The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, interpreting the data to understand the balance between the processor and graphics card across resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The processor is positioned in the 96th percentile against all CPUs, indicating that its overall compute capability is near the top of the tested range. Its average benchmark score of 84003 places it just 0.2% above the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, its closest rival, which scores 83807. The data shows a tight cluster of competition at this performance tier; the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090) trails by 1.1%, and the AMD EPYC 9135 (82980) is 1.2% behind, while the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85072) leads by 1.3%.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage game logic. With 24 threads, the processor has ample resources to handle the game's background simulation and AI tasks. The high boost clock of 5.80 GHz is particularly relevant for single-threaded performance, which is often a limiting factor in older titles that may not scale well across many cores. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 and multi-core score of 51731 demonstrate strong capabilities in both domains. The PassMark single-thread score of 4823 further corroborates the high clock speed's effectiveness for lightly threaded workloads.

Benchmark results indicate that at 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves 249 FPS average. This high frame rate is a strong indicator that the CPU can process frames quickly enough to avoid becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do. The L3 cache of 36 MB (shared) and L2 cache of 3 MB per core provide a large pool of fast memory for frequently accessed data, which can help maintain consistent frame pacing. The data suggests that the processor's high clock speeds and substantial cache hierarchy are sufficient to keep the GPU well-fed, allowing the system to push into very high frame rate territory when the graphics load is light.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 2325 MHz, which boosts up to 2512 MHz. It contains 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The card is rated at a 250 W TDP and has a suggested PSU of 600 W. Its launch MSRP is 549 USD.

In the GPU benchmark hierarchy, the RTX 5070 sits at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40377. This places it in the upper echelon, but not at the absolute top. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, scores 40318, a negligible 0.1% difference, showing the RTX 5070 is in a performance class where small margins define leadership. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063) is 0.8% behind, while the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568) trails by 2.0%. Conversely, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40870) is 1.2% ahead.

For The Technomancer, the GPU’s 12 GB of VRAM is a critical asset, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The game's measured performance shows a clear dependence on the GPU's processing power. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 46, indicating the GPU is heavily taxed by the game's most demanding visual configuration. The memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s is substantial and likely sufficient for the game’s texture streaming needs at 4K, preventing stutter caused by VRAM swapping. The GPU's FP32 performance of 30.87 TFLOPS is the raw compute power driving the rendering pipeline, and the data shows that this power is the primary determinant of frame rate at 1440p and 4K, where the CPU has less influence.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a classic scaling pattern that illustrates the shift in system bottleneck from CPU to GPU as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system averages 249 FPS. This extremely high frame rate suggests the CPU is the primary limiting factor, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at this low resolution and settings combination. The CPU’s ability to process the game’s logic and issue draw commands is what caps the frame rate here.

Moving to 1440p Low, the average FPS is 162. This represents a 35% drop from the 1080p result. This significant reduction indicates that the GPU is now starting to take on more of the workload, and its performance is beginning to constrain the system. However, the frame rate is still high, suggesting the CPU remains a co-limiting factor, but the GPU is gaining prominence.

At 4K Low, the average FPS falls to 89. This is a further 45% drop from the 1440p figure. The scaling here is highly non-linear, which is a strong indicator that the GPU is now the clear bottleneck. The amount of pixel pushing required at 3840x2160 is significantly greater than at 2560x1440, and the RTX 5070’s raw throughput is the determining factor for this frame rate.

This pattern is consistent across all settings. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a moderate FPS loss, while the transition from 1440p to 4K shows a more severe loss. The data suggests that at 1080p, the system is CPU-limited, especially at lower graphics presets where the GPU has spare capacity. As resolution increases, the load shifts decisively to the GPU, which becomes the sole limiting component at 4K. The data indicates that for this pairing, users seeking maximum frame rates should be at 1080p or 1440p, while 4K is for visual fidelity over high refresh rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for the highest frame rate with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: The data shows that the highest average FPS is achieved at 1920x1080. At the Low preset, the system averages 249 FPS, which is the fastest measured result in the entire dataset.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest competitor?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's score of 83807. This indicates that the 290K Plus is marginally faster in general compute workloads.

