The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study in hardware scaling. When paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, the measured FPS data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card in most situations, yet still capable of delivering playable frame rates at lower resolutions. The data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, with the GPU’s 6 GB VRAM and Turing architecture proving to be the primary bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a dramatic and consistent drop in frame rates across all settings, which strongly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the limiting component in this configuration. The data shows that at 1080p High, the system achieves an average of 85 FPS, but this falls to 56 FPS at 1440p and plummets to 31 FPS at 4K. This represents a 34% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a further 45% decrease from 1440p to 4K. Such a steep curve is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel pushing power and memory bandwidth as the render target expands.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the Low settings preset. At 1080p Low, the system produces a very high 130 FPS average, which suggests that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions. However, this number falls to 85 FPS at 1440p and then to 47 FPS at 4K. The fact that even at the lowest settings the 4K frame rate is less than half of the 1080p result proves that the GPU’s raw compute throughput, not the game’s visual complexity, is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a much smaller difference between resolutions at Low settings.

The Medium and Ultra presets follow the same trend, with 4K averages of 36 FPS and 24 FPS respectively, compared to their 1080p counterparts of 100 FPS and 66 FPS. The game becomes unplayable at 4K Ultra, but the progression from 1080p to 1440p suggests that the RTX 2060 is operating near its limits even at the lower resolution. The data implies that the Core Ultra 5 245 has significant headroom left on the table, as the FPS drops are almost entirely attributable to the graphics card’s inability to handle the increasing pixel count.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play The Technomancer with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system consistently achieves playable frame rates across all settings, with averages ranging from 66 FPS at Ultra to 130 FPS at Low. At 2560x1440, the system can still manage above 60 FPS on High settings (56 FPS) but falls below that threshold on Ultra (43 FPS). The 4K resolution results, ranging from 24 FPS to 47 FPS, are generally too low for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 2060’s 6 GB VRAM affect performance at higher resolutions?

A: The data shows that performance degrades sharply at 4K, where the 6 GB VRAM capacity is likely insufficient for the game’s texture and geometry demands. The average FPS at 4K High is 31, and at 4K Ultra it drops to 24, suggesting that the GPU is not only compute-bound but also potentially memory-bound. While the fact pack does not include VRAM usage metrics, the significant performance cliff between 1440p and 4K is a strong indicator that the frame buffer is being maxed out.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 holding back the RTX 2060?

A: The benchmark data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most scenarios. The 1080p Low setting produces 130 FPS, which is a high score that indicates strong CPU performance. The Core Ultra 5 245 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz and 14 cores, which should be more than sufficient for a game from 2016. The fact that FPS scales so heavily with resolution points to the GPU as the limiting factor.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the difference is significant. The Low preset achieves an average of 130 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 66 FPS. This is a 49% reduction in frame rate for the highest visual quality. The Medium preset sits in between at 100 FPS, and High at 85 FPS, showing a clear linear progression of performance cost as visual fidelity increases.

Q: How does the combo’s ranking of 2212 out of 2825 reflect its gaming performance?

A: The combo rank of 2212 out of 2825 places this system in the lower-middle tier of all tested combinations for this specific game. This ranking is consistent with the RTX 2060’s performance percentile of 58, which indicates it is a mid-range graphics card. The data suggests that while this setup can handle the game at lower resolutions, it will not provide a top-tier experience at higher graphical settings.

Q: Does the game prefer more CPU cores or higher clock speeds?

A: The data implies that the game is not heavily multi-threaded, as the Core Ultra 5 245’s 14 cores do not prevent the GPU from becoming the bottleneck. The CPU’s high boost clock of 5.10 GHz likely provides sufficient single-thread performance for the game’s logic. The benchmark results, such as a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4648, indicate that the CPU has ample power for this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the undisputed star and the limiting factor in this configuration. Its Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process, provides a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. The GPU’s 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s, which is a critical figure for high-resolution gaming. The measured data shows that this memory configuration is insufficient for smooth 4K performance, where the average FPS never exceeds 47 even at Low settings.

The RTX 2060’s compute capabilities, measured at 6.451 TFLOPS for FP32, are enough for 1080p gaming with this title. The PassMark G3D score of 14111 and the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1242 provide a baseline for its raw graphical power. However, the game’s performance scaling suggests that the GPU is consistently running at its maximum capacity. The fact that the FPS at 4K Ultra (24 FPS) is less than one-fifth of the FPS at 1080p Low (130 FPS) demonstrates that the GPU’s pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints.

