The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting stress profile for modern hardware. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D. The data shows this combination achieves a rank of 15 out of 3696 tested combinations for this title, placing it in the top percentile of systems. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings provide a clear picture of where the bottlenecks lie and how to best configure the game for an optimal experience.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh. It operates with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and can boost up to 6.00 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for gaming, as many titles, including action RPGs like The Technomancer, often rely on single-threaded performance for core game logic and draw call submission. The processor’s substantial L3 cache of 36 MB shared also helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is significant, but the data suggests it is not the primary constraint at higher resolutions. Looking at the benchmark results, the i9-14900K scores 39,399.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,262.5 in single-core tests. Its average benchmark score is 79,097, which places it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. When compared to its nearest rivals, it is essentially neck-and-neck with the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which has an average score of 79,371, a negligible -0.3% difference. It also trails the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus by 0.6% and the AMD EPYC 7413 by 1.2%, while leading the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 by 1.7%.

These synthetic scores indicate a top-tier processor that is more than capable of feeding even the most powerful graphics cards. However, the FPS data in The Technomancer reveals a different story. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 338 FPS. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is able to process the game's instructions quickly enough to generate a massive number of frames. The 24 cores and 32 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and the game's engine, but the sheer speed of the 6.00 GHz boost clock is what allows for these extreme frame rates. The data does not show the CPU becoming a hard bottleneck at 1080p, as the frame rate continues to scale with resolution, albeit at a decreasing rate.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a behemoth of a graphics card, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It features a massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The card’s base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz. This immense memory capacity and bandwidth are crucial for high-resolution textures and complex shaders, which are common in action RPGs. With 21,760 shading units, the card can process an enormous amount of graphical data in parallel.

The GPU’s performance in this game is the primary driver of the FPS differences between settings. Its average benchmark score is 77,712, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Interestingly, its nearest rivals in the database are a mix of mobile and datacenter parts: the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% faster), and NVIDIA Tesla P100s (2.1% and 2.4% faster). This suggests that while the RTX 5090 D is a top-tier consumer card, this particular benchmark suite places it in a specific performance class.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p with Low settings, the RTX 5090 D is clearly not the limiting factor, as the CPU and GPU are working together to push out 338 FPS. However, as we move to 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 66 FPS. This sharp decline is a classic sign of the GPU becoming heavily loaded. The 32 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this title, even at 4K, so the limiting factor is the raw compute power required to render the scene at that resolution and quality. The data shows a clear scaling pattern that points to the RTX 5090 D as the bottleneck at higher settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. The goal is to find the best balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay, typically aiming for a frame rate that can take full advantage of a high-refresh-rate monitor or maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 4K.

At 4K, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 66 FPS. This is playable but may not be ideal for those seeking maximum smoothness. Dropping to High yields a substantial improvement, with an average of 85 FPS, a 28.8% increase. The Medium preset offers 99 FPS, which is a 50% improvement over Ultra and provides a very smooth experience on most displays. The Low preset jumps to 129 FPS, but the visual compromise is often too significant for a game like this.

For 1440p, the Ultra preset averages 120 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming. The High preset at 154 FPS is even smoother. At 1080p, all settings produce extremely high frame rates, with even Ultra hitting 184 FPS. Given this data, the recommended approach is as follows: For 4K, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering a highly playable 99 FPS average with a minimum of 84 FPS, ensuring no noticeable dips. For 1440p and 1080p, the High preset is the sweet spot, providing a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining frame rates well above 144 FPS (154 FPS and 236 FPS respectively). The Ultra preset is for those who prioritize visual quality above all else, as the data shows it still provides respectable performance at 1440p and 1080p.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K fast enough for this game?

A: Yes. The data shows the CPU scores 39,399.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,262.5 in single-core, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. This level of performance, especially the 6.00 GHz boost clock, is more than sufficient to handle The Technomancer's engine, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at 1080p.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5090 D have, and is it enough for 4K?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. This is far more than enough for The Technomancer, even at 4K resolution with the Ultra preset, where the average frame rate is 66 FPS. The VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in this title.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use at 4K resolution?

