The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, using measured data to provide a clear picture of what to expect at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating that the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound as pixel count rises. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 125 FPS at 1920x1080 to 82 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 43 FPS, and then further down to 45 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 64% decrease in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a substantial hit that clearly shows the RTX 3070 is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The pattern repeats with the Medium preset, where the average FPS drops from 147 at 1080p to 96 at 1440p and finally to 53 at 4K. The scaling between 1440p and 4K is particularly harsh, with a 43 FPS loss, which is nearly identical to the absolute loss seen when moving from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU reaching its memory bandwidth or shader limits, as the 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are stressed more heavily at 3840x2160.

For the Low preset, the trend is similar but with higher absolute numbers. The frame rate goes from 191 FPS at 1080p, down to 125 FPS at 1440p, and then to 69 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1440p to 4K (56 FPS) is the largest single-step loss observed in the data, further confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck. Even at the lowest settings, the game’s visual complexity at 4K overwhelms the RTX 3070’s capabilities.

Ultra settings are the most punishing, with an average of 98 FPS at 1080p, which falls to 64 FPS at 1440p and plummets to 35 FPS at 4K. The gap between Ultra and High is larger at 4K (10 FPS) than at 1080p (27 FPS), suggesting that the extra graphical features in the Ultra preset have a disproportionate cost at higher resolutions. The data clearly indicates that 1080p is the sweet spot for high refresh rate play, while 4K is only viable on lower presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, built on the Ampere architecture, is the central component in these results. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is adequate for 1080p and most 1440p scenarios but becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The card’s boost clock of 1725 MHz and its 5888 shading units are responsible for the raw compute throughput, and the data shows that this configuration is well-matched to the CPU at lower resolutions.

At 1080p, the CPU’s role is more prominent. The Intel Core i7-14700F, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is more than capable of feeding the GPU, as evidenced by the high frame rates at Low and Medium settings (191 FPS and 147 FPS, respectively). However, the benchmark results indicate that the RTX 3070’s performance ceiling is reached before the CPU becomes a limiting factor. The GPU’s passmark_g3d score of 22214 places it in the 61st percentile, while its directx_12 score of 85 is notably lower, suggesting that the card’s performance in modern APIs is a relative weakness.

When comparing to its nearest rivals, the RTX 3070’s average benchmark score of 17208 is only 0.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and 1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690. This indicates that in synthetic tests, the card is closely matched with these alternatives, but the measured FPS in The Technomancer shows that real-world gaming performance is dependent on the specific workload. The 4K results, where the GPU is fully saturated, highlight the importance of the 8 GB VRAM capacity, as the card struggles to maintain playable frame rates on higher presets.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 achieves a combo rank of 1578 out of 3696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 43% of all tested systems, which is a respectable position given the age of the game and the hardware’s mid-range status. The ranking is not stellar, but it reflects the fact that the RTX 3070, while powerful, is not a top-tier card by modern standards.

The rank is likely held back by the 4K performance, where the system falls below the 60 FPS threshold on all presets except Low. At 1440p, the combo performs much better, with High and Medium presets achieving 82 FPS and 96 FPS, respectively, which are smooth experiences. The 1080p results are excellent, with even the Ultra preset reaching 98 FPS, which would be considered a high refresh rate experience.

Compared to the CPU’s own benchmark score, the combo rank suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. The i7-14700F scores in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53620, which is only 0.2% lower than the Intel Xeon 6505P and 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. However, the GPU’s 61st percentile ranking and lower average score of 17208 mean that the overall system performance is capped by the graphics card, especially in a GPU-intensive game like The Technomancer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 191 FPS on Low, 147 FPS on Medium, 125 FPS on High, and 98 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 125 and a maximum of 169, indicating a stable experience with only minor fluctuations.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 125 FPS on Low, 96 FPS on Medium, 82 FPS on High, and 64 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution has a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS, which is still a very playable range. The drop from High to Ultra at 1440p is 18 FPS, which is a significant cost for the extra visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a major hit. The averages are 69 FPS on Low, 53 FPS on Medium, 45 FPS on High, and 35 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS, showing that frame pacing can be inconsistent at this resolution. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended for competitive play, as they fall well below the 60 FPS target.

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is for high refresh rate gaming, 1440p is the best balance of quality and performance, and 4K should be reserved for Low or Medium settings if a smooth experience is desired. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 93 FPS, which highlights the significant impact of settings on the frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience for a 60 Hz display is at 2560x1440 with the High preset, which delivers an average of 82 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and offers a good visual quality. For those with a 144 Hz monitor, the 1920x1080 High preset at 125 FPS is the ideal choice, as it maintains a high frame rate while still looking good.

If you prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, the 2560x1440 Ultra preset at 64 FPS is playable, but it is close to the edge of the 60 FPS threshold. For the smoothest possible experience at 4K, the Low preset at 69 FPS is the only option that consistently stays above 60 FPS, but the visual quality is noticeably reduced. The Medium preset at 4K, averaging 53 FPS, is a compromise that may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the "sweet spot" for this combo. At 1080p, it delivers 147 FPS, at 1440p it delivers 96 FPS, and even at 4K it manages 53 FPS. This preset offers a balanced experience across all resolutions, making it the most versatile choice. For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p provides the highest frame rate at 191 FPS, which is ideal for maximizing responsiveness.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in The Technomancer?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 191 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming at 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160, the system only reaches above 60 FPS on the Low preset, averaging 69 FPS. The Medium preset averages 53 FPS, so a locked 60 FPS is not achievable on higher settings.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 3070’s average benchmark score is 17208, which is 0.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT and 1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690.

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

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates indicate the CPU is sufficient. However, the significant FPS drops at 1440p and 4K show that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially on higher presets.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144 Hz monitor?

A: For a 144 Hz display, the 1920x1080 High preset, which averages 125 FPS, is the recommended choice. The Low preset at 191 FPS is also an option for maximum frame rates.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 1578 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer.