The Technomancer

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks at position 2500 out of 2825 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places the combo in the bottom 12% of all systems tested, indicating that while the CPU is a high-end desktop part, the integrated GPU fundamentally limits the gaming experience. The data suggests this configuration is not competitive for this title, as most other tested combos deliver higher average frame rates. The gap between this rank and the top of the list is substantial, reflecting the GPU's position in the lower percentile of all graphics processors.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2500 out of 2825 positions it firmly in the lower quartile of tested systems. This is a poor result for a game from 2016, as the title is not particularly demanding by modern standards. The ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU's performance ceiling. The Intel Arc B390 holds the 9th percentile among all GPUs, meaning 91% of graphics cards tested perform better. This explains why the combo sits so low in the overall rankings. The CPU, by contrast, is in the 90th percentile among all processors, showing a massive imbalance between the two components. Benchmark results indicate that this pairing creates a severe bottleneck where the GPU cannot translate the CPU's computational power into playable frame rates.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the GPU benchmarks, the Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M, 2.5% ahead of the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% ahead of the GT 710. These are all entry-level or legacy parts, confirming that the Arc B390 operates in the lowest performance tier. In The Technomancer, this translates to average frame rates that rarely exceed 60 FPS even at 1080p with the lowest settings. The data shows that this combo is only suitable for very low-resolution or low-detail gaming, and even then, it struggles to maintain smooth performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operations pipelines. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, which is a wide range that allows for significant dynamic scaling under load. However, the critical limitation is its memory configuration: the VRAM size is "System Shared," meaning it uses the system's main memory rather than dedicated graphics memory. This shared memory architecture imposes a severe bandwidth constraint, as the memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent." For a game like The Technomancer, which requires consistent texture streaming and memory access, this shared configuration likely contributes to the low frame rates observed.

The GPU's compute capabilities include a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 7.680 TFLOPS. These are modest figures for a modern GPU, and they align with the 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482. The 12 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate indicate modern feature support, but the raw throughput is insufficient for demanding rendering workloads. In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is the primary limiting factor. Across all resolutions and settings, the measured FPS values show a clear ceiling: the highest average frame rate achieved is 79 FPS at 1080p Low, and this drops precipitously as resolution and settings increase. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs reinforces the conclusion that it cannot keep pace with the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve in The Technomancer?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 79, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the GT 710.

Q: What is the average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU holds the 90th percentile among all processors, while the GPU holds the 9th percentile, creating a severe bottleneck where the GPU cannot utilize the CPU's full potential.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 15, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combos for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2500 out of 2825 tested combinations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 79 FPS on Low, 61 FPS on Medium, 52 FPS on High, and 40 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS, indicating some frame time variance but generally playable conditions. Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop to 52 FPS on Low, 40 FPS on Medium, 34 FPS on High, and 26 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 46 FPS, suggesting that the experience becomes less stable as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the performance falls below playable thresholds for most users. The average FPS is 28 on Low, 22 on Medium, 19 on High, and 15 on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 19 FPS and a maximum of 25 FPS, highlighting the severe strain on the shared memory system. The data shows a clear pattern: each increase in resolution or settings level results in a significant FPS penalty. The difference between 1080p Low and 4K Ultra is stark, with the average frame rate dropping from 79 to 15, a reduction of 64 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is overwhelmed by the demands of higher resolutions, and the system shared memory cannot provide the bandwidth needed for smooth operation.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the performance bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 79 at 1080p to 52 at 1440p and 28 at 4K. This represents a 34% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 46% decrease from 1440p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages are 61, 40, and 22 for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively, showing a 34% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 45% drop from 1440p to 4K. The High preset follows a similar pattern: 52, 34, and 19 FPS, with a 35% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and a 44% decrease from 1440p to 4K. Ultra settings show the steepest decline: 40, 26, and 15 FPS, representing a 35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 42% drop from 1440p to 4K.

These scaling patterns are consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The proportional FPS drops are relatively uniform across settings, which indicates that the limiting factor is the GPU's raw rendering throughput and memory bandwidth, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU would be maxed out regardless of pixel count. Instead, the FPS scales inversely with resolution, confirming that the Arc B390's integrated graphics and system shared memory are the primary constraints. The data suggests that the combo is only viable at 1080p, where it can achieve playable frame rates on Low and Medium settings, but even at 1440p, the performance degrades to a level that is borderline for action RPG gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 79 FPS, which is the only configuration that approaches high-refresh-rate smoothness. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves 61 FPS, which is still playable and offers better visual quality, with a minimum of 52 FPS ensuring that most scenes stay above 30 FPS. The High preset at 1080p drops to 52 FPS, which is acceptable for a slower-paced action RPG, but the Ultra preset at 40 FPS is borderline. For players prioritizing a consistent experience at 1080p, Medium is the recommended preset, as it balances visual fidelity with a playable frame rate. Low is suitable for those who want maximum smoothness, while High and Ultra are only recommended for users who can tolerate lower frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more constrained. The Low preset delivers 52 FPS, which is playable but requires significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 40 FPS is at the edge of playability, with a minimum of 34 FPS indicating potential stutters in busy scenes. High and Ultra at 34 and 26 FPS respectively are not recommended for a smooth experience. For 1440p gaming, the Low preset is the only viable option, and even then, the experience is less fluid than at 1080p. At 3840x2160, none of the presets deliver acceptable performance. The Low preset at 28 FPS is technically playable but falls below the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for action RPGs, and the Ultra preset at 15 FPS is effectively unplayable. The data indicates that users should avoid 4K entirely with this combo, and should instead target 1080p with Medium settings for the best balance of quality and performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It features a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 125W TDP. The CPU has a large cache configuration, including 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it includes integrated UHD Graphics 770, although the system uses the discrete-integrated Arc B390. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. The Geekbench multi-core score is 16673, and the single-core score is 2491. The Passmark multithread score is 38682, with a single-thread score of 4270.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI, which it does with ample headroom. The CPU holds the 90th percentile among all processors, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (0.2% lower average score), the AMD EPYC 4345P (0.3% higher), the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (0.7% higher), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (0.8% lower). These scores indicate that the i5-14600K is a high-performance part that is not limiting in this game. The measured FPS data shows that the combo's performance is entirely dictated by the GPU, as the CPU has more than enough power to feed the Arc B390. The 14 cores and 20 threads are far more than The Technomancer requires, given its 2016 release date, so the CPU is never the bottleneck. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a more powerful dedicated GPU would yield significantly better frame rates, as the CPU's capabilities are largely untapped in this configuration.