The Technomancer

# The Technomancer with Intel Core i7-14700KF + AMD Radeon RX 9060

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing delivers a playable but uneven experience in The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG that stresses both components differently depending on resolution. The data shows a system that excels at 1080p, remains solid at 1440p, but struggles to maintain fluid frame rates at 4K on higher presets. This combination ranks 1632 out of 2825 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, which is a surprising result given the CPU's high percentile ranking and the GPU's modern architecture. The bottleneck analysis reveals a classic resolution-dependent shift: at lower resolutions, the CPU's strength drives high frame rates, while at 4K, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become the limiting factors.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, backed by 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU's TDP is 125 W, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. This processor sits in the 94th percentile versus all CPUs, indicating it is among the top-tier processors in the database. Its average benchmark score is 70163, which places it in close competition with several rivals: the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 (0.2% slower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 (0.4% slower), and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 (0.9% slower). The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is slightly faster at 70879, representing a 1% lead over the i7-14700KF.

In multi-threaded workloads, the i7-14700KF shows exceptional strength. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 44167, while the single-core score is 6235. Cinebench R20 results show 18550 multi-core and 2618 single-core. The Geekbench multi-core score is 21462, with a single-core score of 2578. PassMark's multi-thread test yields 52425, and the single-thread test produces 4480. These numbers suggest a processor that can handle heavily threaded game logic and background tasks without breaking a sweat.

For The Technomancer, the CPU's role is particularly important at 1080p. At this resolution, the GPU is not the primary constraint, so the i7-14700KF's high single-thread performance and substantial core count allow the game's AI, physics, and world simulation to run without holding back the graphics pipeline. The 1080p Low preset reaches 157 FPS on average, which indicates that the CPU can feed the GPU with frames far beyond typical display refresh rates. The boost clock of 5.60 GHz is likely the key contributor here, as The Technomancer's engine from 2016 may not fully utilize all 28 threads, making high single-core performance critical for maintaining high frame rates. The 20 cores and 28 threads provide headroom for any background processes or streaming tasks, but the game itself likely relies more on the fast clock speeds than the core count.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is a RDNA 4.0 architecture GPU based on the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU has 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operations pipelines. Its boost clock is 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz and a base clock of 1700 MHz. The memory operates at 2250 MHz, effectively 18 Gbps. The GPU's TDP is 132 W, and it uses a single 8-pin power connector with a suggested PSU of 300 W. It supports PCIe 5.0 x16 and outputs via 1x HDMI 2.1b and 2x DisplayPort 2.1a.

The RX 9060 sits in the 59th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129 (0.7% faster), the AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 (1% slower), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679 (2.1% slower). This positioning suggests the RX 9060 is a mid-range performer, which aligns with its 8 GB VRAM capacity and 128-bit memory bus.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM becomes a critical factor at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 29 FPS, which is below playable thresholds. The 128-bit memory interface and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth may struggle to feed the GPU's 1792 shading units with texture data at 3840x2160 resolution. The boost clock of 2990 MHz is high, but the memory bandwidth appears to be the bottleneck at 4K. At 1080p, however, the GPU performs admirably, with the Ultra preset reaching 80 FPS and the Low preset hitting 157 FPS. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the GPU's compute capabilities are sufficient, and the memory bandwidth is less of a constraint. The 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance provides ample compute power for the game's DirectX 12 rendering path, and the 28 ray tracing cores, while not likely used in this 2016 title, are present for compatibility.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear resolution scaling pattern. At 1080p High, the average frame rate is 103 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, it drops to 67 FPS, a 35% reduction. At 4K High, it falls to 37 FPS, another 45% drop from 1440p. This steep decline from 1440p to 4K strongly indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting component as resolution increases. The CPU's performance is sufficient to drive high frame rates at 1080p, but the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus cannot sustain the same level of performance at higher pixel counts.

The Low preset shows a similar but less severe scaling pattern. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 157. At 1440p Low, it drops to 102 FPS (35% reduction), and at 4K Low, it falls to 56 FPS (45% reduction from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across presets suggest that the scaling is primarily resolution-driven rather than settings-driven. This points to a fixed hardware limitation, most likely the GPU's memory bandwidth.

The Medium preset data includes min and max FPS values, providing additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 120 FPS with a min of 102 and max of 138. At 1440p Medium, the average is 79 FPS with min of 67 and max of 90. At 4K Medium, the average is 43 FPS with min of 37 and max of 50. The min FPS values at 4K Medium (37 FPS) are nearly identical to the average FPS at 4K High (37 FPS), suggesting that even on Medium settings, the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame delivery at 4K. The frame time variance increases with resolution, as evidenced by the growing gap between min and max FPS at higher resolutions.

The data implies that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at any resolution. Even at 1080p Low with 157 FPS, the i7-14700KF has headroom, as its multi-threaded scores suggest it could handle even higher frame rates if the GPU allowed. The bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU at 1440p and 4K, where the RX 9060's memory subsystem and VRAM capacity limit performance. This is consistent with the GPU's 59th percentile ranking, which places it below the top-tier graphics cards that would be needed for smooth 4K gaming in this title.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 80 FPS on average, which is smooth for most players. However, the Medium preset at 120 FPS offers a significantly higher frame rate with only a visual quality reduction. The High preset at 103 FPS is a balanced choice, providing good visual fidelity while maintaining a comfortable frame rate. For competitive or high-refresh-rate displays, the Low preset at 157 FPS would be the best choice, though it sacrifices most visual effects.

