The Technomancer

# The Technomancer with Intel Core Ultra 7 265K + Intel Arc B370

This combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor and Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics produces a severely constrained gaming experience in The Technomancer, placing at rank 2603 out of 2825 tested combos. The data indicates this pairing falls in the bottom 8% of all tested configurations, with the GPU acting as the overwhelming bottleneck across every resolution and setting tier.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2603 out of 2825 tested configurations places this system firmly in the lower percentile of all hardware pairings evaluated for The Technomancer. With only 222 combinations ranking below it, this setup sits at the edge of playability, and the benchmark results confirm that the experience is marginal even at the most forgiving settings.

The CPU component alone is exceptionally strong. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K achieves a 94th percentile ranking against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 70,879. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6511P (deltaPct -0.2), Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 (deltaPct -0.7), Intel Core i7-14700KF (deltaPct +1.0), and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (deltaPct +1.3). This places the 265K within a tight competitive cluster at the top of CPU performance, indicating that the processor is not the limiting factor in this pairing.

The GPU tells an entirely different story. The Intel Arc B370 ranks at the 5th percentile against all GPUs, with an average 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (deltaPct -0.2), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (deltaPct -0.5), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (deltaPct -0.7), and AMD FirePro M2000 (deltaPct +1.4). This places the Arc B370 in the company of decade-old discrete graphics solutions and low-end mobile parts. The deltaPct values among these rivals are remarkably small, spanning less than 2.2 percentage points, which suggests the Arc B370 sits at the very bottom of the GPU performance hierarchy alongside these legacy components.

The massive disparity between the CPU's 94th percentile ranking and the GPU's 5th percentile ranking creates an extreme imbalance. The data shows that this combo's overall rank is dragged down almost entirely by the GPU, as the CPU has more than enough headroom to drive far more powerful graphics hardware.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process with the Panther Lake chip. Its specifications reveal a modest design: 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The GPU includes 10 ray tracing cores, though this feature has minimal relevance for a 2016 Action RPG title like The Technomancer.

Clock speeds are set at a 300 MHz base and 2400 MHz boost, which translates to a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS and FP16 of 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1) are the theoretical ceilings, but the measured frame rates in The Technomancer suggest the actual delivered performance falls far short of what these figures might imply.

Memory configuration is the most critical limitation. The Arc B370 uses System Shared memory, with the bus width and bandwidth listed as System Dependent. This means the GPU shares the system's DDR5 memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s attributed to the CPU's dual-channel memory controller is the theoretical maximum available, but shared access inevitably creates contention between CPU and GPU workloads.

The power envelope of 25 W TDP with no power connectors and an IGP slot width confirms this is an integrated solution, not a discrete card. The GPU's API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which means it is technically capable of running modern graphics APIs, but the raw throughput is insufficient for demanding workloads.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places this GPU in the same performance class as the ATI Radeon HD 5770 from 2009 and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570. These are parts that were mid-range or entry-level a decade and a half ago. The benchmark results in The Technomancer align with this positioning, showing that the Arc B370 cannot maintain playable frame rates at higher settings or resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, based on the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm TSMC process. It features 20 cores and 20 threads, which means no hyperthreading, but the core count itself is substantial for both gaming and productivity workloads. Base clock is 3.90 GHz with a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, providing strong single-thread performance when needed.

The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth and includes ECC memory support. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 64 execution units, which are separate from the Arc B370 that this combo uses for rendering.

CPU benchmark results are consistently strong across all tested workloads. Cinebench R15 multicore scores 5020 with a single-core score of 708. Cinebench R20 shows 20918 multicore and 2953 single-core. Cinebench R23 delivers 35850 multicore and 2020 single-core. Geekbench results are 23085 multicore and 2713 single-core. PassMark tests show multithread at 58594, single-thread at 4928, and various specialized workloads including data compression at 665554, data encryption at 48246, and floating point math at 189629.

The 94th percentile ranking against all CPUs means this processor outperforms the vast majority of installed CPUs in the database. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6511P, is only 0.2% faster on average, while the Core i7-14700KF is 1% slower and the Ryzen 7 9700F is 1.3% slower. This tight clustering at the top indicates the 265K is operating at the frontier of CPU performance.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU has ample headroom. The measured frame rates at low settings across all resolutions demonstrate that the CPU can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 71 FPS average, while at 4K Low it drops to 26 FPS. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU's capability is largely irrelevant to the final frame rate once the GPU becomes saturated.

FAQ

Q: Why does this combo rank so low despite having a top-tier CPU?

A: The combo ranks 2603 out of 2825 because the Intel Arc B370 GPU sits at the 5th percentile against all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 94th percentile. The GPU's extremely low performance relative to other graphics solutions dominates the combined ranking, as the measured frame rates in The Technomancer are constrained by the GPU at every resolution and setting.

Q: Is this system capable of running The Technomancer at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 71 FPS average, which is playable. Medium settings drop to 55 FPS average with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 63 FPS. High settings produce 47 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to 37 FPS average. The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where acceptable performance is achievable, and only at lower settings.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 at 1186 (0.2% faster), ATI Radeon HD 5770 at 1190 (0.5% faster), AMD Radeon HD 7650M at 1192 (0.7% faster), and AMD FirePro M2000 at 1168 (1.4% slower). These deltaPct values indicate the Arc B370 performs nearly identically to these legacy parts.

