The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and AMD Radeon 890M combination. The measured data shows this pairing produces a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the integrated GPU as the primary constraint. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results to explain the role of each component and what the frame rates mean for a player using this hardware.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, with a 28 W TDP. The processor features a hybrid cache layout including 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and a single-core score of 1743, placing it in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs.

For a game like The Technomancer, which was released in 2016, the CPU's single-threaded performance is often more critical than raw multi-core throughput. The Passmark single-thread score of 3468 and the Cinebench R23 single-core result of 1743 are robust figures. The data shows the processor's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T with an average score of 32707 (a 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 with an average score of 32662 (a 0.1% delta), indicating the 155H is well within the normal performance band for its class. The 16 cores and 22 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and modern game engines that can utilize multiple threads, but the game's frame rate results suggest that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this specific configuration.

The average benchmark score for the CPU is 32697, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, confirming that it delivers expected performance. The Passmark multithread score of 24873 and the floating-point math score of 63703 further underscore its capability for general compute tasks. In the context of The Technomancer's measured FPS, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. Given the relatively low frame rates observed, the CPU is likely idle waiting on the GPU, meaning its performance is sufficient for the task at hand. The processor's memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and dual-channel support are also relevant, as the GPU relies on shared system memory.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, with a TDP of 15 W. The GPU features 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation pipelines, along with 16 ray tracing cores. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses the host system's RAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

This integrated GPU's performance is the central factor in this benchmark analysis. Its Passmark G3D score is 8076, with a percentile ranking of 45 against all GPUs. The nearest rivals in the data are the AMD Radeon Vega 8 with an average score of 9221 (a -0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 with an average score of 9273 (a -0.7% delta). This places the 890M in the same performance tier as older discrete graphics cards, which provides a useful reference point for its gaming capabilities. The FP32 performance is listed at 5.939 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 92.80 GPixel/s.

The measured FPS data for The Technomancer shows that the 890M is the bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the game achieves an average of 70 FPS, which is respectable. However, as settings and resolution increase, the frame rate drops dramatically, indicating the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are being overwhelmed. The drop from 70 FPS at 1080p Low to 46 FPS at 1440p Low is a 34% decrease, while the drop from 46 FPS at 1440p Low to 25 FPS at 4K Low is a 46% decrease. This steep scaling curve is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of processing power, not a CPU limitation. The GPU's shared memory architecture means it is also competing with the CPU for bandwidth, which can further exacerbate performance issues at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The benchmark data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is the primary indicator of a GPU-bound scenario. Starting at 1920x1080, the average FPS for High settings is 46. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 30 FPS, a reduction of 35%. At 3840x2160, the average falls to 17 FPS, which is a 43% drop from the 1440p figure and a 63% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling is consistent across all settings presets.

For Low settings, the progression is 70 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 34% and 46%, respectively. For Medium settings, the averages are 54 FPS, 35 FPS, and 19 FPS, with drops of 35% and 46%. Ultra settings start at 36 FPS at 1080p, drop to 23 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 13 FPS at 4K, representing drops of 36% and 43%. The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings strongly suggests that the limiting component is the GPU's pixel processing throughput.

The data also shows the minimum and maximum FPS for the Medium preset. At 1080p, the range is 46 to 62 FPS, showing some variance. At 1440p, the range is 30 to 41 FPS. At 4K, the range is 16 to 22 FPS. The narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that frame times are becoming more consistent but also that the GPU is saturated. The fact that the FPS drops by roughly a third when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and by another third when moving to 4K, is a classic signature of a pixel-bound workload. The CPU is not the bottleneck, as its performance is constant regardless of resolution. The conclusion is that players must lower the resolution to achieve higher frame rates, as the GPU is the sole constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the AMD Radeon 890M is ranked 2667 out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the bottom 6% of all tested configurations, which is a very low ranking. This ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's modest performance, as the CPU is a mid-to-high-tier mobile processor. The data indicates that while the CPU is not the limiting factor, the overall system performance is severely hampered by the integrated graphics solution.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 45 against all GPUs puts it in the lower half of the performance spectrum. Its nearest rivals, the GTX 960 and the Radeon Vega 8, are older or lower-tier parts, confirming that the 890M is not a high-performance gaming solution. The combo's low rank in this specific game suggests that The Technomancer is a particularly demanding title for integrated graphics. The game's 2016 release date does not make it easy to run on modern IGPUs, as the rendering workload is significant. The rank implies that a user with this combo will have to make substantial compromises in settings and resolution to get a playable experience, and even then, the frame rates will be below what most gamers would consider smooth.

The delta percentages for the GPU's nearest rivals are all negative, ranging from -0.1% to -1%, meaning the 890M's average score is slightly lower than those parts. The CPU's rivals show similarly close scores, with deltas between 0.1% and -0.4%. This indicates that neither component is an outlier in its own right, but the combination is not powerful enough for this game. The rank of 2667 out of 2825 is a stark indicator that this is a low-performance configuration for The Technomancer, and users should expect to run the game at the lowest settings to achieve acceptable frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for a playable experience are clear. The only preset that achieves a consistently smooth frame rate is Low at 1920x1080, which yields an average of 70 FPS. This is the only configuration that breaks the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 1080p produces an average of 54 FPS, which is playable but with some dips to 46 FPS, which might be noticeable in action scenes.

For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, the High preset at 1080p offers an average of 46 FPS. This is a significant drop from Low, and the data suggests that the visual improvement may not be worth the 34% performance penalty. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 46 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p drops to 35 FPS, and High falls to 30 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K, no preset is playable, with the highest average being 25 FPS on Low settings.

The best experience per the measured rows is the Low preset at 1080p, as it provides the highest frame rate without any recorded minimum FPS dips. If a player wants to use higher settings, the Medium preset at 1080p is the next best option, offering a balance between quality and performance with a 54 FPS average. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions, as it produces average frame rates of 36 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K, which are all too low for a responsive gaming experience. The data strongly suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with Low or Medium settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combo for this hardware?

A: The data shows the best experience is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves an average of 70 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is also viable with a 54 FPS average.

Q: Can this combo run The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 25 FPS on Low settings. The Ultra preset at 4K only manages 13 FPS, which is not playable.

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

A: The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. The average FPS drops by roughly 35% with each resolution increase, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound workload.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, has an average score of 9221, a -0.1% delta, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 has a score of 9273, a -0.7% delta. This places it in the same performance tier.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank for this game?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and AMD Radeon 890M combination is ranked 2667 out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer, placing it in the bottom 6%.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 70 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 36 FPS. This represents a 49% performance drop when moving from Low to Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average frame rates, organized by resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: 70 FPS
• Medium: 54 FPS (minimum 46 FPS, maximum 62 FPS)
• High: 46 FPS
• Ultra: 36 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 46 FPS
• Medium: 35 FPS (minimum 30 FPS, maximum 41 FPS)
• High: 30 FPS
• Ultra: 23 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 25 FPS
• Medium: 19 FPS (minimum 16 FPS, maximum 22 FPS)
• High: 17 FPS
• Ultra: 13 FPS

The data shows a consistent pattern: the average FPS roughly halves when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings. For example, High settings go from 46 FPS at 1080p to 17 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS data for the Medium preset highlights the frame time variance, with a low of 46 FPS at 1080p and a low of 16 FPS at 4K. These numbers confirm that the integrated GPU is unable to handle the rendering load at higher resolutions, and the playable range is firmly limited to 1080p with lower presets.