The Technomancer

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

The Intel Core i5-14400F brings a 10-core, 16-thread configuration based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This processor, built on Intel's 10 nm process node, features a 20 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. The chip's 65 W TDP classifies it as a mainstream desktop part, yet its benchmark scores suggest it punches well above that segment.

Looking at the synthetic benchmarks, the i5-14400F achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21,914 and a single-core score of 3,093. The Geekbench results show 11,209 multi-core and 2,333 single-core. These numbers place the CPU in the 88th percentile of all processors, with an average benchmark score of 32,508. The data reveals that this chip sits in a tight competitive cluster: it matches the Intel Core i7-12800H (32,513, 0% delta), edges out the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (32,446, 0.2% delta), and trails the AMD Ryzen 7 250 (32,584, -0.2% delta) by a hair.

For a 2016 Action RPG like The Technomancer, the CPU's 16 threads provide ample headroom for game logic, physics, and NPC AI. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU typically becomes the bottleneck, this processor sustains 192.6 FPS. That number suggests the i5-14400F is not the limiting factor in this title — the GPU takes over that role at higher resolutions and settings. The single-thread performance, evidenced by the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 311, ensures that older game engines relying on fewer threads still run smoothly.

# How This Combo Ranks

The pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT achieves a combo rank of 739 out of 1,656 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places the duo in the upper-middle portion of the database — roughly the 55th percentile of all tested combos. The rank reflects how this specific CPU-GPU pairing performs in this particular game, not a general-purpose score.

The ranking makes sense when considering the GPU's position in the broader market. The RX 7700 XT sits at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 30,097. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (30,109, 0% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 570 (30,158, -0.2% delta), and the NVIDIA Tesla M60 (29,969, 0.4% delta). These are all within a fraction of a percent of each other, indicating that the RX 7700 XT competes in a densely packed performance tier.

The combo rank of 739 suggests that while this pairing is solid, it doesn't crack the top tier for The Technomancer specifically. The game's engine appears to favor certain hardware combinations, and this CPU-GPU match lands in the middle of the pack. The data implies that other combos — likely those with higher-end GPUs or CPUs with more cache — achieve better frame rates in this title. However, the measured FPS numbers show this combo is far from inadequate, especially considering the game's age relative to the hardware.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p, the combo delivers 125.3 FPS on High settings. Moving to 1440p drops that to 81.7 FPS — a 34.8% reduction. At 4K, the frame rate falls to 48.8 FPS, a further 40.3% drop from 1440p. This scaling curve is characteristic of a system where the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count rises, while the CPU maintains sufficient headroom.

The Low settings tell an even more illuminating story. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 192.6 FPS. At 1440p Low, it achieves 125 FPS, and at 4K Low, it manages 72 FPS. The 1080p-to-4K drop of 62.6% on Low settings indicates that even when graphical load is minimal, the GPU still governs performance. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the 1080p Low result would show less variation across resolutions. This pattern confirms that the i5-14400F is not holding back the RX 7700 XT in this title.

The Ultra settings reveal the steepest scaling cliff. From 101.4 FPS at 1080p to 62.6 FPS at 1440p (a 38.3% drop) and then to 37.1 FPS at 4K (a 40.7% drop from 1440p). These percentages suggest that the RX 7700 XT's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for 1080p and 1440p Ultra, but 4K Ultra pushes the GPU past its comfortable operating range.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p:

• Low: 192.6 FPS
• Medium: 150.5 FPS
• High: 125.3 FPS
• Ultra: 101.4 FPS

At 1080p, every preset delivers playable frame rates. The gap between Low and Ultra is 91.2 FPS, or 47.4% lower from Low to Ultra. The scaling shows diminishing returns as settings increase: Low-to-Medium costs 42.1 FPS, Medium-to-High costs 25.2 FPS, and High-to-Ultra costs 23.9 FPS. This suggests the game's Ultra preset introduces effects that heavily tax the GPU without proportional visual gains.

1440p:

• Low: 125 FPS
• Medium: 100.9 FPS
• High: 81.7 FPS
• Ultra: 62.6 FPS

The 1440p results show a similar pattern but with compressed absolute numbers. The Low-to-Ultra spread is 62.4 FPS, with each settings tier costing roughly 20-24 FPS. Notably, 1440p High (81.7 FPS) stays above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable option for smooth gameplay. Even 1440p Ultra at 62.6 FPS barely clears 60 FPS, though dips below that could occur in demanding scenes.

