The Technomancer

# The Technomancer with Intel Core i5-14400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti delivers a performance profile in The Technomancer that shifts dramatically depending on resolution and settings, revealing a system where the GPU dominates at 4K but the CPU becomes increasingly relevant at lower resolutions. This 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, combined with the Blackwell 2.0-based RTX 5070 Ti, produces frame rates ranging from 52 FPS at 4K Ultra to 267 FPS at 1080p Low, placing the combo at rank 377 out of 3696 tested combinations. The measured data shows a clear pattern: this is a system built for high-refresh 1440p gaming, with 4K Ultra pushing the hardware to its limits.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how The Technomancer scales across resolutions, and the pattern is telling. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 184 FPS at 1080p to 120 FPS at 1440p, then to 66 FPS at 4K. That represents a 35% reduction going from 1080p to 1440p, and another 45% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at High settings shows a 64% total drop, which is substantial but not unexpected for a game released in 2016.

Looking at Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced in absolute terms but proportionally similar. The system produces 267 FPS at 1080p Low, 183 FPS at 1440p Low, and 101 FPS at 4K Low. The percentage drops from 1080p to 1440p (31%) and from 1440p to 4K (45%) mirror the High settings pattern closely. This consistency suggests that resolution scaling in this title is largely resolution-bound rather than settings-bound, meaning the rendering pipeline's resolution-dependent costs dominate.

The Ultra settings curve tells a more constrained story. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 144 FPS, dropping to 94 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and finally 52 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured configuration that falls below 60 FPS, indicating that this is where the RTX 5070 Ti's capabilities are truly stretched. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is 14 FPS (66 vs 52), while at 1080p the gap is 40 FPS (184 vs 144), suggesting that Ultra settings impose a relatively larger penalty at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom to render additional effects.

What does this scaling imply about the limiting component? The RTX 5070 Ti, with its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 896.0 GB/s bandwidth, appears to be the primary constraint at 4K. The 256-bit memory bus and 2452 MHz boost clock provide substantial throughput, yet the 4K Ultra result of 52 FPS indicates the GPU is fully saturated. At 1080p, however, the CPU's role becomes more significant. The i5-14400F's 10 cores (with 16 threads) and 4.70 GHz boost clock are likely the reason the 1080p Low result tops out at 267 FPS rather than going higher — the frame rate ceiling at lower resolutions is often CPU-limited in games from this era.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F brings a configuration that is well-suited to The Technomancer's demands. With 10 cores and 16 threads, it offers a hybrid layout typical of Raptor Lake Refresh parts, though the fact pack does not specify the P-core/E-core split. The base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz provide a wide frequency range, allowing the processor to scale up under load. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache is substantial for a mid-range desktop part, and the dual-channel memory support (both DDR4 and DDR5) gives flexibility, though the measured results presumably use one configuration.

Benchmark data places this CPU in the 83rd percentile of all processors, with an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (0.1% higher avg score), Intel Core i9-11900 (0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (0.2% lower), and Intel Core i7-12800H (0.5% higher). These deltas are remarkably tight — all four rivals fall within 0.5 percentage points of the i5-14400F's average score. This suggests the CPU's compute capabilities are competitive with a range of mobile and desktop parts from both AMD and Intel, though the rivals span different market segments (mobile PRO chips, older desktop i9, and high-end mobile H-series).

In the context of The Technomancer specifically, the CPU's single-thread performance is likely the more relevant metric. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055 and Geekbench single-core score of 2058 indicate strong per-thread performance. The game, being from 2016, may not fully utilize all 16 threads, making single-core throughput critical. The passmark single-thread score of 3701 reinforces this. The 1080p Low result of 267 FPS suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high frame rates, but the fact that 1080p Medium (215 FPS) and 1080p High (184 FPS) drop significantly indicates that as GPU load increases, the frame rate becomes more GPU-bound even at 1080p.