A: Based on the measured data, the Medium preset is the best choice for a balanced experience at 4K. It delivers an average of 99 FPS with a minimum of 84 FPS, providing a much smoother experience than the Ultra preset's 66 FPS average.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D compare to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which is 1.6% faster. It is also 1.1% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT and 2.1% to 2.4% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe models.

Q: Does the frame rate drop significantly when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: Yes. The data shows a significant drop. For example, at High settings, the average frame rate falls from 236 FPS at 1080p to 154 FPS at 1440p, and then to 85 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as the resolution increases.

Q: Is the system able to maintain a consistent frame rate at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: Yes. The data shows an average of 180 FPS with a minimum of 153 FPS and a maximum of 207 FPS at 1440p Medium. This consistency ensures a very smooth gaming experience without major dips.

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

The performance scaling across resolutions is a clear indicator of where the system's bottleneck lies. By examining the measured FPS at different resolutions with the same settings preset, we can infer which component is being stressed the most. The data shows a predictable and significant drop in frame rate as resolution increases, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario.

Let's analyze the High settings preset. At 1080p, the system achieves an average of 236 FPS. This is an extremely high frame rate, suggesting that neither the CPU nor GPU is being pushed to its absolute limit. Moving to 1440p, the frame rate drops to 154 FPS, a 34.7% decrease. This is a substantial drop, but the frame rate remains very high. Finally, at 4K, the average frame rate plummets to 85 FPS, a 64% decrease from the 1080p figure.

This pattern is consistent across all settings. For instance, at Low settings, the frame rate goes from 338 FPS at 1080p to 235 FPS at 1440p, and then to 129 FPS at 4K. The scaling between 1080p and 1440p is not linear, and the drop to 4K is even more pronounced. This behavior unequivocally points to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D being the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU, with its 6.00 GHz boost clock, is able to prepare frames fast enough at 1080p and 1440p, but the sheer number of pixels at 4K overwhelms the GPU's rendering capabilities, causing the frame rate to drop accordingly. The data does not show a CPU bottleneck, as the frame rate would plateau regardless of resolution in that scenario. Instead, the consistent inverse relationship between resolution and FPS confirms that the graphics card is the constraining component in this configuration.

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

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination in The Technomancer. All figures are taken directly from the measured data.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: The average frame rate is 338 FPS. This is the highest measured result, indicating a scenario where the system is not heavily constrained.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 276 FPS. The data also shows a minimum of 235 FPS and a maximum of 317 FPS, indicating some variance but an overall very smooth experience.
• High: The average frame rate is 236 FPS. This is a strong result, well above the refresh rate of most monitors.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 184 FPS. Even at the highest settings, the system maintains an exceptionally high frame rate at 1080p.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: The average frame rate is 235 FPS. This is a significant drop from the 1080p result but still provides an extremely smooth experience.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 180 FPS. The minimum and maximum are recorded at 153 FPS and 207 FPS, respectively, showing a consistent performance range.
• High: The average frame rate is 154 FPS. This is an excellent result for 1440p, comfortably supporting high-refresh-rate gaming.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 120 FPS. This remains a very playable and smooth frame rate for demanding visual settings.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: The average frame rate is 129 FPS. This shows that even at 4K, the system can deliver high frame rates with lower visual fidelity.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 99 FPS. The data includes a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 114 FPS, which is a solid performance envelope for 4K.
• High: The average frame rate is 85 FPS. This is a good result for 4K High, providing a smooth experience on most displays.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 66 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration measured, and the frame rate is on the lower end for high-refresh-rate displays but is still suitable for a standard 60Hz monitor.

This breakdown shows a clear and consistent performance hierarchy. The system is capable of extreme frame rates at 1080p, exceeding 300 FPS on Low settings, and remains highly capable at 1440p. At 4K, the performance is still strong, with the Medium and High presets offering the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, while Ultra pushes the GPU to its limits at 66 FPS.