The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case for modern hardware. The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 shows extremely high performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The data reveals a title that is thoroughly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU's substantial single-thread performance ensures high frame rates are never left on the table at 1080p. This pairing essentially negates any performance concerns for this game, allowing the experience to be dictated entirely by the chosen visual preset and resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The benchmark results show a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, which is a strong indicator of where the bottleneck lies within this system. The frame rate drops are substantial but consistent, showing that the RTX 4080 is being tasked progressively harder as pixel count rises.

At 1080p, the system is in its element. The Low preset achieves an average of 298 FPS, which is a massive number that suggests the CPU and GPU are both operating at very high efficiency. Increasing the settings to High only drops the frame rate to 195 FPS, which is a 34% reduction from Low. Moving from High to Medium yields an average of 229 FPS, which is actually higher than the High preset. This indicates a non-linear relationship between settings, likely due to specific effects that have disproportionate GPU costs. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 152 FPS.

Stepping up to 1440p, the GPU begins to feel the load. The Low preset still achieves an average of 195 FPS, a 34.5% drop from the 298 FPS at 1080p. The Medium preset drops to 149 FPS, and High produces 128 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 100 FPS, a solid number for high-refresh 1440p gaming. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, showing that the GPU is now the primary limiting factor.

At 4K, the load on the GPU becomes very significant. The Low preset yields 107 FPS, a 45% reduction from 1080p. The Medium preset averages 82 FPS, and High averages 70 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 55 FPS, which is the only time the game dips below the 60 FPS threshold. This pattern clearly shows the RTX 4080 is doing the heavy lifting at this resolution. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is also dramatic: for instance, High drops from 128 FPS to 70 FPS, a 45% reduction, while Medium drops from 149 to 82, a 45% reduction as well. The data clearly shows the GPU's pixel-pushing capability is what defines performance at 4K.

The scaling pattern demonstrates that this is a GPU-limited title at 1440p and 4K. The CPU has enough power to feed the GPU, but the GPU has to work that much harder as the pixel count rises.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a 20-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. In this game, the CPU is not the bottleneck at the tested settings, as the high frame rates are consistently delivered.

The CPU's performance is best understood through its benchmark scores. It sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 70879. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon 6511P, Intel Xeon Platinum 8270, Intel Core i7-14700KF, and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, with deltaPct values of -0.2, -0.7, 1, and 1.3, respectively. This places it in a strong position relative to other high-end processors.

For gaming, the single-core performance is often key, and the Core Ultra 7 265K shows robust numbers. It scores 2953 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 2020 in Cinebench R23 single-core. In Geekbench, it scores 2713 single-core. These numbers point to a processor that can handle the logic-heavy tasks of a game like The Technomancer, which was released in 2016 and likely doesn't scale to 20 cores.

The multi-core scores are equally impressive: 20918 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, 35850 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 23085 in Geekbench multi-core. However, for a game from 2016, these cores are likely not fully utilized. The frame rates at 1080p, which are the most CPU-sensitive, show no signs of a bottleneck. The 298 FPS figure at Low settings suggests the CPU can deliver frames well beyond what even a 1080p high refresh monitor can handle.

The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per core L2 cache help to ensure data is available quickly. The 20 cores and threads are more than enough for this title. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz is a critical factor, since this game's engine likely does not scale well beyond a few cores, so the high clock speed is what ensures the frame rate doesn't collapse at 1080p. The benchmark results indicate the Ultra 7 provides a very solid base for the RTX 4080 to show its full potential.

FAQ

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K bottleneck the RTX 4080 in The Technomancer?

A: No. The frame rates at 1080p with the Low preset reach an average of 298 FPS, which is a very high number. This indicates the CPU can keep up with the GPU's ability to generate frames at that resolution. The CPU's high boost clock of 5.50 GHz, which is the key for a 2016 game, ensures it doesn't limit the GPU.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: It depends on the target FPS. For 1440p, the Ultra setting achieves 100 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth experience. At 4K, the Medium preset is the highest that maintains an average above 80 FPS, providing 82 FPS. For a locked 60 FPS experience at 4K, the High preset is the highest setting, averaging 70 FPS.

Q: How much performance do you lose from 1080p to 4K?

A: The performance drop is substantial. At the High settings, the average goes from 195 FPS at 1080p to 128 FPS at 1440p, and then down to 70 FPS at 4K. That is a 64% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the 4K Ultra settings playable on this hardware?

