The Technomancer

The Technomancer, an Action RPG released in 2016, presents a specific performance profile when paired with an Intel Core i7-12700K and an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary scaling factor across resolutions, while the processor provides ample headroom. The following analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on component roles, resolution scaling, and optimal settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a clear and predictable progression as resolution increases, demonstrating that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the limiting component in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 153 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same preset drops the average to 100 FPS, a reduction of 53 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 55 FPS. This pattern indicates that the GPU's rendering workload is the dominant factor, with the CPU not being a bottleneck at any tested resolution.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep. The 55 FPS at 3840x2160 High is only 55% of the 100 FPS achieved at 2560x1440 High. This suggests that the RX 9070 XT's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and its 256-bit bus are being taxed heavily at 4K, but the architecture is still managing playable frame rates. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is smaller in percentage terms, but the absolute drop of 53 FPS shows the GPU is still the primary constraint.

The data also shows how settings interact with resolution. At 4K, dropping from High to Medium raises the average FPS from 55 to 64, while dropping to Low raises it to 83. This 28 FPS difference between High and Low at 4K is substantial, but it is less than the 49 FPS difference seen between High and Low at 1440p. This indicates that at higher resolutions, the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth demands become more significant, and while lowering settings helps, the resolution itself remains the dominant cost. The 4K Ultra preset yields only 43 FPS, showing that the highest quality settings at this resolution push the GPU to its limit.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5. This level of performance provides a solid foundation for gaming, ensuring that the CPU does not become a bottleneck in The Technomancer.

The data supports this conclusion. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is almost entirely dependent on resolution, which is a GPU-bound workload. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 233 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that would stress many CPUs. The fact that the system can reach this number suggests the i7-12700K has sufficient single-thread performance. The 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and the Geekbench single-core score of 2308 further confirm that the processor's individual cores are capable.

In comparison to its nearest rivals, the i7-12700K is statistically equivalent. The Intel Core i5-13600T has an average score that is 0.1% lower, and the Intel Core i7-12700KF is 0.2% lower. This means that for this game, swapping to a similar-tier processor would likely yield nearly identical results. The CPU's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 20 threads provide ample resources for the game's logic, but the measured FPS data shows that the game is not heavily multi-threaded in a way that would differentiate these processors. The Passmark multi-thread score of 34404 is high, but the game's performance is primarily dictated by the GPU.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is based on the RDNA 4.0 architecture and features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2970 MHz, and it has 4096 shading units. These specifications are directly relevant to The Technomancer's performance, especially at higher resolutions.

The GPU's memory capacity is a key factor. At 4K with Ultra settings, the game uses enough resources to push the system to an average of 43 FPS. While this is a low frame rate, it is playable, and the 16 GB VRAM ensures that the game does not run out of memory, which would cause stuttering or crashes. The 644.6 GB/s bandwidth is also crucial for the High and Medium presets, where the 55 and 64 FPS averages at 4K show the GPU is processing a large amount of texture and geometry data.

The GPU's raw compute power, measured at 48.66 TFLOPS FP32, is what allows for the high frame rates at lower resolutions. The 233 FPS at 1080p Low demonstrates the card's ability to push frames when the pixel workload is lighter. However, the performance scaling shows that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth become the limiting factors as resolution increases. The passmark G3D score of 26795 places this GPU in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, but the nearest rivals listed are much older and slower cards, which is a statistical quirk of the database. In practice, for this game, the RX 9070 XT is a very capable card, but the 4K Ultra preset is the only configuration that brings it to its knees.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Technomancer with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 provides a strong balance. At High settings, the average FPS is 100, which is smooth, and it offers a significant visual upgrade over 1080p. While 4K is playable at 55 FPS on High, the 1440p experience is more consistent.

Q: How does the RX 9070 XT handle 4K in this game?

