The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for modern hardware, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 yields a specific performance profile. The measured data indicates a system that is well-balanced at 1440p, but which shows clear limitations when pushed to 4K Ultra settings. This analysis breaks down those results, focusing on how the CPU and GPU each contribute to the overall experience in this particular title.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is the most telling indicator of where the bottleneck lies in this configuration. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 179 FPS. Stepping up to 1440p Low reduces that to 117 FPS, a drop of 62 frames. Moving to 4K Low, the average falls further to 64 FPS. This trajectory shows a steep decline as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload. The RX 7700 is being tasked with rendering an increasing number of pixels, and its performance ceiling is the limiting factor.

Looking at High settings, the pattern continues. The system produces 117 FPS at 1080p, 77 FPS at 1440p, and 42 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 34% reduction, while the jump to 4K from 1440p is a 45% reduction. This non-linear drop is typical for a GPU under heavy load, where the memory bandwidth and compute units of the RX 7700 become saturated. The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint here; if it were, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the same amount of draw calls and game logic would be processed regardless of pixel count.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens considerably at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (179 FPS) and Ultra (92 FPS) is 87 FPS. At 1440p, that gap is 57 FPS (117 vs 60). At 4K, the gap is 31 FPS (64 vs 33). This compression of the performance envelope at 4K indicates that the GPU is so heavily loaded that even reducing graphical fidelity cannot fully compensate for the raw pixel throughput required. The 4K Ultra result of 33 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, confirming that this resolution and settings combination is beyond the card's comfortable reach. The scaling data clearly shows the RX 7700 as the dominant performance limiter in this configuration for The Technomancer.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested system combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 holds a rank of 1275 out of 2825 total combos. This places the system in the upper-middle tier of configurations, which aligns with the GPU's performance class. The rank is a composite measure of the system's overall capability in this specific game, factoring in both CPU and GPU contributions.

The GPU's individual percentile versus all tested GPUs is 58, which means it outperforms a majority of graphics cards in the database. However, its nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmarks paint a nuanced picture. The RX 7700's average benchmark score is 15852, placing it just 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862) and 1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16014). It is also 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679) and 1.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129). These deltas are very small, indicating that in raw compute terms, the RX 7700 is performing in a tight cluster with these other cards. The combo's rank of 1275 suggests that the system's overall performance in The Technomancer is competitive with a large portion of the tested field, though it is not a top-tier contender.

The CPU's individual standing is stronger. The i5-14400F has a percentile of 83 versus all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. Its average benchmark score of 32279 places it near the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (32233, +0.1%) and the Intel Core i9-11900 (32226, +0.2%). It is also a hair ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (32354, -0.2%) and the Intel Core i7-12800H (32121, +0.5%). This suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in the system's overall rank; instead, the GPU's mid-tier performance is what anchors the combo in the 1275th position. The data indicates a system where a strong processor is paired with a graphics card that is more modest in its capabilities, resulting in a balanced but not extreme gaming experience.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features the Navi 32 chip. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. This substantial memory allocation is noteworthy, especially for a game from 2016, as it ensures that the VRAM capacity is unlikely to be a constraint at any of the tested settings. The memory clock runs at 2438 MHz, which is 19.5 Gbps effective. The GPU's base clock is 1900 MHz, with a game clock of 2041 MHz and a boost clock of 2459 MHz.

