The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress profile for modern hardware. The data for the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet reveals the CPU's substantial capability at 1080p. The measured frame rates indicate that this pairing delivers a highly playable experience across the board, with performance scaling that clearly defines the role of each component. The CPU's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4642, ensures that even in a game from this era, the processor is not the limiting factor at standard resolutions.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core processor with 20 threads, built on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its configuration combines performance and efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for a game like The Technomancer, which, given its 2016 release date, likely does not leverage the full multi-threading capabilities of a modern 14-core CPU. Instead, it relies heavily on raw single-thread throughput. The benchmark results confirm this. The CPU's Cinebench R15 single-core score of 467 and multi-core score of 3314 show a significant gap between single and multi-threaded performance, but it is the single-core figure that often dictates minimum frame rates in older game engines.

In the measured results, the CPU's influence is most apparent at the 1920x1080 resolution. Here, the average FPS at Low settings reaches 298.2, a figure that approaches the limits of high-refresh-rate displays. This high frame rate at the lowest settings strongly indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data quickly enough to saturate it. If the processor were a bottleneck, we would expect to see a performance plateau at 1080p regardless of settings. The data shows a spread from 150.2 FPS at Ultra to 298.2 FPS at Low, which demonstrates that the GPU is still the primary variable even at this resolution. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory further ensure that it can maintain high throughput without becoming a limiting factor in this older title.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 93 against all CPUs places it in the top tier of processors. When compared to its nearest rivals, it is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, showing a deltaPct of only 0.2, and it is 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-14600KF. This near-identical performance to its direct sibling and a previous-generation flagship means that the i5-14600K provides a robust foundation for gaming. The data suggests that for The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to provide a stable platform with high clock speeds, ensuring that frame pacing remains consistent and that the GPU is never left waiting. The processor's architecture, with its high boost clock, is well-suited for the game's likely reliance on single-threaded logic, allowing the RTX 4080 SUPER to operate at its full potential. The fact that the average benchmark score is 49166, compared to the Ryzen 9 5950X's 49062, shows that in synthetic tests, the two are nearly indistinguishable, but in this specific game, the i5-14600K's clock speed advantage helps push frame rates to the levels seen in the data.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average frame rate at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 98.8. This indicates that the combination easily handles the demands of maximum graphical fidelity at this resolution, delivering a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600K compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X?

A: The data shows the i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 49166, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X's score of 49062. This makes their overall performance statistically equivalent in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER a significant upgrade over the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT?

A: According to the benchmark data, the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 53610, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT's 53489. This suggests they are very closely matched in overall GPU compute performance.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achieved with this hardware combination?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 298.2, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This shows the system's ability to produce extremely high frame rates when graphical settings are reduced.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at 3840x2160?

A: At 4K resolution, the average FPS at Low settings is 104.1, while at Ultra settings it drops to 56.9. This represents a significant performance cost of 47.2 FPS for the highest graphical quality.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination is ranked 104th out of 1656 tested combos for this game, placing it in the top 6.3% of all systems tested.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The performance scaling across resolutions clearly demonstrates a GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings, the average FPS drops from 192.9 to 126, a decrease of 66.9 FPS. This substantial drop indicates that the GPU is working significantly harder to render more pixels. The trend continues when moving from 1440p to 3840x2160 at High settings, where the FPS falls from 126 to 71.6. This pattern is characteristic of a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck; the CPU has sufficient headroom to process the game logic and draw calls, but the GPU's rendering throughput is increasingly taxed as resolution increases.

The data at Ultra settings further reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 150.2 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 98.8 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 56.9 FPS. The halving of frame rates from 1080p to 4K is a classic sign of pixel-pushing limitations. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rate would remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the processor's workload does not scale with pixel count. Instead, we see a dramatic reduction in performance, which confirms that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the component dictating the final frame rate. The CPU, with its high boost clock and strong single-threaded scores, is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU's demands at all tested resolutions.