Q: What is the limiting component in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear limiting component. The CPU's 94th percentile ranking and strong benchmark scores, including 35850 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 58594 in PassMark multithread, demonstrate it is not the bottleneck. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking and the frame rate scaling across resolutions confirm the Arc B370 is the constraint.

Q: Can the CPU support a better GPU in this system?

A: The CPU data indicates it has substantial headroom. Its nearest CPU rival, the Intel Xeon 6511P, is only 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i7-14700KF is 1% slower. The 265K's 20 cores, 5.50 GHz boost clock, and 30 MB of L3 cache provide more than enough performance for demanding games, suggesting it could drive a significantly more powerful GPU without becoming the bottleneck.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS values recorded?

A: The measured data includes min/max values only for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 47 to 63 FPS with an average of 55. At 1440p Medium, the range is 30 to 41 FPS with an average of 36. At 4K Medium, the range is 17 to 23 FPS with an average of 20. Other settings and resolutions report only average FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent and steep decline as resolution increases, which is a classic signature of GPU-bound performance. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 71 at 1080p to 47 at 1440p, a reduction of 24 FPS or approximately 34%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings, the average drops from 47 to 26 FPS, another reduction of 21 FPS or approximately 45%. The cumulative scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low represents a 63% reduction in average frame rate.

High settings follow a similar trajectory. At 1080p High, the average is 47 FPS. This drops to 31 FPS at 1440p High, a 34% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 17 FPS, a further 45% reduction from 1440p. The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings tiers strongly indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as CPU-bound scenarios would show much smaller frame rate differences between resolutions.

Medium settings show the same pattern with the addition of min/max data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 55 FPS with a range of 47 to 63. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 36 FPS with a range of 30 to 41. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 20 FPS with a range of 17 to 23. The minimum FPS values also scale proportionally, confirming that even the worst-case frame times are affected by resolution.

Ultra settings produce the lowest frame rates across the board. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 37 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 24 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average is just 13 FPS. None of these Ultra results are playable, and the 4K Ultra result of 13 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire dataset.

The resolution scaling analysis shows that the Arc B370's rendering throughput is the dominant factor. At 1080p, the GPU can produce 71 FPS at Low settings, which is the only configuration in the dataset that approaches smooth gameplay. The steep drop-offs at higher resolutions indicate that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth limitations become progressively more severe as pixel count increases.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data supports a clear hierarchy of settings for this combo, with playability limited to 1080p and lower settings tiers. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 71 provides the smoothest experience in the entire dataset. This is the only configuration that exceeds 60 FPS average, making it the recommended choice for gameplay that prioritizes frame rate.

At 1080p Medium, the average of 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 63 FPS offers a reasonable middle ground. The minimum FPS of 47 suggests that the experience will remain above 45 FPS in most scenes, which is acceptable for an Action RPG. The visual quality improvement from Low to Medium may be worth the frame rate trade-off for some players, but the data suggests this is the boundary of comfortable playability.

1080p High produces 47 FPS average, which dips below the 60 FPS threshold but remains consistent. The lack of min/max data for High settings means the frame time consistency cannot be assessed, but the average is within the playable range. 1080p Ultra at 37 FPS average is marginal and likely to feel sluggish during combat sequences.

At 1440p, only Low settings (47 FPS average) approach playability. Medium at 36 FPS and High at 31 FPS are borderline, while Ultra at 24 FPS is not recommended. At 4K, no setting tier achieves playable frame rates, with Low at 26 FPS, Medium at 20 FPS, High at 17 FPS, and Ultra at 13 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

The optimal configuration based on the measured data is 1080p with Low settings, which delivers 71 FPS average. For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1080p Medium at 55 FPS is the highest quality setting that remains within a playable range. The data does not support any configuration above 1080p Medium as a recommended experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for The Technomancer with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Intel Arc B370 is as follows:

At 1920x1080 resolution, the combo achieves 71 FPS average on Low settings, 55 FPS average on Medium settings with a minimum of 47 FPS and maximum of 63 FPS, 47 FPS average on High settings, and 37 FPS average on Ultra settings. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 34 FPS, representing a 48% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to highest quality preset.

At 2560x1440 resolution, the results are 47 FPS average on Low settings, 36 FPS average on Medium settings with a minimum of 30 FPS and maximum of 41 FPS, 31 FPS average on High settings, and 24 FPS average on Ultra settings. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 23 FPS, a 49% reduction. The minimum FPS of 30 at Medium settings indicates that frame times can become problematic during demanding scenes.

At 3840x2160 resolution, the results are 26 FPS average on Low settings, 20 FPS average on Medium settings with a minimum of 17 FPS and maximum of 23 FPS, 17 FPS average on High settings, and 13 FPS average on Ultra settings. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 13 FPS, a 50% reduction. The minimum FPS of 17 at Medium settings is below the threshold for acceptable gameplay.

Comparing across resolutions at the same settings tier, Low settings show a progression of 71 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. Medium settings show 55 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. High settings show 47 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings show 37 FPS at 1080p, 24 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K.

The data reveals a remarkably consistent performance ceiling across all configurations. The highest measured average FPS is 71 at 1080p Low, and the lowest is 13 at 4K Ultra. The entire dataset spans a narrow range of 58 FPS, which reflects the GPU's limited performance envelope. The minimum FPS values recorded only for Medium settings show that the worst-case frame rates are 47 FPS at 1080p, 30 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K, all of which are below their respective averages by 8 to 6 FPS, indicating moderate frame time variance even at the medium quality preset.