The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that stresses both processor and graphics card. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, using measured frame rate data to determine the system's capabilities and bottlenecks across different resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a mobile processor with 14 cores and 18 threads, running at a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its architecture, Meteor Lake, is built on a 7 nm process by Intel. The processor features a complex cache hierarchy: 112 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 18 MB of L3 cache. This configuration is designed to handle modern multitasking and gaming workloads, though The Technomancer's engine often relies on fewer, faster cores.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates a mixed profile. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 11875.5, while the single-core score is 1700. The Passmark multithread score is 22422, and the single-thread score is 3521. These numbers place the processor in the 81st percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a competent performer. The data shows a strong multicore capability relative to its single-core strength, which suggests that while it can handle heavily threaded tasks, its per-core performance is more modest.

For The Technomancer, the CPU's role is significant in maintaining minimum frame rates and handling game logic. The measured FPS data reveals that at 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 169 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to avoid a severe bottleneck at lower resolutions. However, the gap between the lowest and highest frame rates at various settings indicates that CPU performance can become a limiting factor when frame rates are very high. For instance, at 1080p Medium, the FPS ranges from 110 to 149, showing some variance. The benchmark results indicate that the processor's 14 cores and 18 threads provide ample headroom for the game's background tasks, but the single-thread performance is the primary driver for the game's main loop.

The CPU's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and the Intel Core i5-13500HX. The data shows the Core Ultra 5 135H is virtually tied with these parts, with a deltaPct of -0.1% and -0.6% respectively. This means its overall computational power is on par with those desktop and high-end mobile chips, but its performance in a game like The Technomancer will depend on how well the game utilizes its specific core layout and clock speeds.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, using the AD104 chip built on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The card has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its base clock is 1920 MHz with a boost clock of 2475 MHz. This hardware configuration is geared towards high-resolution gaming and ray tracing, although The Technomancer does not heavily utilize ray tracing.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4070 achieves a Passmark G3D score of 26927 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 174152. It sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. The card's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, which it trails by 1.3%, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, which it leads by 0.4%. This indicates that the RTX 4070 is a solid performer, but not at the absolute top tier.

The GPU's role in The Technomancer is paramount, as the game's visual effects and rendering resolution directly impact its workload. The measured FPS data shows the RTX 4070 scales well with resolution. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 111, while at 1440p High it drops to 72, and at 4K High it falls to 40. This pattern is typical, but the magnitude of the drop is significant. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the frame rate drops proportionally with the increase in pixel count. With 12 GB of VRAM, the card is unlikely to run out of memory at 4K, even with High settings. The boost clock of 2475 MHz ensures that the card can push high frame rates when the resolution is lower, but the 4K Ultra preset, which averages only 31 FPS, shows the limits of its raw compute power.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 1497 out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the system in the top half of all tested configurations, but not in the elite tier. The rank indicates that while this is a capable pairing, there are many other systems that achieve higher frame rates in this specific game.

This ranking is a result of the balance between the CPU and GPU. The data shows that the combo is well-matched, as neither component is drastically underpowered relative to the other. However, the rank suggests that the system is not optimized for the absolute highest settings at 4K, where the frame rate dips below 60 FPS. The combo's ranking is likely influenced by the CPU's single-thread performance, which is good but not exceptional, and the GPU's mid-to-high-end positioning. For a game like The Technomancer, which is not heavily dependent on the latest CPU instructions, the GPU does most of the heavy lifting. The rank of 1497 reflects that the system can handle 1080p and 1440p with high frame rates, but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: The benchmark data shows that at 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 72 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for an action RPG. At 1920x1080, the average is 111 FPS on High, which is smoother, but the visual fidelity is lower. The data indicates that 1440p High provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, as 4K High only yields 40 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there from 1080p to 4K?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 111 FPS at 1920x1080 to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, and then to 40 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 64% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K. This significant drop indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 in this game?

A: The data suggests that the CPU is not a major bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the frame rate is low due to GPU load. However, at 1080p Low, the CPU pushes the frame rate to 169 FPS, which is high. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU can keep up with the GPU's demands, but at very high frame rates, the CPU's performance becomes more influential.

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: At 4K with Medium settings, the combo averages 47 FPS, which is marginally playable. At 4K High, the average drops to 40 FPS. The data shows that to achieve a stable 60 FPS at 4K, you would need to use Low settings, which average 61 FPS. This indicates that the system is not ideal for 4K gaming with high visual fidelity.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. It is 0.1% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% faster than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. It is 1.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile. This shows that it is a competitive mid-range to high-end card.

Q: What is the frame time variance like at different settings?

A: The data includes minimum and maximum FPS only for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the FPS ranges from 110 to 149, which is a variance of 39 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 72 to 97, a variance of 25 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 40 to 53, a variance of 13 FPS. This indicates that lower resolutions have more frame time variance, which can lead to stuttering.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend in how the combo scales with resolution. At High settings, the average frame rate at 1920x1080 is 111 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 72 FPS, which is a 35% reduction. Moving further to 3840x2160, the average drops to 40 FPS, which is a 44% reduction from 1440p and a 64% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component as resolution increases.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the frame rates are 169 FPS at 1080p, 110 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 64%, which is the same as High settings. This suggests that the GPU's rendering workload is the dominant factor, regardless of the visual fidelity preset. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck at 4K, as the frame rate is limited by the GPU's pixel processing capabilities.

The analysis reveals that the system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 1440p, the frame rates are high enough for a smooth experience on most presets. However, at 4K, the system falls below the 60 FPS threshold on all presets except Low. The frame rate data indicates that the RTX 4070's 12 GB of VRAM and 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth are sufficient for the game's textures, but the raw compute power of the GPU is insufficient for 4K Ultra settings, which average only 31 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data shows that 1440p with High settings is the best choice, as it averages 72 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 86 FPS, which is also excellent, but the visual difference between High and Ultra may not be worth the 25 FPS drop.

For users with a 4K display, the data indicates that the Medium preset is the highest playable option, averaging 47 FPS. The High preset at 4K averages 40 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in an action RPG. The Low preset at 4K averages 61 FPS, which is playable, but the visual quality is severely reduced. The benchmark results suggest that the Medium preset at 4K is the best compromise, as it provides a more detailed image than Low while maintaining a frame rate that is close to playable.

The data shows that the Ultra preset is not recommended for this game, as it yields the lowest frame rates across all resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 86 FPS, which is good, but at 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 56 FPS. The performance hit from High to Ultra is substantial, and the visual gains are often minimal in a game from 2016. For the best experience, the data recommends using High settings at 1440p, as it provides a high frame rate with good visual fidelity. If you prefer 1080p, the High preset at 111 FPS is a solid choice, offering a very smooth experience without the performance cost of Ultra.