The Technomancer

The Technomancer, an Action RPG released in 2016, presents a demanding workload even for modern hardware. The measured data for the Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 reveals a configuration that is firmly capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, with clear scaling trends that shift the bottleneck between CPU and GPU depending on resolution and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows distinct scaling behavior as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, highlighting where the performance ceiling lies for this combo. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 153 FPS, but dropping to Low settings pushes this to 233 FPS. This massive jump of 80 FPS when lowering settings indicates that at 1080p, the GPU is not the primary limiting factor—the CPU and its ability to feed frames become more relevant, yet the system still delivers extremely high output.

Moving to 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 100 FPS, a 35% reduction from the 1080p High figure. The Low preset at 1440p produces 152 FPS, which is still a very strong result but notably 81 FPS lower than the 1080p Low score. This demonstrates that as resolution climbs, the GPU begins to take on more responsibility, but the engine's frame rates remain far above playable thresholds.

At 3840x2160, the scaling becomes more pronounced. The High preset averages 55 FPS, which is a 45% drop from the 1440p High number and a 64% drop from the 1080p High score. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 43 FPS, which is the lowest measured result in the set. The Low preset at 4K still manages 84 FPS, showing that even at this high resolution, the GPU retains significant headroom when graphical load is reduced.

The pattern is clear: the frame rate penalty from 1080p to 4K is steep, particularly at High and Ultra settings, but the Low preset at 4K remains playable. The limiting component shifts from the CPU at 1080p (where the GPU is less strained) to the GPU at 4K (where pixel throughput and memory bandwidth become the ceiling). The fact that the 4K Ultra score of 43 FPS is lower than the 1080p High score of 153 FPS by 110 FPS illustrates the GPU's dominant role at the highest resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 brings 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in the observed 4K performance, as the game's scene complexity at Ultra settings requires substantial bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz support its compute throughput, but the actual in-game results show a clear relationship: at 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is not the bottleneck, while at 4K it becomes one.

The RTX 0's Ada Lovelace architecture with 5888 shading units and 184 TMUs provides the raw processing power for the frame rates measured. At 4K Ultra, the average of 43 FPS is a clear indicator that the GPU is the limiting component, as the processor's capability (10 cores, 16 threads) should handle the game's CPU demands without issue. The 4K High result of 55 FPS reinforces this, as it sits only 12 FPS below the Medium preset's 64 FPS, showing that the memory bandwidth and compute are the binding constraints.

The GPU's 12 GB VRAM is not a bottleneck in these tests, as the recorded FPS values do not suggest any memory-related stutters or floor. The lack of min FPS data for most rows makes it impossible to assess frame pacing, but the Medium presets at all resolutions show a min FPS that is typically 17-20% below the average, indicating a stable performance envelope.

The 200 W TDP and 1x 16-pin power connector are consistent with the card's performance class, but the measured FPS data is the primary evidence of its behavior. The RTX 4070's percentile rank of 81st among all GPUs is reflected in the 1080p High score of 153 FPS, which is a result that places this combo in the top tier for high-refresh monitors.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This Alder Lake-S chip provides substantial multi-threaded and single-threaded performance. In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is most clearly visible at 1080p, where the GPU is less likely to be the bottleneck. The 1080p Low score of 233 FPS represents a scenario where the CPU is delivering high frame generation, while the 1080p Ultra score of 119 FPS shows that even at higher settings, the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output.

The benchmark results for the i5-12600KF, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23,391 and a single-core score of 3,302, indicate strong processing power that is likely to prevent CPU-bound frame drops in this game. The 3DMark scores, including 7,956 for 16 threads and 6,128 for 8 threads, further indicate that the processor has enough headroom for the game's AI and physics calculations.

At 1440p and 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The 1440p High score of 100 FPS and the 4K High score of 55 FPS are both higher than what would be expected if the CPU were a major constraint. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide a solid foundation for game data access, and the 10 nm process node ensures efficient power delivery.

