The Technomancer

The Technomancer is a 2016 Action RPG that, on paper, should not trouble modern hardware. Yet, the combination of an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a fascinating set of results that reveal a clear performance hierarchy. This pairing ranks 1709th out of 2825 tested combos for this specific title, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. That rank is surprising given the individual components, but the measured frame rates show the RTX 4060 is the decisive factor in this game, and the data indicates that the CPU is rarely the bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s position at 1709 out of 2825 tested combinations is not a reflection of a weak processor. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread Arrow Lake-HX part with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and its average benchmark score places it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. In synthetic tests, it delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589 and a single-core score of 2204. Its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database are the Intel Xeon w5-3525, which scores 67673 against the Ultra 9’s 67469 average, a delta of -0.3%, and the AMD EPYC 4484PX at 67822, a -0.5% difference. This is a top-tier mobile processor.

The GPU, however, is a different story. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its closest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, -0.2% delta), the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, +0.3% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17551, +0.5% delta). These are not modern high-end parts, which contextualizes the GPU’s position. The rank of 1709 out of 2825 is therefore a direct consequence of the GPU’s mid-range standing. The CPU is doing its job; the data shows that the frame rates are being dictated by the graphics card’s capabilities in this title. When you see a rank in the low 60th percentile of combos, it is a strong signal that the limiting component is the GPU, not the processor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1830 MHz, boosting to 2460 MHz. This is a modest memory configuration by modern standards, and it shows in the measured results. The card has 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 15.11 TFLOPS.

In The Technomancer, the GPU’s role is central. The measured FPS data shows that the card’s performance ceiling is reached quickly as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 150 FPS. At 2560x1440 Low, it drops to 98 FPS. At 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 54 FPS. This scaling pattern of roughly 35% fewer frames per resolution step is classic GPU-bound behavior. The 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor at Low settings, but the card’s raw compute and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are modest figures, and the benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4060 is struggling to maintain high frame rates at 4K, even on Low settings. The card is capable for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data suggests it is not designed for 4K in demanding titles like The Technomancer.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data is the clearest evidence of where the bottleneck lies. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by approximately 35% across all settings. For example, High settings go from 99 FPS to 64 FPS, a drop of 35.4%. Medium settings go from 115 FPS to 75 FPS, a 34.8% decline. Low settings drop from 150 FPS to 98 FPS, a 34.7% reduction. This is a consistent, predictable scaling pattern that is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario.

The jump from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is even more punishing. High settings fall from 64 FPS to 35 FPS, a 45.3% drop. Medium settings go from 75 FPS to 41 FPS, a 45.3% decline. Low settings drop from 98 FPS to 54 FPS, a 44.9% reduction. This steeper decline at 4K indicates that the RTX 4060 is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The 128-bit bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not sufficient to feed the render pipeline at 3840x2160. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting component at every resolution, but the effect becomes more pronounced as the pixel count increases. The CPU’s performance is constant across these tests, so the frame rate deltas are entirely attributable to the graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo performs well. Low settings yield an average of 150 FPS, which is smooth for any display. Medium settings produce 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS. High settings deliver 99 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 77 FPS. This resolution is clearly the sweet spot for this pairing. All presets, including Ultra, remain playable, and the minimum frame rates at Medium (98 FPS) indicate consistent performance without major dips.

At 2560x1440, the results are still good but require some settings adjustments. Low settings average 98 FPS. Medium settings drop to 75 FPS, with a measured minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS. High settings average 64 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 50 FPS. The 75 FPS at Medium is acceptable, but the 50 FPS at Ultra suggests that the GPU is beginning to struggle. The minimum of 64 FPS at Medium is close to the average, indicating stable frame times.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal. Low settings average 54 FPS. Medium settings average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS. Ultra settings average just 28 FPS. None of these results are ideal for a smooth experience. Even Low settings cannot crack 60 FPS, and the minimum frame rate at Medium (35 FPS) shows that the game will stutter during demanding scenes. The 28 FPS at Ultra is effectively unplayable for most users. The data is clear: this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in The Technomancer.

Looking at the specific numbers, the gap between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution is consistent. At 1080p, the difference is 73 FPS (150 to 77). At 1440p, it is 48 FPS (98 to 50). At 4K, it is 26 FPS (54 to 28). This shows that the GPU’s headroom for quality settings shrinks as resolution increases. The RTX 4060 has enough compute to handle Ultra at 1080p, but at 4K, even Low settings push it to its limits.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is an absolute powerhouse. It has 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process by TSMC, featuring 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. Its memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The CPU’s benchmark scores are exceptional: Cinebench R23 multi-core is 35589, single-core is 2204, and Geekbench multi-core is 20795. It scores 55759 in Passmark multithread and 4713 in Passmark single-thread.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU. The game is from 2016 and is not known for being heavily threaded. The 24 cores of the Ultra 9 275HX are likely underutilized in this title. The data supports this: the CPU’s performance is never the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 150 FPS, which is likely near the game’s engine limit or the GPU’s maximum output. At 4K Ultra, the CPU is sitting idle waiting for the GPU to catch up. The CPU’s percentile rank of 94th versus the GPU’s 61st percentile tells the whole story. The processor is not being challenged.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the Intel Xeon w5-3525 and AMD EPYC 4484PX, which are workstation-class parts. But in this gaming scenario, those differences are irrelevant. The 24 threads might help with background tasks or streaming, but for The Technomancer’s core gameplay loop, the CPU’s single-core performance is what matters. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2204 is strong, but it is not the reason the combo ranks 1709th. The bottleneck is unequivocally the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the target resolution.

For 1920x1080, the best experience is achieved with High settings. The average of 99 FPS is smooth, and the GPU has enough headroom to maintain that framerate without dipping into uncomfortable territory. Ultra settings at 77 FPS are also viable, but the 22 FPS difference between High and Ultra does not justify the potential for frame drops in busy scenes. Medium settings at 115 FPS are overkill for most displays, and the visual quality loss is not worth the extra frames. The sweet spot is High, which balances visual fidelity with performance.

For 2560x1440, Medium settings are the recommended choice. The average of 75 FPS is good, and the minimum of 64 FPS means that the game will stay above 60 FPS in most situations. High settings at 64 FPS are borderline; the average is just above 60, but a minimum could dip below that threshold in combat. Ultra settings at 50 FPS are not recommended for a smooth experience. Low settings at 98 FPS are unnecessary. Medium offers the best compromise, delivering solid frame rates while maintaining acceptable visual quality.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests avoiding this resolution entirely. The best result is Low settings at 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Medium settings at 41 FPS are playable but will feel sluggish, and the minimum of 35 FPS indicates noticeable stuttering. High and Ultra settings at 35 FPS and 28 FPS respectively are not recommended. If 4K is a requirement, the user should lower the resolution to 1440p or accept that the game will run at below 60 FPS. The RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are just not sufficient for 4K in this title.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is at 1920x1080 with High settings. This gives a 99 FPS average, which is smooth, and leaves enough GPU headroom to handle the game’s action without frame drops. At 1440p, Medium is the highest playable preset, and at 4K, the user should look elsewhere. The combo is a capable 1080p machine for this game, a decent 1440p machine with settings compromises, and a poor 4K option. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a phenomenal processor, but in The Technomancer, it is held back by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at every resolution, and the settings recommendations reflect that reality.