The Technomancer

# The Technomancer with Intel Core i7-14700KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a playable but uneven experience in The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG. The CPU sits in the 94th percentile among all tested processors, while the GPU lands in the 66th percentile among all tested graphics cards. This combination ranks 1721 out of 2825 tested combos in this game, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the field. The measured frame rates reveal a system that can handle 1080p comfortably, struggles at 4K, and shows clear evidence that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases.

CPU Role

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. Its base clock runs at 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support spans DDR4 and DDR5 across a dual-channel bus, with ECC memory support enabled.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and a single-core score of 6235. Geekbench results show 21462 multi-core and 2578 single-core. Passmark multi-thread performance reaches 52425, while single-thread scores hit 4480. These figures place the i7-14700KF in the 94th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70163.

The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F at an average score of 69996, which trails by 0.2 percent. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a 0.4 percent deficit. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X comes in at 69515, 0.9 percent behind. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K leads this group slightly at 70879, which is 1 percent ahead of the i7-14700KF. These deltas are small, indicating that the i7-14700KF performs in a tightly contested band of high-end desktop and mobile processors.

For The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is substantial at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches 150 FPS average, which suggests the processor can feed frames well beyond typical display refresh rates. The single-core strength, evidenced by the 6235 Cinebench R23 single-core score, helps with the game’s logic and physics. However, the game’s age — released in 2016 — means it likely does not utilize all 20 cores effectively. The high multi-core scores are therefore less relevant than the single-thread performance for this title. The 28 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and any modern system overhead, but the data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in The Technomancer once resolution increases.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process at TSMC. The chip, designated GB207, contains 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die. It has 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units, along with 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores. The base clock runs at 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz. Memory consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is listed at 2500 MHz, which translates to 20 Gbps effective.

Synthetic GPU benchmarks show a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502, a Geekbench OpenCL score of 90334, and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 89381. Passmark results include a G3D score of 17326 and a GPU compute score of 9184. These figures put the RTX 5050 in the 66th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21035.

The nearest GPU rivals are notable for their age and mobility focus. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21153, which is 0.6 percent ahead of the RTX 5050. The AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237, 1 percent ahead. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713, 1.6 percent behind. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379, 1.6 percent ahead. This grouping suggests the RTX 5050 performs near the level of several older or mobile-oriented cards, which is a relevant context for its in-game results.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 28 FPS, which is below playable thresholds. The pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are not sufficient to maintain smooth performance at 3840x2160 with maximum settings. The FP32 throughput of 13.17 TFLOPS is modest for a modern GPU, and the 128-bit memory bus limits bandwidth-heavy scenarios. The GPU’s role becomes dominant at 1440p and 4K, where the CPU has ample headroom but the graphics card cannot keep up with the pixel count and settings demands.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 115, with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 132.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest GPU rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT has an average benchmark score of 20713, which is 1.6 percent lower than the RTX 5050’s average score of 21035.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combinations in The Technomancer?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1721 out of 2825 tested combos in this game.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 35 on High and 28 on Ultra, while the CPU’s high benchmark scores indicate it is not the limiting factor. The GPU’s lower percentile ranking and VRAM constraints point to it as the bottleneck at 4K.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i7-14700KF?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core i7-14700KF is $384.

Q: What is the RTX 5050’s memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5050 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings provides a clear picture of what this combination can handle. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 150 FPS on Low, 115 FPS on Medium, 98 FPS on High, and 77 FPS on Ultra. All of these averages are playable, with even Ultra staying above 60 FPS. The Medium preset offers the best balance, with a 115 FPS average and a minimum of 98 FPS, which provides smooth gameplay without the frame rate variability seen at higher settings. The Low preset at 150 FPS is excessive for most displays, while Ultra at 77 FPS is still acceptable but offers diminishing returns over Medium.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low settings produce 98 FPS, Medium drops to 75 FPS with a minimum of 64, High falls to 64 FPS, and Ultra drops to 50 FPS. The Medium preset remains the best choice here, as its 75 FPS average stays comfortably above 60, while High at 64 FPS is borderline and Ultra falls below playable thresholds. The minimum of 64 FPS on Medium suggests occasional dips, but the overall experience is solid.

