The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 pairing. This combination delivers a wide range of performance, from highly playable 4K experiences to extremely high refresh rate 1080p output. The data suggests a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance ensures headroom at lower ones.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 141.4 FPS at 1920x1080 to 96.8 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of approximately 31.5%. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 48.3 FPS, which is a 65.9% decrease from the 1080p result. This steep curve indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions, struggling to maintain frame rates as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. With Low settings, the game runs at 219.6 FPS at 1080p, but this plummets to 144.9 FPS at 1440p and 77.2 FPS at 4K. The fact that the frame rate nearly halves from 1440p to 4K, despite the large CPU headroom available, confirms that the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting. At 1080p, the system is less constrained, but the data still shows a 35% drop from Low to Ultra settings, suggesting that even at this resolution, the GPU’s capabilities are being tested by the game’s highest visual fidelity.

The data indicates that for a smooth 60 FPS experience at 4K, you will need to rely on Medium settings, which achieve 61.3 FPS. High settings at 4K fall short of that target at 48.3 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 41.6 FPS. At 1440p, the system is much more comfortable, with High settings hitting 96.8 FPS and even Ultra achieving 71.2 FPS. For competitive or high-refresh-rate play, 1080p is the only resolution that can push past the 140 FPS mark on High settings.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark results clearly show that the Ultra preset in The Technomancer is extremely demanding, and its performance cost is not justified by the visual gains in this data. At 4K, Ultra yields 41.6 FPS, while dropping to High provides a 16.1% performance increase to 48.3 FPS. At 1440p, the gap is even more pronounced, with Ultra achieving 71.2 FPS and High delivering 96.8 FPS, a 35.9% improvement. This suggests that High is the optimal preset for a balance of visual quality and frame rate.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the most practical choice, as it is the only one that clears the 60 FPS threshold with an average of 61.3 FPS. While Low settings offer a higher 77.2 FPS, the visual degradation is likely too severe for a quality experience. At 1440p, High settings provide an excellent experience, and Medium (110 FPS) is a viable option for users with 120Hz or 144Hz displays. At 1080p, High settings are the sweet spot, delivering 141.4 FPS, which is well-suited for high refresh rate monitors, while Medium offers a slight boost to 167 FPS for those prioritizing speed over fidelity.

Benchmark results indicate that the High preset is the best overall recommendation, as it provides a significant performance headroom over Ultra while maintaining a higher visual quality than Medium.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF features 12 cores and 20 threads, a configuration that provides substantial multi-threading capability. Its benchmark scores reflect this, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979 and a Geekbench multicore score of 13596. This processing power is sufficient to prevent the CPU from becoming the primary bottleneck in The Technomancer, as seen in the frame rate scaling.

The CPU’s single-thread performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4091 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2526. This is important because many games rely heavily on single-threaded performance for game logic and draw calls. The data shows that at 1080p, where the GPU has less work to do, the frame rates are exceptionally high (up to 219.6 FPS on Low), indicating that the CPU is able to feed the GPU with a sufficient number of frames.

However, the game’s engine appears to be well-optimized for multi-threading, as the CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals is nearly identical. The i7-12700KF’s average benchmark score is 35355, with a 0.1% delta compared to the Intel Core i5-14400, -0.2% compared to the Intel Core i7-13800H, and 0.2% compared to the Intel Core i9-12900HX. This suggests that any of these CPUs would perform similarly in this game, and the i7-12700KF is not leaving any performance on the table due to its architecture.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 pairing ranks 567th out of 1656 total combos for this game. This places it in the top 34.2% of all systems tested, which is a solid result. However, it is important to consider that this rank is based on the combination’s overall performance, which is heavily influenced by the GPU.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 34780, placing it in the 79th percentile of all graphics cards. Its nearest rivals, the NVIDIA A2, NVIDIA Quadro GV100, AMD Radeon HD 7970, and AMD Radeon PRO W6400, all have very similar average scores, with delta percentages ranging from -0.2% to 0.8%. This indicates that the RX 9070’s raw compute performance is comparable to these cards, but its real-world gaming performance in The Technomancer is what determines the final rank.

The CPU’s performance is in the 89th percentile of all processors, which is excellent. The i7-12700KF’s average benchmark score of 35355 puts it just ahead of the Intel Core i5-14400 (deltaPct 0.1%) and Intel Core i9-12900HX (deltaPct 0.2%), and just behind the Intel Core i7-13800H (deltaPct -0.2%). This suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combination, and the overall rank is more reflective of the GPU’s performance at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but not on the highest settings. The data shows that at 4K with Medium settings, the average frame rate is 61.3 FPS, which is playable. High settings drop to 48.3 FPS, and Ultra is too demanding at 41.6 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: High settings are the best choice at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 96.8 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on most high refresh rate monitors. Ultra is also viable at 71.2 FPS, but the performance hit from High is significant.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 in this game?

A: No. The CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979, ensures it is not the limiting factor. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a classic GPU-bound pattern, where performance drops significantly as resolution increases.

Q: How does this combo’s performance compare to other tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 567th out of 1656 combos, placing it in the top third of all tested systems. The GPU’s average benchmark score is in the 79th percentile, while the CPU is in the 89th percentile, indicating a well-balanced system.

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

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings achieve 219.6 FPS, while Ultra settings achieve 112.3 FPS. This is a 48.9% reduction in frame rate, showing that Ultra is very demanding on the GPU, even at 1080p.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 9070’s performance comparable to its close rivals?

A: Yes. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 34780, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA A2 (34866), NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (34677), and AMD Radeon HD 7970 (34541). The delta percentages are all within 0.8% of each other.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average frame rates for the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9070 combination in The Technomancer.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low Settings: 219.6 FPS
• Medium Settings: 167 FPS
• High Settings: 141.4 FPS
• Ultra Settings: 112.3 FPS

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low Settings: 144.9 FPS
• Medium Settings: 110 FPS
• High Settings: 96.8 FPS
• Ultra Settings: 71.2 FPS

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low Settings: 77.2 FPS
• Medium Settings: 61.3 FPS
• High Settings: 48.3 FPS
• Ultra Settings: 41.6 FPS

These results illustrate a system that is powerful enough for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, and capable of 4K gaming if settings are adjusted to Medium or below. The performance scales consistently, with the GPU being the clear limiting factor at higher resolutions.