The Technomancer

The Technomancer is a demanding Action RPG from 2016, and this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER produces a playable, but ultimately GPU-bound experience at most settings. The data reveals a system where the CPU has considerable headroom, while the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution and quality settings increase. The combination ranks at 1204 out of 1656 tested combos, placing it in the lower-mid tier of all possible pairings, a position that is directly reflected in the measured frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, confirming that the GPU is the primary limiting factor in this configuration. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 91.4 FPS at 1920x1080 to 62.5 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 28.9 FPS, and then plummets to 35 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a total loss of 56.4 FPS, or roughly 62% of the 1080p performance, when moving to 4K. Such a steep decline is characteristic of a GPU struggling to fill the increased pixel count, as the rendering load scales directly with resolution.

The pattern is consistent across all quality presets. At Low settings, the system manages 144.9 FPS at 1080p but drops to 92.7 FPS at 1440p and 49.2 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a particularly sharp cliff, with average frame rates falling by more than half across the board. For instance, at Medium settings, the drop from 72.6 FPS at 1440p to 36.8 FPS at 4K is a 49% reduction, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power are being overwhelmed by the sheer number of pixels at 2160p.

This behavior indicates that the limiting component is definitively the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K, with its 20 cores and 20 threads, has more than enough processing power to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but as the resolution climbs, the GPU's compute capacity and 8 GB of VRAM become the wall that prevents higher frame rates. The data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for this GPU, where it can deliver high frame rates, while 1440p is a viable but more demanding target, and 4K is only playable at the lowest settings.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060 SUPER is an 8 GB GDDR6 card with a 256-bit memory bus and a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1470 MHz, with a boost clock of 1650 MHz. These specifications place it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, but its benchmark scores show it is closely matched with older, high-end cards. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, has an average score only 0.3% higher, and the RTX 2070 is just 0.5% ahead. This indicates that while the 2060 SUPER is a solid performer, it is not a high-end card by modern standards, and its performance in The Technomancer reflects this.

The game's performance data shows the GPU is the bottleneck at every resolution above 1080p Low. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 144.9 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's ability to feed frames. However, at 1440p High, the average FPS drops to 62.5, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to just 24.2 FPS. This dramatic scaling is the direct result of the GPU's limited pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The card's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 224.4 GTexel/s texture rate are simply insufficient for the demands of 4K Ultra settings in this title.

The VRAM capacity also plays a role. While the measured data does not include specific VRAM usage, the 8 GB frame buffer is a likely constraint at 4K with High or Ultra settings, given the game's age and the high-resolution textures it likely uses. The fact that the average FPS at 4K Ultra is 24.2, which is below the threshold for smooth playability, suggests that the GPU is not just compute-bound but also potentially memory-limited. The card's performance is better suited to 1080p and, with some compromises, 1440p gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, running on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, placing it in the 97th percentile of all CPUs. It is virtually tied with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF, which is only 0.2% slower, and it is just 0.9% behind the Intel Core i9-14900K. This positions the 265K as a top-tier processor with immense multi-threaded capabilities, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 50009.

In The Technomancer, however, the CPU's role is largely passive due to the GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 144.9 FPS, which is a high frame rate that suggests the CPU is capable of keeping up with the GPU. However, as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, and the CPU's utilization likely decreases as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The CPU's high single-core performance (7060 in Cinebench R23) is more than sufficient for this game's logic and physics, which are likely single-threaded or lightly threaded.

The data shows no scenario where the CPU is the limiting component. Even at 1080p Low, the frame rate is likely limited by the GPU's ability to render frames, not the CPU's ability to prepare them. The 20-core processor is far more powerful than what this 2016 title requires, meaning that its full potential is never tested. This is a classic case of a modern high-end CPU paired with a mid-range GPU, where the CPU's performance is effectively wasted in this specific workload.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Core Ultra 7 265K and RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1204 out of 1656 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the bottom 27% of all possible pairings, which is a low ranking for a system with such a powerful CPU. The ranking is dragged down almost entirely by the GPU's performance, as the CPU is among the best available. The low rank indicates that most other tested combinations, likely those with more balanced pairings or higher-end GPUs, deliver better frame rates.

The ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data. A rank of 1204 out of 1656 suggests that a significant majority of other systems perform better in this game. This is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities but rather a clear indication that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the weak link in this particular pairing for this title. The data suggests that a user with this CPU would see substantial gains from a more powerful GPU, as the CPU would easily support a higher-performing graphics card without becoming a bottleneck.

The deltaPct values from the CPU's nearest rivals are all very small, ranging from -0.2% to -1.2%, indicating that the 265K's performance is on par with other top-tier processors. This means the low combo rank is not due to a weak CPU but purely due to the GPU's placement in the 63rd percentile of all graphics cards. The system's overall performance is therefore a reflection of the GPU's mid-range standing, and the combo rank accurately captures this imbalance.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 91.4 FPS, which is smooth and playable for most users.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: At 4K, the system achieves 49.2 FPS on Low, 36.8 FPS on Medium, 35 FPS on High, and 24.2 FPS on Ultra. Only the Low preset provides a marginally playable experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 0.2% slower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF and 0.9% slower than the Intel Core i9-14900K, making it statistically tied with both.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it performs better than a majority of cards but is not a high-end model.

Q: What is the best resolution to play this game with this hardware?

A: The data indicates that 1080p is the optimal resolution, as it is the only resolution where all settings presets deliver above 76 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience.

Q: At 1440p, what preset is recommended?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 92.7 FPS, while Medium hits 72.6 FPS and High reaches 62.5 FPS. Medium is a good balance, but High is playable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | ----------: |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 24.2 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 35.0 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 36.8 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 49.2 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 48.9 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 62.5 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 72.6 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 92.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 76.0 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 91.4 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 107.5 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 144.9 |

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at 1080p, the Ultra preset is a viable option, delivering an average of 76 FPS. This is above the standard 60 FPS threshold and offers the highest visual fidelity available in the measured data. If a higher frame rate is preferred for competitive play or smoother motion, the High preset at 91.4 FPS is an excellent choice, while Medium provides a significant boost to 107.5 FPS. The Low preset at 144.9 FPS is only recommended for those seeking the absolute highest frame rates, as it likely compromises visual quality significantly.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, with an average of 72.6 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset, at 62.5 FPS, is also playable and offers better graphics, but it is closer to the edge of the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 48.9 FPS is not recommended for a consistent experience, and the Low preset, while fast at 92.7 FPS, will not showcase the game's visuals well.

For 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset is marginally playable, with an average of 49.2 FPS. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets all fall below 40 FPS, with Ultra dipping to a stuttery 24.2 FPS. Therefore, 4K gaming with this hardware requires the lowest settings to be acceptable, and even then, the frame rate is not ideal. For most users, 1440p with Medium or High settings will provide the most enjoyable experience, balancing visual fidelity with smooth gameplay.