The Technomancer

The Technomancer, a 2016 Action RPG, places specific demands on hardware that this mobile combination of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and the AMD Radeon 890M must meet. The measured data provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings, revealing a configuration that is primarily constrained by its integrated graphics solution. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU roles, settings recommendations, ranking, and resolution scaling based solely on the provided benchmark results.

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

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor from the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This processing power is substantial, placing the chip in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 2.5 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB of L3 cache. For a game like The Technomancer, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, physics, and AI, which this processor is well-equipped to do.

The benchmark scores for the CPU reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it achieves a multi-core score of 28221 and a single-core score of 3984. This indicates strong performance in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. The PassMark single-thread score of 4005 and multithread score of 32956 further support this. When looking at its nearest rivals, the data shows how closely matched it is to other high-end processors. The Intel Core 7 253PE has an average score of 40557, which is only 0.1% higher than the Ultra X7 368H's own average benchmark score of 40518. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H scores 40431, a mere 0.2% difference. This suggests that the CPU is a very consistent performer relative to its peers, and it is unlikely to be the bottleneck in this gaming scenario.

Given the game's 2016 release date, its CPU requirements are far less demanding than modern titles. The Core Ultra X7 368H, with its high boost clock and ample core count, provides more than enough headroom for the game's computational tasks. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 70 FPS. The fact that this is the highest average FPS in the entire dataset, and that the CPU is ranked in the 87th percentile, indicates that the processor is not the limiting factor. The performance ceiling is instead defined by the GPU, as the CPU can easily feed frames to it without being a bottleneck. The data suggests that the CPU's role is to provide a stable foundation, allowing the GPU to be the primary determinant of frame rates.

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

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, specifically from the Strix Point mobile generation. It is built on TSMC's 4 nm process and features 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operations pipelines. Its boost clock is listed at 2900 MHz, with a base clock of 400 MHz. Critically, its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory for VRAM, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a key characteristic that impacts performance, especially at higher resolutions.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest. It delivers a FP32 performance of 5.939 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 92.80 GPixel/s. Its benchmark scores reflect its position in the market. In PassMark's G3D test, it scores 8076, placing it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 9210. The nearest rivals show that it sits alongside older discrete solutions. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 9221, a negligible 0.1% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 scores 9273, which is 0.7% higher. This indicates that the 890M performs in the same ballpark as these previous-generation discrete GPUs, but it is still an integrated solution with inherent limitations.

In The Technomancer, the GPU is the clear performance bottleneck. The benchmark results demonstrate this across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU can manage playable frame rates, but as resolution increases, the strain on the "System Shared" memory and the GPU's compute units becomes evident. The data shows a significant drop in performance from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic indicator of GPU limitation. The GPU's DirectX 12 score of 37 in PassMark is low, but the game's engine may rely on different API paths. The overall picture is one of an iGPU that is sufficient for 1080p gaming at moderate settings but struggles to maintain fluid gameplay at higher resolutions. The VRAM situation, being shared with the system, means that at 4K, the memory bandwidth and capacity are likely causing the frame rate to plummet to an average of 17 FPS on High settings.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. The goal is to achieve a balance between visual fidelity and a smooth frame rate, and the data provides clear guidance. For a standard 1080p display, the Low preset offers the highest average FPS at 70. This is a significant jump from the Medium preset, which averages 54 FPS. The High preset delivers 46 FPS, while Ultra drops to 36 FPS. If a player prioritizes a high refresh rate experience, Low is the clear choice, but Medium at 54 FPS provides a more visually appealing experience while still being comfortably playable.

Moving to a 1440p resolution, the performance ceiling drops considerably. The Low preset yields an average of 46 FPS, which is still playable. The Medium preset averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS, which is on the edge of playability for many users. High settings average 30 FPS, and Ultra drops to 23 FPS. For a consistent experience at 1440p, Low is the only preset that consistently keeps the average above 40 FPS. Choosing Medium is possible, but the frame rate will dip to 30 FPS at times, which may be noticeable in action sequences.

At 4K resolution, the data shows that the combination is not well-suited for gaming. The Low preset averages only 25 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium averages 19 FPS, High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 13 FPS. None of these are ideal. The data indicates that 4K gaming is not a viable option for this hardware configuration. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is to play at 1080p with the Medium preset, as it offers a good compromise between visual quality and performance, staying above 50 FPS average. For players who value smoothness above all else, the Low preset at 1080p is the most performant option. At higher resolutions, only the Low preset is recommended, but it still falls short of ideal smoothness.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and the AMD Radeon 890M ranks at 2667 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer. This places it in the bottom percentile of all configurations tested, indicating that while it can run the game, its overall performance is far below what many other systems achieve. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is a high-performing part. The rank reflects the combined performance of the two components, and the integrated graphics drags the combo down significantly.

This ranking is a critical metric for understanding the system's place in the broader landscape. Being in the 2667th position means that there are 2666 other combinations of CPUs and GPUs that perform better in this specific game. The data shows that the GPU's average benchmark score of 9210 is only in the 45th percentile, while the CPU is in the 87th percentile. This mismatch in performance tiers is the reason for the low combo rank. The CPU is capable of much more, but it is held back by the graphics solution.

When considering the nearest rivals for the GPU, it is clear that the 890M is competing with older, lower-tier discrete graphics cards. The performance delta is very small, with the GTX 960 being only 0.7% faster on average. This means that the 890M is not a significant performer, and its low rank is consistent with its position in the GPU hierarchy. The combo rank is a stark reminder that an iGPU, no matter how advanced, cannot match the performance of a dedicated graphics card in a demanding 3D application. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for less graphically intensive titles or for users who prioritize portability over gaming performance.

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 performance scales with resolution. At 1080p with High settings, the average FPS is 46. When moving to 1440p, this drops to 30 FPS. At 4K, it plummets to 17 FPS. This pattern is consistent across all settings. For example, on Low settings, the average FPS goes from 70 at 1080p, to 46 at 1440p, and finally to 25 at 4K. This demonstrates a severe performance penalty as the pixel count increases.

The percentage drop in FPS between resolutions is substantial. From 1080p to 1440p on High settings, the frame rate drops by approximately 35%. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even more severe, with the FPS falling from 30 to 17, a reduction of about 43%. This non-linear scaling is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component. A CPU bottleneck would typically show a less dramatic difference between 1440p and 4K, as the CPU's workload does not increase as much with resolution. The GPU, however, must render each additional pixel, and its workload scales almost linearly with resolution.

The fact that the frame rate nearly halves when moving from 1440p to 4K is a classic sign of a GPU that is running out of fillrate and memory bandwidth. With its "System Shared" memory, the 890M's performance is heavily dependent on system memory speed and capacity. At 4K, the memory pressure is immense, causing the frame rate to collapse. This data conclusively shows that the AMD Radeon 890M is the primary bottleneck in this system. The CPU has ample headroom, as evidenced by its high benchmark scores, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to process the higher resolution workloads. The scaling pattern is a textbook example of GPU-bound performance.

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

This section provides a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for The Technomancer, based on the provided data. The figures are presented for each resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: The average FPS is 70.
• Medium: The average FPS is 54, with a minimum of 46 and a maximum of 62.
• High: The average FPS is 46.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 36.

At 1080p, the combo shows its best performance. The Low preset achieves a very playable 70 FPS, and even Ultra settings reach 36 FPS. The Medium preset provides a balanced experience, with its minimum FPS of 46 ensuring that frame rate dips are not severe.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: The average FPS is 46.
• Medium: The average FPS is 35, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 41.
• High: The average FPS is 30.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 23.

Performance at 1440p drops significantly. Low settings can still provide an average of 46 FPS, but the minimum FPS on Medium dips to 30. High and Ultra presets fall below 30 FPS on average, which is not ideal for a smooth experience.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: The average FPS is 25.
• Medium: The average FPS is 19, with a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 22.
• High: The average FPS is 17.
• Ultra: The average FPS is 13.

At 4K, the performance is largely unplayable. All presets fail to reach 30 FPS on average. The Low preset is the only one that comes close at 25 FPS, but it is still below the standard for smooth gameplay. This resolution is clearly beyond the capabilities of this hardware combination.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in The Technomancer?

A: The highest average FPS measured is 70, which is achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this CPU-GPU combination better suited for 1080p or 4K gaming in The Technomancer?

A: The data clearly shows it is much better suited for 1080p gaming. At 1080p, the average FPS across all settings ranges from 36 to 70, while at 4K, the average FPS only ranges from 13 to 25, which is below playable thresholds.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M's average benchmark score compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960?

A: The AMD Radeon 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 has a score of 9273, which is 0.7% higher, indicating they are very close in overall performance.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested configurations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2667 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer, placing it in the lower portion of the performance spectrum.

Q: Which settings preset at 1440p yields the highest average FPS?

A: The Low settings preset at 2560x1440 yields the highest average FPS at 46. The Medium preset is next at 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS.

Q: Based on the CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score, is the processor likely a bottleneck?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 28221, and it ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. Given this high performance and the fact that FPS drops significantly with resolution, the data indicates the GPU is the limiting component, not the CPU.