The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with resolution and graphics settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060, using only the provided benchmark data to interpret how this combination handles the game across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 103 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 37 FPS at 4K. This represents a substantial 64% reduction in average FPS from the lowest to the highest resolution tested. The pattern is similar across all settings, indicating that the game's rendering load scales heavily with pixel count.

The scaling behavior points to the GPU as the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings results in a 36 FPS drop (103 to 67), while the jump from 1440p to 4K causes a further 30 FPS decline (67 to 37). The fact that the absolute FPS loss is comparable between these two resolution steps, despite 4K having over twice the pixels of 1440p, suggests the GPU is becoming increasingly saturated as resolution rises. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom to feed the GPU, but at 4K, the GPU's rendering limits dominate the frame rate.

The Low preset shows the same trend, with 157 FPS at 1080p dropping to 102 FPS at 1440p and 56 FPS at 4K. This 101 FPS difference between the lowest and highest resolution at Low settings underscores how resolution alone can halve performance. For the Medium preset, the measured minimum FPS values provide additional insight: at 1080p, the minimum is 102 FPS, at 1440p it drops to 67 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 37 FPS. These minimums track closely with the averages, suggesting stable frame pacing rather than isolated stutters.

The Ultra preset presents the most demanding scenario, with average FPS of 80 at 1080p, 52 at 1440p, and just 29 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS is below the 30 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for playable frame rates, indicating this setting/resolution combination is not viable for smooth gameplay. The data shows that resolution scaling is the dominant factor in performance, with the GPU's capabilities being the primary constraint at 1440p and 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake architecture with a 3 nm process. It features a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with 30 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,216 and a single-core score of 5,960, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs tested.

In The Technomancer, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions, but it provides a solid foundation for the lower-resolution results. At 1080p with the Low preset, the system reaches 157 FPS, which is high enough to suggest the CPU is not severely bottlenecking even in less GPU-intensive scenarios. The CPU's strong single-core performance, evidenced by a PassMark single-thread score of 4,689, likely helps maintain frame rates in a game that may not fully utilize all 20 threads.

However, the CPU's multi-core capabilities are substantial, with a PassMark multithread score of 49,682 and a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 6,268. This suggests the processor can handle any background tasks or game logic threads without becoming a limiting factor. The data shows that as resolution increases, the gap between settings narrows, which is typical of GPU-bound scenarios. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is only 27 FPS (56 vs 29), while at 1080p that same difference is 77 FPS (157 vs 80). This widening gap at lower resolutions indicates the CPU has the headroom to let the GPU work harder when pixel count is lower.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 4464P, which has an average benchmark score 0.3% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which is 0.3% higher. These close margins in synthetic tests suggest the Core Ultra 7 265 performs consistently with its peers, though the game-specific data shows it can support high frame rates at 1080p. The CPU's 20 cores and 5.30 GHz boost clock provide ample compute for a game from 2016, which likely does not stress modern multi-core processors heavily.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz, with 1,792 shading units and 64 ROPs.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is clearly the dominant factor in determining frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game's settings, as the measured data does not indicate any memory-related performance cliffs. The GPU's raw compute capabilities, rated at 21.43 TFLOPS FP32, are put to the test as resolution increases. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (29 FPS) is nearly identical to the 4K High result (37 FPS) in relative terms, showing a 22% drop from High to Ultra at that resolution.

The RX 9060's benchmark scores show it sits in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16,014. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which has an average score 0.7% higher. This close competition in synthetic tests translates to real-world performance that is respectable for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but struggles at 4K with higher presets.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s appears adequate for The Technomancer's needs, as the frame rate scales predictably with resolution and settings. At 1080p, the GPU can deliver 157 FPS on Low settings, but this drops to 80 FPS on Ultra, showing a 49% performance cost for the highest quality preset. At 4K, the Ultra preset's 29 FPS result indicates the GPU is heavily loaded, with the 64 ROPs and 112 TMUs likely becoming limiting factors in pixel and texture throughput.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1,632 out of 2,825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the bottom 42% of all combinations tested, indicating that while it is not a top-tier setup for this game, it is far from the lowest performing. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU's 93rd percentile score suggests it is not the bottleneck.