These clock speeds, combined with the 2560 shading units and 96 ROPs, dictate the card's raw rasterization performance. The measured frame rates in The Technomancer directly reflect this hardware. At 1080p Ultra, the card achieves an average of 92 FPS, which is a playable result. However, the performance drops off significantly with resolution. The 4K Ultra average of 33 FPS illustrates that the GPU's compute throughput and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at that extreme resolution. The card's pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s are not enough to feed a 4K display with Ultra settings in this title.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores provide further context. Its Passmark G3D score is 20974, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 2865. These scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, confirming its mid-range positioning. The fact that it is within 1.7% of the RTX 3060 Ti in average score suggests that users can expect similar performance characteristics. In The Technomancer, the data shows that the RX 7700 provides a solid 1440p experience, with High settings yielding an average of 77 FPS. It is only when pushing to 4K that the card's limitations become apparent, requiring a reduction to Low settings to achieve a 64 FPS average. The VRAM capacity is a clear strength, but the compute power is the ultimate arbiter of performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's capabilities across a range of resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. Low settings produce an average of 179 FPS, which is exceptionally high. Medium settings average 137 FPS, with a minimum of 117 and a maximum of 158. High settings average 117 FPS, and Ultra settings average 92 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the i5-14400F and RX 7700 combination is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience at any preset, with even the most demanding Ultra settings remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's workload. Low settings average 117 FPS, a significant but understandable drop from 1080p. Medium settings average 90 FPS, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103. High settings average 77 FPS, which is still very smooth. Ultra settings average exactly 60 FPS, putting it right on the line for many users' definition of playable. The data from 1440p suggests that this is the natural resolution/quality sweet spot for this hardware combo, offering high frame rates for competitive play or a solid 60 FPS experience at maximum quality.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the GPU are fully exposed. Low settings yield an average of 64 FPS, which is playable but not high refresh rate territory. Medium settings average 49 FPS, with a minimum of 42 and a maximum of 57. This is a playable, if not ideal, experience. High settings drop to an average of 42 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 33 FPS. These results clearly demonstrate that 4K is not a viable resolution for this configuration in The Technomancer, especially at higher quality presets. The frame rate drops and lack of headroom make the game feel less responsive. The data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p for maximum frame rates, 1440p for the best balance of quality and speed, and 4K as a compromise only at lower settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This configuration provides substantial multi-threaded capability, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and its Passmark multithread score of 25470. Single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3701. These scores suggest a processor that can easily handle the game logic and draw calls of a title like The Technomancer.

In this game, the CPU's role seems to be primarily to feed the GPU. The resolution scaling data, where frame rates drop precipitously as resolution increases, is a clear indicator that the CPU is not the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the CPU is able to push the GPU to 179 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. This suggests that the CPU has enough headroom to handle the game's single-threaded tasks without becoming a limiting factor. The lack of any min FPS data for the Low and High settings at 1080p and 1440p further suggests that the system is maintaining a stable frame rate without CPU-related hitches. However, the presence of min FPS data for Medium settings at all resolutions (117, 76, and 42) is interesting. These minimums are on par with the average FPS of the High settings at the same resolution, suggesting that the variance is more likely due to GPU load spikes than CPU limitations.

The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache are ample for gaming workloads. Its 83rd percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms that it is a powerful processor in its own right. The nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-11900 and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, all have very similar average benchmark scores, indicating that the i5-14400F is performing at a high level. In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU is a strong foundation that allows the GPU to be the primary determinant of performance. The data does not show any scenario where the CPU is holding the system back, as even at the highest frame rates measured, the GPU is still the component that is being pushed to its limit.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the user's target resolution and performance priorities. For users with a 1080p display, the system is powerful enough to handle Ultra settings with an average of 92 FPS. This is the best choice for maximum visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. For those who prioritize high refresh rates, the High preset at 117 FPS offers a significant frame rate boost with a minor reduction in visual fidelity. Even the Medium preset at 137 FPS is a viable option for competitive play, though the visual differences between Medium and High are often more noticeable than those between High and Ultra.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 60 FPS, which is the standard for a smooth experience. This is the recommended configuration for players who want the best-looking game without compromising on playability. However, the High preset at 77 FPS provides a more comfortable margin above 60, ensuring that frame times remain consistent during intense action sequences. This makes High the more versatile choice for 1440p, as it offers a better balance of frame rate and visual quality. The Medium preset at 90 FPS is also a strong option for users who prioritize a higher refresh rate over maximum detail.

For 4K displays, the data suggests that players will need to make significant compromises. The Ultra preset's 33 FPS average is not recommended for a smooth experience. The High preset at 42 FPS is also below the ideal threshold. The Medium preset, with an average of 49 FPS and a minimum of 42, is playable but may feel inconsistent. The only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience at 4K is Low, which averages 64 FPS. Given the visual sacrifices required, 4K gaming with this combo is best reserved for titles that are not graphically demanding, or for users who are willing to accept lower fidelity. For The Technomancer, the data clearly points to 1440p High as the sweet spot for this hardware, delivering a high-quality visual experience at frame rates that are well within the bounds of smooth, responsive gameplay.