The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is capable of high frame rates but requires careful settings management to balance visual fidelity against smooth gameplay, particularly at higher resolutions. The measured results show a clear hierarchy across the tested presets, with the gap between the highest and lowest settings being substantial, indicating a title that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU load.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data suggests that the Medium preset at 1440p or 1080p offers the most balanced experience for this hardware combination. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset achieves an average of 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 FPS and a maximum of 133 FPS. This places it comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play, while still providing a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset. The High preset at 1080p, while delivering a solid 99 FPS average, does not offer a proportional improvement in visual quality worth the 16 FPS drop from Medium, making Medium the more efficient choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

For users with 1440p monitors, the Medium preset again appears to be the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS, which is acceptable for most gameplay scenarios. The High preset at this resolution drops to a 64 FPS average, which is more likely to produce noticeable stutters in demanding scenes. While the Ultra preset will push the visual envelope, its 50 FPS average at 1440p introduces a level of inconsistency that detracts from the action-RPG experience. At 4K, the data suggests that the Medium preset, with a 41 FPS average, is the only viable option for playable frame rates, though users will need to accept a compromise on visual smoothness.

The Low presets at all resolutions are noteworthy for their high performance, with 150 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 54 FPS at 4K. However, these numbers come at the cost of the game's visual atmosphere. The data indicates that the step from Low to Medium yields the most significant performance-per-visual-cost ratio. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p results in a 35 FPS decrease, but the visual improvements in an Action RPG are generally considered substantial enough to warrant this trade-off. The jump from Medium to High costs another 16 FPS at 1080p, which is a smaller performance hit but also provides a less noticeable visual gain. Therefore, Medium is the recommended preset for the best overall experience across all resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 4060 Mobile combination ranks 2257 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places the system in the 61st percentile of all tested configurations, indicating a solid mid-to-upper-tier performance level. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the strength of the individual components. The CPU, for instance, is a 24-core Arrow Lake-HX processor with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs according to the data. The GPU, an RTX 4060 Mobile with 8 GB of VRAM, is also a capable performer, sitting in the 67th percentile of all GPUs.

The combination's rank is likely influenced by the game's age and its specific optimization for older hardware architectures. The data suggests that The Technomancer may not fully utilize the CPU's 24 cores or the GPU's modern feature set, resulting in a performance ceiling that is lower than the component's theoretical maximum. The comboRankInGame field shows that many other combinations, likely with older but higher-clocked desktop parts, outperform this mobile duo. This is a common trend with titles released in 2016, where the primary performance drivers were single-threaded CPU performance and raw GPU fill rate rather than multi-core scaling or modern API features. The RTX 4060 Mobile's 11.61 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is substantial, but the game may not be able to translate that into a higher rank due to its rendering engine's limitations.

The ranking also implies that while this combo can achieve high frame rates, it does so in a way that is not exceptional compared to the wider pool of tested hardware. The system is not a top-tier performer for this specific title, but it is far from being a weak one. The data indicates a performance profile that is more than adequate for a smooth experience at 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K. This places the combo in a position where users must make a conscious decision about their resolution and quality priorities, which is a hallmark of a mid-range-to-upper-mid-range gaming system.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run The Technomancer at 4K with smooth frame rates?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the highest playable average is 41 FPS on the Medium preset. The High preset drops to 35 FPS, and Ultra to 28 FPS. While the system can technically run the game at 4K, the frame rates are below the 60 FPS ideal for smooth action gameplay, making 1440p or 1080p the more appropriate resolutions for this title.

Q: What is the best resolution for a high-refresh-rate monitor?

A: For a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, the 1920x1080 resolution is the clear choice. The Low preset achieves 150 FPS, and the Medium preset achieves 115 FPS, both of which are well above 100 FPS. The High preset at 99 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of visual quality and performance for high-refresh gameplay.

Q: How much performance is gained by dropping from High to Low settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 98 FPS, which is 34 FPS higher than the High preset's 64 FPS average. This represents a significant 53% performance increase, but it comes with a substantial reduction in visual fidelity.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a limiting factor in this game?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K, the average FPS is severely constrained, with the Ultra preset dropping to 28 FPS. In contrast, at 1080p, the CPU's 24 cores and 5.40 GHz boost clock allow for high frame rates of up to 150 FPS on Low settings, indicating the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS on the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: The measured minimum FPS for the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is 98 FPS. This is a strong result, indicating that the system maintains a high level of performance even in demanding scenes, with only a 17 FPS variance from the average of 115 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 Mobile's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: According to the benchmark data, the RTX 4060 Mobile has an average score of 22729. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, has a score of 22895, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT has a score of 22549, which is 0.8% lower. This indicates that the RTX 4060 Mobile performs nearly identically to these desktop-class GPUs in synthetic benchmarks.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and RTX 4060 Mobile handle The Technomancer across different settings. At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well. The Low preset achieves an average of 150 FPS, which is likely near the engine's cap. The Medium preset, which is the recommended setting, achieves an average of 115 FPS, with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 133 FPS. This shows excellent frame pacing and stability. The High preset delivers a 99 FPS average, and the Ultra preset drops to a still-playable 77 FPS average. This resolution is clearly not a challenge for this hardware, as even the most demanding Ultra preset maintains a frame rate well above the 60 FPS standard.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset remains highly playable with a 98 FPS average. The Medium preset offers a good balance, with a 75 FPS average and a minimum of 64 FPS, which is just at the edge of the smoothness threshold. The High preset drops to a 64 FPS average, and the Ultra preset falls to 50 FPS. This resolution demonstrates the beginning of the GPU bottleneck, as the frame rates at High and Ultra become less consistent, though still manageable for a slower-paced RPG.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 Mobile's 8 GB VRAM and 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are heavily taxed. The Low preset is the only one that manages to maintain a 54 FPS average, which is just at the edge of playability. The Medium preset drops to a 41 FPS average, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 48 FPS, indicating a more variable experience. The High preset falls to 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable at a 28 FPS average. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a target resolution for this combination, and users should opt for 1440p or 1080p for a better experience.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a steep performance cost as resolution increases. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS on the Medium preset drops from 115 to 75, a 40 FPS reduction. This is a significant 34.8% decrease in performance. The High preset sees a similar drop, from 99 to 64 FPS, a 35 FPS decrease. This scaling pattern suggests that the rendering load is scaling almost linearly with the pixel count, which is typical for a game that is heavily dependent on fill rate and memory bandwidth. The RTX 4060 Mobile's 128-bit memory bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth appear to be a limiting factor here, as the game's asset loading and pixel shading demands increase.

