The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a varied performance landscape for the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile combination. The measured data reveals a system that is capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p but requires careful settings management at higher resolutions to maintain smooth framerates. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across three resolutions and four quality presets to determine the optimal experience for this hardware pairing.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data for this combo shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers an average of 99 FPS, which is a strong result for an action RPG. However, the Low preset achieves 150 FPS, and the Medium preset hits 115 FPS. Given that the game is from 2016 and the hardware is modern, the High preset at 1080p provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, keeping the average well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 77 FPS, which is still playable but shows a significant 22 FPS cost over High, making it less attractive for those prioritizing smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 64 FPS, which is exactly at the standard 60 FPS target. This makes it the recommended preset for 1440p gaming, as it offers a substantial visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 75 FPS is also viable, but High is preferable if the display can handle it. The Low preset provides 98 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but the visual compromise is significant. The Ultra preset at 50 FPS falls below the 60 FPS target and is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the situation becomes more challenging. The High preset averages only 35 FPS, which is not smooth for an action game. The Ultra preset drops to 28 FPS, making it unplayable by modern standards. The Medium preset offers 41 FPS, which is still below ideal but is the highest quality setting that approaches playability. The Low preset at 54 FPS is the only 4K option that stays within a reasonable range of the 60 FPS target. For this resolution, the data suggests that Low is the only truly viable preset, as it provides a playable frame rate, though users must accept significant visual compromises. The Medium preset at 41 FPS might be tolerable for some, but it is below the threshold for a consistently fluid experience.

The data points to 1080p High as the best overall experience for this combo, offering a robust frame rate without sacrificing the visual detail that justifies the High preset's name. For users with 1440p displays, High is the sweet spot. At 4K, the hardware is clearly overextended, and only the Low preset provides a playable experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration, especially at higher resolutions. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is a key factor; at 4K resolution, the game's demand for texture data and frame buffer space can strain an 8 GB allocation, likely contributing to the significant performance drop at that resolution.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed with a base of 1545 MHz and a boost of 1890 MHz. The boost clock is what the card sustains under load, and its performance is reflected in the measured FPS. The data shows a clear scaling pattern: as resolution increases, the average FPS decreases, indicating that the GPU is the limiting component in most scenarios. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS drops from 99 at 1080p to 64 at 1440p, a 35% reduction, and then to 35 at 4K, a further 45% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline underscores the GPU's central role in determining performance.

The RTX 4060 Mobile's benchmark scores in the FACT PACK show a Passmark G3D score of 17469, placing it at the 67th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, which has a deltaPct of -0.7, meaning the 4060 Mobile is slightly behind it. This context helps position the GPU: it is a capable mobile part, but it is not a top-tier performer. In The Technomancer, this translates to an inability to maintain 60 FPS at 4K, even on Low settings, where it averages 54 FPS.

The GPU also has 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs, which are the core elements that process pixels. The pixel rate of 90.72 GPixel/s and texture rate of 181.4 GTexel/s provide the theoretical throughput. The measured FPS numbers are a practical validation of these specs. The 4K results, with averages between 28 and 54 FPS across all presets, indicate that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the bottlenecks at this resolution. The increase from 35 FPS at High to 54 FPS at Low at 4K shows how reducing the shading load directly improves performance, confirming the GPU's dominance in this scenario.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H plays a supporting role in this game's performance, primarily ensuring that the GPU is fed with enough data. The CPU has 16 cores and 22 threads, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache is substantial. The data suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU's speed is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's output, as the FPS scales directly with GPU load.

Evidence for the CPU's adequacy is seen in the 1080p results. At Low settings, the average FPS is 150, which is a high number that the GPU can produce without being bottlenecked by the CPU. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a ceiling on the FPS regardless of settings. The fact that the FPS increases from 77 at Ultra to 150 at Low shows that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate changes. The CPU's 5.10 GHz boost clock provides the single-thread performance needed for game logic and physics, and its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5, support this.

However, the CPU's multi-core capabilities are also relevant. The game can utilize multiple threads for AI and background tasks. The CPU's Passmark multithread score is 29376, and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 17984.5. These figures indicate a powerful processor. The data shows that at 4K, the FPS is very low (28-54 FPS), but this is not due to the CPU. At 4K, the GPU is so overloaded that the CPU has ample headroom to wait for it. The performance difference between 1080p and 4K is purely a GPU limitation.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, with a deltaPct of -0.1, meaning the Core Ultra 9 185H is essentially on par with it. This parity in synthetic benchmarks suggests that in a game like The Technomancer, which is not heavily CPU-bound, the choice of CPU would have a minimal impact on the final FPS numbers, as long as it is powerful enough to avoid being a bottleneck. The data confirms this: the CPU is not the limiting component in any of the measured scenarios; the GPU is.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Technomancer, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile ranks 2257 out of 3696 combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the GPU's mid-range positioning. The combo's rank is a reflection of its overall performance across all tested games, not just this one, but it provides a context for expectations.

Given that the GPU is at the 67th percentile of all GPUs, a rank of 2257 out of 3696 suggests that the system is somewhat below average for this specific game. This is likely because The Technomancer can be demanding at higher resolutions, and the RTX 4060 Mobile's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are not ideal for 4K gaming. The rank indicates that many other combos, likely featuring more powerful desktop GPUs or higher-tier mobile parts, achieve better frame rates in this title.

The combo's performance relative to its own components is more telling. The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, is slightly ahead, meaning that a system with that older desktop card would likely perform slightly better in this game. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, is nearly identical in performance. This suggests that the combo's rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's limitations rather than the CPU. In a game where the GPU is the bottleneck, the rank would improve if the GPU were stronger. The data shows that the system is balanced, but the GPU holds it back from a higher rank.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear trend in resolution scaling. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS at High settings drops from 99 to 64, a decrease of 35 FPS or about 35%. Moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, the average FPS at High settings drops from 64 to 35, a decrease of 29 FPS or about 45%. This shows that the performance hit from resolution scaling is not linear; it becomes more severe at higher resolutions.

This pattern is indicative of a GPU-bound system. When the resolution increases, the number of pixels that the GPU must render increases quadratically. The RTX 4060 Mobile's memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s and its fill rate become the limiting factors. The 4K results, where even Low settings only achieve 54 FPS, highlight this bottleneck. The GPU simply does not have enough raw throughput to handle the pixel count at 4K efficiently.

The scaling also shows that the CPU's role does not change much with resolution. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is entirely due to GPU load. If the CPU were a factor, we would see a smaller FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows a consistent drop that matches the GPU's workload. The data suggests that for this combo, 1440p is the practical ceiling for high-quality gaming, and 1080p is the resolution where the system can fully stretch its legs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides a detailed look at the exact average FPS numbers for each resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: Average FPS is 150. This is the highest recorded average in the entire dataset, showcasing the system's ability to deliver very high frame rates when the graphical load is low.
• Medium: Average FPS is 115, with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 133. This shows a stable frame rate, with the minimum still above 60 FPS.
• High: Average FPS is 99. This is a strong result for a high-quality preset, offering a smooth experience on a 60Hz or 100Hz display.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 77. This is a notable drop from High, but it remains above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable option for those who prioritize visual detail.

2560x1440:

• Low: Average FPS is 98. This is very close to the 1080p High result, showing that lowering settings can offset the resolution increase.
• Medium: Average FPS is 75, with a minimum of 64 and a maximum of 87. The minimum is just at the 60 FPS line, indicating some minor stutters may occur in heavy scenes.
• High: Average FPS is 64. This is the benchmark for 1440p gaming, providing a playable experience that is a significant step up in visual quality from 1080p.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 50. This falls below the 60 FPS target and is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

3840x2160:

• Low: Average FPS is 54. This is the only 4K preset that approaches playability, but it still falls short of the 60 FPS target.
• Medium: Average FPS is 41, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48. This is a playable but not smooth experience, with noticeable dips.
• High: Average FPS is 35. This is not a smooth experience for an action RPG.
• Ultra: Average FPS is 28. This is the lowest score recorded, indicating that this preset is only for screenshots, not for actual gameplay.

The data is consistent: the combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming. The 4K results are uniformly poor, confirming the GPU is the limiting factor.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for this combo at 1920x1080?

A: The High preset is recommended, delivering an average of 99 FPS. It offers a significant visual improvement over Medium (115 FPS) and Low (150 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. Ultra, at 77 FPS, is playable but the 22 FPS drop from High is a substantial cost for marginal visual gains.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows that 4K gaming is not a smooth experience. The best result is on Low settings with an average of 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. Higher preset averages are 41 FPS (Medium), 35 FPS (High), and 28 FPS (Ultra), all of which are below ideal playability.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. This is evidenced by the FPS dropping by 35% from 1080p to 1440p and another 45% from 1440p to 4K at High settings. The CPU's performance, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, is sufficient to feed the GPU at all resolutions, as the FPS scaling is directly tied to GPU load.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 2257 out of 3696 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places it in the lower half, which is consistent with the RTX 4060 Mobile's 67th percentile ranking among all GPUs. The rank is heavily influenced by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 98 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 50 FPS. This is a difference of 48 FPS, showing that Ultra settings nearly halve the frame rate compared to Low. The High preset, at 64 FPS, is the closest to the 60 FPS target.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM on the RTX 4060 Mobile affect performance?

A: The 8 GB of VRAM is likely a contributing factor to the poor 4K performance. The game's demand for texture data at 4K can exceed this capacity, leading to lower frame rates. The steep FPS drop from 1440p (64 FPS on High) to 4K (35 FPS on High) suggests that the memory bandwidth and capacity are insufficient for the higher resolution.