The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting test case for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination. The measured FPS data reveals a system that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at standard resolutions but begins to show its limitations as pixel counts rise. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics, placing them in the context of the hardware's known capabilities and its standing among other tested system configurations in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a dramatic and predictable decline in frame rates as resolution increases, but the shape of that decline offers insight into which component is under the most strain. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces a very smooth 128 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same High preset, the average drops to 84 FPS, a reduction of 44 FPS. The jump to 4K (3840x2160) at High settings sees the average fall further to 46 FPS, another 38 FPS drop. This pattern of significant losses at each step indicates that the rendering workload is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a 64% decrease in average FPS on the High preset (from 128 to 46 FPS). This steep curve strongly suggests that the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU is tasked with filling an exponentially larger number of pixels, and its performance, while strong for 1440p, is not sufficient to maintain 60+ FPS at 4K on this title. The CPU, with its high core count and boost clock, is likely not the bottleneck at these higher resolutions, as the demand on the graphics card increases more rapidly than the demand on the processor.

Interestingly, the scaling from 1440p to 4K (a 1.78x increase in pixels) results in a 45% FPS drop (from 84 to 46). This is a less than linear relationship, suggesting that while the GPU is the main constraint, other factors like memory bandwidth are also being pushed hard. The RX 7700 XT’s 432.0 GB/s bandwidth and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory are sufficient for 1440p, but the 4K Ultra settings, which will be examined later, push the system to its limits. The data implies that for a consistently smooth experience at 4K, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, while the CPU has headroom to spare.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the workhorse of this system for gaming, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured FPS. The card's boost clock of 2544 MHz and 3456 shading units are key contributors to its performance at 1080p, where it achieves up to 196 FPS on Low settings. With 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, it has ample capacity and bandwidth for high-resolution textures and data transfer, which is why 1440p performance remains robust. The 96 ROPs are responsible for the final pixel output, a factor that becomes increasingly important as resolution scales.

The GPU's performance relative to its peers, as indicated by its 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 22549, positions it as a solid mid-to-high-range performer. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile (with a 0.5% lower score) and the RTX 2080 (1.5% higher), showing it trades blows with previous generation high-end cards and current generation mobile parts. This context is crucial: the card is not a top-tier 4K powerhouse, but it is very capable for 1440p and high-refresh 1080p gaming.

The data on VRAM and clocks is essential to understanding the 4K results. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 36, indicating that the card is overwhelmed by the combined demands of high resolution and maximum settings. The 12 GB VRAM buffer is likely sufficient, but the raw processing power and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain fluid frame rates. The game clock of 2171 MHz gives a realistic idea of sustained performance during gaming, and the benchmark results suggest that the GPU is consistently hitting its target speeds. The card’s 35.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance is a theoretical peak, and the measured data shows it is being fully utilized at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in The Technomancer?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 196, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain a 60 FPS average at 4K resolution?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 70 on Low settings, but on Medium and High settings, it drops to 54 and 46 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K produces an average of only 36 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT has an average benchmark score of 22549, which is 1.5% lower than the RTX 2080's score of 22895. They are effectively in the same performance tier.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this game at 1440p?

A: The data suggests not. The FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (e.g., from 128 to 84 FPS on High) indicates the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265's high multi-core and single-core scores are more than sufficient for this workload.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a 60+ FPS average?

A: Both 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 are viable. At 1080p, all settings presets achieve over 100 FPS. At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 128 FPS, Medium 98 FPS, and High 84 FPS, all comfortably above 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for this game?

A: It ranks 1038th out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer, placing it in the 63rd percentile of system configurations tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data is from the measured benchmarks for The Technomancer with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset yields an average FPS of 196. The Medium preset averages 150 FPS, with a minimum of 128 and a maximum of 173 FPS. The High preset averages 128 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still achieves a very high average of 100 FPS. This resolution is clearly where this combo excels, providing a highly responsive experience for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. The Low preset averages 128 FPS. The Medium preset averages 98 FPS, with a range of 84 to 113 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 84 FPS. The Ultra preset delivers an average of 66 FPS. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for the RX 7700 XT, as it maintains high frame rates while offering a significant visual upgrade over 1080p.

At 3840x2160, performance drops considerably. The Low preset is the only one that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 70 FPS. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS, with a minimum of 46 and a maximum of 62 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 46 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to an average of 36 FPS. While playable on Low, the system struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at this resolution on higher settings, indicating that 4K gaming is not a primary strength for this configuration.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware for The Technomancer, this combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT holds a solid position. It ranks 1038th out of 2825 tested combos, placing it firmly in the top half of all configurations. This rank of 1038 means that a significant portion of the tested systems (1787) perform worse, while 1037 perform better. This positions the combo as a distinctly above-average setup for this particular game.

This ranking is a holistic measure, implying that the combination of CPU and GPU is well-balanced for this title, even if it doesn't reach the top tiers. The GPU's 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs support this. The CPU is a top-tier performer, and the GPU is a strong mid-to-high-end part. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as the CPU has far more headroom relative to its peers. This suggests that a user looking to improve performance in this game would see a more significant benefit from a GPU upgrade than a CPU upgrade. The 1038 rank reflects the strong overall capability of the system, even if it is not an elite-level gaming machine.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear picture of which settings presets offer the best balance of visual fidelity and performance for this hardware. For users with a 1080p display, the choice is simple. The Ultra preset, with an average of 100 FPS, provides a fully immersive experience without any performance concerns. The High preset at 128 FPS would be ideal for those with high refresh rate monitors seeking maximum smoothness. There is no reason to use Medium or Low at this resolution.

At 1440p, the recommendation is also straightforward. The High preset, averaging 84 FPS, offers an excellent experience that is both visually rich and fluid. The Ultra preset, at 66 FPS, is also very playable and provides the best visual quality, though it comes closer to the 60 FPS threshold. For those who prefer to prioritize frame rate, the Medium preset at 98 FPS is a solid choice. The Low preset is unnecessary at this resolution.

For 4K, the situation is more nuanced. The Ultra and High presets, with averages of 36 and 46 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a smooth experience. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS, which is borderline. The only preset that provides a consistently smooth experience is Low, with an average of 70 FPS. However, this comes with a significant reduction in visual quality. For the best experience at 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, but the data suggests that 1440p on High is the optimal balance of quality and performance for this system. The 1440p High preset delivers a 38 FPS improvement over 4K Low while offering superior image quality due to the higher settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 plays a supporting but crucial role in this gaming configuration. With 20 cores and 20 threads, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, it possesses substantial processing power that ensures it will not bottleneck the GPU in most gaming scenarios. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and a single-core score of 5960, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. This high level of performance means it can easily handle game logic, physics, and background tasks without interfering with frame rendering.

The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s further ensure that data can be fed to the graphics card efficiently. The data shows that in The Technomancer, the CPU is not a limiting factor. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's workload. For instance, at 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to achieve 196 FPS on Low settings. At 1440p, the GPU's rendering time increases, and the FPS drops, even though the CPU's workload remains relatively constant.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P and Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, have nearly identical average benchmark scores (within 0.3%), confirming its position in the high-end desktop market. Its 65W TDP is remarkably low for a processor with this level of performance, indicating high efficiency. In this system, the CPU is a ceiling-raiser, not a bottleneck. It provides a massive performance buffer, meaning that a future GPU upgrade would be fully supported. The 20-core configuration also suggests strong multi-tasking capabilities, allowing for smooth gameplay while streaming or running other applications in the background, a benefit that is not directly reflected in the frame rate data but is a tangible advantage of this processor.