The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, using measured frame rate data to provide a comprehensive view of its capabilities across different resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best performance setting for this combo at 1080p?

A: The data shows the Low preset achieves the highest average frame rate at 1920x1080 with 233 FPS. However, the High preset still delivers a very smooth 153 FPS, making it a strong choice for better visual fidelity without sacrificing playability.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 43 FPS on the Ultra preset to 84 FPS on the Low preset. The Medium preset provides a balanced 64 FPS average, which is the only 4K setting with measured minimum and maximum values (55 and 74 FPS respectively).

Q: Which component is more critical for this game's performance?

A: The frame rate scaling suggests a GPU-heavy workload. For example, at 1080p Low, the CPU is able to push 233 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, performance drops to 43 FPS. This indicates the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and graphical load increase, while the CPU maintains high performance at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested systems?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination ranks 614th out of 2825 tested combos for this game. This places it in the top quarter of all tested configurations, indicating strong overall performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P, while being 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. It is 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, but is 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This configuration provides substantial processing power that is well-suited for the computational demands of an Action RPG like The Technomancer, which requires handling game logic, AI, and physics alongside rendering tasks.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates robust multi-threaded and single-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 14769, with a single-core score of 2085. The Passmark multithread score is 37816, and the single-thread score is 4516. These results indicate a balanced processor that excels in both heavily parallelized tasks and tasks that rely on single-core speed. The CPU's performance percentile of 89 versus all CPUs underscores its position as a high-performing part.

The data from the measured FPS shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with the Low preset, the combo achieves 233 FPS, which suggests the processor can feed frames to the GPU at a very high rate. Even at 2560x1440 with Low settings, the frame rate remains high at 152 FPS. This performance indicates that the Core Ultra 5 235 provides ample headroom for the GPU to work with, especially when graphical settings are not overly demanding.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the CPU's average benchmark score of 46062 is essentially a tie with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030) and the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098). This means that in a CPU-centric benchmark, the Core Ultra 5 235 performs on par with these other high-end processors, suggesting that any performance differences in The Technomancer would be more likely attributable to the GPU or other system factors.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. It has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The GPU's 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs are key to its rasterization performance, which is critical for a game from 2016 that does not rely on ray tracing.

The GPU's role in The Technomancer is paramount, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling with resolution. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 233 FPS, but as resolution increases to 4K, the average FPS drops significantly, even at lower settings. For instance, at 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average FPS is 84, while at 1080p with Ultra settings, it is 119. This pattern demonstrates that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions and graphical presets.

The RTX 4070's performance percentile of 81 versus all GPUs places it in a strong position. Its average benchmark score of 37648 is closely matched by its rivals, with it being a mere 0.1% faster than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% faster than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 provides a level of performance that is sufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, while also being capable of handling 4K at more moderate settings.

The combination of the CPU's high single-thread performance and the GPU's strong rasterization power means that the system is well-balanced. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 100 FPS, which is a smooth experience. The only measured minimum FPS values come from the Medium preset across all resolutions, where at 1080p, the minimum is 152 FPS, and at 4K, the minimum is 55 FPS. These figures suggest that the GPU maintains consistent frame pacing, avoiding severe dips that could impact gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rate data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and desired frame rate. For a high-refresh-rate 1080p display, the High preset offers an excellent balance, delivering an average of 153 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the Ultra preset's 119 FPS, while still providing a higher level of visual detail than the Medium preset's 179 FPS, which may be preferred for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the High preset provides a very smooth experience with an average of 100 FPS. This is an ideal choice for most users, as it offers a substantial upgrade in visual fidelity over the Low preset's 152 FPS, without the performance cost of the Ultra preset's 78 FPS. The Medium preset, at 117 FPS, is also a viable option for those who want a bit more performance headroom.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that the Ultra preset is not a practical choice, with an average of just 43 FPS. The High preset, at 55 FPS, is borderline playable but may not be smooth enough for some. The Medium preset, with an average of 64 FPS, is the most balanced option for 4K, providing a playable frame rate while maintaining a reasonable level of graphical quality. The Low preset at 84 FPS is the best for performance, but it significantly reduces visual fidelity.

The measured minimum and maximum FPS values for the Medium preset provide additional insight. At 1080p, the frame rate ranges from 152 to 206 FPS, showing a wide but consistent range. At 1440p, the range is 99 to 134 FPS, and at 4K, it is 55 to 74 FPS. This data indicates that the Medium preset offers a stable experience across all resolutions, making it a safe recommendation for users who prioritize consistent performance over maximum visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 614th out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the 78th percentile of all tested systems, which means it outperforms a significant majority of other configurations. This high ranking reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU, allowing for strong performance across a wide range of settings.

The ranking is particularly impressive when considering the age of the game. The Technomancer was released in 2016, and its performance is heavily dependent on raw GPU rasterization power. The RTX 4070, with its high transistor count and modern architecture, excels at this task. The CPU's strong single-threaded performance, as indicated by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085, ensures that it can keep up with the game's engine demands, avoiding potential CPU bottlenecks.

The rank of 614 out of 2825 means that the combo is better than 2211 other tested configurations. This is a strong result, but it also means that there are 613 combos that perform better. These higher-ranked systems likely feature more powerful GPUs, such as those from NVIDIA's higher tiers, which would provide a significant advantage in a GPU-bound scenario like The Technomancer. The data clearly shows that this combo is a top-tier performer, well-suited for high-end gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance, with all settings achieving frame rates well above 60 FPS. The Low preset leads with 233 FPS, followed by Medium at 179 FPS, High at 153 FPS, and Ultra at 119 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum and maximum FPS are 152 and 206, respectively.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong, though the frame rates are lower than at 1080p. The Low preset achieves 152 FPS, Medium at 117 FPS, High at 100 FPS, and Ultra at 78 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 99 FPS and a maximum of 134 FPS, indicating that the system can maintain a smooth experience at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset achieves 84 FPS, Medium at 64 FPS, High at 55 FPS, and Ultra at 43 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum and maximum FPS are 55 and 74, respectively. These numbers show that while the combo can handle 4K, it requires a compromise on settings to achieve a consistently playable frame rate. The data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern, with performance decreasing as both resolution and graphical settings increase.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K provides insight into the nature of the system's bottleneck. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 233 at 1080p to 152 at 1440p, and then to 84 at 4K. This represents a significant drop of 35% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% drop from 1440p to 4K. This pattern is characteristic of a system where the GPU's workload is the primary limiting factor.

The scaling is even more pronounced at the Ultra preset. Here, the average FPS drops from 119 at 1080p to 78 at 1440p, a 34% decrease, and then to 43 at 4K, a 45% decrease from 1440p. The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings strongly suggests that the GPU is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a less significant drop in performance as resolution increases, because the CPU workload would remain relatively constant.

The data indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is more than capable of handling the game's CPU requirements, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The performance decline is almost entirely attributable to the increasing pixel count and shading complexity that the RTX 4070 must process. This is a classic example of a GPU-bound scenario, where the graphics card is the component that determines the final frame rate. The scaling behavior confirms that the RTX 4070 is the performance ceiling for this combo in The Technomancer.