The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics hardware. This analysis pairs the Intel Core i7-14700F with the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, a combination whose measured performance across resolutions and settings reveals a system that transitions from a CPU-bound state at 1080p to a GPU-bound state at 4K. The data shows a capable pairing that delivers playable frame rates at high settings for most modern display resolutions, but the scaling patterns expose the inherent limits of the graphics card as the pixel count rises.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates demonstrate a classic performance curve that is heavily influenced by resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly not constrained by the GPU. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 174.2 FPS, and even at Ultra settings, the system maintains an average of 90.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 83.9 FPS, indicating that the CPU has significant headroom to feed the GPU. This suggests that the Intel Core i7-14700F, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is more than sufficient to handle the game's logic and draw calls at this resolution, allowing the Radeon RX 6700 XT to operate at its maximum potential.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on a more significant role. The average frame rate at Low settings drops to 110.7 FPS, a substantial 36.5% decrease from the 1080p Low result. This indicates that the GPU is now becoming a limiting factor, as the increased pixel count demands more from the rendering pipeline. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is also more pronounced, with a difference of 54.6 FPS between the 110.7 FPS Low and 56.1 FPS Ultra results. This shows that while the CPU is still capable, the GPU's throughput is now the primary determinant of performance.

The transition to 3840x2160 (4K) solidifies the GPU-bound nature of this configuration. The average frame rate at Low settings falls to 62.8 FPS, and at Ultra settings, it drops to a demanding 33.8 FPS. The frame rate drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 111.4 FPS, a massive 63.9% reduction. This steep decline is a clear indicator that the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, with its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 384.0 GB/s bandwidth, is the bottleneck at this resolution. The data suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, settings must be aggressively lowered, and even then, the system barely maintains a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT achieves a rank of 918 out of 1656 tested combos for this game. This places it in the middle of the pack, indicating that there are many other pairings that deliver higher average frame rates. The percentile for the CPU alone is 94, which is an exceptional score, but the GPU's percentile is only 77. This disparity is the key to understanding the combo's ranking. The processor is a top-tier performer, yet the graphics card holds the system back, preventing it from reaching the upper echelons of the ranking table.

The GPU's performance, as measured by its average benchmark score of 33721, is very close to its nearest rivals. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 6800 by a negligible 0.7% and sits just 1% behind the much older AMD Radeon HD 7950 and Radeon RX 480. This clustering suggests that the RX 6700 XT is positioned in a highly competitive performance tier, and its ranking in this game is consistent with its overall standing. The CPU, on the other hand, outperforms its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, by 0.6% in average score, but this advantage is not enough to overcome the GPU's limitations in a graphically intensive title like The Technomancer.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700F a bottleneck for the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT in this game?

A: The data indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at standard resolutions. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are high, and the scaling from Low to Ultra is substantial, showing the GPU is the active limiting component. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 35443, suggest it has ample processing power for this title.

Q: What is the maximum playable settings configuration for a 60 FPS target?

A: At 2560x1440, the High settings produce an average of 70.9 FPS, making it the highest quality preset that comfortably exceeds a 60 FPS target. At 3840x2160, the Low settings average 62.8 FPS, which is the only 4K configuration to break the 60 FPS mark, though it is just barely above the threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 918th out of 1656 combos tested for The Technomancer. This places it in the 55.4th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it performs better than a slight majority of pairings but lags behind the top performers. The GPU's 77th percentile ranking is a more accurate predictor of its in-game performance than the CPU's 94th percentile.

Q: What does the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings tell us?

A: The difference is most pronounced at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 83.9 FPS, showing the GPU has spare capacity. At 4K, this gap shrinks to 29 FPS, indicating that the GPU is fully saturated and the performance cost of higher settings is compressed due to the overall lower frame rates.

Q: Is the 12 GB VRAM of the RX 6700 XT sufficient for this game?

A: The measured data shows that the game runs at all tested settings, including 4K Ultra. While the VRAM size is not directly measured in the FPS data, the fact that the game can execute at these settings suggests that the 12 GB frame buffer is adequate to avoid any memory-related crashes or severe performance degradation.

Q: How does the CPU's single-threaded performance impact the game's results?

A: The Core i7-14700F's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2711, likely supports the high frame rates seen at 1080p. While the game is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, the CPU's ability to process the game's logic quickly ensures that it does not become a limiting factor even at lower settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average frame rates for the Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination in The Technomancer.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest performance. The Ultra preset averages 90.3 FPS, while High settings push the average to 114 FPS. Medium settings increase the average to 130.3 FPS, and the Low preset achieves a maximum average of 174.2 FPS. These figures show a consistent and predictable performance curve.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down as expected. The Ultra preset averages 56.1 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1080p result. High settings maintain a playable 70.9 FPS, while Medium settings offer an 84.6 FPS average. The Low preset delivers a smooth 110.7 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU can handle this resolution well when graphical demands are lowered.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck. The Ultra preset averages just 33.8 FPS, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay. High settings improve this to 40.2 FPS, and Medium settings provide a more playable 46.9 FPS average. The Low preset is the only option that achieves a 60 FPS experience, with an average of 62.8 FPS.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT is the primary performance limiter in this configuration, particularly at higher resolutions. Its role is defined by its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is sufficient for the textures and assets in The Technomancer, and its GPU clocks, which are set to a base of 2321 MHz and a boost of 2581 MHz. The card's memory operates at an effective speed of 16 Gbps, providing a bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s through a 192-bit bus. These specifications allow the card to perform well at 1080p and 1440p but are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings.

The GPU's benchmark results show it is a solid mid-range performer, with a Passmark G3D score of 19786 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 108032. Its overall average benchmark score of 33721 places it just behind the AMD Radeon RX 6800 and ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A5000. However, the data from this game reveals that the card's performance is highly dependent on resolution. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep, indicating that the GPU's raw pixel throughput is a limiting factor. The card's 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs are tasked with processing an increasing number of pixels, and the frame rate drops accordingly. While the CPU is a top-tier component, the GPU's mid-range capabilities define the overall performance envelope of this system in The Technomancer, making it a better fit for 1080p and 1440p gaming than for 4K.