The Technomancer

The Technomancer is an Action RPG from 2016, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti reveals a configuration that is heavily skewed toward high refresh rate 1080p and 1440p play, while still managing to deliver a solid 4K experience. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the three resolutions and four quality presets paint a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the primary performance arbiter at higher resolutions, and the CPU's substantial core count ensures the frame rate does not become a bottleneck at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data to determine the best way to configure the game for your specific display and performance goals.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, indicating a classic GPU-bound scenario as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 273 FPS at 1920x1080 to 178 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 95 FPS, and then further down to 98 FPS at 3840x2160. This pattern shows that the RTX 4070 Ti is being pushed progressively harder as the resolution climbs, with the most significant absolute loss occurring between 1080p and 1440p. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Low settings results in a smaller absolute drop of 80 FPS, but the relative strain is still significant.

When moving to the more demanding Ultra preset, the scaling behavior shifts. At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 140 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, that figure drops to 91 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it bottoms out at 50 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is approximately 64%, which is slightly less severe than the 64% drop seen at Low settings (from 273 to 98 FPS). This suggests that while the GPU is still the limiting factor, the increased workload from the Ultra preset begins to engage more of the system's resources, slightly mitigating the pure resolution penalty. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti is the definitive bottleneck at 4K, as the performance scales almost entirely with the internal rendering resolution.

The 1440p results are the sweet spot for this combination. At Medium settings, the average FPS of 137 provides a high refresh rate experience, and even at High settings, the 117 FPS average is well within the range of most 144Hz monitors. The jump from 1080p to 1440p at High settings costs 62 FPS on average, but the visual fidelity gain is substantial. The benchmark results indicate that the Core Ultra 7 265 has more than enough headroom at 1080p, as evidenced by the 273 FPS at Low settings, which is far beyond the refresh rate of typical displays. This headroom confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor until the resolution is lowered to a point where the GPU can produce an enormous number of frames.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, with its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, is the workhorse in this configuration. Its specifications, including a boost clock of 2610 MHz and 7680 shading units, translate directly into the high fill rates observed in the benchmark. The GPU's performance is most evident in the scaling from Medium to High settings, where the average FPS at 1440p drops from 137 to 117. This 20 FPS difference is a direct result of the increased shader and texture workload, which the GPU's 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 compute handles with relative ease.

The 12 GB VRAM buffer appears sufficient for The Technomancer at all tested settings, as there are no anomalies in the data that would suggest memory capacity is being exceeded. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is a critical factor for the 4K Ultra results, where the average FPS of 50 is playable but not smooth. This indicates that the GPU's compute and memory subsystems are working at their limit to maintain that frame rate. The RTX 4070 Ti's 80 ROPs are responsible for the final pixel output, and the pixel rate of 208.8 GPixel/s directly influences how many pixels can be rasterized per second, which is the primary constraint at 4K.

The GPU's position in the market, as indicated by its 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs, supports the observed performance. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile, has an average score that is 0.8% higher, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT is 1.3% higher. This suggests the RTX 4070 Ti is a high-end desktop part that trades blows with top-tier mobile and professional workstation GPUs. The data shows that in this game, the GPU is the sole reason for the FPS differences between resolutions, and its 12 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor for the tested presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its role in The Technomancer is to feed the GPU with enough draw calls and physics data to prevent a CPU-side bottleneck. The benchmark results strongly suggest that this CPU is not a limiting factor at any of the tested resolutions or settings. The most compelling evidence is the 273 FPS average at 1080p Low settings, a figure that is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors and demonstrates a massive amount of CPU headroom. The processor's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache are likely instrumental in maintaining this high frame rate, as they reduce latency for game logic and asset streaming.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals further cements its capability. Its average benchmark score of 64640 is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 4464P, which is only 0.3% lower, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, which is 0.3% higher. This places it in a performance tier with server-grade processors, which are not typically designed for gaming but have high multi-threaded throughput. The 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms that this is a top-tier desktop processor. In the context of this game, the 20 threads are more than sufficient to handle the AI and physics calculations typical of an Action RPG, ensuring that the GPU receives a constant stream of instructions.

