The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for modern hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT across a range of resolutions and settings. The data reveals a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while showcasing the CPU's capacity to push very high frame rates at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a clear and expected progression as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the performance drop tells a significant story about where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 153 FPS. Moving to 1440p reduces that average to 100 FPS, a drop of 53 FPS or roughly 35%. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average falling to 55 FPS, which is a 45 FPS reduction from the 1440p result and a 64% decrease from the 1080p figure.

This scaling pattern is characteristic of a system that is becoming increasingly limited by the GPU as the pixel count rises. The transition from 1080p to 1440p requires the GPU to render 78% more pixels, and the frame rate drops accordingly. The transition from 1440p to 4K requires 125% more pixels than 1440p, and again the frame rate takes a proportional hit. This indicates that the Intel Core i7-14700K is not the limiting factor at these higher resolutions; the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is being fully utilized, and its performance ceiling is what defines the final output.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is still able to feed the GPU effectively, allowing the RX 9070 XT to reach very high frame rates. However, as resolution climbs, the GPU's raw fillrate and shading power become the primary constraint. The consistent, predictable FPS drops across all settings presets (High, Medium, and Ultra) reinforce this. For instance, at Ultra settings, the average frame rate falls from 119 FPS at 1080p, to 78 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 43 FPS at 4K. The pattern is uniform, with no unexpected plateaus or cliffs that would suggest a CPU-side limitation. The system is scaling exactly as a GPU-bound configuration should, with the CPU's substantial 20 cores and 28 threads providing ample headroom.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the defining component for this game's performance, especially at 1440p and 4K. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a 644.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is a critical resource for a game like The Technomancer that features dense environments. While the fact pack does not include VRAM usage data, the capacity and bandwidth figures suggest the card is well-equipped to handle the game's textures and geometry at the tested settings.

The GPU's clock speeds are another key factor. With a base clock of 1660 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2970 MHz, the card demonstrates a wide dynamic range. The high boost clock is particularly relevant, as it allows the GPU to aggressively scale its performance when thermal and power headroom permit. This is reflected in the measured FPS, where the 4K Medium preset (64 FPS average) shows a significant jump over the 4K High preset (55 FPS average), suggesting that the GPU can leverage its clock headroom more effectively when the shader load is lighter.

The GPU's 4096 shading units and 128 ROPs are the physical engines responsible for the pixel throughput. The benchmark results show a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls to 43. This is a direct consequence of the GPU's raw compute and pixel fillrate limits being saturated. The card's passmark_g3d score of 26795 and 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 7260, while general benchmarks, corroborate its position as a high-end performer, yet The Technomancer's 4K Ultra preset demands more than it can deliver for a consistently smooth experience. The data shows that the RX 9070 XT is the primary driver of the performance envelope, with its memory subsystem and clock speeds working in tandem to produce the measured results.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT holds a combo rank of 875 out of 3696 combos for The Technomancer. This places the configuration in the top 24% of all tested systems, a respectable position that underscores its high-end nature. The rank is a holistic measure that combines the strengths of both the CPU and GPU in this specific game.

This ranking is particularly interesting given the individual component benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-14700K is a powerhouse, holding a 94th percentile rank against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in that benchmark, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, have a negligible delta of -0.2%, meaning the i7-14700K is performing at the very top of the CPU hierarchy. The GPU, however, presents a different story. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has a percentile rank of only 55 against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are significantly older, lower-end cards like the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, though the deltaPct is very small (0.1% to 1%). This suggests that the database's comparison pool for this GPU might not be fully representative of its capabilities, or that the benchmark methodology for the GPU's aggregate score is skewing its percentile.

Despite the GPU's modest percentile, the combo's top-quartile rank in The Technomancer indicates that the pairing is exceptionally well-balanced for this specific title. The i7-14700K's strong single-core and multi-core performance ensures that the GPU is never starved of data, allowing the RX 9070 XT to operate at its full potential. In a game where the CPU overhead is not the primary bottleneck, this combo's rank confirms the CPU's ability to facilitate the GPU's work, resulting in a performance tier that is significantly higher than the GPU's aggregate percentile might suggest.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's capabilities across nine distinct configurations. The data is organized by resolution and settings preset, with average FPS provided for all, and min/max FPS for the Medium preset.

