The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study in modern hardware scaling. When paired with the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, the benchmark data reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions but begins to expose CPU limitations at 1080p. The measured FPS across twelve distinct settings and resolution combinations provides a clear narrative of where the performance bottlenecks reside, and the combo’s overall standing among 2,825 tested configurations places it in a highly competitive tier.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a pronounced and predictable drop in frame rates as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that drop is highly dependent on the graphics preset. At Low settings, the average FPS plummets from 307 at 1920x1080 to 235 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 72 FPS, and then further down to 129 at 3840x2160, which is a 106 FPS drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the rendering load at 4K is substantial enough to overwhelm the GPU’s raw throughput, moving the system away from a purely CPU-limited state.

The scaling pattern shifts when examining higher presets. With High settings, the average FPS drops from 236 at 1080p to 154 at 1440p (an 82 FPS decrease) and then to 85 at 4K (a 69 FPS decrease). The absolute drop between 1440p and 4K is slightly smaller than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, which suggests that the GPU is beginning to hit a more consistent performance ceiling at the higher resolutions. This is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the primary limiting component, as the pixel count increases faster than the corresponding frame rate decreases.

Ultra settings exhibit the most severe scaling, with the average FPS falling from 184 at 1080p to 120 at 1440p and then to just 66 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest in the entire measured set, representing a 64.2% reduction from the 1080p Ultra score. This dramatic drop highlights that the combination of maximum graphical features and 4K resolution creates a workload that pushes the RTX 5090 D to its limits, resulting in a playable but far less fluid experience compared to lower resolutions.

The medium preset data, which includes min and max FPS values, reinforces the GPU-bound nature at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160 Medium, the average FPS is 99, with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, showing a frame time variance of 30 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average is 180, with a min of 153 and a max of 207, a variance of 54 FPS. This widening frame time spread at lower resolutions suggests that CPU-side frame pacing becomes less consistent when the GPU is capable of producing frames at a much higher rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant component in this configuration, and its specifications directly explain the performance levels observed. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, the card offers a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. For a game from 2016, this is an enormous amount of memory bandwidth, ensuring that texture streaming and memory-intensive effects are unlikely to be a bottleneck, even at 4K Ultra settings. The card’s 92,200 million transistors and 750 mm² die size indicate a highly complex and powerful architecture, which is reflected in its ability to maintain high frame rates across all tested presets.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also a key factor. The base clock of 2017 MHz and boost clock of 2407 MHz are relatively high, and the data suggests that the card is able to sustain these clocks under load to deliver the observed performance. The 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power provides the raw mathematical throughput needed to process the complex shaders and lighting effects in The Technomancer. While the game is older, its engine still benefits from the sheer computational power of the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, allowing for high average FPS even at 4K.

The GPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rivals in this metric are the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT with a score of 78,940 (a delta of -1.6%) and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB with a score of 79,605 (a delta of -2.4%). This indicates that while the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier performer, it is not the absolute fastest in synthetic benchmarks, yet the measured in-game FPS shows it is more than sufficient to handle The Technomancer at high refresh rates. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking underscores its position as a high-end part, but the in-game results are what matter most for this analysis.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F provides the processing foundation for this system, and its role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less burdened. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the CPU offers substantial multi-threaded capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,122. However, for a game like The Technomancer, single-thread performance is often more critical. The CPU’s single-core scores, such as 4,958 in Cinebench R23 and 2,429 in Geekbench single-core, are strong and ensure that the game’s main logic thread is handled efficiently.

The CPU’s boost clock of 5.40 GHz is a key asset for gaming. The data suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 307, which is a very high frame rate. At this point, the GPU is likely not the limiting factor, and the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU with draw calls and game state updates becomes paramount. The drop from 307 FPS at 1080p Low to 235 FPS at 1440p Low is a 72 FPS decrease, which is a significant relative drop but still leaves the CPU in a position to maintain very high performance.

