The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents an interesting case study for modern hardware. The pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT yields a dataset that reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. The measured results show a combination that is capable of high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p but becomes increasingly constrained as resolution and graphical fidelity demands rise.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in The Technomancer?

A: The combo ranks 1038 out of 2825 tested combinations, placing it in the top half of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the best average FPS the combo achieves at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combination achieves an average of 196 FPS, which is the highest average FPS recorded across all tested configurations.

Q: How does the CPU's single-core performance compare to its closest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which has a score of 83807.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 36, observed at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Which GPU benchmark shows the largest performance gap over a rival?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 22549, which is 1.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5700, which has a score of 22170. This is the largest positive deltaPct among its nearest rivals.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. This high core count and boost capability are reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and a single-core score of 7303. The data suggests this is a formidable processor for any workload, with a Passmark single-thread score of 4823 that underscores its strong single-core performance, which is often critical for game logic and physics.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are other high-end desktop and server processors, with the average benchmark score of 84003 placing it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. Its percentile ranking of 96 indicates it outperforms the vast majority of CPUs in the database. In The Technomancer, a title from 2016, this level of processing power is likely not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The data supports this, as the FPS scales linearly with resolution, suggesting that the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The CPU's robust multi-core performance, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 60860, ensures it can handle any background tasks or game engine threads without compromising frame delivery.

The 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 192 KB of L1 cache per core provide ample fast storage for frequently accessed data. While the game is older, the sheer headroom provided by the Ultra 9 290K Plus means that the CPU is unlikely to be the source of any frame rate dips. At 1080p, where the GPU has less work to do per frame, the CPU's ability to feed frames quickly is essential, and the data shows that the combo can reach 196 FPS on Low settings, a strong indicator that the processor is keeping up with the GPU's output. The processor’s performance profile suggests it is a future-proof component that will not be a limiting factor in this title, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of visual performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a Navi 32 chip, featuring 3456 shading units and 96 ROPs. Its boost clock of 2544 MHz and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus deliver a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in the performance observed at higher resolutions. The GPU's average benchmark score of 22549 places it in the 67th percentile, and its closest rivals are a mix of mobile and older desktop GPUs, showing it sits in a competitive mid-range segment.

The GPU's performance in The Technomancer is the clearest indicator of the system's overall capability. The data shows a dramatic drop in average FPS as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 128 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 46 FPS. This is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the limiting factor. The 12 GB VRAM may also be a consideration at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS falls to 36. While the game is from 2016 and may not use the full 12 GB, the computational load of rendering at 3840x2160 is substantial. The GPU's FP32 performance of 35.17 TFLOPS is substantial, but it is not enough to maintain high frame rates at the highest settings in this scenario.

The benchmark data shows the RX 7700 XT is a capable card, but its performance is relative to its peers. It is 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile but 1.5% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. This places it in a performance tier that can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming with high settings comfortably, but it struggles with the demands of 4K Ultra. The measured FPS data confirms this, showing that the GPU is the primary component dictating performance in this title, with the CPU providing ample headroom.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 2825 tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT ranks 1038th in The Technomancer. This places it in the 63rd percentile of all systems tested, indicating that while it is not an extreme high-end configuration, it outperforms the majority of tested combos. This ranking is likely influenced by the GPU, which has a lower percentile ranking (67) compared to the CPU (96), suggesting the GPU is the more common denominator in this system's performance class.

The rank of 1038 seems reasonable given the components. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU is a mid-range offering. The data suggests that the CPU's high performance does not translate to a top-tier gaming rank in this specific title because the GPU cannot fully leverage it at higher resolutions. The ranking indicates that a system with a less powerful CPU but a more powerful GPU might achieve a higher rank in this game, as the GPU is the limiting factor. The combination is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where it achieves an average of 84 FPS on High settings, but its overall rank is dragged down by its performance at 4K Ultra, where it only manages 36 FPS. This rank serves as a direct reflection of the system's gaming performance, with the GPU's capabilities being the main driver of its position in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo excels, with an average of 196 FPS on Low, 150 FPS on Medium, 128 FPS on High, and 100 FPS on Ultra. The Medium settings show a minimum FPS of 128 and a maximum of 173, indicating a stable frame delivery within that range. This resolution is clearly where this combo is most comfortable, providing a high-refresh-rate experience even on Ultra settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. The average FPS is 128 on Low, 98 on Medium, 84 on High, and 66 on Ultra. The Medium settings at this resolution show a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. This resolution still provides a very playable experience, with High settings offering a smooth 84 FPS average. At 3840x2160, the system begins to struggle. The average FPS drops to 70 on Low, 54 on Medium, 46 on High, and 36 on Ultra. The Medium settings show a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming is only feasible on the lowest settings for a consistently smooth experience, and the Ultra preset is not viable for serious play. The gap between 1080p and 4K is substantial, highlighting the GPU's limitations at higher pixel counts.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it delivers an average of 100 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. Even the minimum FPS on Medium is 128, suggesting that frame pacing is consistent at this resolution. For 1440p, the High preset is the best balance of visual quality and performance, offering an average of 84 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 66 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 98 FPS is also a good option if a higher frame rate is preferred over minor visual improvements.

At 4K, the situation changes dramatically. The data shows that the Low preset is the only one that provides a consistently smooth experience, with an average of 70 FPS. The Medium preset is borderline, with an average of 54 FPS and a minimum of 46, which may result in noticeable stutters in demanding scenes. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at 4K, as their average FPS of 46 and 36 respectively fall below the standard for smooth gameplay. The data implies that for a 4K experience, the user must make significant compromises on graphical settings, or the system should be paired with a more powerful GPU. The recommended setting is a direct function of the resolution, with the system being most effective at 1080p Ultra or 1440p High.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is a critical indicator of where the performance bottleneck lies. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 128 at 1080p to 84 at 1440p, and finally to 46 at 4K. This represents a significant performance reduction of roughly 34% from 1080p to 1440p and a further 45% from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline is the classic signature of a GPU-bound system. As the resolution increases, the number of pixels that the GPU must render grows exponentially, putting increasing pressure on the graphics card.

The data for Ultra settings follows a similar pattern, dropping from 100 FPS at 1080p to 66 FPS at 1440p and 36 FPS at 4K. The consistency of this scaling across all settings confirms that the GPU is the limiting component in this configuration. The CPU's performance remains relatively constant regardless of resolution, so the entire FPS drop can be attributed to the GPU's workload. The fact that the 1080p Low setting achieves 196 FPS suggests that the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic, but the GPU cannot maintain that frame rate as the pixel count increases. This analysis indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has significant headroom for future GPU upgrades, as it is not being fully utilized in this title. The RX 7700 XT is the clear bottleneck, and its limitations are most pronounced at 4K, where the demands of rendering outweigh its computational power.