The Technomancer

The Technomancer, an Action RPG released in 2016, presents a demanding workload for the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system where the GPU is the primary constraint, while the CPU provides ample headroom for the game's physics and AI calculations. This analysis examines the performance data, focusing on the interplay between the processor's strong benchmark scores and the graphics card's mid-range standing.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in The Technomancer?

A: The combination ranks 1394th out of 1656 tested configurations for this game. This places it in the lower percentile of systems, indicating that while playable at lower settings, it is not optimized for maximum fidelity.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The processor's average benchmark score is 79102, placing it in the 97th percentile of all CPUs. It is essentially tied with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and Intel Core i9-14900KF, which are just 0.2% behind. The Intel Core i9-14900K is 0.9% behind, and the AMD EPYC 7413 trails by 1.2%.

Q: What is the GTX 1070's performance standing relative to other GPUs?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 12331, placing it in the 51st percentile of all GPUs. This puts it in the mid-range tier. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro K4200, scores 0.7% higher, while the GeForce GTX 880M and GTX 1650 SUPER are 1.3% and 1.4% behind, respectively.

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable at 1080p with this hardware?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 117.9 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. The Ultra preset at the same resolution yields 60.2 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this setup?

A: The data indicates that 4K gaming is not a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 40.7 FPS on Low settings. The High preset drops to 28.8 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 22.1 FPS, which is below the threshold for acceptable playability.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 74.4 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 39.7 FPS. This represents a significant 34.7 FPS drop when moving to the highest visual quality settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is the defining component in this system's gaming performance. With 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, it provides a memory bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. Its core clocks are a base of 1506 MHz and a boost of 1683 MHz, which, combined with 1920 shading units, delivers a peak FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS. The GPU's 51st percentile standing among all GPUs indicates it is an average performer in the current landscape.

In The Technomancer, the GPU's role is to render the game's geometry, textures, and lighting. The benchmark results show a clear pattern where frame rates are heavily influenced by both resolution and graphical settings, which directly impact the GPU's workload. At 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to push frame rates well above 60 FPS on the High preset. However, as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the pixel count rises dramatically. This forces the GTX 1070 to work at its limit, causing frame rates to drop. The performance scaling from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution shows a consistent penalty, confirming that the GTX 1070 is the limiting factor. The CPU, with its 97th percentile ranking, is not the bottleneck in this scenario.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data demonstrates a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 on the High preset reduces the average frame rate from 78.9 FPS to 53 FPS, a 32.8% decrease. The jump to 3840x2160 further compounds this, with the High preset falling to 28.8 FPS. This steep decline is indicative of the GPU's fill-rate and memory bandwidth being overwhelmed by the increasing number of pixels.

The same trend is visible across all settings. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 117.9 FPS at 1080p to 74.4 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 40.7 FPS at 4K. This linear degradation suggests that the GTX 1070's processing power is insufficient for the demands of higher resolutions. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly harsh, with frame rates nearly halving in most cases. This indicates that the system is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming. The 4K results, even at Low settings, fall below the 60 FPS target, making them unsuitable for a smooth experience. The data clearly shows that the limiting component is the GPU, as the performance impact of resolution scaling is severe and consistent.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance is found at 1920x1080. At this resolution, the High preset delivers an average of 78.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset also achieves a playable 60.2 FPS, offering a marginal improvement in visual fidelity for those with a 60Hz monitor. For players with higher refresh rate displays, the Medium preset provides a significant boost to 91 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 117.9 FPS, ensuring maximum responsiveness.

At 2560x1440, the options become more constrained. The High preset yields a solid 53 FPS, making it a viable choice for those who prioritize resolution over the highest settings. The Medium preset offers a similar experience at 56.4 FPS. The Ultra preset, at 39.7 FPS, is not recommended for fast-paced action. For a smoother 1440p experience, the Low preset, which achieves 74.4 FPS, is the best option, though it sacrifices visual detail.

The 4K resolution is not recommended for this hardware. All presets, from Low (40.7 FPS) to Ultra (22.1 FPS), fail to provide a consistently playable frame rate. The performance cost is too high. The data suggests that the user should stick to 1080p with High or Medium settings for the best experience, or 1440p with Low or Medium settings if a higher resolution is desired.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact average FPS measurements for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination in The Technomancer.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 117.9 FPS
• Medium: 91 FPS
• High: 78.9 FPS
• Ultra: 60.2 FPS

At 1080p, the system demonstrates its strength. Even the Ultra preset maintains an average above 60 FPS, indicating that the GTX 1070 can handle the game at this resolution with high fidelity. The headroom between Medium and High is 12.1 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 18.7 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 74.4 FPS
• Medium: 56.4 FPS
• High: 53 FPS
• Ultra: 39.7 FPS

The transition to 1440p shows the GPU's limitations. The Low preset remains playable, but Medium and High dip below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset's 39.7 FPS is the lowest playable result at this resolution, showing a 34.7 FPS drop from Low to Ultra.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 40.7 FPS
• Medium: 32 FPS
• High: 28.8 FPS
• Ultra: 22.1 FPS

At 4K, the GTX 1070 is unable to provide a smooth experience under any setting. The highest recorded average is 40.7 FPS on Low, which is still below the ideal 60 FPS. The performance difference between Low and Ultra is 18.6 FPS, showing a steep cost for visual upgrades at this demanding resolution. All 4K results are best avoided for competitive or action-oriented play.