The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both CPU and GPU. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, providing a data-driven look at how this combination handles the game. The benchmark results show a system capable of solid 1080p and 1440p play, but one that falls short of 4K Ultra smoothness, with the CPU proving sufficient and the GPU acting as the primary bottleneck at higher settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, featuring a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample fast memory for game data. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor scores 21,914 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,093 in single-core, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 32,508 is virtually tied with the Intel Core i7-12800H, which has a deltaPct of 0, and is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645.

For The Technomancer, the CPU's performance is more than adequate. The game is not heavily threaded, and the i5-14400F's strong single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 score, ensures that the game's main logic thread is handled without issue. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 149.1 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not a limiting factor even when the GPU load is low. The processor's 65 W TDP also means it runs efficiently, leaving headroom for the GPU to be the primary workload driver. The data shows that as resolution increases, the impact of the CPU diminishes, with the GPU becoming the clear performance bottleneck. The i5-14400F provides a stable foundation, ensuring that frame rates are governed by the graphics card, not the processor.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the optimal settings for each resolution. For a 60 FPS target, the sweet spot is 1440p with High settings, which yields an average of 64.2 FPS. This provides a significantly better visual experience than the 1080p Ultra preset, which averages 76.6 FPS, by offering higher resolution detail while maintaining a comfortable frame rate. At 1080p, Medium settings at 113 FPS is an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors, as it provides a substantial frame rate boost over High (97.7 FPS) and Ultra (76.6 FPS) without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

At 4K, the RX 6650 XT struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The High preset averages 37.6 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS, both of which are below the 30 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Dropping to Medium at 4K yields 41.2 FPS, which is still not ideal. The Low preset at 4K reaches 51.3 FPS, but the visual compromise is likely too severe. For this combination, 1440p High is the recommended balance of visual quality and performance. Pushing to Ultra at 1440p drops the average to 47.5 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but High is the better option for maintaining a consistent 60 FPS experience in The Technomancer.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K resolution with playable frame rates?

A: No. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 29, and at High it is 37.6. These are below the 60 FPS target and even struggle to maintain a stable 30 FPS, indicating the GPU is not powerful enough for a smooth 4K experience.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 60 FPS target at 1440p?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 64.2 FPS, making it the only 1440p setting in the data that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS mark. The Medium preset averages 74.2 FPS, but High offers better visuals while still maintaining a solid frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32,508. This is exactly tied with the Intel Core i7-12800H (deltaPct of 0), and it is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645. It is also 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 250 and the Intel Core i7-13705H.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for performance in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 149.1 FPS, but this drops to 76.6 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This significant change with graphics settings indicates that the GPU is being stressed more as settings increase, while the CPU's performance remains sufficient.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 149.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 76.6 FPS. This represents a substantial performance gap of 72.5 FPS, showing the large impact of graphics settings on this GPU.

Q: What is the GPU's relative standing among all tested graphics cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 29,024 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 6800M (deltaPct of 0) and the AMD Radeon RX 470 (deltaPct of 0.1).

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is ranked 1069 out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the system in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the measured FPS data. While the CPU is a high-performing part, the RX 6650 XT is a mid-range GPU, and this pairing is held back by the graphics card's capabilities, especially at higher resolutions. The ranking suggests that while this combo will handle 1080p and 1440p well, it is not among the top-tier systems for this game, which would likely feature more powerful GPUs.

The rank of 1069 is a strong indicator that the system provides a balanced but not exceptional experience. It outperforms many older or lower-end combinations, but it is clearly outclassed by systems with higher-end graphics cards. The data implies that for a user with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, this is a very capable setup. However, for those seeking 4K performance or maximum frame rates, this combination would be a limiting factor. The ranking is a direct result of the GPU's performance ceiling, which is a common theme throughout the benchmark results.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a Navi 23 chip. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2055 MHz and a boost clock of 2635 MHz, with a game clock of 2410 MHz. Its 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s. The GPU's FP32 performance is 10.79 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is relevant for modern game features.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is critical. The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling of performance with settings. At 1080p, the GPU is able to push high frame rates, with Low settings hitting 149.1 FPS. However, as the settings are increased to Ultra, the frame rate drops to 76.6 FPS, showing the GPU is working harder. The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p play, but at 4K, the demands of the game become too great. The data shows a significant drop in performance at 3840x2160, with even the High preset only averaging 37.6 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are not enough to handle the 4K workload, making the RX 6650 XT a solid choice for 1440p but not for 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured performance data for The Technomancer provides a comprehensive look at how this combo scales across different settings. At the 1920x1080 resolution, the system delivers high frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 149.1 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. Moving up to Medium, the average is 113 FPS, still very smooth. The High preset averages 97.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 76.6 FPS. All 1080p settings are playable, with even the most demanding preset staying above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's limits. The Low preset averages 95.9 FPS, providing a great experience. Medium settings yield 74.2 FPS, and High settings achieve 64.2 FPS, which is the recommended setting for a 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 47.5 FPS, which may not be smooth enough for all players. This shows a clear trade-off between visual quality and performance at this resolution.

The 3840x2160 resolution proves to be too demanding for this combination. The Low preset is the only one that comes close to a playable frame rate, averaging 51.3 FPS. Medium settings drop to 41.2 FPS, and High falls to 37.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging just 29 FPS. These results confirm that the RX 6650 XT is not suited for 4K gaming in The Technomancer, and users should stick to 1440p or 1080p for a smooth experience. The data consistently shows a performance hierarchy: lower settings yield higher frame rates, and lower resolutions yield higher frame rates, with the GPU being the main determinant of performance.