The GPU’s memory clocks run at 1750 MHz, with an effective data rate of 14 Gbps. This is a standard specification for the 2060, but it is not enough to prevent the performance cliff at higher resolutions. The data shows that the RTX 2060 is a capable 1080p card for this game, but it is not suited for 1440p or 4K gaming at high settings. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is particularly problematic, likely causing texture swapping and stuttering in The Technomancer at higher resolutions, even if the average FPS numbers do not fully capture this.

Settings Recommendations

For players using this hardware, the data provides clear guidance on the best settings to use. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, achieving an average of 85 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the visual improvement over Medium (100 FPS) is likely to be noticeable. The Ultra preset, while achieving 66 FPS, may be preferable for those who prioritize image quality, but the performance hit is significant.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the safest choice, yielding an average of 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS. The High preset at 56 FPS is also playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The Low preset at 85 FPS is overly conservative for a 2016 title, and the Ultra preset at 43 FPS is too inconsistent for a smooth experience. The data suggests that Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot for this GPU.

For 4K gaming, the data indicates that this combination is not viable for a good experience. The highest average FPS at 4K is 47 with Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 36 FPS and High at 31 FPS would result in noticeable stuttering. Given these numbers, players should avoid 4K resolution entirely if they want a playable frame rate. The best experience is clearly at 1080p, where all settings are playable, with High being the recommended choice for its balance of fidelity and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2212 out of 2825 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places the system in the bottom 22% of all configurations, a position that reflects the GPU’s age and mid-range status. The RTX 2060’s percentile rank of 58 among all GPUs is a more flattering metric, but the game’s specific demands on VRAM and memory bandwidth exacerbate the card’s weaknesses.

This ranking is not surprising given the data. The RTX 2060’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Radeon RX 7600, which scores only 0.8% higher, and the RTX 3050 OEM, which is 0.6% higher. These are all similarly positioned mid-range cards, but the 6 GB VRAM limitation of the 2060 puts it at a disadvantage in a game like The Technomancer that likely has high-resolution textures. The combo’s low rank is a direct result of the GPU’s inability to maintain high frame rates at resolutions above 1080p.

The CPU’s performance is not the issue. The Core Ultra 5 245 ranks in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48995. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, score only 0.5% higher, indicating that the CPU is a high-end part. The bottleneck is entirely on the GPU side, as evidenced by the FPS scaling. The combo rank of 2212 is a reflection of pairing a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU, a mismatch that holds the system back in graphically intensive games.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 130 FPS on Low, 100 FPS on Medium, 85 FPS on High, and 66 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset also reports a minimum FPS of 85 and a maximum of 115, indicating a stable frame time. These numbers show that 1080p is where this system is most comfortable, with all presets achieving playable frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 85 FPS, which is still excellent, but the Medium preset falls to 65 FPS (with a minimum of 55 and maximum of 75), and the High preset drops to 56 FPS. The Ultra preset is the weakest at 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. This resolution is playable on Medium and High, but the system is starting to show its limits.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. The Low preset achieves an average of 47 FPS, which is the only result above 40 FPS. The Medium preset averages 36 FPS (with a minimum of 30 and maximum of 41), the High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 24 FPS. None of these 4K results are suitable for a smooth gaming experience, confirming that the RTX 2060 is not a 4K-capable card for this title. The data shows a clear and consistent drop-off in performance as resolution increases, with the GPU being the limiting factor at every step.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 plays a supporting role in this configuration, providing more than enough computational power for The Technomancer. With 14 cores and 14 threads, a base clock of 3.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, this CPU is a modern powerhouse. The lack of hyperthreading (14 threads for 14 cores) is notable, but the high boost clock ensures strong single-thread performance, which is crucial for older game engines. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 scores of 32924 in multi-core and 4648 in single-core demonstrate its capability.

The fact that the system achieves 130 FPS at 1080p Low strongly suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck in most scenarios. If the CPU were limiting performance, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU’s workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the data shows a massive drop in FPS from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support provide ample bandwidth for game data.

The Core Ultra 5 245’s performance relative to its rivals further confirms its strength. It scores within 0.8% of the Intel Core i5-14600K and is 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G. This puts it in the top tier of desktop CPUs. The data implies that the CPU is not the reason for the low combo rank; rather, it is the RTX 2060 that holds the system back. In a game like The Technomancer, which is not likely to be heavily threaded, the CPU’s high clock speed and modern architecture ensure that it can feed the GPU without issue, but the GPU simply cannot keep up at higher resolutions.