The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress test for the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that scales predictably, but with distinct bottlenecks that shift depending on the workload. The data shows a configuration that can deliver high refresh rate experiences at 1080p and 1440p, but is challenged by the demands of 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant and clearly delineates where the graphical load becomes too heavy for the GPU. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 156 FPS at 1920x1080 to 101.2 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 53.5 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 65.7% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the game's visual complexity at higher resolutions places a massive burden on the rendering hardware.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all quality presets, though the absolute numbers vary. At Low settings, the system achieves 234.4 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 151.7 FPS at 1440p and 81.8 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 65.1%, nearly identical to the High preset. This uniformity suggests that the resolution scaling is primarily a function of pixel count and fill rate, rather than specific effects or shading complexity.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic falloff, with frame rates dropping from 118.3 FPS at 1080p to 80.1 FPS at 1440p and then collapsing to 40.3 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K at Ultra is particularly steep, a 49.7% reduction, which indicates that the RTX 3080 Ti's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth are being saturated by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The data suggests that 4K Ultra is not a viable target for this pairing, as the average frame rate falls below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for a smooth experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, released in October 2023. Its core configuration is far more than what a game like The Technomancer, released in 2016, can utilize, but the high clock speeds are what matters for frame rate generation. With a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, the CPU can deliver exceptional single-threaded performance, which is the primary driver for game logic and draw call submission.

Benchmark results for the i9-14900K show a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 49872 and a single-core score of 7040. These synthetic scores reflect the processor's ability to handle both heavily threaded workloads and the lighter, latency-sensitive tasks that games rely on. The CPU's percentile ranking of 97 among all tested processors indicates it is in the top tier of available hardware, meaning it is unlikely to be the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is evident in the frame rate scaling at 1080p. At Low settings, the system produces 234.4 FPS, which is a very high number and suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to maintain that pace. The fact that the average frame rate at 1080p High is 156 FPS, while at 4K High it is 53.5 FPS, points to a situation where the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The GPU simply cannot render frames fast enough to keep up with the CPU's output.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the workhorse in this configuration, and its performance in The Technomancer is the primary determinant of playability. The GPU features 10240 shading units, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores, all running at a boost clock of 1665 MHz. It is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. This memory configuration is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and effects that the game can present.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks shows a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 and a Passmark G3D score of 26896. Its percentile ranking is 83 among all GPUs, which is high but not the absolute top tier. The nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, which is 0.5% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which is 0.9% slower. This places the RTX 3080 Ti in a competitive position, but it is clear that newer or higher-end cards can offer more raw rendering power.

The game's results at 4K Ultra settings (40.3 FPS) highlight the GPU's limitations. The frame rate drops below the 60 FPS target, indicating that the combination of the GA102 chip's compute capacity and the memory bandwidth is insufficient for the most demanding configuration. The 1440p results are more favorable, with High settings producing 101.2 FPS and Ultra producing 80.1 FPS, both of which are comfortably playable. The GPU's architecture, based on the 8 nm process node from Samsung, is capable of delivering strong performance, but The Technomancer's 4K Ultra preset proves to be a significant challenge.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination ranks 405th out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places the system in the top 24.5% of all configurations, which is a strong showing. The rank reflects the measured FPS data, which shows the system performing well at 1080p and 1440p but falling behind at 4K Ultra.

The ranking is influenced by the fact that many other combos may use more powerful GPUs, such as the RTX 3090, which has a 0.5% higher average benchmark score. However, the i9-14900K's CPU performance is a differentiator, as its 97th percentile ranking among CPUs ensures that no CPU-related bottleneck occurs. The data indicates that this combo is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, but it is not the top performer for 4K enthusiasts.

Compared to other combos with the same GPU but a different CPU, the i9-14900K's high clock speeds and 32 threads likely provide a slight edge in CPU-bound scenarios, such as the 1080p Low preset where the system achieves 234.4 FPS. The overall rank of 405 reflects the GPU's strength, but also shows that there are faster configurations available for those who prioritize maximum frame rates at the highest resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p High settings?

A: The system achieves an average of 101.2 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the Core i9-14900K a bottleneck for the RTX 3080 Ti in this game?

A: The data suggests no. At 1080p Low, the system produces 234.4 FPS, indicating the CPU can push frames quickly. The frame rate drops significantly at higher resolutions, showing the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

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

A: The combo ranks 405th out of 1656 tested combos, placing it in the top 24.5% of all systems tested in The Technomancer.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1440p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is 80.1, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 40.3. This is a 49.7% reduction in performance, indicating 4K Ultra is not playable at a consistent 60 FPS.

Q: What is the boost clock of the RTX 3080 Ti?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti has a boost clock of 1665 MHz.

Q: How much L3 cache does the CPU have?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K has a shared L3 cache of 36 MB.