The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT. The measured data reveals a configuration that is heavily influenced by resolution and settings, with the GPU often acting as the primary performance gate. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to understand the relationship between the processor, graphics card, and the game’s demands.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, but the rate of decline reveals where the performance bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 115 FPS. Jumping to 1440p, that figure drops to 78.7 FPS, a significant reduction. Moving to 4K, the average further falls to 45 FPS. This pattern—a roughly 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and another 43% drop from 1440p to 4K—strongly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the processor has enough headroom to feed the GPU, allowing it to reach its maximum potential. However, as pixel count increases, the GPU's workload grows exponentially, and its compute resources—the 2560 shading units and 64 ROPs—become the primary constraint. The transition from Ultra to Low settings at each resolution further confirms this. At 4K, the gap between Low (63.9 FPS) and Ultra (32.6 FPS) is a massive 31.3 FPS, which is a purely GPU-bound performance swing. The CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, is never the limiting factor here; it is the graphics card that dictates the playable experience at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum achievable frame rate for this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS recorded at 1920x1080 is 181.5 FPS, which is achieved with the Low preset. This indicates the CPU can drive very high frame rates when the GPU load is light.

Q: How does the Ultra preset performance compare to High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 78.7 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 61.8 FPS. This represents a 16.9 FPS performance cost for the highest visual quality.

Q: Is the Core i7-14700K a strong processor in general benchmarks?

A: Yes, the data shows the CPU scores in the 96th percentile when compared to all other CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and Passmark multi-thread score of 52392 are high figures, indicating it is a top-tier processor for multi-threaded workloads.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 60+ FPS experience on Ultra settings?

A: According to the measured data, the only resolution where the Ultra preset maintains an average above 60 FPS is 1920x1080, where it achieves 91.7 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset falls to 61.8 FPS, which is still technically above 60 but leaves less headroom.

Q: How does the RX 6750 XT's average benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 35327 is nearly identical to its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon RX 5600M, which has a score of 35264 and a deltaPct of 0.2. It is also very close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile, which is only 0.3% ahead.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 63.9 FPS, whereas the Ultra preset averages only 32.6 FPS. This is a performance difference of 31.3 FPS, illustrating the extreme cost of the Ultra settings at this high resolution.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is the central figure in determining this combo's gaming performance, particularly as resolution climbs. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it has a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for The Technomancer at all tested settings, as the game is not from an era that demands massive VRAM capacities. The GPU’s architecture, RDNA 2.0, is built on a 7 nm process and features 40 ray accelerators, though the game likely does not utilize ray tracing.

The clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 2150 MHz and a boost clock of 2600 MHz. These high clocks help the card perform well in a title that is more dependent on raw throughput than advanced features. The benchmark results confirm this, as the card’s performance in the Passmark G3D test is 20700, placing it in the 79th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, are only 1.3% ahead in average benchmark score, indicating that the RX 6750 XT is a competitive mid-to-high-range part. The data shows that its performance in this specific game is strong at 1080p and 1440p, but it is the clear bottleneck at 4K, unable to maintain high frame rates on the highest settings.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests a tiered approach depending on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, users have the most freedom. The High preset delivers 115 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. For those with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset’s 181.5 FPS would be ideal, but the Medium preset at 138.9 FPS offers a good balance of visual fidelity and speed. The Ultra preset at 91.7 FPS is also very playable and provides the best image quality.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 78.7 FPS. This provides a great balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 92.6 FPS is also a strong option for those who prefer higher frame rates. The Ultra preset, at 61.8 FPS, is playable but may experience dips in more demanding scenes. At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset at 63.9 FPS is the only option that consistently stays in the 60 FPS range. The Medium preset at 51.1 FPS and High at 45 FPS are playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 32.6 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. Therefore, for a "best" experience, High at 1440p offers the most optimal combination of fidelity and frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

In the specific context of The Technomancer, this combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT ranks at 792 out of 1656 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations tested. This ranking is a reflection of the balanced nature of the pairing, where the CPU is powerful enough to avoid being a bottleneck, and the GPU is capable enough for solid performance at mainstream resolutions.

The ranking suggests that while this combo is not among the top-tier setups for this game, it performs admirably. The high CPU percentile (96th) is somewhat wasted in this title, as the game’s engine appears to be more GPU-dependent, as evidenced by the resolution scaling. The GPU’s 79th percentile ranking is a better indicator of the combo's overall position. The 792nd rank indicates that many combos with more powerful GPUs will outperform it, but it also means it is ahead of a significant portion of the field, particularly those with weaker graphics cards. The data implies that for a 1080p or 1440p gaming experience, this combo is well-positioned, but it is not a top contender for 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete list of measured average FPS values for this configuration.

At 1920x1080:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 181.5 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 138.9 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 115 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 91.7 FPS.

At 2560x1440:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 115.7 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 92.6 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 78.7 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 61.8 FPS.

At 3840x2160:

• The Low preset achieves an average of 63.9 FPS.
• The Medium preset achieves an average of 51.1 FPS.
• The High preset achieves an average of 45 FPS.
• The Ultra preset achieves an average of 32.6 FPS.

This data confirms a consistent performance hierarchy, with FPS decreasing as both resolution and graphical settings increase.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a powerhouse processor, and its role in this game is to provide a stable foundation without becoming a bottleneck. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it offers immense multi-threading capability, as shown by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534. However, The Technomancer, being a title from 2016, may not be fully optimized to utilize all these cores. The game’s performance is more reliant on single-core speed and GPU throughput.

The CPU’s high boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures that single-threaded performance is excellent, which is beneficial for game logic and physics. The Passmark single-thread score of 4472 supports this. The data suggests that the CPU is never the limiting factor in this combo. The biggest evidence is the FPS scaling: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 181.5 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 91.7 FPS. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would be more consistent across settings at the same resolution. The 89.8 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is almost entirely due to the GPU's workload. The processor, with its 33 MB of shared L3 cache, is capable of feeding the graphics card efficiently, ensuring that the RX 6750 XT can perform to its full potential. In this game, the CPU's role is to be a silent, efficient partner, ensuring the GPU is the star of the show.