A: At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 55. This is below the 60 FPS target, so it is not a smooth experience. The game will feel stutter-free but not a fluid. The Medium preset at 4K is a much better option, with an average of 82 FPS.

Q: How does this system compare to other tested combos?

A: This combination ranks 213th out of 3696 tested combos for this game. That places it in the top 6% of all tested combos, indicating it is a very high-performing setup.

Q: What is the best setting for high refresh rate at 1080p?

A: The High preset at 1080p delivers 195 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 229 FPS. For maximum frame rates, the Low settings can reach 298 FPS, but the visual fidelity is reduced. The Medium preset is the sweet spot for a high refresh rate experience, offering 229 FPS with better quality than Low.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 213 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This is a top 6% placement, which means the hardware combination is extremely strong for this specific game.

This rank is a result of the high performance of both components. The CPU's 94th percentile score and the GPU's 86th percentile score collectively yield a system that is clearly capable for this title. The game, being from 2016, is not heavily threaded, so the CPU's high clock speed of 5.50 GHz and strong single core performance are critical. The 4080's 16 GB of VRAM and high memory bandwidth are more than enough, so the game's visuals are not limited by memory constraints at any setting.

The rank is also a reflection of the year of the game. Since The Technomancer is over 9 years old, modern high-end hardware can easily put out very high frame rates. The relative performance of this combo is high, but it doesn't hit the top 100, likely because there are setups with even newer and more powerful components that can push the frame rate even higher at 4K Ultra. However, the 213th position is a very strong showing and implies a great experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS 298.
• Medium: Average FPS 229, with a minimum of 194 and a maximum of 263.
• High: Average FPS 195.
• Ultra: Average FPS 152.

At 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor in the equation. The frame rates are all extremely high, and the GPU is not the constraint. The difference between Low and Ultra is 146 FPS, which is a significant gap, but even the lowest Ultra average is very high.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS 195.
• Medium: Average FPS 149, with a minimum of 127 and a maximum of 172.
• High: Average FPS 128.
• Ultra: Average FPS 100.

The 1440p results are the sweet spot for this system. The Ultra preset at 100 FPS is a very good experience, and the High preset at 128 FPS is also. The Low setting is still high, showing the GPU can handle this resolution with ease.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS 107.
• Medium: Average FPS 82, with a minimum of 70 and a maximum of 94.
• High: Average FPS 70.
• Ultra: Average FPS 55.

At 4K, the GPU is the definite bottleneck. The frame rates are lower than at 1440, but still playable. The Medium preset is the only one that maintains an average above 80 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only one that is below 60 FPS, making it the only setting that is not a smooth experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the best experience comes from balancing frame rate with visual quality. The "best" setting depends on the user's resolution and refresh rate.

For 1080p, the High preset is the best choice for most users. It provides 195 FPS, which is high enough for any modern monitor. The Medium preset at 229 FPS is better for those with a 240 Hz monitor, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often not worth the extra frame rate. The Ultra preset at 152 FPS is still a very good experience, but the High preset is a better balance.

For 1440p, the High preset is the clear sweet spot. It delivers a strong 128 FPS, which is great for a high refresh rate QHD monitor. The Ultra preset at 100 FPS is also a good choice for those who want the best visuals and have a 100 Hz or 144 Hz display. The Medium at 149 FPS is also viable, but the High preset offers a noticeable visual bump for only a small FPS cost.

For 4K, the Medium preset is the best recommendation. It delivers an average of 82 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 70 FPS is also playable, but the 12 FPS difference is not a huge price to pay for the visual upgrade. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS line. The Low preset at 107 FPS is an option, but the visual impact is likely to be noticeable.

In summary, the system is so powerful that the user has a wide range of options. For a 60 FPS target, the Ultra preset is only viable at 1440p, while High is the highest setting that can maintain 60 FPS at 4K. For high refresh rate monitors, High at 1440p is the peak, and Medium at 1080p is a strong recommendation.

The data shows that the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K + RTX 4080 combo is an excellent pairing for The Technomancer, with no major weaknesses at any resolution. The only instance where the system fails to hit a common target is at 4K Ultra, which is a demanding setting that even the RTX 4080 can't fully handle. The user can optimize their experience by balancing settings and resolution to achieve their desired frame rate.