At 4K Ultra, where the GPU is heavily loaded and produces only 50 FPS on average, the CPU is clearly not a bottleneck, as it is likely idle waiting for the GPU to finish rendering frames. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 265 is a future-proofing component for this system, providing a stable platform that will not need to be upgraded for a long time. The lack of any measurable CPU-induced frame drops, even at high frame rates, reflects its architecture and high clock speeds.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS values, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 4K displays, the Ultra preset is the most visually impressive, but the 50 FPS average is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K provides a much better experience, with an average of 64 FPS, which is a substantial improvement and is likely to be the best choice for a balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 4K yields 75 FPS, but the visual sacrifice from High may not be worth the 11 FPS gain for most users. The Low preset at 4K, at 98 FPS, is the only way to achieve high refresh rates on a 4K panel, but the graphical downgrade is severe.

For 1440p, which is arguably the sweet spot for this GPU, the High preset is highly recommended. The 117 FPS average is smooth on a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor, and the visual quality is excellent. The Ultra preset at 91 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rate, as it remains above the 90 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 137 FPS is the best choice for competitive play or for users with a 144Hz or 165Hz display who want to ensure the frame rate never dips below the refresh rate. The Low preset at 178 FPS is unnecessary unless you have a 240Hz or higher display and want to maximize frame rate, but the visual compromise is significant.

At 1080p, all presets are playable, but the data suggests that the Ultra preset at 140 FPS is the best overall experience. It provides a high frame rate that exceeds the refresh rate of most standard monitors, and the visual fidelity is at its maximum. The High preset at 179 FPS is ideal for users with 165Hz or 180Hz displays seeking a perfect frame-time consistency. The Medium and Low presets are only recommended for users with extremely high refresh rate displays (240Hz or more), as the jump from 140 FPS to 210 FPS (Medium) and 273 FPS (Low) is noticeable but comes at the cost of visual quality. For the majority of users, the High preset at 1080p or 1440p will provide the best balance of image quality and performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is ranked 307th out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the top 11% of all configurations, indicating a very high-performing system. This ranking is a reflection of both the CPU's and GPU's individual strengths, as they are both high-end components in their respective categories. The GPU's 84th percentile and the CPU's 93rd percentile rankings are consistent with a combo that is near the top of the performance heap.

The ranking suggests that this system is capable of delivering a premium gaming experience in this title. While it is not in the absolute top tier of configurations, the 307th position out of 2825 means that a significant majority of tested systems are slower. The gap to the top is likely filled by combinations with more expensive GPUs, such as the RTX 4090 or higher-end workstation cards, but the data shows that this combo is a very strong performer. This ranking is particularly impressive given that The Technomancer is a game from 2016, and modern hardware is likely to have significant headroom, but the measured FPS numbers confirm that this combo is well-suited for it.

The relative performance of the components is also highlighted by their nearest rivals. The CPU's score is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 4464P, showing that it has enterprise-level multi-threading capabilities. The GPU's score is comparable to the RTX 5090 Mobile, indicating that it is a top-tier desktop part. This combined strength results in a combo that is well-balanced for gaming, with no single component acting as a significant drag on the other. The rank of 307 is a strong testament to the overall capability of this pairing, and the measured data indicates that it is a reliable choice for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and solid 4K performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this configuration provides a detailed look at performance across all nine resolution and settings combinations. At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are 273 for Low, 210 for Medium, 179 for High, and 140 for Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p has a recorded minimum of 178 FPS and a maximum of 241 FPS, showing a tight frame-time distribution. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p do not have min/max values recorded, but their averages suggest a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent. The Low preset averages 178 FPS, the Medium preset averages 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 158 FPS, the High preset averages 117 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 91 FPS. The 1440p Medium preset's minimum of 116 FPS indicates that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The step down from High to Ultra at 1440p is 26 FPS, which is a significant cost for the extra visual effects.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more demanding. The Low preset averages 98 FPS, the Medium preset averages 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS, the High preset averages 64 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 50 FPS. The 4K Medium preset's minimum of 64 FPS is the lowest recorded minimum in the entire dataset, indicating that the game can have occasional dips below 60 FPS at this resolution. The 4K Ultra preset at 50 FPS is the only result that falls below the 60 FPS standard, and it is clear that this setting is too demanding for a consistently smooth experience on this hardware.