The Technomancer

# FAQ

Q: What is the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-12700KF + Intel Arc B580 combo in The Technomancer?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 138 FPS. With Medium settings, the average drops to 106 FPS (with a minimum of 90 FPS and maximum of 121 FPS). High settings yield 90 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 70 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested system configurations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2787 out of 3696 total tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This rank reflects the measured frame rates across all resolution and settings combinations, not just the peak performance.

Q: What is the frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average is 90 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High, the average drops to 59 FPS. At 3840x2160 High, the average falls to 32 FPS. This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K.

Q: What are the key specifications of the CPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has 12 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It features 25 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The CPU's launch MSRP is $384.

Q: What are the key specifications of the GPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, with 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It operates at a boost clock of 2670 MHz and features 2560 shading units. The GPU's launch MSRP is 249 USD.

Q: Is the frame rate data measured or estimated?

A: The data is marked as `dataIsMeasured: true`, confirming that all FPS values come from actual benchmark runs rather than theoretical calculations or extrapolations.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured performance data reveals a clear and consistent scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 138 FPS, which drops to 90 FPS at 1440p and 49 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The total loss from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 89 FPS, or approximately 65% of the starting performance.

At Medium settings, the scaling follows a similar trajectory. The 106 FPS average at 1080p falls to 69 FPS at 1440p and 38 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are roughly consistent with the Low settings pattern, suggesting that the rendering load scales predictably with pixel count. However, the absolute FPS loss is smaller at Medium settings because the starting point is lower.

High settings show a more pronounced drop-off. The 90 FPS at 1080p declines to 59 FPS at 1440p and 32 FPS at 4K. The 4K result of 32 FPS is approaching the threshold where gameplay becomes noticeably less fluid, indicating that High settings at 4K are at the edge of playability for this combo.

Ultra settings exhibit the steepest decline. The 70 FPS at 1080p falls to 46 FPS at 1440p and 25 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below 30 FPS, which is generally considered the minimum for acceptable action game performance. This suggests that Ultra settings should be reserved for 1080p or 1440p gaming with this hardware.

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The consistent percentage-based scaling across all settings levels points to a rasterization-bound scenario where the Arc B580's 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 456.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth become the bottleneck as pixel count increases. The CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads are unlikely to be the constraint at 4K, given that the frame rates scale proportionally with resolution rather than showing a sudden plateau.

# How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2787 out of 3696 tested configurations places it in the 75th percentile of all combos tested for The Technomancer. This means roughly 75% of tested system configurations outperform this particular pairing in this specific game. The rank reflects the aggregate performance across all measured resolution and settings combinations, not just a single best-case scenario.

To contextualize this rank, consider the CPU's overall standing. The Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365 across all tested applications, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T with an average score of 35403 (a delta of -0.1%), the Intel Core i5-13600T with 35305 (a delta of 0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-12700K with 35287 (a delta of 0.2%). This indicates that the CPU is well within the top tier of processors, with performance essentially identical to its closest competitors.

The GPU presents a different picture. The Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP with a score of 23061 (delta of -0.2%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 with 22895 (delta of 0.6%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 with 23172 (delta of -0.7%). The GPU's performance is therefore comparable to these established cards, though its 68th percentile ranking places it below the CPU's 85th percentile standing.

The discrepancy between CPU and GPU rankings explains the combo's modest overall position. The i7-12700KF is a high-end processor that has ample headroom for most gaming workloads, but the Arc B580's mid-range positioning becomes the limiting factor in The Technomancer. The game's rendering demands appear to favor the GPU, and the combo's rank of 2787 reflects this balance.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce an average of 138 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings reduce the average to 106 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 90 FPS and maximum of 121 FPS. This indicates that Medium settings provide a comfortable margin above minimum playability standards. High settings yield 90 FPS average, still highly playable. Ultra settings drop to 70 FPS average, which remains above the 60 FPS target for most users.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance becomes more moderate. Low settings produce 90 FPS average, matching the 1080p High result. Medium settings average 69 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and maximum of 79 FPS. This places the minimum just below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting occasional dips during demanding scenes. High settings average 59 FPS, which is right at the edge of smoothness. Ultra settings fall to 46 FPS average, which may be acceptable for slower-paced segments but could cause noticeable stuttering in action sequences.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings produce 49 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 38 FPS, with a minimum of 32 FPS and maximum of 44 FPS. This suggests that even medium preset at 4K will experience significant frame drops during intense combat or environmental effects. High settings average 32 FPS, which is marginal for an action RPG. Ultra settings average 25 FPS, which is generally considered unplayable for this genre.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the combo is well-suited for 1080p gaming across all settings, acceptable at 1440p with Low through Medium settings, and only marginally playable at 4K with Low settings. The gap between 1440p and 4K is particularly notable, with performance dropping by approximately 45-50% across all settings levels.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF brings substantial processing power to this pairing. With 12 cores and 20 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture, the CPU offers a strong foundation for gaming workloads. The base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide high single-thread performance, as evidenced by the 3dmark single-thread score of 1043 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4071.

