The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the Intel Arc B370. This combination, which occupies the 2603rd position out of 2825 tested combos in this game, demonstrates significant performance limitations that are primarily rooted in the graphics subsystem. The data indicates a system that can manage playable framerates only at lower resolutions and settings, with the GPU acting as the definitive bottleneck across all tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a stark and predictable decline in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, where the Intel Arc B370's rendering capabilities are overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count. The framerate drop is not linear, but rather steep, suggesting that the GPU’s fillrate and shading resources are exhausted very quickly as the workload grows.

At the High preset, the average framerate falls from 47 FPS at 1920x1080 to 31 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 16 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 17 FPS, representing a 30 FPS loss from the 1080p baseline. This demonstrates that even a modest step from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly one-third of the performance, and the jump to 4K more than halves it again. The data suggests that the Arc B370 is not designed for high-resolution gaming in this title, as the pixel throughput required at 4K far exceeds its capabilities.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. For instance, at Low settings, the average framerate is 71 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 47 FPS at 1440p and further to 26 FPS at 4K. Similarly, at Medium settings, the average goes from 55 FPS at 1080p to 36 FPS at 1440p and 20 FPS at 4K. The consistent halving or more of performance with each resolution step confirms that the limiting component is the GPU, as a CPU bottleneck would typically show less variation in framerate when the resolution is changed. The i5-14600KF, with its high single-thread performance, is not the constraining factor here; the Arc B370's rendering pipeline is.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and Intel Arc B370 is positioned at rank 2603 out of 2825 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, indicating that this pairing is among the weaker configurations for this specific game. The rank is a holistic measure of the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, and the low position reflects the GPU's inability to maintain high framerates in most scenarios.

This poor ranking is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities. The Intel Core i5-14600KF performs very well in synthetic benchmarks, holding the 90th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in CPU benchmark scores, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388, have average scores within 1% of the i5-14600KF. In contrast, the Intel Arc B370's benchmark performance is exceptionally low, sitting in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in GPU benchmarks include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, which are legacy parts from a different era. This stark contrast between the CPU's high percentile and the GPU's very low percentile leads to a severely imbalanced system for gaming, dragging the combo rank down to the bottom tier.

The data shows that the combo rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU. The i5-14600KF provides more than enough processing power for this game, but the Arc B370 acts as a severe bottleneck, preventing the system from achieving performance levels consistent with the CPU's potential. The result is a combo that ranks poorly because the weakest link, the GPU, is far too weak for the demands of the game at most settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the dominant factor in this system's performance in The Technomancer. Its specifications, which include 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output pipelines, are indicative of a low-end integrated graphics solution. This is further confirmed by its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, alongside much older discrete parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and AMD FirePro M2000.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This has a direct impact on performance, as the memory bandwidth is "System Dependent" and not optimized for the high-throughput demands of a modern game. The base clock of 300 MHz and boost clock of 2400 MHz are not particularly high, and the FP32 performance is rated at 6.144 TFLOPS. These figures, combined with the low percentile ranking, explain why the GPU struggles to maintain playable framerates.

In the context of The Technomancer, the GPU's role is to render the game world, and its limited pixel fillrate and texture processing capabilities are the primary reasons for the low FPS. The data shows that at 1080p Ultra, the average framerate is only 37 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 13 FPS. This indicates that the Arc B370 is not just underperforming at high resolutions; it is also unable to handle the increased graphical complexity of higher settings presets even at 1080p. The GPU is the clear limiting factor in every measured row, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed it more frames than it can render.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination are at the Low preset. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 71 FPS, which is the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth and responsive experience. This setting avoids the severe framerate drops seen at higher presets and provides the best balance between visual quality and performance, given the GPU's limitations.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields an average of 47 FPS. While this is playable, it is below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider ideal for a smooth experience. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 36 FPS, which is more demanding and less stable. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only manages an average of 26 FPS, which is not a playable experience for an action RPG that requires timely input.

The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for this system. At 1080p, the High preset averages 47 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 37 FPS. These are playable but not ideal, and they come with a significant performance cost compared to Low. At higher resolutions, these presets produce framerates that are too low for comfortable gameplay, with High at 1440p averaging 31 FPS and Ultra at 4K averaging 13 FPS. The data clearly shows that the Low preset is the only one that consistently allows the system to perform without being bottlenecked by the GPU's rendering limits.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across all tested resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to be used with this GPU, the framerates are as follows: Low averages 71 FPS, Medium averages 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 63 FPS, High averages 47 FPS, and Ultra averages 37 FPS. This shows a clear and steady decline in performance as the settings are increased.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 47 FPS, the Medium preset averages 36 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS, the High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 24 FPS. The drop from 1080p is substantial, with every preset losing at least 20 FPS on average. This confirms that 1440p is a challenging resolution for the Arc B370 in this game.

At 3840x2160, the framerates become largely unplayable. The Low preset averages 26 FPS, the Medium preset averages 20 FPS with a minimum of 17 FPS and a maximum of 23 FPS, the High preset averages 17 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 13 FPS. None of these averages approach a smooth 30 FPS, let alone 60 FPS. The data indicates that 4K resolution is not a viable option for this hardware combination in The Technomancer, as the GPU simply does not have the processing power to render the game at that pixel count.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this system in The Technomancer?

A: The best experience is at 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average framerate of 71 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a consistently high and stable framerate above 60 FPS.

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

A: No. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only averages 26 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 13 FPS. The data shows that 4K resolution is not playable with this hardware.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184, which is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.7% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. It is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro M2000.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 71 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 37 FPS. This represents a 34 FPS difference, with the Low preset providing nearly double the framerate.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the bottleneck. The Intel Core i5-14600KF is in the 90th percentile of CPUs, while the Intel Arc B370 is in the 5th percentile of GPUs. The framerate drops significantly with resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario.

Q: What is the average framerate at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system averages 36 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS.

CPU Role

While the GPU is the primary performance limiter, the Intel Core i5-14600KF provides the processing foundation for this system. The CPU features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration is well-suited for modern gaming, and its performance in synthetic benchmarks is strong. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 32544, and its single-core score is 4594, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor, as the framerate drops consistently with resolution increases regardless of the settings preset. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar framerates across different resolutions, as the CPU workload would remain constant. Instead, the framerate scales inversely with resolution, confirming that the CPU is feeding the GPU with more frames than it can process.

The i5-14600KF's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, has an average benchmark score of 49228, which is only 0.3% different from the i5-14600KF's average score of 49394. This indicates that the CPU is a high-performing part that is not holding back the system in this game. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory also contribute to its overall capability. However, none of this CPU power can compensate for the Arc B370's low rendering throughput. The system's overall performance in The Technomancer is, and will remain, firmly capped by the GPU's limits at all resolutions and settings tested.