0 GPU produces results that should satisfy most players targeting high refresh rates at 1440p. The i5-12600KF's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-10900K with a delta of 0%, the Core i5-12600K at -0.1%, and the Core Ultra 5 125H at -0.2% — all essentially identical in average benchmark score. This means the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class, with no anomalies dragging the combo down.

# GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 brings 16 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 256-bit bus, yielding 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 1330 MHz, with a game clock of 2070 MHz and a boost clock reaching 2520 MHz. These specifications position the card comfortably in the upper tier of graphics hardware, though its 79th percentile ranking against all GPUs indicates there is faster silicon available.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution climbs. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 42.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The memory capacity of 16 GB is more than sufficient for this title, as The Technomancer's 2016 engine does not demand the massive texture pools seen in modern releases. The 128 ROPs and 224 TMUs handle the game's rendering workload effectively, with a pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 564.5 GTexel/s supporting the measured results.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the NVIDIA A2 at -0.2%, the NVIDIA Quadro GV100 at +0.3%, and the AMD Radeon HD 7970 at +0.7% — all within a fraction of a percent of the RX 9070's average score. This clustering suggests the RX 9070 delivers performance consistent with its position, neither overperforming nor underperforming relative to comparable hardware.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Built on Intel's 10 nm Alder Lake architecture, this processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache provides ample headroom for game logic and physics calculations.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's influence is most apparent at lower resolutions where frame rates climb high enough to expose processor limitations. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 216.5 FPS, a figure that likely approaches the ceiling imposed by the CPU's single-thread performance. The 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3309 indicate strong per-core capability, which matters for a game from 2016 that may not scale perfectly across 16 threads.

The processor's average benchmark score of 27827 places it nearly identical to the Core i9-10900K at 27829, with a delta of 0%. The i5-12600KF also matches the i5-12600K at 27851 (-0.1%) and the Core Ultra 5 125H at 27872 (-0.2%). This tight clustering confirms the CPU delivers expected performance for its tier. With a TDP of 125 W and a launch MSRP of $264, the i5-12600KF provides substantial multi-threaded capability, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23444.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates span three resolutions and four quality presets. At 3840x2160, the combo produces 42.9 FPS on Ultra, 48.6 FPS on High, 59.9 FPS on Medium, and 81 FPS on Low. Stepping down to 2560x1440 yields 70.7 FPS on Ultra, 94.4 FPS on High, 110.1 FPS on Medium, and 144.5 FPS on Low. At 1920x1080, the results are 109.9 FPS on Ultra, 143.2 FPS on High, 168 FPS on Medium, and 216.5 FPS on Low.

These numbers reveal a clear progression: higher resolutions and quality settings consistently reduce average frame rates. The gap between Low and Ultra at each resolution is substantial. At 1080p, the difference is 106.6 FPS — from 216.5 down to 109.9. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 73.8 FPS, and at 4K it tightens to 38.1 FPS. This pattern indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, compressing the performance range across settings.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and informative. At High settings, 1080p yields 143.2 FPS, 1440p yields 94.4 FPS, and 4K yields 48.6 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p represents a 34% reduction, while moving from 1440p to 4K cuts performance by another 48%. From 1080p to 4K, the total reduction is 66% at High settings.

This scaling pattern points to the GPU as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The RX 9070's 16 GB memory and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth are taxed heavily by 4K rendering, even for a 2016 title. At Low settings, the same trend holds: 216.5 FPS at 1080p drops to 144.5 FPS at 1440p and 81 FPS at 4K — a 63% total reduction. The consistency of this drop across settings suggests the resolution scaling is driven by pixel throughput rather than texture or shading complexity.

# Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that Ultra settings are only viable at 1080p, where 109.9 FPS remains comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p Ultra, the 70.7 FPS average is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. At 4K Ultra, the 42.9 FPS result falls below the smoothness standard most players expect.

High settings present a more versatile option. At 1080p, 143.2 FPS provides excellent responsiveness for fast-paced action. At 1440p, 94.4 FPS balances visual quality with fluid motion. Even at 4K, High settings achieve 48.6 FPS, which is borderline but workable for slower gameplay moments.

Medium settings unlock higher refresh rates across all resolutions. The 4K Medium result of 59.9 FPS nearly hits the 60 FPS target, while 1440p Medium delivers 110.1 FPS and 1080p Medium reaches 168 FPS. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, Medium offers the best compromise between image quality and performance. Low settings are only necessary for extreme refresh rates, with 216.5 FPS at 1080p and 144.5 FPS at 1440p.

# FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in The Technomancer?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF with AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 568 out of 1656 tested combos, placing it in the top 34% of all configurations tested.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average at 2560x1440 with High settings is 94.4 FPS, which provides smooth gameplay well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is this GPU capable of 4K gaming in this title?

A: At 4K, the RX 9070 delivers 48.6 FPS on High and 59.9 FPS on Medium. Ultra settings drop to 42.9 FPS, so 4K is playable but requires accepting lower quality presets.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The i5-12600KF scores 27827, essentially matching the Core i9-10900K at 27829 (0% delta), the Core i5-12600K at 27851 (-0.1%), and the Core Ultra 5 125H at 27872 (-0.2%).

Q: What settings provide the best experience at 1080p?

A: Ultra settings at 1080p achieve 109.9 FPS, which is above 60 FPS and offers the highest visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay.

Q: Does this combination hit 144 FPS at any resolution?

A: Yes, at 1080p Low the combo reaches 216.5 FPS, and at 1440p Low it achieves 144.5 FPS. Medium settings at 1080p also deliver 168 FPS.