The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study in hardware scaling. The data for the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 reveals a configuration that behaves differently depending on the resolution and quality preset selected. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to understand where the bottleneck lies and how the hardware responds to increasing graphical loads.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the degree of that degradation varies significantly with the chosen settings preset. At the Low preset, the transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 sees frame rates drop from 219 to 143 FPS, a reduction of roughly 35%. Moving further up to 3840x2160 brings the average down to 79 FPS, which is another 45% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling suggests that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is being pushed harder at higher resolutions, but the frame rates remain high enough to indicate that the CPU is still feeding frames efficiently.

The Medium preset shows a similar relative pattern. The average FPS at 1920x1080 is 169, which falls to 110 at 2560x1440 and then to 60 at 3840x2160. The drop from 1080p to 4K is approximately 64%, indicating that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor at the highest resolution. However, the fact that the 1080p score is still very high suggests that the CPU is not holding the system back at lower resolutions with this preset, allowing the GPU to work at its full potential.

The High preset presents a more moderate scaling curve. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 144 FPS. This drops to 94 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 52 FPS at 3840x2160. The incremental drops are roughly 35% and 45% respectively, which mirrors the relative scaling seen at the Low preset. This consistency suggests that the High preset is well-balanced for this hardware combination, with neither component being completely overwhelmed until the 4K resolution is reached.

The Ultra preset shows the steepest performance cliff. At 1920x1080, the system manages 112 FPS. This falls to 73 FPS at 2560x1440, a 35% reduction. However, the jump to 3840x2160 yields only 40 FPS, which is a 45% drop from the 1440p score and a 64% decline from the 1080p result. This data indicates that at Ultra settings, the GPU is heavily taxed, and the 4K resolution pushes it beyond its comfortable limit, resulting in a frame rate that may feel less fluid for fast-paced action.

The scaling data suggests that the limiting component changes with the preset. At lower resolutions and settings, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU's performance ceiling is likely the primary factor preventing even higher numbers. However, as resolution and graphical fidelity increase, the load shifts decisively to the GPU. The RX 9070's performance becomes the defining constraint, with the 4K Ultra result being particularly telling of the GPU's limits under maximum load.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a formidable processor, and its specifications support the high frame rates observed at 1080p. With 14 cores and 20 threads, it offers substantial parallel processing power. The architecture is Raptor Lake, built on a 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, which can boost up to 5.30 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for gaming performance, as it allows the CPU to handle the single-threaded logic and physics calculations that are common in Action RPGs like The Technomancer.

The processor's cache hierarchy is also generous. It features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. This large cache pool helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency and improving instruction throughput. The benchmark data for the CPU shows it performs strongly in both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads. For instance, its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 32544, while the single-core score is 4594. These scores indicate a processor that is more than capable of handling the demands of a modern game engine.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is most apparent in the 1080p results, especially at the Low and Medium presets. At these settings, the GPU has a lighter load, and the frame rates of 219 and 169 FPS respectively are high enough that the CPU's ability to prepare and submit draw calls becomes the likely bottleneck. The data suggests that the i5-14600KF is providing enough throughput to keep the RX 9070 well-fed at lower resolutions, but the GPU cannot maintain those same frame rates as the resolution increases. The CPU's percentile ranking of 90 among all tested CPUs reinforces its position as a high-performance part that is not likely to be the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios, particularly at 1440p and 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For a 1920x1080 display, the High preset provides an excellent experience with an average of 144 FPS. This is well above the standard 60 FPS threshold and offers a smooth, responsive feel. The Ultra preset still delivers a very playable 112 FPS at this resolution, but the gains in visual fidelity may not be worth the 32 FPS performance hit for some users. The Medium preset offers a higher frame rate of 169 FPS, but it likely comes with a noticeable reduction in visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is again a strong recommendation. The average of 94 FPS is comfortable for most displays and offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 110 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize frame rate, while the Ultra preset at 73 FPS is still playable but may not be ideal for users with high refresh rate monitors who prefer to stay above 100 FPS.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only one that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 79 FPS. The Medium preset averages 60 FPS, which is technically playable but places the system at the minimum threshold for smooth motion in many games. The High preset at 52 FPS and the Ultra preset at 40 FPS are likely to feel less fluid, especially in a genre that requires quick reactions. The measured data shows a clear trade-off at 4K, and users will have to accept lower settings to achieve higher frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination is ranked 1114 out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 30% of all tested configurations, which is a solid result for a modern mid-range to high-end pairing. The ranking suggests that while this combo is not at the absolute top tier of performance for this specific game, it significantly outperforms the majority of systems that have been benchmarked.

This ranking is likely influenced by the fact that the RX 9070, while a capable card, is not the most powerful GPU available. Its performance in The Technomancer, particularly at 4K Ultra settings, shows that it has limits. The CPU, however, is performing admirably, and its high benchmark scores likely contribute to the combo's position in the rankings. The fact that the combo ranks in the top 30% indicates that it is a well-matched pair that delivers good performance across a range of settings, but there is headroom for improvement with a more powerful GPU. The data shows that this is a capable combination, but not one that will dominate the top of the charts.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and utilizes the Navi 48 chip, fabricated on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. The GPU has 3584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. Its boost clock is rated at 2520 MHz, with a game clock of 2070 MHz. These specifications indicate a powerful graphics card that is designed for high-resolution gaming.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings increase. The data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's workload and the frame rates. The GPU's benchmark scores are respectable; for example, its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 6290, and its Passmark G3D score is 25381. These scores place it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is a solid performer.

The measured FPS data confirms this. At 1080p, the GPU is able to produce high frame rates, but it is not fully utilized. However, as the resolution increases to 1440p and then to 4K, the frame rates drop, demonstrating that the GPU is being pushed to its limits. The 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS is particularly telling. It shows that the RX 9070, while capable, does not have enough raw power to handle maximum settings at the highest resolution in this game. The 16 GB of VRAM is not the issue here, as this game is from 2016 and likely does not require that much memory. The key constraint is the GPU's compute performance, which is unable to keep up with the pixel and shading demands of 4K Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination produces an average of 144 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings.

Q: How does the performance at 2560x1440 compare to 3840x2160 on the Medium preset?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 110 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average drops to 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data shows a very high average of 219 FPS at 1080p Low. This indicates the GPU is not heavily taxed, and the CPU is likely the primary factor limiting the frame rate from going even higher.

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS target at 3840x2160?

A: The Medium preset achieves an average of exactly 60 FPS at 3840x2160. The Low preset is the only one that exceeds this, with an average of 79 FPS.

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

A: This specific combo ranks 1114 out of 3696 total tested combinations for The Technomancer, placing it in the upper portion of the performance distribution.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440?

A: The measured data shows a minimum FPS of 94 at 2560x1440 on the Medium preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 219 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 169 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 144 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 112 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 143 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 110 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 94 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 73 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 79 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 60 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 52 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 40 |

The data reveals a wide performance envelope for this hardware combination. At 1080p Low, the system can achieve high refresh rates, while at 4K Ultra, it falls to a level that is not ideal for demanding action sequences. The Medium preset provides a balanced experience across all resolutions, with frame rates ranging from 60 at 4K to 169 at 1080p. The High preset is a strong choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming, offering a good mix of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset is best reserved for 1080p displays, where it still maintains a playable frame rate. The i5-14600KF proves to be a powerful partner, but the RX 9070's performance ceiling is clearly defined by the 4K results.