The CPU's percentile rank of 79th among all CPUs and its average benchmark score of 27,799 place it in the upper echelon of processors, but in this game, the CPU is clearly not the limiting factor at any resolution. The data shows that the i5-12600KF can easily feed the RTX 4070 at 1080p, as evidenced by the High preset's 153 FPS, and it does not create a significant bottleneck even at 4K Ultra where the GPU struggles.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS values provide a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset records an average of 43 FPS. The High preset improves to 55 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 64 FPS with a min of 55 FPS and a max of 74 FPS. The Low preset at 4K achieves 84 FPS, which is a 95% uplift over Ultra, demonstrating that the GPU's memory and compute are the primary limits.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 78 FPS. The High preset jumps to 100 FPS, and the Medium preset hits 117 FPS with a min of 99 FPS and a max of 134 FPS. The Low preset at 152 FPS is the highest 1440p result, showing that even at this resolution, the CPU can push the GPU to high frame rates when settings are reduced.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 119 FPS, the High preset averages 153 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 179 FPS with a min of 152 FPS and a max of 206 FPS. The Low preset at 233 FPS is the best result in the entire set, indicating that the combo is well-balanced for competitive play at the lowest settings.

The data also shows that the Medium preset offers the best balance of frame rate and visual quality, with 1440p and 1080p both exceeding 100 FPS and 4K achieving 64 FPS. The Ultra preset is only viable at 1080p, where it still delivers 119 FPS, but it falls below 60 FPS at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combo ranks 847th out of 3,696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 23% of all combos, indicating that it is a high-performance pairing for this game.

The GPU's percentile rank of 81st and the CPU's rank of 79th both contribute to this overall standing, but the game's benchmarks reveal that the GPU has more influence on the final ranking than the CPU. The combo's position in the ranking reflects its ability to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, where the CPU and GPU work well together, but the 4K results are less competitive due to the GPU's frame rate limits.

The measured FPS data supports this ranking: the combo is in the upper quartile for 1080p and 1440p performance, but the 4K results are only average for a modern GPU. The ranking also suggests that other combos with similar CPU performance but a more powerful GPU might achieve a higher rank, but the i5-12600KF's strong single-thread capabilities contribute to the solid results in this specific game.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The average FPS is 100 at 2560x1440 with the High preset.

Q: Does the combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K?

A: The 4K High preset averages 55 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. The 4K Medium preset achieves 64 FPS, which is above 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best FPS result in the entire benchmark set?

A: The 1080p Low preset achieves 233 FPS, which is the highest average frame rate recorded.

Q: What is the ranking of this combo among all tested combos?

A: The combo ranks 847th out of 3,696 combinations, placing it in the top 23%.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A:** No, the data shows that the CPU can deliver 233 FPS at 1080p Low and 153 FPS at 1080p High, indicating that the GPU is not bottlenecked by the CPU at this resolution.

Q: What is the min FPS for the 4K Medium preset?

A:** The min FPS is 55 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data indicates that the Medium preset is the most balanced choice across all resolutions. At 1080p, the Medium preset yields 179 FPS with a min of 152 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh monitors and provides a stable frame pacing. The High preset at 1080p is also strong at 153 FPS, but the Medium preset offers higher headroom.

For those aiming for 1440p gaming, the Medium preset at 117 FPS with a min of 99 FPS is the sweet spot, delivering smooth gameplay at high refresh rates. The High preset at 100 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset ensures a more consistent frame. The Low preset at 152 FPS is the best for competitive play where the highest possible frame rate is desired, but it sacrifices visual quality.

At 4K, the Medium preset is the only setting that achieves a playable average of 64 FPS, with a min of 55 FPS that may dip below a strict 60 FPS target. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 43 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 91 FPS is a viable option for 4K if visual fidelity is not a priority, but it still provides a smooth frame.

For the best overall experience, the Medium preset is recommended across all resolutions, as it offers the highest frame rates while maintaining stability. The Ultra preset is only recommendable at 1080p, where it still achieves 119 FPS, but the Medium preset is superior for frame consistency and still provides a high visual quality. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor, and lowering settings from Ultra to Medium yields the largest gains in performance, making it the optimal trade-off for this combo.