The scaling also shows that the game becomes increasingly demanding on the GPU as settings are raised. At 1080p, the difference between Low (298.2 FPS) and Ultra (150.2 FPS) is 148 FPS. At 4K, the same comparison yields a difference of 47.2 FPS (104.1 vs 56.9). This indicates that at lower resolutions, the settings have a more pronounced effect on frame rates, as the system is not yet fully GPU-bound. At 4K, the GPU is already working near its maximum capacity, so the additional load from Ultra settings has a smaller absolute impact on FPS, but a significant relative one, pushing the game below the 60 FPS target.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. The average FPS for Low is 298.2, for Medium is 227.1, for High is 192.9, and for Ultra is 150.2. All of these figures are well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common in gaming monitors, indicating that this combination is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, even with maximum graphical settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong, though the GPU's workload increases. The average FPS for Low settings is 191.1, for Medium is 146.4, for High is 126, and for Ultra is 98.8. These numbers show that 1440p Ultra is a viable option for a smooth experience, and that the system can easily handle high refresh rates at this resolution with lower settings.

At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K resolution become evident. The average FPS for Low settings is 104.1, for Medium is 81.8, for High is 71.6, and for Ultra is 56.9. This data shows that while the system can handle 4K at High settings with a playable frame rate, Ultra settings will require a compromise, as the average FPS dips just below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a clear and consistent decrease in performance, highlighting the GPU's dominant role at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 104 out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 6.3% of all configurations tested, indicating a very high-performance pairing. This rank is a composite measure that reflects the system's ability to handle the game's demands across all tested resolutions and settings. Given that the GPU has a percentile ranking of 88 against all GPUs and the CPU is in the 93rd percentile, this top-tier result is consistent with the individual strengths of both components.

The rank suggests that this combo is among the most capable systems for this title, outclassing the vast majority of other hardware pairings. The high ranking is primarily attributed to the RTX 4080 SUPER's capabilities, as the game is heavily GPU-bound. The CPU's strong performance ensures that it does not detract from the GPU's output, allowing the combo to achieve frame rates that place it near the top of the database. The deltaPct values for the GPU's nearest rivals, such as the 0.2% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, show that even small performance differences can contribute to a higher overall ranking in a game where the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For a balance of visual fidelity and performance, the High setting at 2560x1440 provides an excellent experience, with an average FPS of 126. This resolution and setting combination offers a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate that is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. For users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, this is the sweet spot. If the goal is maximum visual quality, 3840x2160 at High settings is also viable, delivering 71.6 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for a responsive experience.

For those prioritizing the highest possible frame rates, 1920x1080 at High settings offers 192.9 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or very high refresh rate displays. Lowering the resolution to 1080p with Ultra settings still yields 150.2 FPS, providing a high-quality image without sacrificing much performance. At 4K, the Ultra setting is the only one that drops below 60 FPS, averaging 56.9 FPS. Therefore, the recommendation is to use High settings at 4K to maintain a smooth frame rate, or to use Ultra if the user prefers absolute graphical fidelity over a locked 60 FPS. The Medium setting at 4K, with 81.8 FPS, is a strong alternative for those who want a higher frame rate buffer.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, it has a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This ample memory capacity and bandwidth ensure that the card is never starved for data, even at 4K resolution, which is a common cause of stuttering in other configurations. The high memory bandwidth is particularly relevant for a game like The Technomancer, which may have large texture assets that need to be streamed quickly.

The GPU's boost clock of 2550 MHz and its 10240 shading units allow it to handle the computational load of rendering at high resolutions and settings. The card's FP32 performance of 52.22 TFLOPS is a strong indicator of its raw processing power. The benchmark data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's workload and frame rates. At 1080p Low, the GPU is underutilized, allowing the CPU to push frame rates to 298.2 FPS. As resolution and settings increase, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, which is the expected and desired behavior for a high-end graphics card. The RTX 4080 SUPER's percentile ranking of 88 against all GPUs confirms its position as a top-tier performer, and its average benchmark score of 53610 places it slightly ahead of its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, by 0.2%. This performance headroom is what allows the system to achieve playable frame rates at 4K Ultra, even if it falls just short of 60 FPS. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of the measured results, with its capabilities directly dictating the performance envelope at each resolution and settings combination.