The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, using measured FPS data across three resolutions and four settings presets. The data reveals a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU's capabilities become more relevant at 1080p. The following sections break down the measured results, contextualize them against the component's benchmark scores, and provide actionable settings recommendations based solely on the provided figures.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High settings preset, the average frame rate falls from 152 FPS at 1080p to 99 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 54 FPS at 4K. This represents a 35% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% decrease from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline indicates that the rendering workload at higher resolutions is the dominant factor limiting performance.

The scaling pattern from Low to Ultra settings reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, the difference between Low (231 FPS) and Ultra (119 FPS) is a substantial 112 FPS, showing the GPU's workload increases dramatically with graphical fidelity. However, the relative drop from 1080p to 4K is more pronounced at lower settings: Low settings see a 64% reduction in FPS (231 to 83), while High settings see a 64% reduction as well (152 to 54). This consistent proportional decline across all settings points to the GPU's pixel throughput and shading capabilities being the primary bottleneck at 4K, rather than any CPU-side limitation.

The data suggests that the RTX 3080 Ti, while powerful, is the limiting component at 3840x2160. The 54 FPS average at High and 43 FPS at Ultra indicate that this resolution pushes the GPU to its limits for this title. Conversely, the relatively small performance gap between 1080p and 1440p for a given setting (e.g., 152 FPS to 99 FPS at High) shows that the GPU still has headroom at lower resolutions. The transition from 1440p to 4K is where the most significant performance penalty occurs, confirming that The Technomancer's visual effects and geometry become exponentially more demanding at 4K, saturating the GPU's 12 GB of VRAM and its 912.4 GB/s memory bandwidth.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 14,769 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,085 in single-core, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 46,062 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030, 0.1% faster) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098, 0.1% slower).

For The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions. The fact that FPS drops so steeply from 1440p to 4K across all settings indicates that the GPU is saturated, and the CPU is not the limiting factor. However, at 1080p, the CPU's performance becomes more relevant. The 231 FPS average at Low settings suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls to achieve very high frame rates. The single-core score of 2,085 in Cinebench R23 is particularly important for gaming, as many game engines rely on a few heavily loaded threads.

The 14 threads and boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide a strong foundation for maintaining high frame rates. The data shows that even at 1080p Ultra, the system achieves 119 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This indicates that the Core Ultra 5 235 does not bottleneck the RTX 3080 Ti in this game, even at lower resolutions where the CPU workload per frame is proportionally higher. The processor's 24 MB of shared L3 cache also helps with game data locality. The CPU's performance is effectively masked by the GPU's limitations at 4K, but it proves sufficient to keep pace with the GPU's output at 1440p and 1080p, where the system can push well over 100 FPS on most presets.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 687th out of 2,825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 24.3% of all configurations tested for this game. This ranking reflects a high-performing setup, but it is not at the absolute top tier, which is consistent with the measured FPS data showing strong, but not class-leading, results.

The ranking is a combined measure of both components' capabilities. The CPU's 89th percentile standing (relative to all CPUs) and the GPU's 83rd percentile standing (relative to all GPUs) are both high, but the combo rank being in the 75th percentile of combos suggests a slight mismatch or that other configurations with more powerful GPUs or CPUs achieve higher scores. The RTX 3080 Ti's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (2% faster average score) and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (0.8% faster), are close in raw synthetic performance. However, in this specific game, the combination's 687th rank out of 2,825 indicates that there are many other combos that produce higher FPS.

