The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that clearly separates CPU and GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, focusing on how this combination handles the game across various resolutions and presets. The data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial core and thread count ensures frame delivery is never constrained by processing power.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear hierarchy for optimizing the gameplay experience with this specific hardware combination. The data indicates that at 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the most balanced option, delivering an average of 82.5 FPS. This is a significant 14.7% improvement over the High preset's 71.9 FPS, while still maintaining a substantial 28.8% advantage over the Ultra preset's 57.7 FPS. The Low preset offers the highest frame rate at 107.7 FPS, but the jump from Medium to Low yields only a 30.5% performance gain, which may not justify the visual fidelity loss in a game reliant on atmospheric detail.

At 2560x1440, the performance ceiling drops, and the Medium preset again emerges as the recommended choice. It averages 54.8 FPS, which is a playable frame rate for this genre, and it provides a 17.1% improvement over the High preset's 46.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution falls to 35.2 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 72.8 FPS remains the only option that clears 60 FPS, but it does so by sacrificing the visual complexity that the High and Medium presets offer.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that the hardware is insufficient for a high-quality experience. The Ultra preset averages only 20.5 FPS, and even the High preset manages just 24.5 FPS. The Medium preset provides 29.9 FPS, which is still not fluid. The only viable option for 4K is the Low preset, which achieves 38.9 FPS. However, given the significant visual compromises required, users with this combo should consider 1440p as their primary resolution target, where the Medium preset provides the best compromise between visual quality and frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with Medium settings is the optimal target, yielding 54.8 FPS. While 1920x1080 can achieve higher frame rates, the 1440p Medium preset offers a superior balance of visual fidelity and performance, as the Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 35.2 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 57.7 FPS, which is 19.7% slower than the High preset's 71.9 FPS. This significant performance penalty suggests the Ultra preset may include effects that are too demanding for the GTX 1660 SUPER, making High a more efficient choice for a smoother experience.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The Intel Core i7-14700K has 20 cores and 28 threads, providing immense processing power. However, as resolution increases, the average FPS drops dramatically (from 107.7 at 1080p Low to 38.9 at 4K Low), demonstrating that the rendering load on the GTX 1660 SUPER is the limiting constraint.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Only with the Low preset, which averages 72.8 FPS. The Medium preset falls short at 54.8 FPS, and High drops to 46.8 FPS. Therefore, achieving a consistent 60 FPS at 1440p requires using the lowest settings, which may not be desirable for all players.

Q: How does the combo's performance rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1480 out of 1656 tested combinations for this game. This places it in the lower percentile of systems, indicating that while it can run the game, most other tested configurations deliver higher average frame rates.

Q: Is the 4K resolution viable for this hardware?

A: No, the data shows 4K is not a viable option for a good experience. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is only 38.9. At higher presets, it falls below 30 FPS, with Ultra at 20.5 FPS, which is unplayable for most users.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1700 platform. Its high core count and 33 MB of shared L3 cache provide a significant amount of parallel processing capability. In The Technomancer, this CPU is not the performance limiter. The benchmark data shows a clear pattern where FPS scales inversely with resolution, a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data, and its capabilities far exceed the demands of this game at the tested settings.

The processor's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark multithread score of 52392 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 44534, place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates it has ample headroom for gaming workloads. When paired with a mid-range GPU like the GTX 1660 SUPER, the CPU will spend most of its time idle, waiting for the graphics card to complete its frame rendering. The data shows that the i7-14700K is not a constraining factor, as the FPS differences between resolutions are far more pronounced than any potential CPU bottleneck.

The fact that the FPS drops from 107.7 at 1080p Low to 38.9 at 4K Low—a 63.9% reduction—while the CPU workload remains relatively constant, confirms that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the component determining frame rate. The CPU's 5.60 GHz boost clock and 28 threads ensure that even the most complex game logic and physics calculations are handled quickly, preventing any stutter or frame hitches that could arise from a weaker processor. In this configuration, the i7-14700K is a future-proofing asset, ensuring that a GPU upgrade would yield immediate and significant performance gains.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1480th out of 1656 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places the system in the bottom 10.6% of configurations tested, indicating that most other hardware pairings deliver superior performance in this specific title. This low rank is primarily attributable to the GPU, which sits in the 55th percentile of all GPUs and has an average benchmark score of 14286.

Examining the GPU's nearest rivals provides context for its performance tier. The GTX 1660 SUPER's average score of 14286 is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (score 14314, deltaPct -0.2) and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (score 14315, deltaPct -0.2). It is also within 0.7% of the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT's score of 14389. These comparisons show that the GTX 1660 SUPER is a solid entry-level performer, but it is not designed for high-end gaming.

In contrast, the CPU's ranking is excellent. The i7-14700K is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals are top-tier processors. Its average benchmark score of 70074 is essentially identical to the Intel Core i7-14700KF (score 70104, deltaPct 0) and the AMD EPYC 9115 (score 69887, deltaPct 0.3). It even slightly outperforms the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (score 70420, deltaPct -0.5). The stark contrast between the CPU's high percentile and the combo's low rank in the game confirms that the GTX 1660 SUPER is holding back the system's overall gaming performance.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as pixel count increases. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 107.7 at 1920x1080 to 72.8 at 2560x1440, a 32.4% decrease. Moving to 3840x2160, the FPS falls to 38.9, which is a further 46.6% decrease from 1440p and a 63.9% decrease from 1080p. This steep curve is typical of a GPU that is being pushed well beyond its comfortable operating range.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all presets. For instance, at the High settings, the FPS drops from 71.9 at 1080p to 46.8 at 1440p (a 34.9% decrease) and then to 24.5 at 4K (a 47.6% decrease from 1440p). Similarly, the Ultra preset shows a decline from 57.7 FPS at 1080p to 35.2 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 20.5 FPS at 4K. This consistent trend strongly indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, as the rendering resolution directly impacts the workload on the graphics card.

The data suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER has a performance ceiling that is quickly reached. At 1080p, it can provide good frame rates on lower presets, but its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit memory bus are insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering. The FPS at 4K High (24.5) and Ultra (20.5) are below playable thresholds, confirming that this resolution is not feasible for a smooth experience. The scaling behavior points to a system where the CPU has no influence on the frame rate at higher resolutions; the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the sole determinants of performance.