The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test scenario for the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile. This combination delivers a robust 1080p experience and remains highly playable at 1440p, though 4K Ultra demands more than this mobile flagship can consistently provide. The data indicates a system that is overwhelmingly capable for this title, with performance scaling predictably across the tested resolution and settings spectrum.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo for The Technomancer?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile ranks 821 out of 3696 tested combos for this game. This places it in the top percentile of all configurations tested, indicating it is a high-end performer for this title.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has an average benchmark score of 52073. This puts it within a very tight margin of its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 8124P (52121, -0.1% delta), AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (51947, +0.2% delta), and Intel Core i7-14700 (52301, -0.4% delta), showing near-identical synthetic performance.

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achieved at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset, the system achieves an average of 234 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate recorded across all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded in the benchmark data?

A: The lowest average frame rate recorded is 43 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset. This is the only tested configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does the GPU support modern graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This ensures broad compatibility and access to modern rendering features.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the GPU in this combo?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s. This large memory pool is a significant asset for high-resolution textures and demanding gaming workloads.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the clear driving force behind this combo's performance in The Technomancer. The benchmark results show that the GPU's capabilities, including its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, are pivotal in determining frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The memory bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s provides a substantial pipeline for texture data, while the 9728 shading units handle the game's rendering workload.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1335 MHz and a boost of 1695 MHz, define its processing cadence. The data shows that the performance headroom is directly tied to these specifications. For instance, the jump from Low to Ultra settings at 4K causes the average FPS to fall from 84 to 43, a clear indication that the GPU is processing significantly more visual data. The 32.98 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is substantial, and the 112 ROPs are tasked with the final pixel output, which becomes a limiting factor at the highest settings.

This mobile RTX 4090 variant, with a TDP of 120 W, demonstrates that it can handle the game's demands with significant authority. The combination of its 304 TMUs for texture filtering and the robust memory subsystem ensures that the GPU remains the primary bottleneck only when the CPU is not the limiting factor. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU begins to share the load, but at 4K, the GPU's performance envelope is the definitive boundary for the system's frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected scaling pattern as resolution increases, highlighting the shifting balance between CPU and GPU load. At 1920x1080, the system provides very high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 234 FPS and the High preset at 153 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data, and the GPU is not fully saturated, as evidenced by the massive headroom to the 4K results.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops proportionally but remains excellent. The High preset average falls from 153 FPS at 1080p to 100 FPS at 1440p, a 34.6% reduction. The Low preset sees a similar relative drop from 234 FPS to 153 FPS, a 34.6% reduction as well. This consistent scaling suggests that the game is becoming more GPU-bound as the pixel count increases, with the rendering load growing significantly.

At 3840x2160, the performance cost becomes steep. The High preset average plummets to 55 FPS, a 45% drop from the 1440p figure. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, yields only 43 FPS. This stark decline indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the definitive limiting component. The RTX 4090 Mobile's 16 GB memory buffer is sufficient, but the sheer computational load of rendering at 4K with high detail settings exceeds what the GPU can process to maintain 60 FPS. The data shows that for a consistently smooth experience, 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo, while 4K is only viable at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile combination secures a rank of 821 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 22.2% of all configurations, a strong showing that underscores its high-end pedigree. The CPU's own benchmark percentile is 91, meaning it outperforms 91% of all tested CPUs, though its nearest rivals show a very tight cluster of scores, with deltas of less than 1% from the AMD EPYC 8124P, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, and Intel Core i7-14700.

The GPU, while powerful, is ranked in the 84th percentile against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 43667 is closely matched by rivals like the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (44075, -0.9% delta) and NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (43301, +0.8% delta). This indicates that while the RTX 4090 Mobile is a top-tier part, it is not without peers in synthetic tests. However, in the measured gaming data for The Technomancer, the combo's ranking of 821 suggests that the specific pairing of this CPU and GPU is more effective than many other combinations, likely due to the CPU's strong single-threaded performance (as seen in its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4903) which can drive the GPU effectively at lower resolutions.

The ranking implies that this is a well-balanced system for this game, capable of delivering high frame rates without the CPU holding the GPU back. The data shows that it is a more potent combination than what the individual benchmark percentiles might suggest, as its in-game rank is higher than the average of its parts' percentiles would indicate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is directly measured for this specific CPU and GPU combination in The Technomancer. The results are presented by resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: The average frame rate is 234 FPS. This is the highest recorded performance and indicates a scenario where the CPU or game engine limits the frame rate, as the GPU is not fully utilized.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 180 FPS, with a minimum of 153 FPS and a maximum of 207 FPS. This shows a significant drop from Low but still provides a very smooth experience.
• High: The average frame rate is 153 FPS. This is a 34.6% reduction from the Low preset, demonstrating the impact of increased graphical fidelity.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 120 FPS. This is a strong result, remaining well above the 60 FPS target for high-refresh-rate displays.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: The average frame rate is 153 FPS. This matches the 1080p High preset, showing that the GPU can handle the extra pixels when the settings are reduced.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 117 FPS, with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 135 FPS. This is a 35% drop from the 1080p Medium result.
• High: The average frame rate is 100 FPS. This is a solid result for 1440p, providing a high-refresh-rate experience on most monitors.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 78 FPS. This remains playable and is a good target for a smooth, high-detail 1440p experience.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: The average frame rate is 84 FPS. This is a playable result, showing that the GPU's performance headroom is being consumed by the high pixel count.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS. This is the first preset where the minimum FPS drops below 60, indicating potential stutters.
• High: The average frame rate is 55 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS target, making it a less desirable setting for a consistent experience.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 43 FPS. This is the lowest recorded score and is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls well below the playable threshold.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. The data suggests that the system is powerful enough to handle high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p with ease.

For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 120 FPS, which is an excellent target for high-refresh-rate monitors. This preset provides the best visual fidelity without sacrificing performance, as the frame rate remains well above 60 FPS. If a player prefers maximum frame rates, the High preset at 153 FPS is a strong alternative, though the Ultra preset is the recommended choice for the best balance.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset yields 78 FPS, which is a comfortable margin above 60 FPS and provides an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. This is the recommended configuration for 1440p displays. The High preset at 100 FPS is also a viable option for those seeking higher frame rates, but the data shows that Ultra is still very playable and offers a superior visual experience.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests a compromise is necessary. The Low preset provides an average of 84 FPS, which is playable, but it sacrifices significant visual detail. The Medium preset at 65 FPS is a better balance, though its minimum FPS of 55 indicates it may occasionally dip below 60. Given the results, the Medium preset is the highest recommended setting for 4K, as it offers a playable experience with a reasonable level of detail. The High and Ultra presets, with averages of 55 FPS and 43 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a consistently smooth experience. The data indicates that for the best experience in The Technomancer, targeting 1440p with the Ultra preset is the sweet spot for this hardware combination.