Q: What is the GPU's standing among all tested graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40377. This places it above the majority of tested cards but not in the top tier, as its closest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro 580, is nearly identical in performance with a score of 40318.

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

A: The measured FPS data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. For example, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 46, which is significantly lower than the 1080p Ultra average of 127 FPS. This large drop is due to the immense rendering load on the RTX 5070.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 4K on the High preset?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 163. At 4K High, it drops to 59 FPS. This represents a 176% increase in frame rate when moving from 4K down to 1080p, demonstrating the massive performance headroom at the lower resolution.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures for the Medium settings?

A: The measured data provides minimum FPS figures for the Medium preset only. At 1080p, the minimum FPS is 162 with a maximum of 220. At 1440p, the minimum is 106 and the maximum is 143. At 4K, the minimum is 58 and the maximum is 79.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is ranked 532nd out of 2825 tested combinations for The Technomancer. This places the pairing in the top 19% of all tested systems for this specific game. While the individual components are strong, with the CPU in the 96th percentile and the GPU in the 82nd percentile, the overall combo rank suggests that in this game, the GPU is the limiting factor that holds the system back from the very top rankings.

The rank of 532 is a holistic measure that considers the measured frame rates across all resolutions and settings. The fact that the system falls roughly in the top fifth of all combos indicates that it delivers a solid, high-performance experience for The Technomancer, but it is not among the absolute elite configurations that achieve the highest possible scores across the board. The data suggests that the CPU's high percentile ranking is not fully utilized in this game due to the GPU's performance ceiling at higher resolutions, which pulls the overall combo rank down from what the CPU alone might suggest.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This section provides the exact measured average FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination in The Technomancer.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system delivers its highest frame rates:

• Low: 249 FPS average
• Medium: 191 FPS average (minimum 162 FPS, maximum 220 FPS)
• High: 163 FPS average
• Ultra: 127 FPS average

At 2560x1440 (1440p), performance scales down from 1080p, with the GPU beginning to show its influence:

• Low: 162 FPS average
• Medium: 125 FPS average (minimum 106 FPS, maximum 143 FPS)
• High: 107 FPS average
• Ultra: 83 FPS average

At 3840x2160 (4K), the GPU is the clear bottleneck, and performance drops significantly:

• Low: 89 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average (minimum 58 FPS, maximum 79 FPS)
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 46 FPS average

The data shows a clear progression across the board. At every settings preset, the frame rate decreases as resolution increases. The gaps between settings are also consistent, with Ultra being the most demanding and Low the least.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data allows for a direct comparison of the experience at each graphics preset. The goal is to find the setting that provides a high and stable frame rate without sacrificing the game's visual quality unnecessarily.

For a 60 FPS target, the data indicates that the High preset at 4K (59 FPS) is borderline, while the Medium preset at 4K (69 FPS) is a safer choice. The Ultra preset at 4K (46 FPS) falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

For a high refresh rate experience (144 FPS or more) , the user must operate at 1080p. The Low preset at 1080p (249 FPS) offers the highest possible frame rate, but the Medium preset (191 FPS) still provides well over 144 FPS and will look significantly better. The High preset at 1080p (163 FPS) also exceeds the 144 FPS target, offering a better balance of visual quality and speed.

For a 1440p gaming experience with a target of 100 FPS or more, the High preset (107 FPS) is the best choice. The Medium preset (125 FPS) is also viable and offers a higher frame rate, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often worth the small FPS cost. The Ultra preset at 1440p (83 FPS) is playable but does not hit the 100 FPS target.

In summary, the data suggests that the High preset at 1440p provides the best overall experience, balancing visual fidelity with a high average frame rate of 107 FPS. For users prioritizing maximum smoothness, the Medium preset at 1080p (191 FPS) is the recommended choice. At 4K, the Medium preset (69 FPS) is the only setting that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, making it the recommended option for that resolution.

The Ultra preset is consistently the most demanding and results in the lowest frame rates at every resolution. Based on the measured data, it does not offer a sufficient performance-to-quality trade-off for this hardware combination in The Technomancer.