The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT combination. The measured data reveals a configuration that is heavily influenced by both the game's age and the specific capabilities of the GPU, with the CPU providing a robust foundation. The performance profile is consistent across all tested resolutions, showing a clear hierarchy where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable and significant drop in frame rates as resolution scales from 1080p to 4K, which clearly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is the limiting component in this pairing. At the High preset, the average FPS falls from 116.7 at 1920x1080 to 77.5 at 2560x1440, and finally to 41.6 at 3840x2160. This represents a substantial 64.4% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The pattern is even more pronounced at the Low preset, where the frame rate drops from 179.7 at 1080p to 116.9 at 1440p and then to 66.4 at 4K. The extreme jump from 1080p to 4K at Low settings—a 63.1% decrease—suggests that the pixel throughput demands of 4K are overwhelming the GPU's capabilities. The Ultra preset shows the smallest absolute drop, from 93 at 1080p to 60.8 at 1440p and 34.6 at 4K, but the relative scaling is similar. The data implies that the CPU, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, is not the constraint here; otherwise, the frame rates would plateau or scale differently across resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Core i7-12700K and RX 6750 XT ranks 803rd out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the 48.5th percentile of all tested systems, which is a surprisingly low ranking for a setup that includes a high-end 12th Gen Intel processor and a capable RDNA 2 graphics card. The data suggests that while this combo is far from the bottom, it is not in the upper echelon of performers for this specific title.

This ranking is likely skewed by the game's release date and its rendering techniques. The Technomancer was released in 2016 and may not be optimized for the architectural strengths of either the Alder Lake CPU or the RDNA 2 GPU. The CPU’s high benchmark scores—such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 29241 and a Passmark multithread score of 34404—do not translate into a top-tier in-game ranking, suggesting that the game's engine does not fully utilize the processor's capabilities. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 79% also indicates it is a solid performer overall, but the specific demands of this game may not align perfectly with its strengths.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is the central figure in this performance analysis, with its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit memory interface providing a 432.0 GB/s bandwidth. These specifications are more than adequate for a game from 2016, yet the measured results show that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The GPU's boost clock of 2600 MHz and game clock of 2495 MHz are high for an RDNA 2 part, which should help in GPU-bound scenarios.

The data shows that the RX 6750 XT’s performance in The Technomancer is heavily dependent on the preset. The gap between Low and Ultra settings is substantial, with a 93.2% difference in average FPS at 1080p (179.7 vs 93). This wide range indicates that the game's graphical settings have a profound impact on the GPU's workload. Interestingly, the GPU sits at the 79th percentile overall, and its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5600M with a deltaPct of 0.2, showing that it is statistically tied with that mobile part in general benchmarks. However, in this game, the desktop-class RX 6750 XT’s raw power is what drives the frame rates, even if it falls short of delivering a consistently smooth 4K experience.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves high frame rates, with an average of 116.7 FPS at High and 179.7 FPS at Low. At 2560x1440, the High preset still provides a playable 77.5 FPS, but 3840x2160 drops to 41.6 FPS at High, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35684, which is nearly identical to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, which scores 35802. The deltaPct between them is a negligible -0.3%, meaning the Intel chip is essentially on par with the AMD competitor in synthetic tests.

Q: Does the GPU have enough VRAM for this game?

A: Yes, the 12 GB of GDDR6 memory is far more than sufficient for a game released in 2016. The memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s also ensures that the GPU is not starved of data, even at 4K resolution. The bottleneck is not memory capacity but the GPU's raw compute throughput.

Q: Why is the combo's rank so low if the individual parts are high-performing?

A: The rank of 803 out of 1656 combos suggests that many other configurations, likely with more powerful GPUs or CPUs better suited to this older game engine, outperform it. The game may not be well-optimized for the 12th Gen Intel architecture or the RDNA 2 architecture, leading to lower-than-expected results relative to the hardware's synthetic benchmark scores.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 179.7 FPS, while Ultra averages 93 FPS, a performance drop of 48.2%. At 4K, the gap is similar in percentage, with Low at 66.4 FPS and Ultra at 34.6 FPS, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy workload that the GPU struggles to handle at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU is likely starting to become more relevant, but the data still points to the GPU as the primary limiter. The large delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p (179.7 vs 93 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the main constraint, as a CPU bottleneck would show less variation across graphics presets.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the High preset at 1920x1080 is the recommended configuration. It delivers an average of 116.7 FPS, which is well above the smooth 60 FPS standard and provides a significantly better visual experience than the Low preset. The Medium preset at 1080p, with 140.3 FPS, is also a strong choice for players who prefer higher frame rates, but the jump to High is worth the slight performance cost.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the most sensible option, offering 77.5 FPS. The Medium preset at 87.8 FPS is a viable alternative for those who want a bit more headroom, but the Ultra preset at 60.8 FPS is right on the edge of playability and may not provide a consistent experience. For 4K gaming, the Low preset at 66.4 FPS is the only setting that provides a playable frame rate, but the visual compromises are significant. The data indicates that the High preset at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, balancing the GPU's workload against the visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, is a powerful processor that should theoretically handle any game from 2016 with ease. Its boost clock of 5.00 GHz and base clock of 3.60 GHz, combined with a 25 MB shared L3 cache, provide substantial single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU excels, with a 3DMark max threads score of 9979 and a single-thread score of 1043.

However, the measured in-game data suggests that the CPU is not the primary driver of performance in The Technomancer. The frame rates scale heavily with resolution and graphics settings, which is a hallmark of a GPU-bound workload. The CPU's high scores in Cinebench R23 (29241 multicore) and Passmark (34404 multithread) do not translate into a higher combo rank, implying that the game's engine likely does not leverage the processor's 12 cores effectively. The CPU is performing its role adequately, providing a stable foundation, but it is the GPU that determines the final frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT in The Technomancer is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves the highest average frame rate of 179.7 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 140.3 FPS, while the High preset is close behind at 116.7 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 93 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across the board. The Low preset averages 116.9 FPS, which is the only setting above the 100 FPS mark. The Medium preset follows at 87.8 FPS, with High at 77.5 FPS and Ultra at 60.8 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS, at 66.4 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 48.6 FPS, High to 41.6 FPS, and Ultra to 34.6 FPS. This breakdown clearly illustrates the performance ceiling of this combo at higher resolutions, with a 61.5% reduction in FPS from the best 1080p result (179.7) to the best 4K result (66.4) when using the Low preset.