The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress test for modern high-end hardware. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, using measured FPS data across three resolutions and four quality presets. The dataset reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet shows signs of engine-level limitations at 1080p, where the sheer speed of the RTX 5090 D pushes frame rates to extreme levels.

Resolution Scaling

The performance delta between 1080p and 4K is stark, demonstrating classic resolution scaling behavior. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 236 FPS at 1920x1080 to 154 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 82 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls further to 85 FPS, representing a 151 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the primary scaling factor as pixel count increases, with the RTX 5090 D’s immense compute power being progressively saturated by the higher rendering loads.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all presets. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 321 FPS at 1080p to 235 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 129 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset shows a similar trajectory, starting at 184 FPS at 1080p, falling to 120 FPS at 1440p, and settling at 66 FPS at 4K. The consistency of these drops—roughly a 30-40% reduction when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 40-50% reduction when moving to 4K—confirms that the rendering pipeline is scaling predictably with resolution.

However, the 1080p results hint at a potential bottleneck elsewhere. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 321 FPS, which is exceptionally high. The fact that the CPU, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, can feed the GPU enough data to reach this figure suggests that the processor is not the primary limiter. Yet, the gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings (86 FPS) is larger than the gap at High settings (82 FPS), indicating that at lower graphical loads, the CPU is working harder to keep up, though it does not appear to be a hard ceiling.

The data suggests that for this specific game, the RTX 5090 D’s performance is best showcased at 1440p, where it delivers high frame rates without the extreme pixel-pushing demands of 4K. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops. At 1080p, the system is likely nearing the limits of what the game engine can efficiently process, as frame rates exceed 300 FPS, which is beyond the refresh rate of most monitors and may introduce diminishing returns in smoothness.

FAQ

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D perform at 4K in The Technomancer?

A: The RTX 5090 D delivers playable frame rates at 4K, averaging 85 FPS on High settings and 99 FPS on Medium. The Ultra preset drops to 66 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 129 FPS, showing a wide performance range depending on quality settings.

Q: Is the Core i7-14700K a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: Benchmark results indicate that at 1080p, the system reaches 321 FPS on Low settings and 236 FPS on High, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at these levels. The processor’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Passmark single-thread score of 4472, appears sufficient to avoid being a significant limiting factor.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Medium and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 180 FPS with a minimum of 153 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 120 FPS. This represents a 60 FPS drop, or a 33% reduction in performance, for the visual fidelity increase offered by Ultra settings.

Q: Does the GPU’s 32 GB VRAM matter for this game?

A: While the data does not provide specific VRAM usage metrics, the RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are far in excess of what a 2016 title like The Technomancer would require. The memory subsystem is not a limiting factor in these results.

Q: How does the system’s performance rank among other hardware combinations?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 14th out of 2825 tested combinations for The Technomancer, placing it in the top 1% of all tested systems. This indicates exceptional performance relative to the broader hardware landscape.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for a high refresh rate experience?

A: For refresh rates around 144 Hz, 1440p with High settings (154 FPS) or Medium settings (180 FPS) would be ideal. At 4K, the High preset’s 85 FPS is suitable for 60 Hz displays, while the Low preset can push to 129 FPS for higher refresh 4K monitors.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration. Its specifications are formidable: 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output pipelines. The GPU’s architecture, Blackwell 2.0, is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, comprising 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die. This hardware foundation translates into a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s, which are directly relevant to rendering the environments and effects in an action RPG.

The GPU’s clock speeds are relatively modest for a flagship, with a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz. However, the sheer scale of the processing units compensates for the clock speed, resulting in a FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS. This compute power is what allows the card to maintain high frame rates at 4K, where the pixel count quadruples compared to 1080p. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, ensuring that texture streaming and geometry data are never starved, even at Ultra settings.

In the context of The Technomancer, a game from 2016, the RTX 5090 D is massively overprovisioned. The benchmark results show that at 1080p, the card can exceed 300 FPS on Low settings, which is far beyond the needs of any current display. The GPU’s role shifts from being a raw performance powerhouse to one where its headroom allows for maximum quality settings with high frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the card still manages 66 FPS, which is respectable for a demanding title, but the data shows that High settings (85 FPS) or Medium settings (99 FPS) provide a smoother experience.