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 233 FPS average
• Medium: 179 FPS average (min 152, max 205)
• High: 153 FPS average
• Ultra: 119 FPS average

At 1920x1080, the system is clearly CPU-bound at the Low preset, reaching 233 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 54 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 26 FPS, and High to Ultra is 34 FPS. This shows that the impact of each settings tier is significant but not linear, with the most substantial jump occurring from Low to Medium.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 152 FPS average
• Medium: 117 FPS average (min 99, max 134)
• High: 100 FPS average
• Ultra: 78 FPS average

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. The Low preset still delivers 152 FPS, indicating that the CPU is still a factor, but the GPU is starting to take on a more significant load. The delta between Low and Medium is 35 FPS, Medium to High is 17 FPS, and High to Ultra is 22 FPS. The system remains well above the 60 FPS threshold for all but the most demanding settings.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 83 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average (min 55, max 74)
• High: 55 FPS average
• Ultra: 43 FPS average

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The Low preset yields 83 FPS, which is a 45% drop from the 1080p Low result, highlighting the massive increase in pixel workload. The Medium preset (64 FPS) is the only 4K setting that consistently maintains a playable frame rate above 60 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS. The High preset (55 FPS) and Ultra preset (43 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS target, indicating that these settings are not suitable for a smooth 4K experience on this hardware.

The min FPS data for the Medium preset provides additional insight. At 1080p, the minimum is 152 FPS, at 1440p it is 99 FPS, and at 4K it is 55 FPS. This shows that not only does the average frame rate decrease, but the frame pacing consistency also degrades with resolution, with the 4K minimum highlighting occasional dips below the 60 FPS mark.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K with High settings?

A: The data shows an average of 55 FPS at 4K High settings. This is below the 60 FPS threshold for a consistently smooth experience, suggesting that High settings at 4K will have noticeable frame drops.

Q: What is the best resolution for achieving high refresh rates?

A: At 1920x1080, the system delivers over 119 FPS on all tested presets, with the Low preset reaching 233 FPS. This makes 1080p the clear choice for high-refresh-rate monitors, as even the Ultra preset exceeds 119 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's performance in this game compare to its overall database rank?

A: The GPU's aggregate percentile is 55, and its nearest rivals in that database are older cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570. However, in The Technomancer, the combo ranks in the top 24% (875 of 3696), indicating the pairing performs much better in this specific title than the GPU's general percentile suggests.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700K a limiting factor at 1440p?

A: No. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent drop that aligns with the increased pixel count. The 1440p Low preset still achieves 152 FPS, which is very high, indicating the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: The average frame rate drops from 152 FPS at Low to 78 FPS at Ultra, a difference of 74 FPS. This represents a significant 49% reduction in FPS for the highest visual quality.

Q: Does the 4K Medium preset provide a better experience than 4K High?

A: Yes, from a performance standpoint. 4K Medium averages 64 FPS, which is 9 FPS higher than the 4K High average of 55 FPS. The 4K Medium preset is the only 4K configuration that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and the user's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate.

For 4K users, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience. The 64 FPS average, with a minimum of 55 FPS, is the best balance of visual quality and performance. The High preset (55 FPS) and Ultra preset (43 FPS) are not recommended for a fluid experience, as they will result in noticeable stutter and input lag. The Low preset (83 FPS) is playable but sacrifices too much visual detail for the marginal gain over Medium.

For 1440p users, the High preset offers an excellent experience with a 100 FPS average. This provides a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset (117 FPS) while still maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. For those with high-refresh-rate monitors, the Medium preset at 117 FPS is the best choice to maximize smoothness. The Ultra preset (78 FPS) is also playable, but the performance hit from High to Ultra (22 FPS) may not justify the visual improvements for all players.

For 1080p users, the system is powerful enough to handle the Ultra preset at an average of 119 FPS. This is the recommended preset for users who want the best visual quality without sacrificing high frame rates. Those with 240Hz monitors may prefer the High preset (153 FPS) or Medium preset (179 FPS) to push frame rates higher, but the Ultra preset at 119 FPS is already a very strong result. The Low preset (233 FPS) is only necessary for competitive play where maximum frame rate is the sole priority.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K plays a crucial, albeit secondary, role in this configuration for The Technomancer. Its primary job is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the CPU has immense multi-threaded capacity, reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5. This ensures that the game's background simulation and AI processes do not interfere with the main render thread.

However, it is the single-core performance that is most critical for gaming. The i7-14700K's boost clock of 5.60 GHz, combined with its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160, provides the low-latency processing needed to maintain high frame rates. This is evident in the 1080p results, where the Low preset hits 233 FPS. This high frame rate is only achievable if the CPU can process and submit frames faster than the GPU can render them. The data shows that the i7-14700K is more than capable of this task.

The CPU's performance is further contextualized by its rivals. It sits within 0.9% of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and within 0.2% of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X in aggregate benchmark scores. This places it at the top of the desktop processor hierarchy. In The Technomancer, this translates to a system that does not exhibit CPU-related frame drops, even at the lowest resolution and settings where the CPU load is highest. The 125W TDP and the fact that it is an unlocked multiplier (allowing for overclocking) suggest it is a high-end part, but the data confirms that its architectural efficiency and raw speed are what allow the RX 9070 XT to perform at its measured levels. The CPU provides the foundation, but the GPU dictates the FPS at all but the most CPU-light scenarios.