The CPU’s overall benchmark performance places it in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53,620. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X with an average score of 53,288 (a delta of 0.6%) and the AMD EPYC 7313P with a score of 53,206 (a delta of 0.8%). This indicates that the i7-14700F is on par with these high-end alternatives in synthetic tests. The launch MSRP is $359, and its performance relative to these rivals suggests it is a competent choice for gaming, though the data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate in this specific game at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the results are exceptionally high across the board. The Low preset achieves an average of 307 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 276 FPS, with a minimum of 235 and a maximum of 317. The High preset averages 236 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 184 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of delivering a highly responsive experience on any display, with even the most demanding Ultra settings remaining well above 144 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong but shows a clear step down. The Low preset averages 235 FPS, which is still an excellent result for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset averages 180 FPS, with a minimum of 153 and a maximum of 207, suggesting that the frame rate can dip but generally remains smooth. The High preset averages 154 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 120 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system is well-suited for this resolution, comfortably handling all presets with playable frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the performance begins to show the strain of the higher pixel count. The Low preset averages 129 FPS, which is a solid result for 4K. The Medium preset averages 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 and a maximum of 114, indicating that while the average is below 100, the frame rate is still stable enough for a good experience. The High preset averages 85 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is the lowest result in the dataset. The 4K results demonstrate that while the RTX 5090 D is powerful, the combination of 4K resolution and maximum settings can push it to a point where frame rates are noticeably lower, though still playable for many users.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D holds a strong position. The combo is ranked 18th out of 2,825 total combos tested for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 0.6% of all configurations, which is an exceptional result. The data shows that this system is capable of outperforming the vast majority of other hardware pairings in this game, making it a top-tier choice for players seeking maximum performance.

The high ranking is a direct consequence of the exceptional performance of both components. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking and the CPU’s 91st percentile ranking combine to create a system that is well-balanced for this title. While the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, its strong single-thread performance ensures that it does not hold back the GPU at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high. This synergy results in a configuration that is consistently at the top of the performance charts.

The fact that this combo ranks 18th out of 2,825 means that only 17 other hardware combinations were able to produce higher average frame rates across the tested scenarios. This suggests that for players who prioritize The Technomancer, this is near the pinnacle of achievable performance. The data does not specify which combos rank higher, but the implication is that they likely feature even more extreme hardware, such as overclocked flagship parts or specialized workstation components. For a mainstream high-end setup, this ranking confirms its capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this hardware for the highest possible frame rate?

A: The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 307 FPS, which is the highest measured score. For the most fluid experience, this resolution and preset combination is optimal.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, the measured data shows playable frame rates at 3840x2160. The Low preset averages 129 FPS, the Medium preset averages 99 FPS, and the High preset averages 85 FPS. Even the Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is playable.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53,620. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, scores 53,288, which is 0.6% lower. Another rival, the AMD EPYC 7313P, scores 53,206, which is 0.8% lower. The i7-14700F outperforms both.

Q: Is the GPU the main bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates yes. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, from 307 FPS at 1080p Low to 129 FPS at 4K Low. This pattern, where higher resolution leads to disproportionately lower FPS, is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable at 2560x1440?

A: The highest average FPS at 2560x1440 is 235, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. This is the only setting at 1440p that breaks the 200 FPS barrier.

Q: Does the Medium preset provide a good balance of performance and visual quality?

A: The Medium preset offers a balanced experience. At 1920x1080, it averages 276 FPS. At 2560x1440, it averages 180 FPS with a minimum of 153 FPS. At 3840x2160, it averages 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS, providing a stable experience across all resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

For players with a high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it still delivers an average of 184 FPS, which is far above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 236 FPS is also excellent, but the visual fidelity gains from Ultra are worth the 52 FPS reduction for most users. At 1440p, the High preset offers the best experience, with an average of 154 FPS that is well-suited for 144Hz displays, while the Ultra preset at 120 FPS is a strong alternative for those who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate.

For 4K gaming, the recommendation depends on the user’s preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. The High preset, averaging 85 FPS, provides a good balance, offering a significantly better visual experience than Medium while still maintaining a frame rate that is smooth for most games. The Medium preset, at 99 FPS, is also a strong option, and its minimum FPS of 84 suggests that it is more stable than High in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 66 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid, making it suitable only for players who prefer maximum visual quality over performance.

The data shows that the Low preset, while offering the highest frame rates, is not recommended for general play due to the significant reduction in visual quality. The Medium preset provides a solid baseline, but the High preset is the sweet spot for most users, as it delivers a substantial improvement in graphical detail without a massive performance penalty. Ultimately, the choice between High and Ultra will come down to the user’s display refresh rate and personal tolerance for lower FPS in exchange for better visuals.