The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales predictably with resolution when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070. The measured FPS data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, the average frame rate drops, indicating the growing burden on the graphics card. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics of this specific combination across various settings and resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a significant performance cost, with the RTX 5070 becoming the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 163 FPS at 1920x1080 to 107 FPS at 2560x1440, a drop of 56 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160 sees the average plummet to 59 FPS, a 104 FPS reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth are pushed to their limits.

At the lowest settings, the scaling pattern is even more pronounced. The 1920x1080 Low preset achieves an average of 249 FPS, which reflects the processor's ability to feed the GPU at lower resolutions. However, at 2560x1440, the average drops to 162 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 89 FPS. The 160 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K at Low settings suggests that while the CPU can handle the frame generation at lower resolutions, the GPU's raw fillrate and shading power are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, even with reduced graphical fidelity.

The Medium preset provides a more nuanced view of scaling. At 1920x1080, the average is 191 FPS with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. The 2560x1440 Medium preset averages 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average drops to 69 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS. The consistent gap between minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings indicates that the game's frame pacing is relatively stable, but the overall performance ceiling is dictated by the resolution.

Ultra settings represent the most demanding configuration. The 1920x1080 Ultra preset averages 127 FPS, which is still playable but shows a 36% reduction from the High preset at the same resolution. At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 83 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 46 FPS. This 81 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K on Ultra settings underscores the GPU's struggle with the highest graphical presets at high pixel counts. The data indicates that the RTX 5070 is the bottleneck in this combo, as the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested hardware combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a combo ranking of 744 out of 3696 combinations for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 20% of all tested configurations, indicating a strong overall performance. The percentile rankings of the individual components support this: the CPU sits in the 89th percentile versus all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 82nd percentile versus all GPUs.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 46062 places it in close competition with several rivals. It is a mere 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, which scores 46030, and 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX, which scores 46098. The gap to the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303 is also narrow, with the Ultra 5 235 leading both by 0.2%. This suggests that the processor is not a differentiator in this game, as its performance is nearly identical to several other high-end chips.

For the GPU, the RTX 5070's average benchmark score of 40377 is closely matched by its nearest rivals. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063). However, it trails the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 by 1.2% (40870) and is 2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568). These narrow margins indicate that the graphics card's performance is well within the expected range for its class, and its ranking is not significantly affected by the specific game title.

Given the combo's rank of 744, the data shows that this system is more than capable of delivering a smooth experience in The Technomancer at most settings, though the 4K Ultra preset may require adjustments. The high percentile scores for both components suggest that this is a balanced combination, with neither part severely bottlenecking the other, except at the most extreme resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination delivers an average of 163 FPS at 1920x1080 with the High preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the average frame rate drops to 46 FPS, which is the lowest measured performance in the dataset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. For instance, at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 249 at 1080p to 89 at 4K, indicating that the RTX 5070 cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K even with minimal graphical load.

Q: What is the best resolution for a 60 FPS experience?

A: The 3840x2160 Medium preset achieves an average of 69 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. The 2560x1440 Ultra preset averages 83 FPS, providing a higher fidelity option that still exceeds 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and 0.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 4364P.

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

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 744th out of 3696 tested combos for The Technomancer, placing it in the top 20% of all configurations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system performs exceptionally well. The Low preset achieves an average of 249 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 191 FPS, with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 220 FPS. The High preset averages 163 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 127 FPS. This shows that even at the highest settings, the system is capable of delivering a high refresh rate experience at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. The Low preset averages 162 FPS, which is a 35% reduction from the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. The High preset averages 107 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 83 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combo, as all presets except Ultra are well above 100 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. The Low preset averages 89 FPS, which is still playable but a significant drop from lower resolutions. The Medium preset averages 69 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS, making it the only 4K preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS. The High preset averages 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset averages 46 FPS, which is the only preset where the system fails to deliver a smooth experience.

The minimum FPS data points are only provided for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p, the minimum is 162 FPS, at 1440p it is 106 FPS, and at 4K it is 58 FPS. These minimums suggest that frame pacing is consistent, but the lower bound at 4K Medium is close to the 60 FPS target, indicating potential for stutter in demanding scenes.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and frame rate target.

For 3840x2160 users seeking a smooth 60 FPS experience, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 69 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS, meaning it will mostly stay above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 4K averages 59 FPS, which is just below the target, so Medium is the safer option for consistent performance.

At 2560x1440, the High preset provides an excellent balance of visual fidelity and performance, averaging 107 FPS. For users with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 162 FPS or the Medium preset at 125 FPS are superior choices, as they offer significantly higher frame rates. The Ultra preset at 83 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize image quality over raw speed.

For 1920x1080, the High preset is the recommended default, averaging 163 FPS. This provides a high-quality image with ample headroom for a 144Hz display. The Ultra preset at 127 FPS is also a strong option for users who want maximum visual detail, as it still easily exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 191 FPS and Low preset at 249 FPS are best suited for competitive play where frame rate is paramount.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the most consistent across all resolutions, as it is the only one with recorded minimum FPS values. This indicates that the game's engine handles this preset with more stable frame pacing. For the best overall experience, users should prioritize the Medium or High presets, as they offer a good compromise between visual quality and performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 features 14 cores and 14 threads, running at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This configuration, based on the Arrow Lake architecture, provides a solid foundation for gaming. The CPU's benchmark scores show a strong single-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and a multi-core score of 14769. The PassMark single-thread score of 4516 further confirms its capability in tasks that rely on a few cores.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the system achieves 249 FPS at Low settings. This high frame rate suggests that the processor can handle the game's demands, even at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. The CPU's 14 cores are more than sufficient for this 2016 title, which likely does not utilize all available threads.

The CPU's cache hierarchy, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache, helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game performance. The 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, supported by dual-channel DDR5, ensures that the CPU can quickly access data. The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is nearly identical, with a 0.1% delta compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and Intel Core i9-13900HX. This indicates that the processor is not a distinguishing factor in this game.

The fact that the combo's ranking is 744 out of 3696 suggests that the CPU is performing as expected for its class. While it is not a top-tier processor in terms of raw benchmark scores, its performance is sufficient to avoid limiting the RTX 5070 in most scenarios. The only situation where the CPU might become more relevant is at 1080p with very low settings, where the frame rates are extremely high, but even then, the system achieves 249 FPS, which is well above playable thresholds. The CPU's 5.00 GHz boost clock and 14 cores provide ample headroom for this game and likely for more modern titles as well.