The Technomancer

The Technomancer’s performance on the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combo reveals a system that is distinctly more capable at mainstream resolutions than at 4K. The measured frame rates show a predictable decline as pixel count climbs, but the rate of that decline points squarely at the GPU as the limiting factor. At 1080p, the combo delivers smooth, high-refresh-rate gameplay, while at 4K, it falls below the 60 FPS threshold even on Medium settings, indicating that the RTX 4060’s 8 GB frame buffer and 128-bit memory interface are stressed by the game’s demands at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern: performance degrades significantly as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at High settings reduces the average frame rate from 99 FPS to 64 FPS, a drop of 35 FPS or roughly 35%. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more punishing, with the High preset falling from 64 FPS to 35 FPS, another 29 FPS decline. This steep, near-linear drop with pixel count indicates that the RTX 4060 is the bottleneck, as the CPU’s workload does not scale with resolution in the same way.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens dramatically at higher resolutions, further confirming GPU limitation. At 1080p, the spread between Low (150 FPS) and Ultra (77 FPS) is 73 FPS. At 1440p, that spread narrows to 48 FPS (98 FPS Low vs. 50 FPS Ultra). At 4K, the spread collapses to just 26 FPS (54 FPS Low vs. 28 FPS Ultra). This compression of the settings range at 4K suggests that even the lowest settings cannot overcome the GPU’s raw throughput limits, whereas at 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to accommodate the increased shading and texture work of higher presets.

The 4K Medium result, with an average of 41 FPS and a minimum of 35 FPS, is particularly telling. The minimum FPS is only 6 FPS below the average, suggesting that the frame time variance is relatively contained, but the overall level is far from playable for a smooth experience. The 1080p Medium result, averaging 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, shows a much healthier performance envelope, indicating that the GPU is not being pushed to its absolute limits at that resolution. The data implies that 4K is reserved for those willing to accept sub-40 FPS averages, while 1440p offers a viable middle ground for those seeking higher visual fidelity without sacrificing fluidity.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H and RTX 4060 combination ranks 1709 out of 2825 tested combos in The Technomancer, placing it in the lower half of the database. This percentile position, roughly the 39th percentile (calculated from the rank and total), suggests that while this combo is not a weak performer, it is outpaced by a significant majority of other system configurations tested for this title. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of both the CPU and GPU, and given the GPU’s relatively modest 61st percentile ranking among all GPUs, the overall combo ranking is dragged down primarily by the graphics card.

The CPU’s individual standing is notably stronger, with an 87th percentile ranking against all CPUs. This disparity between the CPU’s high percentile (87) and the combo’s low in-game rank (1709/2825) is a clear indicator that the system’s performance in The Technomancer is not CPU-constrained. If the processor were the limiting factor, the combo would likely rank higher, closer to the CPU’s own percentile. Instead, the combo’s rank aligns more closely with the GPU’s 61st percentile, reinforcing the conclusion that the RTX 4060 is the primary determinant of frame rates in this game.

Comparing the CPU to its nearest rivals further illustrates its strength. The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H has an average benchmark score of 40518, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core 7 253PE (40557, deltaPct -0.1) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940H (40431, deltaPct 0.2). These negligible percentage differences, all under 1%, mean that swapping this CPU for any of these alternatives would have virtually no impact on The Technomancer’s performance. The game is simply not demanding enough on the processor to differentiate between these top-tier mobile chips, making the GPU choice the sole arbiter of the combo’s rank.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the decisive component in this combo’s gaming performance. Its specifications paint a picture of a capable but not flagship-tier mobile GPU. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes a limiting factor at 4K in a demanding title like The Technomancer. The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz and its 3072 shading units contribute to a FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS, which is solid for its class but not enough to maintain high frame rates at ultra-high resolutions.

