The Technomancer

The Technomancer is a 2016 Action RPG that remains demanding on modern hardware, particularly when paired with an integrated GPU. The data for this configuration, using an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and an AMD Radeon 890M, reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution. The benchmark results paint a clear picture of a platform that can handle the game's CPU demands but struggles to deliver playable frame rates at higher resolutions and presets, making resolution and settings management crucial.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep performance cliff as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system averages 46 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, that average drops to 30 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it plummets to just 17 FPS. This represents a 63% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a clear indicator that the rendering pipeline is saturated. The scaling pattern is consistent across all presets; for instance, Low settings yield 70 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and only 25 FPS at 4K.

This behavior points directly to the AMD Radeon 890M as the limiting component. The frame rate drop is not linear with the pixel count increase; it is far more severe. Going from 1080p to 1440p increases the pixel count by 77%, but the average FPS at High settings drops by 35%. The jump to 4K from 1440p increases pixels by 125%, yet the FPS drops by a further 43%. This non-linear scaling is a classic symptom of a GPU that is running out of fillrate and shading power, rather than a CPU bottleneck. The Core Ultra 9 275HX, with its high multi-core performance, is not the constraining factor here; the integrated graphics are being overwhelmed by the increasing workload.

The data suggests that even at the lowest settings, 4K is not a viable option, with an average of just 25 FPS. The transition from Medium to Low at 4K yields a 32% improvement (19 to 25 FPS), but it still remains below playable thresholds. The most significant leap in performance comes from dropping resolution rather than settings. The data shows that shifting from 4K High to 1440p High more than doubles the frame rate from 17 to 30 FPS, which is a far more substantial gain than any settings adjustment at the same resolution. This confirms that for this iGPU, resolution is the primary lever for performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K resolution?

A: Technically, yes, but not playably. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 25 FPS on Low settings. On High, it drops to 17 FPS, and on Ultra, it is just 13 FPS. These results indicate that 4K is not a feasible option for this configuration.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo in this game?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system approaches playable frame rates. At 1080p, the average FPS ranges from 36 on Ultra to 70 on Low, with Medium and High sitting at 54 and 46 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M compare to its nearest rivals in terms of overall benchmark scores?

A: The 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, has an average score of 9221, which is a 0.1% difference. It also sits close to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, which scores 9273, a 0.7% difference.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in The Technomancer?

A: The benchmark results clearly indicate the GPU is the bottleneck. The frame rates drop dramatically with resolution, and the integrated graphics (AMD Radeon 890M) scores in the 45th percentile among all GPUs. Meanwhile, the CPU scores in the 94th percentile, suggesting it has ample headroom.

Q: What settings preset provides the highest minimum FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum FPS data, showing a minimum of 30 FPS. The other presets (Low, High, Ultra) do not have minFps data provided, but their average FPS are 46, 30, and 23 respectively.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 9 275HX's multi-core performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 9 275HX has an average benchmark score of 67469. It is 0.3% slower than the Intel Xeon w5-3525 (67673) and 0.5% slower than the AMD EPYC 4484PX (67822). It is 0.7% faster than the Intel Xeon 6515P (67006).

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it demonstrates exceptional multi-threaded capability, scoring 35,589 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 19,899 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. Its single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 score of 2,204 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2,458. This places the CPU in the 94th percentile of all processors, indicating it is a top-tier part.

However, the measured FPS in The Technomancer does not reflect this CPU strength. For example, at 1080p Low, the system hits 70 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 36 FPS. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see more consistent frame rates across different graphics settings, as the CPU's workload (game logic, physics) remains relatively constant. Instead, the frame rate varies wildly with the GPU load, which is dictated by settings and resolution. This is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck.

The CPU's role in this pairing is to feed the GPU with data fast enough to avoid stalling it. Given the 890M's modest performance, the 275HX is likely providing more than enough data. The CPU's PassMark multithread score of 55,759 and its performance in data compression (608,381) and encryption (47,112) benchmarks are irrelevant to the game's frame rate when the GPU is the choke point. The data suggests that the Core Ultra 9 is not holding the system back; it is the integrated graphics that are unable to translate the CPU's high throughput into higher frame rates in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's performance across nine different settings and resolution combinations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers the best results. The Low preset achieves an average of 70 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. High settings average 46 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 36 FPS. This shows a clear and predictable performance degradation as settings increase at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes more challenging. The Low preset averages 46 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. High settings average 30 FPS, and Medium averages 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to an average of 23 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for a slow-paced game. The data shows that at 1440p, the system can handle Low and Medium settings reasonably, but High and Ultra are too demanding.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles significantly. The Low preset averages 25 FPS, which is the only setting to break the 20 FPS mark. Medium averages 19 FPS with a minimum of 16 FPS and a maximum of 22 FPS. High settings average 17 FPS, and Ultra drops to 13 FPS. These frame rates are below the threshold for a smooth experience, indicating that 4K is not a suitable resolution for this configuration. The data shows that the system is capable of running the game at 1080p with playable performance and at 1440p with significant compromises, but it is not suited for 4K gaming.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture. It has a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, with 1024 shading units and 32 ROPs. Its memory is system-shared, meaning its bandwidth is dependent on the system's RAM. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 8,076 in Passmark G3D and 37,254 in Geekbench OpenCL. These scores place it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a mid-to-low-tier performer. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, has a nearly identical average score (9,221 vs 9,210), confirming its position in the market.

The GPU's performance in The Technomancer is the single most important factor in the system's overall results. The benchmark data shows that the GPU is unable to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The 890M's FP32 performance is 5.939 TFLOPS, which is modest for modern gaming. This is reflected in the game's frame rates. For instance, at 1080p High, the system averages 46 FPS. At 1440p High, that drops to 30 FPS, and at 4K High, it falls to 17 FPS. This scaling is directly tied to the GPU's fillrate and shading capabilities.

The GPU's VRAM, being system-shared, is another potential bottleneck. While the fact pack does not specify the amount of system RAM, the shared memory architecture can lead to performance degradation if the system runs out of fast memory. However, the primary issue is the GPU's raw compute power. The 45th percentile ranking and the steep FPS drops with resolution indicate that the Radeon 890M is simply not powerful enough for demanding resolutions in this game. It is the clear and definitive limiting component in this configuration.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for The Technomancer with this hardware is at 1920x1080 resolution. For a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is the standout choice. It averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 46 FPS, ensuring that the frame rate rarely dips into stutter territory. This is a significant improvement over the High preset, which averages 46 FPS without a recorded minimum, suggesting it might drop lower. The Medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS provides a more consistent experience.

For players who prioritize a higher frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p is the best option, delivering an average of 70 FPS. This is the only configuration in the entire dataset that approaches high-refresh-rate territory. If visual quality is paramount, the High preset at 1080p is playable, but the average of 46 FPS is borderline. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 36 FPS, is not recommended as it sacrifices too much fluidity for marginal visual gains.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only viable option, delivering an average of 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS. This is playable for a slower-paced Action RPG, but it is not ideal. The Low preset at 1440p averages 46 FPS, which is smoother, but the visual downgrade is substantial. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not recommended due to their low average frame rates of 30 and 23 FPS respectively. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option; even the Low preset at 25 FPS is too choppy for a good experience. The recommendation is to stick to 1080p Medium for the best overall experience, or 1080p Low if frame rate is the top priority.