The Technomancer

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a severely GPU-bound experience in The Technomancer, with the measured frame rates revealing a system that is only viable at lower resolutions and settings. The data shows a clear pattern: the Arc B390's performance ceiling is the primary constraint, as the 290K Plus's substantial processing power is left largely untapped. Across all measured resolutions, the average FPS scales directly with the graphical preset, indicating that the integrated GPU is the definitive bottleneck. This combination ranks in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations for this game, delivering playable performance only at 1080p with Low settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, underscoring the GPU's limitations. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 52 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that average falls to 34 FPS, a reduction of 18 FPS. Pushing to 4K High, the average plummets to 19 FPS. This pattern holds across all settings; for instance, Low settings yield 79 FPS at 1080p, 52 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. The scaling factor is significant: from 1080p to 4K at High settings, the frame rate drops by roughly 63%, and at Low settings, it drops by about 65%. This indicates that the rendering load is scaling almost linearly with pixel count, a classic sign of a component that is saturated by the fill-rate and shading demands of higher resolutions.

The data suggests that the limiting component is unambiguously the GPU. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, demonstrates immense compute capability in synthetic benchmarks, but these capabilities do not translate into higher frame rates as resolution increases. The Arc B390, with its 1536 shading units and 24 ROPs, simply cannot process the increased pixel data of 1440p and 4K fast enough. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings sees the average FPS drop from 61 to 40, and the min FPS drops from 52 to 34. This shows that not only is the average performance degrading, but the frame time consistency is also suffering, which can lead to stutter and a less fluid experience. The GPU's low 9th percentile ranking among all tested GPUs reinforces this, as it is positioned near the very bottom of the performance hierarchy.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combination capable of running The Technomancer at 4K?*

A: No. The measured data shows that at 4K, the best average FPS achieved is 28 on Low settings, dropping to 15 FPS on Ultra. These frame rates are below the threshold for smooth, playable gameplay.

Q: What is the highest playable configuration for this combo?

A: The only configuration that achieves a consistently playable frame rate is 1080p with Low settings, which averages 79 FPS. The 1080p Medium preset also offers acceptable performance at 61 FPS, though it dips to a min of 52 FPS.

Q: How does the 1080p High setting compare to 1440p Low?

A: Both configurations yield nearly identical average frame rates. At 1080p High, the average is 52 FPS; at 1440p Low, it is also 52 FPS. This suggests that the GPU is equally stressed by either the higher resolution or the more demanding settings, with no clear advantage to either approach.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The frame rates scale consistently with GPU load (resolution and settings), and the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a high-end processor with a 96th percentile ranking. The performance is instead capped by the Arc B390's capabilities.

Q: What kind of performance difference is there between Ultra and Low settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, Ultra settings average 40 FPS, while Low settings average 79 FPS. This represents a 39 FPS increase, or nearly double the frame rate, by lowering the preset.

Q: How does the Arc B390's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: Based on its average benchmark score of 1482, the Arc B390 is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are all very low-end components, confirming the B390's entry-level positioning.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, and its role in this system is to provide all graphics processing. Its performance characteristics are the sole determinant of the gaming experience in The Technomancer. The GPU's base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. This boost clock is high, but the architecture's limited resources—specifically its 1536 shading units and 24 ROPs—prevent it from delivering high frame rates in a demanding title. The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's DDR5 memory. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which can be a limiting factor in games, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access.

In this specific game, the GPU's VRAM allocation is less of a concern than its raw compute power. The Technomancer is a 2016 title, and its texture and geometry demands are not excessive by modern standards. The data shows that the primary issue is the GPU's fill rate and shader throughput. For example, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 15, which is a slide-show frame rate. Even at 4K Low, the average is only 28 FPS. These results point to a GPU that is overwhelmed by the pixel count at 4K, regardless of the complexity of the scene. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1482, which places the GPU in the 9th percentile, further confirms its low-end status.

The relationship between the GPU's clocks and results is straightforward. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is the maximum, but sustained performance will likely be lower, especially under load. The fact that the GPU is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a TDP of 80 W means it shares thermal and power resources with the CPU. This can lead to thermal throttling in a sustained gaming session, which would further reduce performance. The benchmark data, however, represents the measured results, which already show a clear performance ceiling. The GPU's pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are modest figures that align with the observed frame rates in the 1080p and 1440p measurements.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at the combo's performance across all nine tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings average 79 FPS, Medium settings average 61 FPS with a min of 52 and a max of 70, High settings average 52 FPS, and Ultra settings average 40 FPS. This is the only resolution where the combo achieves consistently playable frame rates, with Low and Medium presets providing a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 52 FPS, which is borderline playable but will have noticeable drops in busy scenes. The Medium preset averages 40 FPS, with a min of 34 FPS and a max of 46 FPS. High settings yield an average of 34 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to an average of 26 FPS. These frame rates are generally considered too low for a smooth action RPG, where responsiveness is key.

At 3840x2160, the performance is not viable for gameplay. The Low preset averages 28 FPS, Medium averages 22 FPS (with a min of 19 and max of 25), High averages 19 FPS, and Ultra averages 15 FPS. All of these are below the 30 FPS threshold for playability and will result in a stuttering, unresponsive experience. The data shows a consistent and predictable degradation of performance as both resolution and settings increase, confirming the GPU as the definitive bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the Intel Arc B390 is ranked 2500 out of 2825 tested combos for The Technomancer. This places it in the bottom 11.5% of all configurations, a clear indication of its low performance tier. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. While the CPU is a top-tier processor, its contribution to gaming performance is negligible when paired with such a weak graphics solution.

The combo's rank of 2500 is not a reflection of the CPU but of the unbalanced pairing. A system with a less powerful CPU but a more capable discrete GPU would rank significantly higher. The data shows that the CPU's 96th percentile ranking and high multi-threaded scores (e.g., 51,731 in Cinebench R23) are irrelevant to the gaming outcome here. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking is the dominant factor. The nearest rivals for the GPU, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710, are ancient, low-end parts that would also struggle with this game. This context highlights that the Arc B390 is not a gaming GPU in any meaningful sense for this title, and the combo's rank accurately reflects its poor gaming performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only reasonable settings for this combo are at 1920x1080. For the best experience, the Low preset is recommended, as it is the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, averaging 79 FPS. This ensures a fluid and responsive experience, which is crucial for an action RPG's combat and exploration.

If a user prefers higher visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1080p is a viable alternative, averaging 61 FPS. However, the min FPS of 52 indicates that there will be occasional dips below 60 FPS, which may be noticeable to sensitive players. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p are not recommended, as they pull the average down to 52 FPS and 40 FPS, respectively, compromising the smoothness of gameplay for marginal visual gains.

At 1440p, the Low preset (52 FPS) is the only one that approaches playability, but it will likely feel inconsistent. The data suggests that users should avoid 1440p and 4K entirely with this setup. The performance at these resolutions is too low to provide a satisfactory experience, even on the lowest settings. The 1080p Medium preset strikes the best balance between visual quality and performance, but for a strictly stable frame rate, the Low preset is the safest choice. The measured data leaves no room for interpretation: this is a 1080p, low-to-medium settings machine for The Technomancer.