The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a fascinating case study when paired with the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet shows surprising headroom at 1080p, suggesting the game’s engine and optimization are the primary limiting factors rather than the hardware itself. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) to understand the performance landscape.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies. At Ultra settings, the average FPS plummets from 141.5 at 1920x1080 to 94.1 at 2560x1440, a significant reduction, and then falls further to 49.8 at 3840x2160. This pattern indicates that the rendering load at 4K is overwhelming the GPU, a classic sign of a pixel-bound scenario. The RTX 4070 Ti, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed to its absolute limit by the 4K Ultra preset.

However, the scaling is not uniform across settings. When moving from High to Ultra at 1080p, the FPS drops from 181.8 to 141.5, a 40.3 FPS hit. At 4K, the same settings change results in a drop from 61.6 to 49.8, a smaller absolute difference of 11.8 FPS. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU have enough headroom to render extra effects, but at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that the incremental cost of Ultra settings is relatively smaller. The data implies that 1440p is the sweet spot for high refresh rates, as the High preset still achieves 117.8 FPS, while 4K is only viable for a cinematic 60 FPS experience on High settings.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience per the measured rows, the data points to a clear compromise between visual fidelity and frame rate. At 3840x2160, the High preset delivers an average of 61.6 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at this resolution drops to 49.8 FPS, which may feel less responsive for an action RPG. Therefore, High is the recommended setting for 4K, as it provides the best balance of visual quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 117.8 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 94.1 FPS is still very playable and offers more visual detail, making it a viable choice for users prioritizing image quality over a few extra frames. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 141.5 FPS is the clear winner, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while still maintaining a frame rate well above 120 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p yields 273.1 FPS, which is overkill for most displays, suggesting the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti combination ranks 166th out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 10% of all configurations, a strong showing that reflects the hardware’s capability. However, the ranking is not as high as the individual components’ percentiles might suggest; the GPU sits in the 85th percentile, and the CPU in the 93rd percentile. The gap between these percentiles and the combo rank indicates that the game’s engine does not fully utilize the available hardware potential, particularly at lower resolutions.

The data suggests that this combo is overkill for 1080p, where even the Ultra preset leaves significant performance on the table. The real value of this configuration emerges at 1440p and 4K, where it delivers high frame rates that many other combos would struggle to match. The 166th rank confirms the fact that while the hardware is elite, the game’s age and optimization limit its ability to fully flex its muscles, potentially leaving the CPU and GPU underutilized in less demanding scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 273.1 on Low to 141.5 on Ultra. The Medium preset achieves 209.1 FPS, and High reaches 181.8 FPS. This progression shows a consistent, predictable scaling with settings, with the difference between Low and Ultra being a substantial 131.6 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops across the board. Low yields 178.8 FPS, Medium 139.5 FPS, High 117.8 FPS, and Ultra 94.1 FPS. The scaling here is more compressed than at 1080p, with a difference of 84.7 FPS between Low and Ultra. This suggests that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens further. Low produces 99.8 FPS, Medium 77.6 FPS, High 61.6 FPS, and Ultra 49.8 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is now only 50 FPS, demonstrating how the GPU’s rendering limits dominate at 4K. The data shows that the RTX 4070 Ti can handle 4K Low at nearly 100 FPS, but the Ultra preset pushes it below the 60 FPS threshold.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti plays the dominant role in this game’s performance, particularly at higher resolutions. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient for The Technomancer, as the game’s release date suggests it does not have extreme VRAM requirements. The GPU’s 2610 MHz boost clock and 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are the key drivers of the frame rates seen in the benchmark data.

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly indicates a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the card achieves 273.1 FPS, but this drops to 99.8 FPS at 4K Low, a 63% reduction. This massive drop is directly attributable to the GPU’s pixel filling capabilities, with its 208.8 GPixel/s pixel rate being the limiting factor. The GPU’s 80 ROPs and 626.4 GTexel/s texture rate are also heavily taxed at higher resolutions, leading to the observed performance degradation.

The RTX 4070 Ti’s rank among other GPUs, sitting in the 85th percentile, is reflected in its ability to maintain playable frame rates at 4K. The nearest rival, the RTX 5090 Mobile, has a negligible 0.6% higher average benchmark score, indicating that the desktop 4070 Ti is a formidable performer. However, the data shows that even this powerful GPU cannot achieve 60 FPS at 4K Ultra in this game, requiring a settings reduction to High.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K’s role in The Technomancer is less prominent than the GPU, but it is essential for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. With 16 cores and 24 threads, the CPU provides ample processing power for the game’s logic and physics. Its boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is often crucial for older game engines.

The benchmark data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is not a bottleneck. The 273.1 FPS achieved on Low settings is a clear indication that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to avoid limiting performance. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and single-core score of 5505 place it in a top-tier position, with a 93rd percentile ranking. This raw power ensures that the CPU can handle the game’s demands without becoming a limiting factor.

However, the data also suggests that the CPU’s potential is not fully utilized in this game. The difference between the combo’s 166th rank and the CPU’s 93rd percentile implies that the game does not scale well with the CPU’s multi-core capabilities. The Intel Core i7-13700K is a modern powerhouse, but The Technomancer, being an older title, may not take full advantage of its 24 threads, leaving performance gains on the table.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The highest average FPS is 273.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 61.6. However, at Ultra settings, the average drops to 49.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 166th out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer, placing it in the top 10% of all configurations.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 141.5, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 49.8. This represents a 91.7 FPS reduction when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor, especially at 1440p and 4K resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to avoid being a bottleneck, as evidenced by the high frame rates on Low settings.

Q: What is the recommended setting for a smooth 4K experience?

A: The High preset at 4K is recommended, as it provides an average of 61.6 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at this resolution fails to maintain 60 FPS.