The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, exhibits a wide performance envelope depending on resolution and quality settings when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. The measured data shows a system capable of extreme frame rates at lower resolutions, but one that scales predictably as pixel count and graphical fidelity increase. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS results to identify where the bottleneck lies and what the optimal configuration is for this specific hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 337 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 drops that figure to 220 FPS, a 34.7% reduction. The jump to 3840x2160 yields 121 FPS, another 45% decline from the 1440p result. This steep drop-off at each step indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is expected for a game from this era.

The High settings follow a similar trajectory, though with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p High, the average is 221 FPS. This falls to 144 FPS at 1440p, a 34.8% decrease that mirrors the Low settings pattern. At 4K High, the average is 79 FPS, a 45.1% drop from 1440p. The consistency of these percentage declines across different settings presets suggests a uniform scaling factor tied directly to resolution, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario where the CPU is not the constraining factor.

Ultra settings show the most pronounced impact. The 1080p Ultra average of 173 FPS falls to 113 FPS at 1440p, a 34.7% reduction. At 4K Ultra, the average is 62 FPS, which is 45.1% lower than the 1440p result. This consistent pattern across all four quality presets reinforces the idea that resolution is the dominant variable affecting performance. The data shows no anomalies where a lower resolution performs worse than a higher one, confirming that the scaling is monotonic and predictable.

The transition from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing, with roughly a 45% performance hit regardless of settings. This indicates that the RTX 5090, despite its substantial 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, is being pushed to its limits at 4K with this title. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but The Technomancer’s rendering demands at 4K are clearly heavy enough to saturate even this high-end part. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU’s role diminishes at higher pixel counts.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its benchmark results show a multi-core score of 44,253 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 2,439 in the same test. These figures place the CPU in the 96th percentile against all CPUs, indicating it is a top-tier performer for general compute tasks. However, the game’s frame rates at 1080p and 1440p suggest that even this powerful processor is not the primary bottleneck.

At 1080p Low, the system achieves 337 FPS. This high number indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough draw calls and game logic updates to sustain such a frame rate. The CPU’s high single-core performance, evidenced by its 5.50 GHz boost clock, is critical here, as many games from 2016 are not well-optimized for multi-threading. The Passmark single-thread score of 5,068 supports this, showing strong per-core capability.

The 24 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and any multi-threaded aspects of the game engine. The L3 cache is 36 MB shared, which helps with data locality. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s on DDR5 is generous, but the game’s performance scaling with resolution suggests that the CPU is not waiting on memory. The data shows that at 1440p Medium, the average FPS is 169, while at 1080p Medium it is 259. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect these numbers to be closer together, since the CPU workload per frame does not change with resolution.

The benchmark results indicate the CPU is a strong part, with an average benchmark score of 93,785. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6520P, has an identical average score with a deltaPct of 0. The AMD EPYC 4564P is 1.5% behind, and the AMD EPYC 9175F is 1.9% behind. This places the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in a class of high-end server and workstation chips, which is overkill for a gaming workload. In The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is to ensure that frame pacing is consistent, and the data shows no instances where the CPU causes a bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the FPS scales cleanly with GPU load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the clear driving force behind the frame rates in this test. With 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, the GPU is a massive piece of hardware. Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures. The boost clock of 2407 MHz and the base clock of 2017 MHz allow it to push a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s.

The GPU’s benchmark scores are also robust, with a Passmark G3D score of 39,650 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18,355. However, its percentile rank is 92, slightly lower than the CPU’s 96th percentile. This suggests that while the GPU is top-tier, it is not the absolute best ever tested on the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which is 0.3% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which is 1.1% behind.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s role becomes dominant as resolution increases. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 62, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This indicates that the RTX 5090 is nearly maxed out at this setting. The VRAM usage is not directly measured, but with 32 GB available, it is unlikely to be a limiting factor, even at 4K with high-resolution textures. The GPU’s memory bandwidth is more likely the constraint, as the game’s art assets and draw calls need to be fed to the shading units quickly.

The fact that the FPS scales almost linearly with resolution reduction suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at all settings. At 1080p Low, the 337 FPS average shows the GPU has headroom, but the CPU is still able to keep up. The data shows that the GPU’s performance is directly tied to the pixel workload, and the RTX 5090’s capabilities are sufficient to deliver high frame rates up to 1440p, but at 4K, the performance drops to more modest levels, with the Ultra preset falling to 62 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The highest average frame rate is 337 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At 4K resolution, which settings preset yields a playable frame rate above 60 FPS?

