The Technomancer

# The Technomancer with Intel Core i7-14700KF + Intel Arc B390

This combination produces playable frame rates only at 1080p with reduced settings, and the data reveals a system overwhelmingly constrained by the graphics processor. The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a top-tier CPU, but the Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which explains why performance collapses as resolution climbs. The measured results show a 79 FPS average at 1080p Low, dropping to 15 FPS at 4K Ultra — a stark demonstration of GPU-bound scaling in this Action RPG.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate curve from 1080p to 4K follows a predictable pattern of GPU-limited degradation. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 79 FPS average, which drops to 52 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 28 FPS at 4K Low. That represents a 65% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings. The scaling is even more dramatic at High settings: 52 FPS at 1080p falls to 34 FPS at 1440p and bottoms out at 19 FPS at 4K — a 63% decline from 1080p to 4K.

The pattern indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at every resolution. A CPU-bound scenario would show smaller frame rate differences between resolutions, but the data shows consistent, large drops as pixel count increases. At Ultra settings, the progression is 40 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 15 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 39 FPS, while at 4K the same settings gap is only 13 FPS. This compression at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU reaches its ceiling quickly, making additional settings increases less impactful at 4K because the hardware is already saturated.

The Medium preset provides the only complete FPS range data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 and maximum of 70. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 40 FPS with a range of 34 to 46. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 22 FPS with a range of 19 to 25. The consistent minimum-to-maximum spread of roughly 18 FPS across resolutions suggests stable frame pacing rather than erratic spikes, which is typical of GPU-bound workloads where the render pipeline is consistently saturated.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive bottleneck in this configuration. Its benchmark results place it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The nearest rivals are all entry-level NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463 (1.3% behind), the GeForce 800M scores 1460 (1.5% behind), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (2.5% behind), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (2.7% behind). This positions the Arc B390 at the very bottom of the GPU performance hierarchy.

The graphics processor uses the Xe3-LPG architecture built on Intel's 3 nm process, with 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. The boost clock reaches 2500 MHz with a base clock of 300 MHz. The memory configuration is entirely system-dependent — the GPU uses System Shared memory with System Shared bandwidth, meaning performance is tied to the host system's RAM and memory controller. This explains the severe frame rate limitations: the GPU has no dedicated VRAM and must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The compute specifications reflect its integrated-class positioning. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. Floating point performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS for FP16 (2:1 ratio). The 80 W TDP and IGP slot width confirm this is an integrated graphics solution rather than a discrete card. With 12 ray tracing cores, it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 APIs, but the raw throughput is insufficient for demanding titles at high resolutions.

The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 15 FPS average. Even at 1080p Low, the 79 FPS average is the only result that approaches smooth gameplay. The GPU's low percentile ranking relative to all GPUs (9th percentile) is consistent with these results — it ranks below 91% of all graphics processors in the database. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 is the sole GPU benchmark available, and it aligns with the measured game performance showing a part that struggles with modern rendering workloads.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF provides substantial processing headroom that the Arc B390 cannot utilize effectively. This CPU features 20 cores and 28 threads based on Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier indicate a high-performance desktop part. Cache configuration includes 80 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 33 MB shared L3. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, with PCIe Gen 5 providing 16 lanes from the CPU.

The CPU's benchmark results place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70163. Its nearest rivals are closely matched: the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996 (0.2% behind), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875 (0.4% behind), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515 (0.9% behind), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879 (1% ahead). This places the i7-14700KF among the fastest processors available, with only a 1% delta separating it from its closest competitor.