At 1440p, the High preset at 67 FPS is playable, but the Medium preset at 79 FPS offers a better experience for maintaining frame rate stability. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS is borderline, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 102 FPS is the best option for players prioritizing frame rate over visual quality. The Medium preset provides the best balance between visual fidelity and performance at 1440p, with a 79 FPS average and a min FPS of 67, which keeps frame drops above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 4K, none of the presets deliver a truly smooth experience. The Low preset at 56 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but it requires significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 43 FPS is playable for slower-paced games but may feel sluggish during action sequences. The High preset at 37 FPS and Ultra preset at 29 FPS are not recommended for this resolution. Players targeting 4K should either accept the Low preset's visual compromises or consider that this GPU is not well-suited for 4K gaming in The Technomancer. The data suggests that 1440p Medium is the sweet spot for this combination, offering 79 FPS average with acceptable visual quality and frame time consistency.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination ranks 1632 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is surprising given the individual component rankings. The CPU ranks in the 94th percentile, and the GPU ranks in the 59th percentile, but the combined performance in this specific game is not exceptional. This discrepancy suggests that The Technomancer's engine does not fully leverage the CPU's capabilities, or that the GPU's limitations are more pronounced in this title than in other games.

The rank of 1632 indicates that a significant number of other CPU-GPU combinations deliver higher frame rates in this game. Given that the GPU's nearest rivals include the RTX 3060 Ti, which is 0.7% faster in benchmarks, it is likely that many combinations with similar GPUs but more powerful graphics cards achieve better results. The CPU's high benchmark scores do not translate into a high combo rank, which implies that the game is GPU-bound at most settings and resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM capacity may be a particular weakness in The Technomancer, as the game's textures and effects could require more memory at higher settings.

The combo rank also reflects the resolution scaling issue. At 1080p, the combination performs well, but the rank is determined by performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The poor 4K performance drags down the overall ranking. Players using this combination should focus on 1080p or 1440p to get the best experience, as the 4K results are below the median for tested combos. The data indicates that this pairing is better suited for lower-resolution gaming, where the CPU's strength can shine and the GPU's limitations are less exposed.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low preset delivers 157 FPS, Medium preset delivers 120 FPS with a min of 102 and max of 138, High preset delivers 103 FPS, and Ultra preset delivers 80 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 49% reduction in frame rate, indicating that the High and Ultra presets have a significant impact on GPU load. The Medium preset's min FPS of 102 is close to the High preset's average of 103, suggesting that Medium provides consistent frame delivery without major dips. The 1080p results are all above 60 FPS, making this resolution the most comfortable for the combination.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are: Low preset at 102 FPS, Medium preset at 79 FPS with a min of 67 and max of 90, High preset at 67 FPS, and Ultra preset at 52 FPS. The Medium preset's min FPS of 67 is exactly the same as the High preset's average, indicating that Medium offers better frame time stability than High. The Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS, which may cause noticeable stuttering in fast-paced scenes. The drop from Low to Ultra is 49%, matching the percentage drop at 1080p, but the absolute frame rates are lower due to the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are: Low preset at 56 FPS, Medium preset at 43 FPS with a min of 37 and max of 50, High preset at 37 FPS, and Ultra preset at 29 FPS. The Medium preset's min FPS of 37 is identical to the High preset's average, further confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K. The Low preset is the only option that stays above 50 FPS, but it still falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is below 30 FPS, which is often considered the minimum for playability. The 4K results clearly show that this GPU cannot handle The Technomancer at high settings on a 4K display.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combination in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows the best experience at 1920x1080, where all presets deliver above 80 FPS on average. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides 79 FPS average, which is also playable. The 3840x2160 results are below 60 FPS for all presets, making 4K not recommended for this combination.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to the RTX 3060 Ti in this context?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, while the RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. In The Technomancer, this small benchmark difference is unlikely to produce significantly different frame rates, but the RX 9060's 8 GB VRAM may be a limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the i7-14700KF bottlenecking the RX 9060 in this game?

A: The data suggests no CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combination achieves 157 FPS, which is a high frame rate. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, and the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with GPU limitations, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

Q: What settings should I use for 1440p gaming with this combination?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers 79 FPS average with a min of 67 FPS, providing the best balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset at 67 FPS is also viable, but the Ultra preset at 52 FPS may cause noticeable frame drops.

Q: Why does the combo rank (1632 of 2825) seem low despite strong component benchmarks?

A: The rank is based on in-game performance across all settings and resolutions. The poor 4K results, where the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus struggle, likely drag down the overall ranking. The combination performs well at 1080p but is less competitive at higher resolutions.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM on the RX 9060 affect The Technomancer's performance?

A: Yes, the data indicates that 8 GB VRAM is insufficient for smooth 4K gameplay. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only reaches 56 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 43 FPS. The VRAM capacity appears to be a limiting factor at higher resolutions, while at 1080p it is sufficient for all presets.