The GPU’s benchmark scores corroborate its real-world performance. A 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 place it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, has an average score that is 1.1% lower, while the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is 1.6% higher. This tight grouping in synthetic benchmarks suggests that the RTX 5090 D is at the very top of the performance stack, with its closest competitors being mobile parts that are not direct desktop equivalents.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across the board. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional results. The Low preset averages 321 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 276 FPS, with a minimum of 235 FPS and a maximum of 317 FPS, showing slight variance. High settings produce an average of 236 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to an average of 184 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is rarely challenged, and even the most demanding preset maintains frame rates well above 144 Hz.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but begins to show the increased rendering load. The Low preset averages 235 FPS, a noticeable drop from the 1080p figure but still exceptionally high. Medium settings average 180 FPS, with a minimum of 153 FPS and a maximum of 207 FPS. The High preset delivers 154 FPS on average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. Ultra settings average 120 FPS, providing a smooth experience for most users, though the data shows a 60 FPS gap between Medium and Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the true test of the GPU begins. The Low preset averages 129 FPS, which is still very playable on high-refresh 4K displays. Medium settings produce an average of 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS. This preset offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. High settings average 85 FPS, which is suitable for 60 Hz displays and provides a more detailed image. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, pushing the GPU to its limits, but the frame rate remains above the 60 FPS threshold for most monitors.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: for every resolution, the Low preset is the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is significant, with an average difference of 137 FPS at 1080p, 115 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K. This suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy graphical load that the RTX 5090 D can only handle comfortably at lower resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p users with high-refresh monitors (240 Hz or above), the Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering 276 FPS on average. This is significantly faster than High (236 FPS) and Ultra (184 FPS), while offering better visual fidelity than Low (321 FPS). The minimum frame rate of 235 FPS at Medium ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay above 200 FPS.

For 1440p, the High preset is the recommended choice for most users. It averages 154 FPS, which is perfect for 144 Hz monitors, and the visual upgrade from Medium (180 FPS) is substantial. Those with 165 Hz or 180 Hz displays might prefer the Medium preset to stay closer to their monitor’s maximum refresh rate, but the 26 FPS difference between High and Medium is a worthwhile trade-off for improved image quality. The Ultra preset at 120 FPS is also viable for 120 Hz displays, offering the best visual experience while maintaining smooth gameplay.

At 4K, the recommendation is more nuanced. For 60 Hz displays, the High preset (85 FPS) is ideal, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium (99 FPS) while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset (66 FPS) is also playable, but the frame rate is closer to the 60 FPS threshold, which could lead to drops in intense scenes. For 120 Hz or 144 Hz 4K monitors, the Medium preset (99 FPS) is the best choice, as it offers a balance between visual quality and frame rate. The Low preset (129 FPS) is available for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromise is significant.

The data suggests avoiding the Ultra preset at 4K if a consistent 60+ FPS experience is desired, as the 66 FPS average leaves little headroom. The Medium preset provides a 33 FPS advantage over Ultra at 4K, which is a substantial gain in smoothness at the cost of some graphical details.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K plays a supporting but crucial role in this configuration. With 20 cores and 28 threads, the processor provides ample multi-threaded performance for background tasks and game logic. Its architecture, Raptor Lake, is built on a 10 nm process, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The L3 cache is 33 MB shared, which helps reduce memory latency for frequently accessed data.

The CPU’s benchmark scores are impressive, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 33,440.5, and its single-core score is 2,160. The Geekbench multicore score is 20,767, with a single-core score of 2,569. These numbers indicate that the i7-14700K has both strong multi-threaded capabilities for overall system responsiveness and excellent single-thread performance, which is critical for gaming. The Passmark single-thread score of 4,472 is particularly relevant, as many games, including older titles like The Technomancer, rely heavily on single-threaded performance for game logic and physics.

In the context of these benchmarks, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the RTX 5090 D is never starved of data. The 1080p results, where the system achieves 321 FPS at Low settings, suggest that the CPU is capable of handling high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, which has an average benchmark score 0.2% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, which is 0.7% lower. This indicates that the i7-14700K is at the top of its class, but the performance differences among these top-tier CPUs are negligible for gaming.

However, the data does not show any scenarios where the CPU becomes the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 321 FPS is likely near the engine’s maximum, but the CPU’s high single-thread performance ensures that it can keep up. The 20 cores and 28 threads provide headroom for other tasks, such as streaming or background applications, without impacting game performance. The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel bus, allows for flexible system configuration, though the specific memory bandwidth is not provided in this dataset.

Ultimately, the Core i7-14700K is more than sufficient for The Technomancer, even at the extreme frame rates produced by the RTX 5090 D. Its high clock speeds and robust cache hierarchy ensure that the GPU is consistently fed with rendering commands, allowing the graphics card to operate at its full potential across all resolutions and settings.