The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for modern high-end hardware. This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, using measured FPS data across three resolutions and four quality settings. The data reveals a configuration that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which also exposes significant CPU limitations at 1080p, creating a complex performance profile that defies simple categorization.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data from The Technomancer shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, but the rate of that decline is highly informative about the system's bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 325 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 215 FPS, a 33.8% reduction. The jump to 4K Low yields 118 FPS, a further 45.1% drop from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a system where the CPU is the primary limiter at lower resolutions; the GPU has ample headroom to render frames quickly, but the processor cannot feed it data fast enough to reach even higher frame rates.

The picture changes dramatically when examining the High preset. At 1080p High, the average is 216 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 141 FPS (a 34.7% decrease). At 4K High, the average falls to 77 FPS, a 45.4% reduction from the 1440p result. This scaling is remarkably consistent with the Low preset, suggesting that the relative performance drop from resolution scaling is stable across these settings. The absolute numbers are lower, indicating the increased GPU workload from the High preset, but the bottleneck dynamics remain similar: the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count rises.

The Ultra preset shows the most constrained performance. From 169 FPS at 1080p, the average falls to 110 FPS at 1440p (a 34.9% drop) and then to 61 FPS at 4K (a 44.5% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 61 FPS is the lowest measured figure in the entire dataset, indicating that this setting combination pushes the RTX 4090 to its limits in this title. The consistent ~34% and ~45% drops from 1080p to 1440p and 1440p to 4K, respectively, across all settings suggest that the game's rendering pipeline scales linearly with pixel count, with no unexpected bottlenecks or optimizations that would flatten the curve.

The limiting component is clearly the GPU at 4K. The RTX 4090, despite its massive 24 GB frame buffer, cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra, achieving only 61 FPS. At 1440p, the system is more balanced, with the CPU able to keep the GPU fed at up to 215 FPS on Low settings. At 1080p, the CPU becomes the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the fact that the RTX 4090 is capable of far higher frame rates (as seen in its 325 FPS Low score) but is held back by the processor's single-thread performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a defining component in this configuration. Its specifications are formidable: 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output pipelines. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2235 MHz and boosts to 2520 MHz. Memory is provided by 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This memory configuration is crucial for The Technomancer, as the game's texture streaming and high-resolution assets can consume significant VRAM.

The RTX 4090's performance in this game is strong but not absolute. At 4K Ultra, it manages 61 FPS, which is playable but not the high-refresh-rate experience the GPU is often associated with. The data shows that the GPU's role is most critical at 4K, where the difference between Low (118 FPS) and Ultra (61 FPS) is a 48.3% performance penalty. This 57 FPS gap highlights the substantial computational cost of the Ultra preset's effects, which likely include advanced lighting, shadow, and post-processing techniques.

At lower resolutions, the RTX 4090's raw power is somewhat wasted. At 1080p Low, the GPU could theoretically render far more than 325 FPS, but the CPU limits it. The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is only fully utilized at 4K or when high-quality settings are combined with lower resolutions. The 24 GB VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in any of the measured scenarios; the data shows no evidence of memory capacity constraints, as even the highest settings at 4K do not cause catastrophic frame rate drops indicative of VRAM swapping.

The GPU's clock behavior, with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, provides the computational throughput necessary for the high frame rates seen at 1440p. At 1440p High (141 FPS) and 1440p Medium (165 FPS), the GPU is operating in a comfortable range, delivering smooth gameplay. However, the 1440p Ultra result of 110 FPS shows that even this powerful GPU can be brought to heel by the most demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a combo rank of 70 out of 2825 tested combinations. This places it in the top 2.5% of all tested systems for The Technomancer, which is an impressive showing. The rank reflects the system's ability to handle the game's demands across the tested scenarios.

The CPU's individual performance is respectable, with a percentile rank of 89 versus all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 46062, placing it in close competition with several rivals. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46030, a delta of 0.1% (the Ultra 5 235 is slightly faster). The Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46098, a delta of -0.1% (the Ultra 5 235 is slightly slower). The AMD EPYC 4364P and EPYC 7303 score 45970 and 45960, respectively, with deltas of 0.2% both in favor of the Ultra 5 235. These margins are negligible, indicating that the CPU is performing at the expected level for its class.

The GPU's percentile rank is 88 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark database include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60326, delta 0%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60140, delta 0.3%), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61896, delta -2.5%). The RTX 4090 is essentially tied with the Arc Pro A60 and slightly ahead of the Pro Vega 48, but sits 2.5% behind the Radeon Pro W6600M in average score. This is surprising given the RTX 4090's reputation, but it reflects the specific benchmark suite's characteristics.

The combination's rank of 70 out of 2825 is strong, but it is not the top configuration. The data suggests that other combinations, likely with more powerful CPUs, achieve higher ranks in this game. This is because The Technomancer appears to be more CPU-sensitive than many modern titles, particularly at lower resolutions where the RTX 4090 is not the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this configuration depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data provides clear guidance for each resolution tier.

