The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a fascinating case study in how a modern high-end mobile platform handles an older title. The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile GPU produces a wide spread of frame rates depending on the resolution and quality settings, revealing a system that is rarely stressed to its limits. The data suggests that this pairing is exceptionally powerful for this game, with performance bottlenecks shifting between the CPU and GPU depending on the workload. The benchmark results provide a clear picture of a system that can deliver high refresh-rate experiences at 1080p and 1440p, while remaining very playable at 4K, though with some compromises in the most demanding presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frames per second (FPS) data for The Technomancer reveals a clear and expected trend: performance degrades as resolution increases. At the High settings preset, the average frame rate drops from 160 FPS at 1920x1080 to 105 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 58 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a significant 34.4% decrease in performance from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 44.8% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, with the jump to 4K being particularly punishing on the GPU.

This pattern strongly indicates that the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution climbs. At 1080p, the CPU is likely able to feed frames to the GPU fast enough, allowing the RTX 5090 Mobile to stretch its legs and produce very high frame rates. The 160 FPS average at High settings suggests the GPU is the primary limiting factor, but the CPU is keeping up. However, the massive drop to 58 FPS at 4K points to the GPU being overwhelmed by the sheer number of pixels it must render, despite its impressive specifications.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution further reinforces the GPU-bound nature at higher resolutions. At 4K, the average FPS ranges from a high of 88 FPS on Low to a low of 45 FPS on Ultra. This 43 FPS spread is entirely attributable to the increasing graphical workload placed on the GPU. The data suggests that for players targeting 4K, the choice of settings has a dramatic impact on playability, with the Ultra preset pushing the system to its limits. In contrast, at 1080p, the spread from 241 FPS on Low to 125 FPS on Ultra is less severe in percentage terms, hinting that the CPU might be starting to become a more significant factor at the very high frame rates achieved on the lower presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 241 FPS, achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system maintain a 60 FPS average at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data shows an average of 67 FPS at 3840x2160 with Medium settings. However, the High preset drops to 58 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 45 FPS.

Q: At 1440p, which preset provides a frame rate above 100 FPS on average?

A: Both the High and Medium presets at 2560x1440 exceed 100 FPS on average, with 105 FPS and 123 FPS respectively. The Low preset is even higher at 160 FPS.

Q: How does the 1080p Medium preset compare to the 1440p Medium preset?

A: The 1080p Medium preset yields an average of 188 FPS with a minimum of 160 FPS, while the 1440p Medium preset averages 123 FPS with a minimum of 104 FPS. The 1440p result is considerably lower but still very smooth.

Q: Is there any data on frame time consistency for this game?

A: The data provides minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset at each resolution: 57 FPS at 4K, 104 FPS at 1440p, and 160 FPS at 1080p. These minimums suggest that the Medium preset offers a stable experience, with the 4K minimum being close to the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 88 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 45 FPS. This represents a significant 43 FPS drop in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile is the undisputed workhorse in this configuration for The Technomancer. With 24 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, it has an enormous bandwidth of 896.0 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for a game from 2016. The benchmark results show that the GPU's performance is the primary factor in the frame rates achieved, especially as resolution and settings are increased. Its Passmark G3D score of 30034 places it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, indicating a top-tier part.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 990 MHz and a boost of 1515 MHz, are relatively modest for a high-end part, but its architecture and sheer number of cores—10496 shading units—more than compensate. The data shows that the RTX 5090 Mobile is capable of producing over 240 FPS in a lighter-load scenario like 1080p Low, demonstrating immense raw power. However, the 4K Ultra result of 45 FPS shows that even this GPU has limits when pushed with the highest pixel count and quality settings. The game's demands at 4K Ultra are likely taxing the GPU's fill rate and shading power, leading to the observed performance ceiling.

The fact that the RTX 5090 Mobile is compared to rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (with a deltaPct of 0.8%) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT (with a deltaPct of -0.5%) in aggregate benchmarks suggests that its overall compute capability is well above average. In The Technomancer, this power translates to the ability to run the game at very high frame rates, but the resolution scaling data confirms that the GPU is the component that determines the ultimate performance ceiling at 4K. The 24 GB of VRAM is likely never a limiting factor in this title, leaving the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth as the sole arbiters of performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile holds a position of rank 790 out of 3696 total combos. This places it in the top 21.4% of all tested systems, indicating a strong overall performance level. While it is not the absolute fastest configuration in the database, this rank suggests that the combination is well-balanced and capable of delivering a high-quality gaming experience in this title.