A: The GPU can manage 4K, but with compromises. At High settings, the average FPS is 55, which is acceptable for a slower-paced RPG. Dropping to Medium raises this to 64 FPS, and Low gets 83 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only one that falls below 45 FPS, averaging just 43 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700K a bottleneck for the RX 9070 XT in this game?

A: The benchmark data indicates it is not a significant bottleneck. The frame rates scale predictably with resolution, which is a sign of GPU limitation. The high FPS at 1080p (153 on High, 233 on Low) shows the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to reach very high frame rates.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Medium and High settings?

A: Across all resolutions, the difference is substantial. At 1080p, High averages 153 FPS while Medium averages 179 FPS, a 26 FPS difference. At 1440p, the gap is 17 FPS (100 vs 117), and at 4K, it is 9 FPS (55 vs 64). The performance cost of High over Medium is higher at lower resolutions.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset for this game?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding. At 1080p, it still achieves a strong 119 FPS average. However, at 1440p, it drops to 78 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 43 FPS. For a consistent experience, High or Medium are better choices, especially at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the 1080p performance compare to 1440p performance?

A: The step down from 1080p to 1440p is significant. For example, on High settings, the average FPS drops from 153 to 100, a 53 FPS reduction. This shows that 1440p nearly doubles the pixel count, and the GPU work required increases accordingly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

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

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 1920x1080 | Low | 233 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 179 | 152 | 205 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 153 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 119 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 152 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 117 | 99 | 134 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 100 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 78 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 83 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 64 | 55 | 74 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 55 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 43 | - | - |

The data shows a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, all presets are well above 60 FPS, with even the Ultra preset hitting 119 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that stays above 150 FPS (152), while Ultra drops to 78 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset manages to stay above 60 FPS (83 FPS), with Medium and High being playable but not high-refresh-rate material.

The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p, it has a minimum of 152 and a maximum of 205. At 1440p, the minimum is 99 and the maximum is 134. At 4K, the minimum is 55 and the maximum is 74. This suggests that the Medium preset has more variable frame times than the High or Low presets, which could be due to dynamic game elements.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the High preset at 2560x1440 offers the best overall experience. The 100 FPS average is smooth and responsive, and it provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p. This resolution and preset combination balances image quality with performance, avoiding the steep cost of 4K while still utilizing the GPU's power.

For users with a 1080p monitor, the Ultra preset is a viable choice. The 119 FPS average is excellent, and it allows for the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 1080p is also a strong option, but the 26 FPS gain from moving to Medium suggests that High is not a mandatory step.

At 4K, the High preset is the recommended starting point. The 55 FPS average is acceptable for the genre, but users who prioritize frame rate should consider the Medium preset, which raises the average to 64 FPS. The Low preset at 4K, at 83 FPS, is surprisingly playable and could be used for a very smooth experience, though visual quality will be noticeably reduced.

The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended for general play. The 43 FPS average is below the 60 FPS threshold that most users consider smooth, and the visual difference between Ultra and High is not worth the 12 FPS loss. The data suggests that High is the "sweet spot" for 4K, while Medium is the safe choice for ensuring stable frame times.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of an Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is ranked 875 out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 23.7% of all configurations in the database. This is a solid ranking, indicating that the hardware is well-matched for this game.

The ranking suggests that while this is a high-performing setup, there are many other combinations that achieve higher average FPS. The position is likely influenced by the RX 9070 XT's performance at 4K, where it is strong but not the absolute fastest. The i7-12700K's performance is competitive, as its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its average benchmark score, meaning the CPU is not a differentiating factor.

The rank of 875 out of 3696 is a strong result, but it is not a top-tier score. This is consistent with the measured FPS data, which shows excellent performance at 1080p and 1440p, but only moderate performance at 4K on higher settings. The combo's strength lies in its consistency across resolutions, making it a versatile choice for a game that can be played at various quality levels. The data confirms that this is a well-balanced pairing that will provide a good experience for most users, with the caveat that 4K Ultra is the only configuration that strains the system.