4K:

• Low: 72 FPS
• Medium: 51.5 FPS
• High: 48.8 FPS
• Ultra: 37.1 FPS

At 4K, only the Low preset maintains a playable 72 FPS. Medium (51.5 FPS) and High (48.8 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS target, while Ultra (37.1 FPS) becomes difficult to recommend for smooth gameplay. The 4K Low-to-Ultra delta of 34.9 FPS represents a 48.5% performance hit, indicating that the Ultra preset at 4K demands more than this GPU can comfortably deliver.

# GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, based on the Navi 32 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, provides the graphical muscle for this combo. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory operates across a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's 3,456 shading units, 216 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs process graphics at a pixel rate of 244.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 549.5 GTexel/s. The boost clock of 2544 MHz and game clock of 2171 MHz support a peak FP32 throughput of 35.17 TFLOPS.

The synthetic benchmarks for this GPU show strong DirectX performance: a Passmark DirectX 11 score of 232 and a DirectX 12 score of 79. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 127,549 and Vulkan score of 132,758 indicate solid compute capabilities. The Passmark G3D score of 22,547 places the RX 7700 XT at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role becomes clear when examining the resolution scaling data. The 12 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for this 2016 title, even at 4K Ultra, as the game's texture requirements are modest by modern standards. The bottleneck at 4K Ultra (37.1 FPS) stems from raw compute limitations rather than memory capacity. The GPU's 96 ROPs and 35.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance handle the game's rendering demands well up to 1440p High, but the 4K Ultra preset exceeds what this card can process at high frame rates.

# FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F bottlenecking the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT in The Technomancer?

A: No. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 192.6 FPS, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K shows GPU-bound behavior. The CPU's 16 threads and 4.70 GHz boost clock provide sufficient headroom.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Only at Low settings (72 FPS). Medium (51.5 FPS), High (48.8 FPS), and Ultra (37.1 FPS) all fall below 60 FPS, making 4K playable only with reduced graphical fidelity.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: 1440p High (81.7 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. 1080p Ultra (101.4 FPS) is also excellent if higher frame rates are preferred.

Q: How does the RX 7700 XT compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RX 7700 XT (30,097 average score) is virtually tied with the RTX 5060 (30,109, 0% delta) and RX 570 (30,158, -0.2% delta), while slightly ahead of the Tesla M60 (29,969, 0.4% delta).

Q: Does increasing settings from Low to Ultra produce proportional performance drops?

A: No. At 1080p, Low-to-Ultra costs 91.2 FPS (47.4% reduction), but the per-tier drops shrink from 42.1 FPS (Low-to-Medium) to 23.9 FPS (High-to-Ultra), showing diminishing returns on the highest presets.

Q: What CPU benchmark scores place the i5-14400F in context?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21,914 and Geekbench single-core score of 2,333 put it at the 88th percentile of all processors, matching the Core i7-12800H (0% delta) and outpacing the Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (0.2% delta).

# Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for the optimal experience in The Technomancer with this hardware. At 1080p, all presets exceed 100 FPS, so players should prioritize visual quality: Ultra at 101.4 FPS is the best choice for maximum fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The 23.9 FPS cost from High to Ultra is acceptable given the frame rate remains well above display refresh rates.

For 1440p, High settings (81.7 FPS) deliver the best overall experience. The jump to Ultra costs 19.1 FPS (down to 62.6 FPS), which still clears 60 FPS but provides less headroom for demanding scenes. Medium (100.9 FPS) is the safer choice for competitive play, while Low (125 FPS) offers minimal benefit given the modest performance gains.

At 4K, the data strongly favors Low settings (72 FPS) as the only fully playable option. Medium (51.5 FPS) and High (48.8 FPS) are borderline, with frame rates that could dip below 45 FPS in intense combat. Ultra (37.1 FPS) should be avoided unless the player prioritizes visuals over gameplay smoothness. The 48.5% performance gap between Low and Ultra at 4K makes the higher presets difficult to justify for this title.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Ultra (101.4 FPS) for maximum visual fidelity, 1440p High (81.7 FPS) for balanced performance, or 4K Low (72 FPS) for resolution enthusiasts. The data suggests this combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can leverage its full performance potential without compromising on settings.