This rank is a holistic indicator. It suggests that while the Core Ultra 5 235 and RTX 3080 Ti are both strong performers individually, their pairing is not the optimal one for The Technomancer. The 4K results (54 FPS at High) are playable but not ideal for high refresh rate monitors. The rank of 687 implies that users seeking higher performance at 4K would need to consider a more powerful GPU, while those targeting 1080p or 1440p gaming would find this combo to be highly capable, as evidenced by the 152 FPS at 1080p High and 99 FPS at 1440p High.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptionally high frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 231 FPS, which is the highest measured value. The Medium preset reaches 178 FPS (with a minimum of 151 FPS and maximum of 204 FPS), High hits 152 FPS, and Ultra drops to 119 FPS. All 1080p results are far above the 60 FPS threshold, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong, with all presets maintaining averages above 77 FPS. The Low preset averages 151 FPS, Medium averages 116 FPS (min 99, max 134), High averages 99 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS. The minimum FPS recorded for Medium at 1440p is 99 FPS, which is still comfortable for most gaming scenarios. This resolution provides a good balance between visual fidelity and frame rate, with the High preset offering a 99 FPS average that is suitable for 100Hz+ monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 83 FPS, Medium drops to 64 FPS (min 54, max 73), High falls to 54 FPS, and Ultra averages just 43 FPS. The 4K results, particularly at High and Ultra, are below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset's average of 64 FPS is the only 4K setting that exceeds 60 FPS, and it does so with a minimum of 54 FPS, indicating occasional dips below that threshold. The Ultra preset's 43 FPS average highlights the extreme demand of this game at maximum settings and 4K, making it unsuitable for competitive play.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 provides an excellent balance. At High settings, the system averages 99 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target. At 1080p, performance is exceptionally high (152 FPS at High), but 1440p offers a significant visual upgrade while maintaining a smooth experience.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: It can, but with compromises. At 4K, the Medium preset averages 64 FPS, which is playable, while the High and Ultra presets drop to 54 FPS and 43 FPS respectively. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, users would need to use the Low preset, which averages 83 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS drops sharply from 1440p to 4K (e.g., 99 FPS to 54 FPS at High), while the CPU's performance metrics (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,085) suggest it has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 Ti compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 41,187. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, scores 40,870, which is 0.8% slower. The NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB is 1.2% faster with a score of 41,707. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 scores 40,377, which is 2% slower.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 231 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 119 FPS. This represents a 112 FPS difference, or approximately 48% lower performance at Ultra settings. This shows the significant GPU workload increase from the highest to lowest quality presets.

Q: Does the CPU rank highly among all processors?

A: Yes, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 scores in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 46,062 is nearly identical to that of the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46,098), which is 0.1% faster, and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46,030), which is 0.1% slower.

Settings Recommendations

For users prioritizing a high refresh rate experience at 1920x1080, the High preset is recommended. It delivers an average of 152 FPS, which is more than sufficient for 144Hz monitors, and the 119 FPS at Ultra is also viable. The Low preset's 231 FPS is only beneficial for competitive play where maximum frame rates are paramount, but the visual quality loss is significant.

At 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance. The 99 FPS average is ideal for 100Hz displays, and the jump from Medium (116 FPS) to High (99 FPS) is a reasonable trade-off for better visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 77 FPS is also playable, but the 22% performance drop from High may not be worth the minor visual improvements in this title.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It is the only preset at this resolution with an average above 60 FPS (64 FPS). The High preset's 54 FPS average may be acceptable for slower-paced games, but the Medium preset provides a smoother experience. The Low preset (83 FPS) is an option for those who prioritize frame rate over visual quality, but the Medium preset offers a better overall experience, balancing the 64 FPS average with improved graphical detail. The Ultra preset at 43 FPS should be avoided for a playable experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a high-end Ampere architecture GPU with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and a 384-bit memory bus, providing a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. It has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. Its average benchmark score is 41,187, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. The data shows that its performance is a critical determinant of the FPS in The Technomancer.

The GPU's role is evident in the resolution scaling. The significant FPS drops at 4K indicate that the GPU is consuming all available resources. The 12 GB of VRAM is likely a factor at 4K Ultra, where the game's high-resolution textures can exceed this capacity. The 43 FPS average at 4K Ultra suggests that the GPU is not only bandwidth-limited but possibly also VRAM-limited, leading to stutters or reduced performance. The memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s is substantial, but the 4K Ultra workload proves to be a formidable challenge.

The RTX 3080 Ti's synthetic scores show it is a capable card, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, which is 2% faster on average. However, in this specific game, the 4K results show that the card is not powerful enough for a consistently smooth experience at maximum settings. The GPU's performance at 1080p (231 FPS at Low) and 1440p (151 FPS at Low) shows that it has ample power for those resolutions, but it is the limiting factor at 4K. The data confirms that the GPU is the primary component determining performance at higher resolutions, and its 83rd percentile ranking aligns with the observed FPS figures, which are high but not exceptional.