A: At 3840x2160, the High settings preset yields an average of 79 FPS, and the Medium preset yields 93 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 62 FPS, which is still technically above 60 but very close to the limit.

Q: How does the CPU's single-core performance compare to its multi-core performance in relation to this game?

A: The CPU has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,439 and a multi-core score of 44,253. The game’s performance scaling with resolution suggests that single-core performance is sufficient, as the frame rates are not CPU-limited at any resolution tested.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the 1080p and 4K High settings?

A: The 1080p High setting averages 221 FPS, while the 4K High setting averages 79 FPS. This represents a 64.3% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM appear to be a limiting factor in this game?

A: The data does not show any signs of VRAM limitation, as the frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings. The 32 GB capacity is far more than what a 2016 title would require, so the GPU's compute and bandwidth are the more likely constraints.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 144 FPS, with a maximum of 195 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 47th out of 3,696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 1.3% of all configurations on the database for this specific game. The ranking is strong, but it is not the absolute top, which suggests that other hardware combinations can achieve higher frame rates. Given that the CPU is in the 96th percentile and the GPU is in the 92nd percentile, the combo’s rank of 47 is slightly lower than what the individual component rankings might suggest.

The rank of 47 out of 3,696 indicates that there are 46 other combos that perform better in this game. These are likely combinations with even more powerful GPUs or CPUs that are better optimized for The Technomancer’s engine. The data shows that the CPU’s nearest rivals are server-class chips like the Intel Xeon 6520P and AMD EPYC series, which are not typical gaming CPUs. This suggests that the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is not the sole reason for the combo’s high rank; the RTX 5090 is the primary driver.

The combo’s performance at 1080p Low, with an average of 337 FPS, is exceptional and likely near the top of the database. However, at 4K Ultra, the 62 FPS average is more modest, which could contribute to the overall rank being 47 rather than higher. The ranking reflects an aggregate performance across all tested settings and resolutions, and the 4K results pull the average down relative to combos that may have better optimizations at high resolutions. Overall, this combo is a high-end performer that excels at lower resolutions but is merely good at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user’s target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver well over 100 FPS, with the lowest being 173 FPS on Ultra. The best experience for a high-refresh-rate monitor would be the High preset at 221 FPS, which balances visual quality with performance. The Ultra preset at 173 FPS is also viable for 144Hz displays, but the High preset offers a smoother experience with less graphical overhead.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 144 FPS, which is exactly the refresh rate of many 1440p monitors. This is the recommended setting for a locked 144Hz experience. The Medium preset at 169 FPS provides a slight buffer above 144 FPS, which could be useful for avoiding dips. The Ultra preset at 113 FPS is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. For those with 165Hz or 180Hz monitors, the Medium preset is the best choice, as it maximizes frame rate while keeping visual quality respectable.

At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. The Medium preset at 93 FPS is the best option for a smooth 4K experience, as it is well above 60 FPS and offers better visuals than Low. The High preset at 79 FPS is also good, but the Medium preset provides a larger margin for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 62 FPS is borderline, and the Low preset at 121 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality for the frame rate gain. For a 60Hz 4K display, the High preset is the sweet spot, offering a solid 79 FPS average with better fidelity than Medium. The data shows that Medium at 4K is the most balanced, with a 93 FPS average and a minimum of 79 FPS, ensuring consistent performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all tested configurations.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra settings produce an average of 62 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 79 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS. The Low settings produce an average of 121 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra settings produce an average of 113 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 144 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 169 FPS, with a minimum of 144 FPS and a maximum of 195 FPS. The Low settings produce an average of 220 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra settings produce an average of 173 FPS. The High settings produce an average of 221 FPS. The Medium settings produce an average of 259 FPS, with a minimum of 220 FPS and a maximum of 298 FPS. The Low settings produce an average of 337 FPS.

The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one that includes minimum and maximum FPS measurements, which provides insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 220 FPS and maximum of 298 FPS indicate a variance of 78 FPS, which is substantial but still keeps the minimum well above 200 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the variance is 51 FPS, and at 4K Medium, the variance is 28 FPS. This pattern suggests that the frame pacing becomes more consistent as the resolution increases, likely because the GPU is more uniformly loaded. The Low and High presets have no min/max data, so their averages are the only metric available.