Multi-threaded performance is exceptional. Cinebench R23 multicore score is 44167, while the single-core score is 6235. Cinebench R20 shows 18550 multicore and 2618 single-core. Cinebench R15 results are 4452 multicore and 628 single-core. Geekbench scores are 21462 multicore and 2578 single-core. PassMark multithread score is 52425, with single-thread at 4480. Specialized workloads show 694963 for data compression, 40046 for data encryption, 40660 for extended instructions, 134393 for floating point math, 183056 for integer math, and 74723 for random string sorting.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. Given the Arc B390's limitations, the i7-14700KF is never the constraint. The frame rate differences between resolutions are purely GPU-driven, as evidenced by the consistent scaling pattern. The CPU has the headroom to handle the game's processing demands even at 1080p Low where the GPU produces 79 FPS — the highest measured result. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect similar frame rates across resolutions, but the data shows the opposite.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination ranks 2500 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. That places it in the bottom 11.5% of all system configurations tested for this game. The ranking reflects the severe imbalance between the high-end CPU and the entry-level GPU. While the processor is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, the graphics solution is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The combined result is a system that falls far below average for gaming performance despite having top-tier processing power.

The rank of 2500 out of 2825 means that 325 tested combinations perform worse, while 2500 perform better. This puts the combo in the lower quartile of all systems tested. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary factor dragging down the ranking, as the CPU contributes negligible limitation. For a game released in 2016, the hardware should theoretically be sufficient, but the Arc B390's integrated-class performance prevents the system from achieving competitive frame rates.

The measured FPS data aligns with this ranking. The best case scenario — 1080p Low at 79 FPS — is playable but not exceptional. At more demanding settings, the system falls below 60 FPS at 1080p Medium (61 FPS) and drops further at higher resolutions. The 4K results are uniformly unplayable, with the highest being 28 FPS at Low settings. The combo's rank reflects this overall performance profile: capable of basic playability at low settings and resolutions, but unable to deliver smooth experiences at higher quality levels.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for playable frame rates?

A: The data shows 1080p Low achieves 79 FPS average, which is the only configuration with substantial headroom above 60 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average is 61 FPS with a minimum of 52 FPS. For consistently smooth gameplay, 1080p Low is the safest choice, while 1080p Medium may suffice with occasional drops.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% ahead of the GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% ahead of the GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% ahead of the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% ahead of the GeForce GT 710 (1443). All of these are entry-level parts, placing the Arc B390 at the bottom of GPU performance.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The CPU is in the 94th percentile of all processors with an average benchmark score of 70163, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows consistent drops that indicate GPU limitation. The CPU has ample headroom at all tested settings.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, the average FPS ranges from 52 at Low settings to 26 at Ultra settings. Medium settings produce 40 FPS average with a range of 34 to 46 FPS, while High settings yield 34 FPS. None of these results are ideal for smooth gameplay, with only Low settings approaching playability.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for The Technomancer?

A: This combo ranks 2500 out of 2825 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11.5% of all systems. The ranking reflects the GPU's limitations despite the CPU's high performance, resulting in a system that performs below the majority of tested configurations.

Q: What is the difference in performance between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution?

A: At 1080p, the difference is 39 FPS (79 Low vs 40 Ultra). At 1440p, the difference is 26 FPS (52 Low vs 26 Ultra). At 4K, the difference is 13 FPS (28 Low vs 15 Ultra). The shrinking gap at higher resolutions indicates the GPU becomes fully saturated, limiting the impact of settings changes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured frame rate data for The Technomancer with the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B390 is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 79 FPS average
• Medium: 61 FPS average, 52 FPS minimum, 70 FPS maximum
• High: 52 FPS average
• Ultra: 40 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 52 FPS average
• Medium: 40 FPS average, 34 FPS minimum, 46 FPS maximum
• High: 34 FPS average
• Ultra: 26 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 28 FPS average
• Medium: 22 FPS average, 19 FPS minimum, 25 FPS maximum
• High: 19 FPS average
• Ultra: 15 FPS average

The data shows a consistent pattern across all settings: each resolution step from 1080p to 1440p to 4K results in roughly a 35-40% reduction in frame rate. At 1080p, the system ranges from 40 to 79 FPS depending on settings. At 1440p, the range narrows to 26 to 52 FPS. At 4K, the range compresses further to 15 to 28 FPS. This compression effect is characteristic of a GPU that reaches its performance ceiling quickly, making additional resolution increases proportionally more punishing at lower settings. The Medium preset at each resolution provides the only complete minimum and maximum data, showing a consistent spread of approximately 18 FPS between the 1% low and the peak, indicating stable frame delivery within each configuration.