The multi-threaded capabilities shouldn't be dismissed, however. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 9090 show strong parallel performance. The Technomancer, as an Action RPG, may spawn multiple threads for AI, physics, and game logic. The passmark physics score of 1523 and the data compression score of 315521 indicate solid throughput for background tasks, but the game's actual thread utilization is not directly measurable from the provided data.

Settings Recommendations

Examining the measured FPS across settings at each resolution, the optimal preset depends heavily on the target display. At 4K, the choices are constrained. Ultra produces 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold most gamers consider smooth. High delivers 66 FPS, crossing that threshold with a modest margin. Medium offers 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS, providing both a higher average and a more consistent floor. Low reaches 101 FPS but sacrifices visual quality significantly. For 4K users, Medium appears to be the sweet spot — it delivers 77 FPS average with a 66 FPS minimum, which is the only 4K configuration that keeps the minimum above 60 FPS while maintaining reasonable visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the picture is more comfortable. Ultra achieves 94 FPS, which is excellent for a high-refresh monitor. High reaches 120 FPS, Medium 141 FPS (with a 120 FPS minimum), and Low 183 FPS. For 1440p displays with 120 Hz or 144 Hz refresh rates, High or Ultra both work well. The jump from Ultra to High is 26 FPS (94 to 120), which could matter for competitive play, but the visual difference between Ultra and High in a 2016 Action RPG may be less impactful than the frame rate gain. Medium's 141 FPS with a 120 FPS minimum offers a strong balance if the player prioritizes smoothness.

At 1080p, all settings produce playable frame rates. Ultra delivers 144 FPS, High 184 FPS, Medium 215 FPS (with a 183 FPS minimum), and Low 267 FPS. For 144 Hz monitors, even Ultra is sufficient. For 240 Hz displays, High or Medium become more appropriate. The data suggests that 1080p Ultra is the most visually demanding configuration that still maintains a triple-digit frame rate, making it the recommended preset for players who want maximum quality without sacrificing smoothness on standard high-refresh displays.

FAQ

Q: How does the i5-14400F compare to its nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-14400F posts an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it at the 83rd percentile. Its nearest rivals are all within 0.5% of this score: the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is 0.1% higher, the Intel Core i9-11900 is 0.2% higher, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS is 0.2% lower, and the Intel Core i7-12800H is 0.5% higher. This indicates the CPU performs essentially on par with a broad range of competing parts.

Q: What is the best 4K setting for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: Medium settings at 4K provide the best balance, with an average FPS of 77 and a minimum of 66 FPS. This is the only 4K configuration where the minimum frame rate stays above 60. High settings average 66 FPS, while Ultra drops to 52 FPS which is below the smoothness threshold.

Q: Can this system drive a 240 Hz monitor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system reaches 267 FPS, which exceeds 240 Hz. Medium produces 215 FPS with a 183 FPS minimum, which is close but not consistently above 240. High and Ultra deliver 184 FPS and 144 FPS respectively, so a 240 Hz display would only be fully utilized at Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Ti's benchmark performance compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5070 Ti has an average benchmark score of 49957, placing it at the 86th percentile. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 is 0.1% lower, the Intel Arc A550M is 0.4% lower, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is 2% higher, and the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is 3.1% lower. The closest competitor is the RX Vega 64, while the RX 6900 XT holds a slight edge.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 120 FPS at 1440p High. This provides a smooth experience on 120 Hz displays and leaves headroom for 144 Hz monitors, though the minimum FPS is not listed for this configuration.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the system achieves 267 FPS, which is the highest measured result across all configurations. The fact that GPU load is minimal at Low settings suggests the CPU is the limiting component at this extreme, as the 10-core i5-14400F with its 4.70 GHz boost clock is likely reaching its frame-rate ceiling for this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the centerpiece of this configuration, and its specifications explain much of the observed performance. Built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, this card packs 45,600 million transistors into a 378 mm² die. The 8960 shading units, 280 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units provide the raw compute for The Technomancer's rendering tasks. The 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers 896.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures and effects.