The jump from 1440p to 4K is even more dramatic. The Medium preset average FPS falls from 75 to 41, a 34 FPS decrease. This represents a 45.3% performance hit, which is proportionally larger than the increase in pixel count. This non-linear scaling indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard limit, likely related to its 8 GB of VRAM or its raw compute throughput. The data suggests that the 4K resolution requires more resources than the GPU can efficiently provide, leading to a sharp drop in performance. This is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, where the CPU, with its 24 cores and high clock speeds, is more than capable of feeding the GPU, but the GPU's architecture cannot keep up with the increased workload.

The resolution scaling data points to the RTX 4060 Mobile being the primary limiting component in this system. The CPU's performance, as indicated by its high benchmark scores (e.g., 35589 in Cinebench R23 multi-core), is not the constraint. Instead, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 256.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are the key factors that determine performance at higher resolutions. For users looking to maximize frame rates, sticking to 1080p or 1440p is essential, as the performance penalty for moving to 4K is too severe to justify the visual gain on this hardware.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture. It has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The benchmark data shows this is a very powerful CPU, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35589 and a single-core score of 2204. It sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. In the context of The Technomancer, this processor provides an immense amount of headroom. The game, released in 2016, is unlikely to be able to utilize all 24 cores effectively, but the high single-thread performance of 2204 in Cinebench R23 is critical for maintaining high frame rates.

The measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. At 1080p, the system achieves 150 FPS on Low settings, which is a very high frame rate that demands strong single-threaded performance for game logic and draw call submission. The fact that the system can achieve this frame rate indicates that the CPU's 5.40 GHz boost clock is more than sufficient to keep up with the GPU. Even at 4K, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, the CPU's role is to maintain a consistent frame delivery, and the stable minimum FPS figures (e.g., 35 FPS on Medium at 4K) suggest it does so without introducing stutter.

The CPU's 36 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth also contribute to the system's responsiveness. While the game may not be able to take advantage of the 17,800 million transistors or the 3nm process node, the high clock speeds and modern architecture ensure that the CPU is a non-issue for this title. The data indicates that the 275HX is a future-proof component that will handle more modern, multi-threaded games with ease, but for The Technomancer, it is the GPU that dictates the final performance, not the CPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is the performance bottleneck for this combination in The Technomancer. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The GPU has 3072 shading units and a boost clock of 1890 MHz, yielding an FP32 performance of 11.61 TFLOPS. While these are respectable specs for a mobile GPU, the benchmark data shows that the game's demands at higher resolutions quickly outpace its capabilities. The GPU sits in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, and its performance is comparable to desktop parts like the RTX 2080, which is 0.7% faster, and the RX 7700 XT, which is 0.8% slower.

The FPS data clearly shows the GPU's limitations. At 1080p, the GPU is powerful enough to deliver high frame rates, but the scaling to 1440p and 4K exposes its weaknesses. The 8 GB VRAM is a critical factor. The Technomancer, with its detailed environments and textures, likely requires more than 8 GB of VRAM at 4K with High or Ultra settings, leading to texture swapping and performance degradation. This is evident in the sharp drop from 75 FPS at 1440p Medium to 41 FPS at 4K Medium, a 45% decrease that is more than just a pixel-count penalty.

Furthermore, the GPU's 128-bit memory bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering. The data suggests that the GPU is memory-bandwidth-limited, as the performance drops out of proportion to the resolution increase. The RTX 4060 Mobile's 11.61 TFLOPS of compute power is not the main constraint; rather, it is the ability to feed the shaders with data quickly enough. For this game, the RTX 4060 Mobile is a capable 1080p and 1440p GPU, but it is not suited for 4K gaming. The data indicates that users should treat this as a high-refresh-rate 1440p card, and the settings recommendations reflect this, with Medium at 1440p being the optimal balance of visual quality and performance.