The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a distinctive load profile that shifts between CPU and GPU limitation depending on resolution and quality settings. The data for the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT combination reveals a component pairing that is well-balanced at 1440p but becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution climbs. The benchmark results, measured across three resolutions and four quality presets, provide a clear picture of where this system’s strengths and bottlenecks lie.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second (FPS) data shows how the system’s performance degrades as pixel count increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 180.9 FPS, which is the highest score recorded in the entire dataset. This figure indicates that at lower resolutions, the game is not heavily taxing the graphics card, allowing the CPU’s 10 cores and 16 threads to drive frame generation to very high levels. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset, the average FPS drops to 118.1, a reduction of 62.8 FPS. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls further to 62.7 FPS.

This scaling pattern suggests that the frame rate ceiling at 1080p is primarily set by the CPU. The jump from 1080p to 1440p results in a 34.7% performance decrease at Low settings, which is a substantial hit that indicates the GPU is starting to take on more work. However, the most dramatic scaling occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, the system produces 78.6 FPS at 1440p but only 41.5 FPS at 4K, representing a 47.2% drop. This steep decline is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the limiting component, as the RX 6750 XT’s 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are saturated by the higher pixel workload.

The data shows that resolution scaling is not linear. At Ultra settings, the frame rates are 93.8 FPS (1080p), 57.7 FPS (1440p), and 34.7 FPS (4K). The gap between 1080p and 1440p at Ultra is 36.1 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 23.0 FPS. This indicates that while the absolute FPS numbers decrease, the relative percentage drop is steeper at higher resolutions, confirming that the GPU’s compute resources, specifically its 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs, are the primary factor limiting performance beyond 1080p. The benchmark results clearly indicate that the i5-14400F is not a bottleneck at 1440p or 4K, as the FPS scaling follows the expected pattern of GPU-bound workloads.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT, based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 22 chip, plays a decisive role in this game’s performance envelope. Its base clock of 2150 MHz and boost clock of 2600 MHz provide the raw processing speed, while the 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers a memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The data shows that this memory configuration is sufficient for The Technomancer at all tested settings, as there are no anomalous frame rate collapses that would indicate VRAM capacity issues.

The GPU’s compute throughput is rated at 13.31 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. This figure correlates with the observed performance at 1080p, where the card produces 117 FPS at High settings and 93.8 FPS at Ultra settings. The difference between these two presets is 23.2 FPS, which is a modest penalty for the increased visual fidelity. At 1440p, the gap between High and Ultra narrows to 20.9 FPS, with scores of 78.6 and 57.7 respectively. This narrowing suggests that the GPU is approaching its compute limit, and the additional graphical effects in the Ultra preset have a proportionally larger impact on frame time.

The GPU’s percentile rank is 79, meaning it outperforms 79% of all GPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 35327 places it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, which has an average score of 35787, a delta of -1.3%. The RX 6750 XT also sits near the AMD Radeon RX 5600M, which scores 35264, a delta of 0.2%. These comparisons indicate that the card is a solid mid-to-high-range performer. In The Technomancer, the data shows that at 4K Ultra, the card produces 34.7 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold often considered playable. This result, combined with the 41.5 FPS at 4K High, demonstrates that the GPU is the definitive limiting factor at 4K, while at 1440p it offers a comfortable performance margin.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT holds a combo rank of 794 out of 1656 total combinations. This places the pairing in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems, which is consistent with the individual component rankings. The CPU has a percentile rank of 88, while the GPU has a percentile rank of 79, suggesting that the processor is relatively stronger than the graphics card.

The combo’s rank is a reflection of its balanced nature. The i5-14400F’s average benchmark score of 32508 is nearly identical to that of the Intel Core i7-12800H, which scores 32513, a delta of 0%. This places the CPU in a performance class that does not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. However, the data from The Technomancer shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU’s single-thread performance, measured at 3093 in Cinebench R23, becomes relevant. The combo’s rank of 794 suggests that many other pairings in the database deliver higher average FPS, likely due to more powerful GPUs.

The position of the combo is also influenced by the game’s age. The Technomancer, released in 2016, does not heavily utilize multi-threading, so the i5-14400F’s 16 threads are not fully leveraged. The data shows that the CPU’s multi-core score in Cinebench R23 is 21914, but the game’s engine appears to favor fewer, faster cores. This is evidenced by the fact that the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p is more pronounced than the scaling from High to Ultra settings at the same resolution. The combo rank of 794 out of 1656 indicates that while this system is capable, it is not in the top tier for this specific title, where higher-end GPUs like the RTX 3080 would likely achieve better results.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows that 1440p provides the best balance of performance and visual quality. At High settings, the system achieves 78.6 FPS at 1440p, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, the same settings yield only 41.5 FPS, indicating a significant performance drop.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 6750 XT has an average benchmark score of 35327. This is 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5600M (35264) and 1.3% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (35787). The scores show that the card is competitive with these alternatives.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data suggests the CPU limits performance at 1080p. At Low settings, the system produces 180.9 FPS at 1080p, which is the highest recorded value. However, the CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3093 indicates it has the headroom to push even higher if the GPU were not a factor.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Medium settings produce 91.1 FPS, while High settings produce 78.6 FPS. This represents a 12.5 FPS difference, which is a 13.7% performance cost for the improved visual quality.

Q: Does the GPU’s 12 GB of VRAM cause any issues in this game?

A: No, the data shows no frame rate anomalies that would indicate VRAM capacity problems. The memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s is sufficient for all tested settings, as frame rates scale consistently with resolution and quality changes.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645?

A: The i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32508, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645’s score of 32446. The delta of 0.2% indicates that the two processors are virtually identical in overall performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is a capable processor for gaming, but its role in The Technomancer is secondary to the GPU. The CPU’s base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which is critical for older game engines. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3093 places the processor in a strong position, and the data from the game confirms that it can maintain high frame rates when the GPU is not the limiting factor.

At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 180.9 FPS, which is an indicator that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data. The CPU’s L3 cache of 20 MB (shared) helps with game asset streaming, and the dual-channel memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 provides adequate bandwidth. However, the game’s engine does not appear to scale well with the CPU’s multi-threading capabilities, as the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914 does not translate into proportionally higher frame rates at lower resolutions.

The CPU’s percentile rank of 88 indicates that it is a strong performer overall, but in The Technomancer, its influence is most visible at 1080p. The data shows that the frame rate at 1080p Ultra is 93.8 FPS, which is 87.1 FPS lower than the 1080p Low score. This large gap is primarily due to the GPU’s workload, not the CPU. The i5-14400F’s performance is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RX 6750 XT at 1440p and 4K, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate scaling across those resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is viable, as it produces 93.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. Users who prioritize higher refresh rates could opt for High settings, which yield 117 FPS, a 23.2 FPS improvement over Ultra.

At 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering 78.6 FPS. This provides a smooth experience while maintaining good visual quality. The Medium preset offers 91.1 FPS, which is a 12.5 FPS increase over High, but the visual fidelity reduction may not be worth the performance gain for most users. The Ultra preset at 1440p produces 57.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target, making it less desirable for those who prefer a consistent frame rate.

For 4K resolution, the data indicates that the High preset is the best option, with 41.5 FPS. The Medium preset provides 50.7 FPS, which is closer to playable territory, but still below 60 FPS. The Low preset at 4K yields 62.7 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that achieves a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. Given the GPU’s performance, users targeting 4K should expect to use Medium or Low settings to maintain a smooth experience, as the Ultra preset at 34.7 FPS is not recommended for action-oriented gameplay. The data overall suggests that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this hardware combination, balancing visual quality and performance.