At 1080p, all settings are playable. The Low preset achieves 325 FPS, Medium 253 FPS, High 216 FPS, and Ultra 169 FPS. For players with a 144Hz monitor, the High preset offers a comfortable margin above the refresh rate, while Ultra remains above 165 FPS. The Medium preset is also excellent, providing high frame rates with presumably better visual quality than Low. For esports-style play where maximum frame rate is paramount, Low is the choice, but for general gameplay, High or Ultra provides the best balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 1440p, the picture is similar but with lower headroom. Low achieves 215 FPS, Medium 165 FPS, High 141 FPS, and Ultra 110 FPS. The Ultra preset dips below the 144Hz threshold, which may be noticeable on high-refresh-rate displays. The High preset, at 141 FPS, is nearly perfect for a 144Hz panel. Medium offers a significant boost to 165 FPS, providing a buffer for demanding scenes. For most users, the High preset is recommended at 1440p, as it offers the best visual quality while staying within striking distance of 144 FPS.

At 4K, the choices become more constrained. Low achieves 118 FPS, Medium 91 FPS, High 77 FPS, and Ultra 61 FPS. The Ultra preset dips below 60 FPS in the minimum frame rate (the data shows a min of 77 FPS for Medium, but Ultra has no min data; however, the average of 61 FPS suggests potential drops below 60). For a 60Hz display, the High preset is the sweet spot, offering 77 FPS average with better visuals than Medium. The Medium preset, at 91 FPS, is also viable and provides additional headroom. The Ultra preset is only recommended for players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate and are comfortable with sub-60 FPS dips. The Low preset, at 118 FPS, is overkill for 60Hz displays and sacrifices too much visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset of measured FPS provides a detailed picture of performance across all tested configurations.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 118 FPS. Medium settings yield 91 FPS on average, with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS. High settings deliver 77 FPS on average. Ultra settings result in 61 FPS on average. The medium preset's min-max range of 77-104 FPS shows a 27 FPS variance, indicating some scene-to-scene variability.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance scales up: Low averages 215 FPS. Medium averages 165 FPS, with a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 190 FPS. High averages 141 FPS. Ultra averages 110 FPS. The Medium preset's range of 140-190 FPS represents a 50 FPS variance, which is proportionally larger than at 4K, suggesting that CPU or driver overhead plays a larger role at this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the frame rates are highest: Low averages 325 FPS. Medium averages 253 FPS, with a minimum of 215 FPS and a maximum of 291 FPS. High averages 216 FPS. Ultra averages 169 FPS. The Medium preset's range of 215-291 FPS shows a 76 FPS variance, the largest absolute spread in the dataset. This high variability at 1080p is a clear indicator of CPU bottlenecking, where the processor's performance fluctuates based on game state.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p results in a performance drop of approximately 34-35% across all settings. The scaling from 1440p to 4K results in a drop of approximately 44-45%. This consistent scaling pattern suggests that the game's rendering workload scales linearly with pixel count.

FAQ

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

A: 1440p offers the best balance, with High settings achieving 141 FPS and Ultra still managing 110 FPS. At 1080p, the CPU becomes a bottleneck, while at 4K, the GPU is pushed to its limits, particularly on Ultra settings (61 FPS).

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, but with compromise. The 4K Ultra preset averages 61 FPS, which is playable on a 60Hz display but may not provide a consistent 60 FPS experience. The 4K High preset, at 77 FPS, is a safer choice.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 overkill for this game?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, yes, the GPU is not the limiting factor. The CPU holds back performance, as evidenced by the 325 FPS Low score at 1080p. At 4K, the GPU is fully utilized, and the 4090 proves necessary for high-quality settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 46062 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, +0.1%), Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, -0.1%), and AMD EPYC 4364P (45970, +0.2%). Performance differences are negligible.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in the dataset?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 77, which occurs at 4K Medium settings. There are no minimum FPS values reported for the Low, High, or Ultra presets at any resolution.

Q: Does the game use the full 24 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4090?

A: The data does not indicate any VRAM-related performance degradation. The measured FPS results do not show any catastrophic drops that would suggest memory capacity issues, even at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 plays a critical role in this configuration, particularly at lower resolutions. This processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It is built on the Arrow Lake architecture using a 3 nm process, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel interface, providing a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. These specifications are well-suited for modern gaming workloads.

The CPU's benchmark scores provide context for its gaming performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 14769 in multi-core and 2085 in single-core. The single-core score is particularly relevant for The Technomancer, as many game engines rely heavily on single-threaded performance. The PassMark single-thread score is 4516, which is solid but not top-tier. The multi-thread score of 37816 indicates strong parallel processing capabilities.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p. The 325 FPS Low score reflects the GPU's raw power, but the CPU's inability to push higher is clear. The game engine appears to be limited by the processor's single-thread throughput, as evidenced by the relatively small frame rate gains from reducing settings. For example, at 1080p, the difference between Ultra (169 FPS) and Low (325 FPS) is 156 FPS, but the CPU is likely the bottleneck in both cases.

The CPU's 14 cores and 14 threads (which is an unusual configuration, as it does not support Hyper-Threading) provide ample multi-core performance for the game's background tasks, but The Technomancer does not appear to be a highly multi-threaded title. The data suggests that the game's performance is primarily dependent on single-core speed, which is where the Ultra 5 235 performs adequately but not exceptionally. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 is moderate, and this likely limits the maximum achievable frame rate at 1080p.

The CPU's 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support are sufficient for this workload. The 24 MB L3 cache helps with game data locality, but the game's age means it may not be optimized for modern cache hierarchies. Overall, the CPU provides a solid foundation for the RTX 4090, but in The Technomancer, it is the component that prevents the system from achieving its full potential at 1080p. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the limiter, and the CPU's performance is more than adequate to keep the system running smoothly.