The combo's rank is more indicative of the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the system performs well, with 103 FPS on High settings, which would likely place it higher relative to other combos. However, the 4K results, particularly the 29 FPS at Ultra, drag down the overall ranking. The data suggests that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain playable frame rates even on higher presets.

The CPU's synthetic benchmark position, with an average score of 64,640 and a 93rd percentile ranking, indicates it is a high-end processor. The GPU's 59th percentile ranking and average score of 16,014 show it is a mid-range graphics card. This mismatch is reflected in the game's performance, where the CPU has headroom to spare, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The combo rank of 1,632 out of 2,825 suggests that other pairings with stronger GPUs would achieve better results in this game, particularly at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 103 FPS, which is smooth for most players, while the Medium preset offers 120 FPS with a minimum of 102 FPS, providing a better balance of performance and visual quality. The Ultra preset at 80 FPS is also viable, though it sacrifices 23 FPS compared to High, making High the recommended choice for 1080p if frame rate consistency is preferred.

For 2560x1440, the High preset achieves 67 FPS, which is borderline for smooth gameplay on standard 60 Hz displays. The Medium preset provides 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS, making it the better option for maintaining a comfortable frame rate while keeping visual quality reasonable. The Low preset at 102 FPS is available for those prioritizing performance, but Medium offers a superior visual experience while staying above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the options are more constrained. The High preset averages 37 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target but may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay. The Medium preset at 43 FPS is slightly better, but the Low preset at 56 FPS is the only 4K option that approaches playable frame rates. The Ultra preset at 29 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 30 FPS minimum for most players. For 4K, the Low preset offers the best experience per the measured rows, providing 56 FPS without the visual quality of higher presets.

The data indicates that the Medium preset provides the best balance across all resolutions, with 120 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K. This preset also has the most complete data, including minimum FPS values, which show it maintains frame rates within a reasonable range (102-138 FPS at 1080p, 67-90 FPS at 1440p, and 37-50 FPS at 4K).

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in The Technomancer?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 1920x1080 is the best resolution, with the High preset delivering 103 FPS and the Medium preset providing 120 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset at 79 FPS is playable, while 4K only achieves 56 FPS on Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K, the Low preset averages 56 FPS, while the High preset drops to 37 FPS and the Ultra preset falls to 29 FPS. The Low preset is the only 4K option that approaches acceptable frame rates.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Ultra preset averages 80 FPS, which is 23 FPS lower than the High preset's 103 FPS. The performance cost of Ultra over High is 22%, but both are playable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU's 93rd percentile score and high frame rates at 1080p (up to 157 FPS on Low) indicate it has ample headroom, while the GPU's performance drops significantly from 1080p to 4K.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1,632 out of 2,825 tested combos for The Technomancer, placing it in the lower half of tested configurations.

Q: Are the measured FPS values consistent across runs?

A: The Medium preset includes minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a range of 102-138 FPS at 1080p, 67-90 FPS at 1440p, and 37-50 FPS at 4K. This indicates stable performance with no major frame time spikes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete set of measured FPS data for The Technomancer with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and AMD Radeon RX 9060 is as follows:

At 3840x2160:

• Low: average 56 FPS
• Medium: average 43 FPS, minimum 37 FPS, maximum 50 FPS
• High: average 37 FPS
• Ultra: average 29 FPS

At 2560x1440:

• Low: average 102 FPS
• Medium: average 79 FPS, minimum 67 FPS, maximum 90 FPS
• High: average 67 FPS
• Ultra: average 52 FPS

At 1920x1080:

• Low: average 157 FPS
• Medium: average 120 FPS, minimum 102 FPS, maximum 138 FPS
• High: average 103 FPS
• Ultra: average 80 FPS

This data shows a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. The system achieves its highest frame rates at 1080p on Low settings, reaching 157 FPS, while the lowest performance is at 4K on Ultra settings, averaging just 29 FPS. The Medium preset provides the most complete dataset, including minimum and maximum FPS values, which allows for a more detailed assessment of frame pacing. The spread between minimum and maximum FPS at Medium settings is consistent across resolutions, with a 36 FPS spread at 1080p, a 23 FPS spread at 1440p, and a 13 FPS spread at 4K, indicating that frame times become more variable at lower resolutions where the CPU has more influence.