The Technomancer

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a 24-core, 24-thread mobile processor based on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock is 2.70 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it features a 36 MB shared L3 cache alongside 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 per core. The CPU’s benchmark results place it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 67469. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon w5-3525, which scores 67673 (0.3% higher), and the AMD EPYC 4484PX at 67822 (0.5% higher), indicating this mobile chip performs competitively with high-end workstation processors despite its mobile designation.

For The Technomancer, the CPU’s role appears primarily in maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high—214 FPS on Low settings—which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU ample data. The 24 cores and 24 threads provide substantial multi-threading headroom, though the game, being an Action RPG from 2016, may not utilize all of them efficiently. The single-core performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2458 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2204, is crucial for game logic and physics that are often single-threaded. The 5.40 GHz boost clock ensures that the CPU can rapidly process these tasks, preventing bottlenecks in scenes with complex AI or interactive elements. However, the data shows that at higher resolutions, the frame rate drops significantly, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor rather than the CPU.

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

The Core Ultra 9 275HX’s 24 cores and 24 threads are a defining feature, but The Technomancer likely does not scale perfectly with such a high core count. The game’s release date of 2016-06-27 suggests it was designed for systems with fewer cores, possibly 4 to 8, meaning the extra threads may go underutilized. Instead, the CPU’s high boost clock of 5.40 GHz is more impactful. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 214, which is a 36% increase over the 140 FPS at 1080p High. This scaling between settings at the same resolution indicates that the CPU can handle the game’s processing demands easily, as the frame rate is not limited by CPU capacity but by the GPU’s workload at higher settings.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 9 275HX scores 0.3% lower than the Intel Xeon w5-3525 and 0.5% lower than the AMD EPYC 4484PX in average benchmark scores. These differences are minimal, meaning the CPU’s computational power is on par with these desktop-class processors. In The Technomancer, this translates to consistent frame delivery without major stutters, as the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities handle background tasks while the game runs. The L3 cache of 36 MB is shared across all cores, which helps in reducing memory latency for frequently accessed game data. This is particularly relevant in open-world sections where the game streams assets, though the data does not show explicit CPU-bound limitations at any resolution.

At 4K, the frame rates are lower—50 FPS on High and 39 FPS on Ultra—which demonstrates that the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases. The GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, as the CPU can generate frames faster than the GPU can render them. The 24 threads do not provide a tangible advantage in this scenario; instead, the 5.40 GHz boost clock ensures that the CPU does not lag behind the GPU’s rendering pace. Overall, the CPU is more than adequate for this game, and its performance is not a limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is the primary driver of The Technomancer’s visual output. It is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC, featuring 7424 shading units and 80 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock of 1290 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, which is relatively modest for a high-end mobile part but sufficient for this game. Its memory configuration includes 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. This memory bandwidth is crucial for texture streaming and high-resolution rendering, especially at 4K where the GPU must process more pixels.

The GPU’s benchmark scores show a percentile of 81 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 38135. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce MX570, which scores 38299 (0.4% higher), and the GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile at 38349 (0.6% higher). Interestingly, the RTX 4080 Mobile outperforms the RTX 4070 by 1.3% in average score, though the delta is small. In The Technomancer, the GPU’s performance is clearly the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 39, which is a 22% reduction from the 50 FPS at 4K High. This trend is consistent across all resolutions: as settings increase, frame rates drop, indicating that the GPU is fully utilized.

The 12 GB VRAM is ample for this game, as it was released in 2016 and likely does not require more than 4-6 GB even at Ultra settings. However, the memory bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s ensures that the GPU can quickly access textures and frame buffers, which is beneficial for maintaining smooth frame rates. The boost clock of 1665 MHz is not particularly high, but the GPU compensates with a large number of shading units and a high pixel rate of 133.2 GPixel/s. This allows the GPU to handle the game’s rendering demands efficiently. The data shows that at 1440p High, the average FPS is 92, which is a playable frame rate, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 39, suggesting that the GPU is stretched to its limits. The GPU’s role is therefore to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while at 4K, it becomes the limiting factor, especially on Ultra settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how The Technomancer scales with resolution. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 214, which drops to 140 at 1440p Low and further to 77 at 4K Low. This represents a 64% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K on Low settings. Similarly, at High settings, the FPS drops from 140 at 1080p to 92 at 1440p and 50 at 4K, a 64% reduction as well. This consistent scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component, as the CPU’s performance remains constant across resolutions.

The data also shows that the frame rate drop is not linear. For instance, going from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the FPS drops by 48 FPS (from 140 to 92), a 34% decrease. From 1440p to 4K at High settings, the FPS drops by 42 FPS (from 92 to 50), a 46% decrease. This suggests that the GPU’s rendering workload increases disproportionately at higher resolutions, particularly beyond 1440p. The pixel count at 4K is 2.25 times that of 1440p, which explains the steeper drop. At Ultra settings, the trend is similar: 109 FPS at 1080p, 72 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K, with a 64% reduction from 1080p to 4K.