The CPU's multithreaded capabilities are equally impressive. The 3dmark max-threads score of 9983 and the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28838 demonstrate that the 12 cores can handle heavy parallel workloads. The Passmark multithread score of 34092 further confirms this, and the Passmark integer math score of 113521 suggests strong computational throughput.

However, The Technomancer is a game from 2016, and its engine may not fully utilize the CPU's 20 threads. The measured frame rates show that the combo's performance scales primarily with resolution and GPU load, rather than CPU core count. At 1080p Low, where the CPU would be expected to have the most influence, the combo achieves 138 FPS. This is a strong result, but it is not exceptional for a CPU of this caliber.

The CPU's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L2 cache of 1.25 MB provide ample capacity for game data. The 80 KB per-core L1 cache supports high-frequency operations. The 10 nm process node and 215 mm² die size indicate a modern, efficient design.

The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests that it is not the limiting factor in this combo. The benchmark data shows that the i7-12700KF is essentially tied with its nearest rivals in the same performance class, and it has a slight edge over the i7-12700K with a delta of 0.2%. This means the CPU is performing as expected, and any performance shortfalls in The Technomancer are more likely attributable to the GPU.

# Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, the data supports using Ultra settings. The 70 FPS average at 1080p Ultra provides a smooth experience with maximum visual quality. If a player prioritizes frame rate over visuals, High settings at 90 FPS offer a comfortable margin, and Medium settings at 106 FPS provide an even larger buffer. Low settings at 138 FPS are only necessary for competitive play or very high refresh rate displays.

At 1440p, Medium settings represent the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 69 FPS average with a 59 FPS minimum stays close to the 60 FPS threshold, and the 79 FPS maximum shows that the system can handle less demanding scenes well. High settings at 59 FPS average are borderline, with the minimum likely dipping below 60 FPS during heavy sequences. Low settings at 90 FPS are the safest choice for consistent smoothness, while Ultra settings at 46 FPS sacrifice too much fluidity for the visual gain.

For 4K, the options are limited. Low settings at 49 FPS average are the only preset that approaches playability. Medium settings at 38 FPS will cause noticeable stuttering, and High settings at 32 FPS are marginal at best. Ultra settings at 25 FPS are not recommended for this game. Players with 4K displays should either accept Low settings or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The data suggests that the optimal preset for this combo is 1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium, depending on the display resolution. These settings provide the best trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate, keeping the average above 60 FPS while maintaining acceptable minimums. The Arc B580's 12 GB of VRAM is sufficient for all tested settings, so memory capacity is not a constraining factor.

# GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 serves as the primary performance limiter in this combo. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes strained at 4K. The 2560 shading units operating at a boost clock of 2670 MHz deliver 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which places the GPU in the mid-range tier of modern graphics cards.

The GPU's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs is notably lower than the CPU's 85th percentile. The nearest rival benchmarks show that the Arc B580 is competitive with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (-0.2% delta), but it is also within 1% of the RTX 3080's score (-0.7% delta). This suggests that the GPU's performance is well-characterized by its benchmark scores, and its mid-range positioning is reflected in The Technomancer's measured frame rates.

The pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s indicate that the GPU can handle high fill rates, but the demands of 4K rendering exceed its capabilities. The measured FPS drops from 138 at 1080p Low to 49 at 4K Low demonstrate that the GPU's rendering throughput is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The GPU's 5 nm process node and 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die represent a modern design, but the 190 W TDP and dual-slot form factor suggest a mid-range power envelope. The 450 W suggested PSU provides adequate headroom for the entire system.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility are relevant for modern game engines, though The Technomancer from 2016 likely uses older API paths. The measured frame rates indicate that the GPU responds predictably to settings changes, with the 13.67 TFLOPS of compute power being the primary constraint at higher resolutions and quality presets.