The rank of 790 is a composite score that likely reflects the system's ability across various resolutions and settings. Given the measured FPS data, this rank seems appropriate. The system's ability to achieve over 100 FPS on High settings at 1440p and maintain playable frame rates at 4K puts it ahead of a significant majority of the other 3696 combos. The fact that it is in the top quarter of all systems indicates that for The Technomancer, this is a high-performance setup that will not struggle with the game's demands.

This ranking also provides context for the CPU and GPU's individual performances. The CPU's percentile of 79 and the GPU's percentile of 84 are both high, and their combination results in a system that is greater than the sum of its parts in this specific game. The rank suggests that the pairing is synergistic, with neither component bottlenecking the other to a significant degree in most scenarios. The data implies that users with this combo can expect a top-tier experience, with the flexibility to choose between high refresh rates at lower resolutions or higher fidelity at 4K, all within the top quarter of all tested systems.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H plays a supporting but crucial role in The Technomancer. With 14 cores and 18 threads, it provides substantial multi-threaded processing power, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12804.5 and its Passmark multithread score of 21100. This processing muscle is likely more than enough to handle the game's AI, physics, and game logic, ensuring that it does not become a bottleneck in most situations. Its single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1647.5, is also robust.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 241 FPS. At such high frame rates, the CPU's ability to process game state and issue draw calls to the GPU becomes increasingly critical. While the RTX 5090 Mobile is certainly capable of rendering frames at this rate, the CPU's performance is a key enabler. The fact that the frame rate does not scale proportionally with the GPU's power from 1080p to 1440p suggests that the CPU is starting to hit its limits in the most CPU-light scenarios.

However, the data indicates that the CPU is not a primary limiting factor in this game. The performance drop when moving from 1440p to 4K is much more dramatic than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck at the higher resolution. The CPU's performance, with a Passmark single-thread score of 3399, is comparable to rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (with a deltaPct of -0.1%), confirming that it is a capable processor for gaming. In The Technomancer, its role is to provide stable, high minimum frame rates, as seen in the Medium preset results, ensuring a smooth experience even when the GPU is under heavy load.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across its measured envelope. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset averages 241 FPS, Medium averages 188 FPS (with a minimum of 160 FPS and a maximum of 216 FPS), High averages 160 FPS, and Ultra averages 125 FPS. This range shows that even at the highest settings, the system is capable of delivering performance well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many gaming displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very high but shows the expected decrease. The Low preset averages 160 FPS, Medium averages 123 FPS (with a minimum of 104 FPS and a maximum of 141 FPS), High averages 105 FPS, and Ultra averages 82 FPS. This resolution offers a sweet spot, allowing for high refresh rates on High and Ultra settings, making it an excellent choice for this game. The minimum FPS figures for Medium suggest a stable performance profile.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more moderate. The Low preset averages 88 FPS, Medium averages 67 FPS (with a minimum of 57 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS), High averages 58 FPS, and Ultra averages 45 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming is very achievable with this combo, but with a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. The Medium preset at 4K provides a good balance, with an average close to 60 FPS, while the High preset is just below that target. The Ultra preset, while visually demanding, is best reserved for players who prioritize image quality over smoothness.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware depend heavily on the user's display and performance targets. For players with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is a compelling choice, as it delivers an average of 125 FPS, which is high enough for a smooth experience on most monitors. For those with high-refresh-rate 1080p panels (144Hz or higher), the High preset at 160 FPS is the best option to fully utilize the display's capabilities without a significant visual compromise.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the clear recommendation for a premium experience, offering an average of 105 FPS. This provides a great balance of visual quality and speed, making it ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 82 FPS is also a strong option for players who prefer maximum visual fidelity and have a 60Hz or 75Hz monitor, as it will still look and feel very smooth. The Medium preset is a good fallback for ensuring frame rates are consistently above 120 FPS.

For 4K gaming, the choices are more nuanced. The Medium preset, with an average of 67 FPS, is the best choice for a smooth and responsive experience, and its minimum of 57 FPS means it will rarely dip below 60. The High preset at 58 FPS is very close to the 60 FPS target and offers better visuals, but it may have more frequent dips below that threshold. The Ultra preset, at 45 FPS, is only recommended for players who prioritize image quality above all else and are comfortable with sub-60 FPS gameplay. The Low preset at 88 FPS is viable for maximizing frame rate, but it sacrifices too much visual quality for a game that looks as stylized as The Technomancer.