At 3840x2160, none of the presets deliver a fully smooth experience. Low settings yield 54 FPS, Medium drops to 41 FPS with a minimum of 35, High falls to 35 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 28 FPS. The Low preset is the only option above 50 FPS, but even that is marginal. For users who prioritize frame rate at 4K, Low settings are the only viable option. However, the data suggests that 1440p Medium or 1080p Medium/High provides a better overall experience than any 4K preset. The measured rows indicate that the RTX 5050 is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p with Medium to High settings, rather than pushing to 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1721 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places the system in the 39th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning roughly 61 percent of tested combos perform better. The CPU’s strong benchmark position — 94th percentile among all CPUs — is not enough to offset the GPU’s more modest 66th percentile ranking. The data indicates that this combo’s ranking is dragged down primarily by the GPU’s performance in this title.

The nearest CPU rivals are all within 1 percent of the i7-14700KF’s average benchmark score, suggesting that swapping to the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, Ryzen 9 7940HX, Ryzen 9 7950X, or Intel Core Ultra 7 265K would produce nearly identical results in this game. The nearest GPU rivals, however, include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which is only 1.6 percent slower in average benchmark score, and the RTX A4000 Mobile, which is 1.6 percent faster. These small deltas mean that the GPU’s relative performance is tightly clustered, and the combo’s rank in the lower half reflects the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions rather than any CPU deficiency.

The rank of 1721 out of 2825 is consistent with a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU. The CPU provides no meaningful bottleneck, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low, but the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase. For users considering this combo, the data suggests that the CPU is overqualified for the GPU’s capabilities in this specific game, and the overall ranking reflects that imbalance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings deliver 150 FPS, Medium delivers 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 132, High delivers 98 FPS, and Ultra delivers 77 FPS. These numbers show a steady decline as settings increase, with a 73 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. The Medium preset’s minimum of 98 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the system stays well above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the averages drop significantly. Low settings produce 98 FPS, Medium produces 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 and a maximum of 87, High produces 64 FPS, and Ultra produces 50 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 48 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 64 FPS is exactly at the 60 FPS threshold, meaning some scenes may dip below smooth playback. High at 64 FPS average is similar, but without a reported minimum, it is unclear how low it dips.

At 3840x2160, the averages fall below playable thresholds for most presets. Low settings deliver 54 FPS, Medium delivers 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48, High delivers 35 FPS, and Ultra delivers 28 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 26 FPS, which is smaller than at other resolutions because the GPU is severely constrained at 4K. The Medium preset’s minimum of 35 FPS indicates noticeable stuttering in demanding scenes. None of the 4K presets maintain a consistent 60 FPS, and only Low comes close to 60.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep across all settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 150 at 1080p to 98 at 1440p to 54 at 4K. This represents a 35 percent drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 64 percent drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages fall from 115 at 1080p to 75 at 1440p to 41 at 4K, a 35 percent and 64 percent drop respectively. At High settings, the averages fall from 98 at 1080p to 64 at 1440p to 35 at 4K, a 35 percent and 64 percent drop. At Ultra settings, the averages fall from 77 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p to 28 at 4K, a 35 percent and 64 percent drop.

The consistency of these percentage drops — 35 percent from 1080p to 1440p and 64 percent from 1080p to 4K across all settings — is a strong indicator of where the bottleneck lies. The pixel count increases by 78 percent from 1080p to 1440p and by 300 percent from 1080p to 4K. The FPS drops are proportional to these pixel increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would not scale down so consistently with resolution; instead, it would plateau at a CPU-determined ceiling.

The data shows that the RTX 5050 is the limiting component in this combination. The CPU’s high benchmark scores and the fact that FPS scales nearly perfectly with pixel count confirm that the GPU’s rendering throughput is the constraint. The 8 GB VRAM may also contribute to the 4K performance drop, as higher resolutions require more memory bandwidth and capacity. The 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is modest for 4K workloads, and the 128-bit bus limits the amount of data the GPU can process per clock cycle. At 1080p, the GPU can keep up with the CPU’s output, but at 4K, the GPU’s limitations become fully exposed. For users aiming for higher resolutions, this combination requires reduced settings or a more capable GPU.