These results indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. Even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to limit performance, the FPS is 214, which is high enough to suggest the CPU has headroom. The limiting component is clearly the GPU, as its rendering capacity is exhausted at higher resolutions. The 12 GB VRAM and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the GPU’s raw compute power, measured at 24.72 TFLOPS FP32, is what determines the frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully utilized, resulting in 39 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The resolution scaling analysis confirms that users seeking higher frame rates should prioritize lowering resolution or settings rather than upgrading the CPU.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for The Technomancer depend on the desired resolution and frame rate target. At 1080p, all settings provide playable frame rates, with Low at 214 FPS, Medium at 164 FPS, High at 140 FPS, and Ultra at 109 FPS. The data shows that the difference between Medium and High is 24 FPS (from 164 to 140), while the difference between High and Ultra is 31 FPS (from 140 to 109). For a 60 FPS target, any setting works, but Medium offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, as it is 54 FPS higher than Ultra and only 50 FPS lower than Low.

At 1440p, the frame rates are lower but still acceptable. Low provides 140 FPS, Medium 107 FPS, High 92 FPS, and Ultra 72 FPS. The Ultra setting at 72 FPS is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it viable for users with high-refresh-rate monitors. However, High at 92 FPS offers a smoother experience with only a modest visual downgrade. The data indicates that High is the sweet spot at 1440p, as it provides a 20 FPS improvement over Ultra while maintaining high visual fidelity. Medium at 107 FPS is also a strong choice, offering 15 FPS more than High.

At 4K, the frame rates are more constrained. Low provides 77 FPS, Medium 59 FPS, High 50 FPS, and Ultra 39 FPS. Only Low and Medium exceed the 60 FPS target, with Low at 77 and Medium at 59, which is just below 60. High and Ultra are not recommended for a smooth experience, as they fall below 60 FPS. The data suggests that Medium is the best option at 4K, as it provides a balance between visual quality and performance, with a minimum FPS of 50 and a maximum of 68. For users who prioritize frame rate over visuals, Low at 77 FPS is the only option that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. Overall, the recommendations are: 1080p Medium for a balanced experience, 1440p High for the best blend of quality and speed, and 4K Medium for playable frame rates with reduced visual fidelity.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 109, which is the lowest among the 1080p presets but still well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 Mobile compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 4070?

A: The RTX 4080 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 38135, which is 1.3% higher than the RTX 4070’s score of 37648. This indicates a slight performance advantage in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting component. For example, at 4K High, the average FPS is 50, while at 4K Low, it is 77, demonstrating that GPU load increases significantly with settings, while CPU performance remains constant.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 91, with an average of 107 and a maximum of 123, indicating consistent performance without major dips.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX’s performance compare to the Intel Xeon w5-3525?

A: The Core Ultra 9 275HX has an average benchmark score of 67469, which is 0.3% lower than the Intel Xeon w5-3525’s score of 67673. This shows the mobile chip is nearly equivalent to a workstation-class processor.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low settings produce 214 FPS, while Ultra produces 109 FPS, a difference of 105 FPS. This highlights the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

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

The measured FPS data for The Technomancer with the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile is organized by resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are 214 for Low, 164 for Medium, 140 for High, and 109 for Ultra. The Medium settings have a recorded minimum of 139 FPS and a maximum of 189 FPS, providing a range of 50 FPS. The High and Ultra settings do not have min/max values listed, but the averages are consistent with the scaling trend.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 140 for Low, 107 for Medium, 92 for High, and 72 for Ultra. The Medium settings show a minimum of 91 FPS and a maximum of 123 FPS, indicating a narrower range of 32 FPS compared to 1080p. This suggests more stable performance at higher resolutions, likely due to the GPU being more consistently loaded.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are 77 for Low, 59 for Medium, 50 for High, and 39 for Ultra. The Medium settings have a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, which is the only 4K setting with min/max data. The frame rates at 4K are significantly lower than at 1080p, with the Ultra setting at 39 FPS being the lowest across all configurations. The data shows a clear progression: as resolution increases, frame rates drop, and as settings increase, frame rates drop further. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 38 FPS (from 77 to 39), which is a 49% reduction. At 1440p, the same comparison shows a 68 FPS difference (from 140 to 72), a 49% reduction, and at 1080p, a 105 FPS difference (from 214 to 109), also a 49% reduction. This consistent percentage drop indicates that the settings scaling is proportional across resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile ranks 1209 out of 3696 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the top 32.7% of all tested systems, which is a solid performance tier. The rank of 1209 indicates that there are 1208 other combos that achieve higher frame rates in this game, but it also means that the majority of tested combos (2487) perform worse. This ranking is influenced by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU is unlikely to be a limiting factor in most games.

Given the GPU’s percentile of 81 among all GPUs, the combo’s rank in the top third is expected. The RTX 4080 Mobile is a high-end mobile GPU, but it faces competition from desktop GPUs and newer mobile parts. The data shows that the GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 5080 Mobile, score slightly higher in benchmarks, which could translate to better in-game performance. However, the combo’s rank is also affected by the CPU’s performance, which is in the 94th percentile. The combination of a top-tier CPU and a high-end GPU results in a system that is well-suited for The Technomancer, though it is not the absolute best.

The rank of 1209 out of 3696 suggests that while this combo is strong, there is room for improvement. Systems with higher-ranked GPUs or CPUs may achieve higher frame rates, particularly at 4K where the GPU is the bottleneck. The data does not provide specific comparisons to other combos, but the rank indicates that this system is above average. For users of this combo, the measured FPS data shows that it can handle The Technomancer at 1080p and 1440p with high frame rates, but at 4K, it falls short of 60 FPS on higher settings. The combo’s ranking reflects its capability to deliver a playable experience across most configurations, with the caveat that 4K Ultra settings will require compromises.