The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti pairing. The data shows a system that is capable of delivering high frame rates, but the relationship between resolution, settings, and the resulting performance reveals where each component takes the lead. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand the behavior of this specific configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a smooth 60+ FPS experience?

A: According to the measured data, 2560x1440 on High settings delivers 73 FPS, while 1920x1080 on both High and Medium settings exceeds 114 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS target, 2560x1440 is the sweet spot, but 1920x1080 offers a significant margin for higher refresh rate displays.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rate drops from 59.8 FPS on Low settings to 34.5 FPS on Ultra. This represents a substantial 42.3% decrease in performance, indicating that Ultra settings are too demanding for this resolution on this hardware.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rate at 1920x1080 scales dramatically with settings, from 175.6 FPS on Low down to 93 FPS on Ultra. This heavy reliance on graphics settings indicates that the GPU is being pushed to its limits, while the CPU has enough headroom to feed it frames.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Medium presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 73 FPS, while the Medium preset achieves 86.4 FPS. This 18.4% performance gain from dropping one preset level could be a worthwhile trade-off for players seeking a higher frame rate buffer.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested hardware configurations for this game?

A: The combo is ranked 885th out of 1656 total tested combinations. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, showing that it is a competent, but not top-tier, configuration for The Technomancer.

Q: Given the frame rates, what is the highest quality setting that remains playable at 4K?

A: The Low preset at 3840x2160 is the only setting that achieves a near-60 FPS average at 59.8 FPS. The Medium and High presets fall to 46.5 and 42.8 FPS respectively, which are still playable but represent a noticeable compromise in smoothness.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the central figure in this GPU-bound scenario. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is a critical resource for feeding the shading units at higher resolutions. The data indicates that this memory subsystem is sufficient for the game's needs, as the frame rate penalty from 1080p to 1440p is not extreme.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1410 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz, are the engine that drives the measured results. The performance scaling across different settings at the same resolution is a direct consequence of these clocks and the 4864 shading units. For example, at 2560x1440, the difference between Low (114.2 FPS) and Ultra (58.1 FPS) is a 49.1% reduction in frame rate, which is a clear indication of the GPU's workload increasing with each preset level.

The RTX 3060 Ti, with a percentile ranking of 69 versus all GPUs, is a solid mid-range performer. In this specific title, it shows its strength at 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 20349 reinforces its position, and the measured data suggests that the card is well-utilized, as the performance is heavily influenced by settings that primarily affect the GPU. The GPU is the clear limiting factor in this combination, as evidenced by the steep performance cliffs at higher settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset at 114.6 FPS is the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, offering a substantial frame rate buffer. The Medium preset at 132.8 FPS is also excellent, but the visual boost from High is likely worth the minor FPS cost for most users. The Ultra preset at 93 FPS is still very playable and would be the choice for those who prioritize maximum visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 73 FPS is the recommended choice, as it stays comfortably above the 60 FPS target while providing a good level of detail. Dropping to Medium (86.4 FPS) is a viable option for those who want a higher refresh rate experience, but the High preset is a well-rounded recommendation. The Ultra preset at 58.1 FPS is on the edge of playability and may be acceptable for those who prefer visuals over absolute smoothness.

For 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset at 59.8 FPS is the only setting that achieves a stable 60 FPS experience. The Medium (46.5 FPS) and High (42.8 FPS) presets are playable but require a tolerance for lower frame rates. Given the data, the Low preset is the only one that provides a truly smooth experience at 4K, indicating that this resolution is a stretch for the RTX 3060 Ti in this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is ranked 885th out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the 53rd percentile of all tested configurations, which is a solidly average position. The data suggests that while this system is capable of running the game well, there are many other hardware pairings that deliver higher performance.

This ranking is likely a reflection of the game's age and its demands. The Technomancer is not a particularly demanding title by modern standards, so a wide range of hardware can run it. The RTX 3060 Ti, while a strong GPU, is not at the top of the performance stack, and the i5-12600KF, despite its high benchmark scores, is not a top-tier enthusiast CPU. The combination of a strong mid-range CPU and a solid mid-range GPU results in a system that performs well but is outranked by configurations with more powerful components.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 27827 places it near the Intel Core i9-10900K, with a deltaPct of 0, showing that it is a very capable processor. However, the game's performance is so heavily GPU-limited that this CPU strength is not fully reflected in the game's frame rates. The combo's rank of 885 suggests that while the CPU is not a bottleneck, the overall system performance is capped by the GPU's capabilities, especially at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores (6 Performance and 4 Efficient) and 16 threads, is a powerful processor that is more than capable of handling The Technomancer's requirements. Its architecture, Alder Lake, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensure that it can feed the GPU with data without becoming a limiting factor. The benchmark data supports this, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23444 and a single-core score of 3309, indicating exceptional processing power.

In this specific game, the CPU's role is to provide a stable foundation for the GPU to work. The measured frame rates show that the performance is overwhelmingly determined by the graphics settings, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high scores in synthetic benchmarks, such as the PassMark multithread score of 27575, confirm that it has ample headroom. The data shows that the CPU is not the performance limiter here; the GPU is.

The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory help to ensure that data is readily available. The i5-12600KF's performance relative to its rivals, such as being within 0.1% of the Intel Core i5-12600K and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13700H in average benchmark scores, shows it is a top-tier performer in its class. However, in The Technomancer, this CPU power is largely untapped, as the game's engine and the GPU's workload are the primary determinants of the final frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high across the board. The Low preset leads with 175.6 FPS, followed by Medium at 132.8 FPS, High at 114.6 FPS, and Ultra at 93 FPS. This shows a clear and consistent progression of performance cost as visual fidelity increases.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show a more significant drop. The Low preset achieves 114.2 FPS, which is a 35% decrease from the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset hits 86.4 FPS, High reaches 73 FPS, and Ultra falls to 58.1 FPS. The gap between the 1080p and 1440p results highlights the increased load on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a substantial hit. The Low preset is the only one to stay above 60 FPS, averaging 59.8 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 46.5 FPS, High to 42.8 FPS, and Ultra to 34.5 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is only feasible at the lowest settings with this hardware. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 42.3% drop in frame rate, demonstrating the immense pressure that 4K resolution places on the RTX 3060 Ti.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that points directly to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on High settings yields a drop from 114.6 FPS to 73 FPS, a 36.3% reduction. This is a significant performance cost for the increase in pixel count.

The scaling from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is even more severe. On High settings, the frame rate drops from 73 FPS to 42.8 FPS, a 41.4% reduction. This steep decline at higher resolutions is the hallmark of a GPU-limited system. The CPU, with its high performance, is not the constraint; the RTX 3060 Ti's rendering capabilities are being maxed out.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. For example, on Ultra settings, the frame rate goes from 93 FPS at 1080p to 58.1 FPS at 1440p, and then to 34.5 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling behavior indicates that the performance is directly tied to the GPU's fill rate and shading power. The data strongly suggests that to improve 4K performance, a more powerful GPU would be required, as the current one is clearly the limiting component in this configuration.