The card's clock speeds — 2295 MHz base and 2452 MHz boost — are relatively modest for a high-end GPU, but the architecture's efficiency compensates. The FP32 performance of 43.94 TFLOPS and texture rate of 686.6 GTexel/s indicate substantial throughput. In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is evident in the resolution scaling data: at 4K Ultra, the system drops to 52 FPS, suggesting the card is fully saturated. At 1080p Low, the GPU is underutilized, with the CPU becoming the bottleneck at 267 FPS.

The GPU's benchmark results place it at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 49957. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (0.1% lower), Intel Arc A550M (0.4% lower), AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (2% higher), and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (3.1% lower). The tight margins — the RX Vega 64 is essentially tied with the RTX 5070 Ti in average score — are surprising given the generational gap between these cards. This suggests that the average benchmark score may not fully capture the RTX 5070 Ti's capabilities in modern titles, though The Technomancer's results are what matter here.

Passmark scores show the GPU's DirectX performance: DirectX 11 scores 300, DirectX 12 scores 127, and DirectX 9 scores 351. The G3D score of 32974 and GPU compute score of 20203 indicate strong general-purpose compute performance. In The Technomancer, the GPU's ability to handle the game's effects at 4K Ultra is the limiting factor, as evidenced by the 52 FPS result. The 16 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for this 2016 title, but the raw rendering load at 4K with Ultra settings pushes the card to its limits.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance in The Technomancer. At 3840x2160 (4K), the results show a clear progression across settings. Low averages 101 FPS. Medium averages 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and maximum of 89 FPS, providing the most complete data point. High averages 66 FPS. Ultra averages 52 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, indicating that settings have a significant impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates increase substantially. Low reaches 183 FPS. Medium averages 141 FPS with a minimum of 120 FPS and maximum of 162 FPS. High averages 120 FPS. Ultra averages 94 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 89 FPS, showing that settings have a larger absolute impact at 1440p compared to 4K, though the percentage differences are similar.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its highest frame rates. Low achieves 267 FPS, which is the fastest measured result in the entire dataset. Medium averages 215 FPS with a minimum of 183 FPS and maximum of 248 FPS. High averages 184 FPS. Ultra averages 144 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 123 FPS, the largest absolute difference across all resolutions. This indicates that at 1080p, the GPU has significant headroom to render additional effects, and the settings choice has a dramatic impact on frame rate.

The Medium settings data is the most complete, with minimum and maximum values recorded at all three resolutions. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 66 FPS and maximum of 89 FPS bracket the average of 77 FPS closely, suggesting consistent frame pacing. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 120 FPS and maximum of 162 FPS show a wider range around the 141 FPS average. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 183 FPS and maximum of 248 FPS represent a 65 FPS spread, indicating more variability at lower resolutions where CPU and GPU interplay creates frame time fluctuations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti ranks 377th out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 10.2% of all tested configurations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The rank reflects the system's ability to maintain high frame rates across most settings and resolutions, with only 4K Ultra dipping below 60 FPS.

The ranking is particularly notable given the CPU's position relative to its rivals. The i5-14400F's nearest CPU rivals all score within 0.5% of its average benchmark, yet the combo rank in-game depends on how each CPU interacts with the RTX 5070 Ti. The 10-core, 16-thread configuration with a 4.70 GHz boost clock appears well-matched to the GPU's capabilities in this game. The 83rd percentile CPU ranking and 86th percentile GPU ranking combine to produce a top-10% overall combo performance.

What does this rank imply about the system's balance? The fact that the combo sits at 377th out of 3696 suggests there are 376 configurations that perform better in The Technomancer, likely featuring higher-end CPUs (such as Core i7 or i9 parts) or more powerful GPUs. However, the rank also indicates that the i5-14400F does not significantly bottleneck the RTX 5070 Ti in this title — if it did, the combo would rank lower relative to the GPU's individual percentile. The 4K Ultra result of 52 FPS is the weakest point, but at 4K Medium the system delivers 77 FPS, and at 1440p High it reaches 120 FPS. These results suggest a well-balanced pairing for a game that is now nearly a decade old, with the GPU being the primary driver of performance at high resolutions and the CPU providing sufficient headroom at lower resolutions.