The Technomancer

The Intel Core i5-14600KF combines 14 physical cores with 20 threads, using a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process, delivers a substantial multi-threaded workload capacity. Benchmark data places this processor in the 93rd percentile among all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643. The data shows that in CPU-bound scenarios, this processor maintains high frame rates, as evidenced by the 1920x1080 Low setting average of 261.7 FPS. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing in an action RPG like The Technomancer. The processor's nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, scores nearly identically at 49166 average benchmark points, a mere 0.4% difference, indicating that the KF variant's lack of integrated graphics does not hamper its processing power. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X sits 0.6% behind, while the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H trails by 1.4%, confirming that this CPU provides top-tier performance for gaming workloads.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1980 MHz and boosts to 2475 MHz, with memory running at 21 Gbps effective. This Ada Lovelace architecture card, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC, contains 7168 shading units and achieves a pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s. The GPU's benchmark percentile stands at 84 among all graphics cards, with a Passmark G3D score of 29995. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A6000, scores 42653 average points, just 0.2% ahead, while the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE is 0.3% ahead at 42723 points. The data indicates that this GPU is well-suited for The Technomancer, as it maintains playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra settings with an average of 47.8 FPS. The 12 GB VRAM capacity proves sufficient for the game's textures, as evidenced by the smooth scaling from 1080p to 1440p where the High setting average drops from 169.6 FPS to 112.6 FPS, a reasonable decline that suggests the GPU is not bottlenecking on memory capacity.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600KF compare to its closest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF achieves an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K's score of 49166, and 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X's 49062 points.

Q: What is the maximum 4K average frame rate achievable with this combo, and at which settings?

A: The highest 4K average frame rate is 93 FPS, achieved at Low settings. At High settings, the average drops to 62.5 FPS, while Ultra settings yield 47.8 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 42576, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE's score of 42723, indicating they are statistically equivalent in overall performance.

Q: At 1440p, what is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low setting produces an average of 169.1 FPS, while Ultra produces 86.6 FPS. This represents a 82.5 FPS drop, or approximately 48.8% lower performance at Ultra compared to Low.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 269th out of 1656 tested combos for The Technomancer, placing it in the top 16.3% of all configurations.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU show signs of being the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 Low settings, the combo achieves 261.7 FPS, which is exceptionally high. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking and the GPU's 84th percentile suggest that at lower resolutions, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4643) helps sustain high frame rates, while the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo demonstrates exceptional performance across all settings. The Low preset delivers an average of 261.7 FPS, providing a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings reduce the average to 198.2 FPS, still well above the threshold for competitive play. High settings maintain an average of 169.6 FPS, while Ultra drops to 134.2 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system has significant headroom, with even the most demanding settings remaining above 130 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably. Low settings produce 169.1 FPS, Medium yields 128.1 FPS, High achieves 112.6 FPS, and Ultra brings the average down to 86.6 FPS. The 1440p High setting represents a sweet spot for visual fidelity and frame rate, staying above 100 FPS. At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low settings still manage 93 FPS, Medium drops to 71.6 FPS, High reaches 62.5 FPS, and Ultra falls to 47.8 FPS. The 4K Ultra average of 47.8 FPS is playable but approaches the boundary of smooth gameplay, suggesting that users targeting 4K may need to adjust settings for a more consistent experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 269 out of 1656 tested combinations places it in the top 16.3% of all configurations for The Technomancer. This ranking reflects the balanced pairing of a high-end CPU with a capable GPU. The CPU's 93rd percentile performance ensures it does not become a bottleneck, while the GPU's 84th percentile ranking provides solid graphics processing power. The data shows that this combination outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, with only 268 combinations achieving higher average frame rates. The proximity of the GPU's nearest rivals—the RTX A6000, RX 7650 GRE, and Radeon Pro 580X—indicates that slight variations in GPU choice would not dramatically alter the combo's standing. Similarly, the CPU's performance is tightly clustered with its rivals, with the largest delta being 1.4% from the Xeon Gold 5318H. This suggests that the combo's rank is primarily determined by the balance between CPU and GPU capabilities rather than any single component's dominance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 198.2 FPS, which is 33.9% higher than High's 169.6 FPS and only 24.2% lower than Low's 261.7 FPS. At 1440p, Medium achieves 128.1 FPS, comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, while High drops to 112.6 FPS and Ultra falls to 86.6 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p provides a 41.5 FPS advantage over Ultra, a significant margin that ensures smoother gameplay. For 4K, Medium produces 71.6 FPS, which is 9.1 FPS higher than High and 23.8 FPS higher than Ultra. The data suggests that for users prioritizing frame rate consistency, Medium is the optimal choice. However, for those with high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, High settings at 169.6 FPS provide an excellent experience without sacrificing too much visual detail. The Low preset, while delivering the highest frame rates, likely sacrifices too much visual fidelity for the modest gains over Medium, especially at 1440p and above.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights about the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 261.7 at 1080p to 169.1 at 1440p (a 35.4% reduction) and then to 93 at 4K (a 45.0% reduction from 1440p). This steep decline at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as pixel count increases. At Ultra settings, the pattern is similar: 134.2 FPS at 1080p drops to 86.6 FPS at 1440p (35.5% reduction) and further to 47.8 FPS at 4K (44.8% reduction). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings suggests that the GPU's rendering capability, rather than CPU limitations, governs performance at higher resolutions. The CPU's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 4643 Cinebench R23 single-core score, ensures it can feed the GPU adequately at all tested resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 47.8 FPS, while low, still demonstrates that the combo can handle the most demanding configuration, albeit with frame rates that approach the minimum threshold for smooth gameplay. The scaling pattern confirms that users seeking the highest frame rates should prioritize 1080p or 1440p, while 4K is viable for less demanding settings or for players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate.