The Technomancer

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H pairs a 16-core, 22-thread Meteor Lake design with a 3.90 GHz base and 5.10 GHz boost clock. For a 2016 Action RPG like The Technomancer, the CPU's single-thread ceiling is the primary driver, and the data bears this out: the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5 and Geekbench single-core result of 1794 place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. This headroom means the processor is unlikely to bottleneck the GPU at lower resolutions, where frame rates climb steeply. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support (89.6 GB/s bandwidth) further ensure that game logic, AI, and physics threads have ample data flow. The 45 W TDP is a mobile-class figure, but the boost behavior shows it can sustain the high clocks needed for legacy titles that often rely on a few heavily loaded threads.

In multi-threaded workloads, the chip’s 16 cores deliver a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17984.5 and a Passmark multithread score of 29376. This places it nearly even with rivals like the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 (deltaPct -0.1) and Intel Core 7 250H (deltaPct -0.2), while being 0.7% behind the desktop-class AMD Ryzen 7 7700X. For The Technomancer, which is not a modern multi-threaded showcase, this parallel strength is less critical than the per-core performance. The benchmark results indicate that even at 1080p Medium, the CPU can feed the GPU enough frames to hit 128 FPS on average, suggesting the processor is not the limiting factor in this combo. Instead, the data points to the GPU as the primary arbiter of frame rates, especially as resolution scales upward.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Core Ultra 9 185H’s architecture is a hybrid design, but the FACT PACK only specifies 16 cores and 22 threads without detailing performance versus efficiency core counts. What matters for The Technomancer is the boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This is a high ceiling for a mobile chip, and it directly influences the single-threaded Cinebench R15 score of 264.5, which is a strong indicator of legacy game compatibility. The game’s engine, from 2016, likely does not scale perfectly across 16 cores, so the CPU’s ability to ramp a single core to near-maximum frequency is what allows the 1080p Low preset to reach 166 FPS average. The 2 MB L2 cache per core and 112 KB L1 per core provide low-latency access to frequently used instructions, which is crucial for maintaining consistent frame pacing in an Action RPG with real-time combat.

The CPU’s 85th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, along with an average benchmark score of 35670, shows it is a top-tier mobile processor. However, its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 and AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, are within 0.7% of its average score, indicating that generational gains are marginal in synthetic tests. In The Technomancer specifically, the measured FPS data reveals that the CPU is not the bottleneck at 1440p or 4K, where the GPU is clearly strained. At 1080p Ultra, the average of 85 FPS still leaves a 28% gap to the 1080p Low result, which is a pattern more consistent with GPU load than CPU thread starvation. The CPU’s 22 threads are more than sufficient for this title’s threading model, so the data suggests that overclocking or better single-core performance would yield negligible gains beyond what is already achieved.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The measured combo of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile achieves a rank of 2040 out of 3696 tested combinations in The Technomancer. This places it in the 44.8th percentile of all tested combos, meaning that 44.8% of configurations are slower, while 55.2% are faster. This is a mid-pack result, which is surprising given the hardware’s modern pedigree. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 20355 places it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti (deltaPct -0.1), which is a last-generation desktop card. Yet, the combo rank suggests that either the game’s engine is not fully utilizing the Blackwell architecture, or the mobile implementation is thermal/power limited.

Comparing to other combos in the database, this pairing sits below what one might expect from a CPU in the 85th percentile and a GPU in the 75th percentile. The data implies that the game’s performance ceiling is not set by the CPU, as the 1080p results show scaling up to 166 FPS, but rather by the GPU’s raw throughput in a title that is likely not optimized for ray tracing or modern shader complexity. The RTX 5070 Mobile’s 4608 shading units and 13.13 TFLOPS FP32 are substantial, but the combo rank of 2040 suggests that other pairings, possibly with older but higher-clocked desktop GPUs, achieve higher frame rates. This is a critical insight: the rank is a relative measure, and the data shows that this mobile combo is competitive but not class-leading for The Technomancer.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling curve. At 1080p High, the combo averages 109 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 71 FPS, a 34.9% reduction. At 4K High, the average falls to 39 FPS, which is a 64.2% reduction from 1080p High. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The RTX 5070 Mobile has an 8 GB GDDR7 memory pool on a 128-bit bus, yielding 384.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 4K, the demand for texture fill and frame buffer access increases dramatically, and the 39 FPS average at 4K High indicates the GPU is the primary limiter.

The CPU’s influence is visible in the 1080p to 1440p transition at Low settings: 166 FPS to 109 FPS, a 34.3% drop. This is a similar percentage to the High preset drop, suggesting the CPU is keeping pace and the GPU is still the bottleneck even at lower settings. The 4K Low average of 60 FPS versus 1080p Low of 166 FPS is a 63.9% drop, nearly identical to the High preset’s 64.2% drop. This consistency across presets strongly indicates that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU or memory subsystem. The CPU’s single-thread performance is sufficient to push frame rates past 160 FPS at 1080p, but the GPU cannot sustain that throughput as pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers a wide spread of performance. Low settings produce an average of 166 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings drop to 128 FPS average, with a minimum of 108 FPS and maximum of 147 FPS. High settings average 109 FPS, and Ultra settings average 85 FPS. This 48.8% reduction from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows the GPU’s sensitivity to quality presets, but even the Ultra result is playable for a fast-paced Action RPG.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages compress. Low settings yield 109 FPS, which is the same as 1080p High, indicating that resolution scaling is more punishing than settings scaling. Medium at 1440p averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and maximum of 96 FPS. High settings average 71 FPS, and Ultra drops to 56 FPS. The minimum FPS at 1440p Medium (71 FPS) is equal to the average at 1440p High, suggesting that the Medium preset provides a more stable frame delivery. At 3840x2160, the results are more constrained. Low settings average 60 FPS, which is a playable baseline. Medium averages 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and maximum of 53 FPS. High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra averages 31 FPS. The 4K data shows that only Low settings achieve a 60 FPS average, and any preset above Medium will struggle to maintain a consistent 40 FPS.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, using the GB206 chip on a 5 nm TSMC process. It features 4608 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with a boost clock of 1425 MHz. This yields a pixel rate of 68.40 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 205.2 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute of 13.13 TFLOPS is respectable for a mobile part, but the data from The Technomancer shows that this raw power is not fully translating into high frame rates at 4K. The GPU’s 8 GB GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus provides 384.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is a bottleneck for 4K textures and high-resolution rendering.

The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 20355 places it in the 75th percentile, and its nearest rival is the RTX 3070 Ti (deltaPct -0.1), which has a 0.1% higher average score. This is a tight race, but in The Technomancer, the RTX 5070 Mobile’s performance at 4K High (39 FPS) suggests that the 8 GB VRAM may be insufficient for the game’s highest texture settings at that resolution, even though the game is from 2016. The GPU’s 21,900 million transistors on a 181 mm² die indicate a dense design, but thermal limits in a mobile chassis (50 W TDP) likely prevent sustained boost clocks. The measured FPS data at 1080p Ultra (85 FPS) versus 1080p Low (166 FPS) shows a 95.3% performance swing, which is a direct result of the GPU’s shading units being heavily loaded by Ultra settings, not the CPU.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H bottlenecking the RTX 5070 Mobile in The Technomancer?

A: No. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 166 FPS average, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent ~64% drop across presets, which is a GPU-bound pattern. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1810.5 is sufficient to feed the GPU beyond 160 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS experience at 1440p?

A: The measured data shows that 1440p Medium averages 83 FPS, while 1440p High averages 71 FPS. For a solid 60 FPS lock, High settings are viable, as the average is 71 FPS, leaving headroom above the 60 FPS target.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K at 60 FPS?

A: No. The only 4K preset that reaches a 60 FPS average is Low (60 FPS exactly). Medium at 4K averages 46 FPS, and High drops to 39 FPS. Ultra averages 31 FPS, so 4K 60 FPS is not achievable with this hardware in this game.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 Mobile compare to the RTX 3070 Ti in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070 Mobile’s Passmark G3D score is 20355, while the RTX 3070 Ti has a deltaPct of -0.1, meaning it is 0.1% faster. This places them statistically tied in average GPU performance.

Q: Is the CPU’s multi-core performance relevant for this game?

A: The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 17984.5, but The Technomancer’s frame rates at 1080p Low (166 FPS) indicate that the game’s engine does not scale to fully utilize 16 cores. The single-core score of 1810.5 is more relevant to the game’s performance.

Q: What is the lowest measured FPS in the dataset?

A: The lowest average FPS is 31 at 4K Ultra, which is the most demanding preset. The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 39 at 4K Medium (also the minimum at 4K High), indicating that 4K Ultra can dip below 31 FPS in demanding scenes.

Settings Recommendations

For a balanced experience across resolutions, the data suggests prioritizing Medium or High presets depending on the target display. At 1080p, Medium offers an average of 128 FPS with a minimum of 108 FPS, making it the most responsive option for high-refresh monitors, while High at 109 FPS average is also smooth. Ultra at 1080p drops to 85 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices frame rate for marginal visual gains in a 2016 title. For 1440p, Medium is the standout choice, averaging 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, ensuring consistent frame delivery above 60 FPS. High at 1440p (71 FPS average) is acceptable, but the minimum FPS data is not provided, so Medium’s known floor of 71 FPS makes it a safer recommendation. At 4K, Low is the only preset that hits a 60 FPS average, but the visual compromise is severe. For a better visual quality, Medium at 4K (46 FPS average, 39 FPS minimum) is the highest preset that stays above 30 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced exploration, but High (39 FPS average) and Ultra (31 FPS average) are not recommended for combat scenarios.

The data implies that the sweet spot for this combo is 1440p Medium, as it provides a 71 FPS minimum floor and an 83 FPS average, which is a 71% higher average than 4K Medium. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Medium shows a 35.2% drop in average FPS (128 to 83), which is a reasonable trade-off for increased resolution. For players prioritizing frame rate over fidelity, 1080p Low (166 FPS) is the top choice, but the 128 FPS at 1080p Medium is a better balance of quality and speed. The measured rows indicate that Ultra presets at any resolution are not worth the frame rate penalty, with 1080p Ultra being 33.6% slower than 1080p Medium, and 1440p Ultra being 32.5% slower than 1440p Medium. This suggests that the game’s Ultra settings are not well-optimized for the RTX 5070 Mobile’s architecture, and Medium or High is the empirically supported recommendation.