The GPU’s benchmark data shows a mixed profile. Its Passmark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, which is respectable but not exceptional. More telling is its Passmark DirectX 12 score of 76, a relatively low number that suggests the card may not be fully optimized for the latest API’s feature set, although The Technomancer is a 2016 title that likely relies on older DirectX paths. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (avgScore 17666, deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD Radeon 780M (avgScore 17588, deltaPct 0.3), have nearly identical average scores, indicating that the RTX 4060 sits in a crowded performance band where architectural differences matter little for this game.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is the most critical spec for The Technomancer at 4K. With 4K textures and high-detail settings, the game can easily exceed this amount, leading to texture swapping and stutters, which explains why the 4K Ultra preset only achieves 28 FPS. The 128-bit memory bus, while efficient for its size, also limits the speed at which data can be fed to the GPU cores. The measured FPS data supports this analysis: at 1080p, where 8 GB is sufficient, the GPU performs admirably, but at 4K, the memory subsystem becomes a bottleneck, capping performance even on Low settings at 54 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the performance is strong across the board. The Low preset achieves an average of 150 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates that the CPU is not holding back the GPU at all. Medium averages 115 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience even in demanding scenes. High drops to 99 FPS, and Ultra settles at 77 FPS, all well above the 60 FPS target for fluid gameplay. This resolution is clearly where this combo shines, offering headroom for high refresh rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable but shows the GPU working harder. Low averages 98 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium averages 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS, keeping the experience mostly smooth but with occasional dips near the 60 FPS threshold. High averages 64 FPS, which is playable but leaves little room for frame time spikes. Ultra drops to 50 FPS, which is below the ideal target but still manageable for slower-paced gameplay. This resolution represents a trade-off between visual quality and frame rate, with Medium being the sweet spot for a consistent 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low averages 54 FPS, barely crossing the 60 FPS mark but with no minimum data to confirm stability. Medium averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, which is a significant drop and likely to be noticeable as stuttering. High averages 35 FPS, and Ultra falls to 28 FPS, both of which are generally considered unplayable for an action RPG that requires timely dodges and attacks. The 4K data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in The Technomancer, and users should either lower resolution or accept a compromised experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra X7 368H is a 16-core, 16-thread processor based on the Panther Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance. Its benchmark results are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28221 and a single-core score of 3984. These numbers place it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, indicating that it is a high-end mobile processor capable of handling demanding workloads beyond gaming.

In the context of The Technomancer, the CPU’s role appears to be minimal. The game, released in 2016, is unlikely to utilize all 16 cores effectively, and the measured FPS data supports the theory that the GPU is the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the 150 FPS average is a strong indicator that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to reach high frame rates. The CPU’s Passmark multi-thread score of 32956 and its data compression score of 312927 suggest that it has ample processing power for game logic and physics, but these capabilities are not the limiting factor here.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the Intel Core 7 253PE and AMD Ryzen 9 7940H, have virtually identical average benchmark scores, with deltaPct values of -0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This implies that in a GPU-bound scenario like The Technomancer, these processors would perform identically. The CPU’s high single-thread score of 4005 in Passmark is beneficial for games that rely on a few fast cores, but The Technomancer’s engine does not seem to push the CPU to its limits, as evidenced by the consistent scaling of FPS with resolution changes rather than with CPU load.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend entirely on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 77 FPS is the best choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold. If a higher refresh rate is desired, the High preset at 99 FPS offers a good balance, but Ultra is recommended for the best visual experience without compromising playability.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. With an average of 75 FPS and a minimum of 64 FPS, it is the only preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS. The High preset at 64 FPS is marginally acceptable, but its minimum FPS is not recorded, and the average is too close to the 60 FPS line for comfort. The Ultra preset at 50 FPS is not recommended for a game that requires responsive controls. For 3840x2160, the data suggests that no preset provides an ideal experience. The Low preset at 54 FPS is the only one with a chance of being playable, but it sacrifices most visual quality. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is a compromise, but likely too choppy for a smooth experience. Users with a 4K display should consider reducing the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

The settings scaling reveals that the RTX 4060 has a clear performance ceiling. The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 35 FPS (150 to 115), while the jump from Medium to High costs only 16 FPS (115 to 99), and High to Ultra costs 22 FPS (99 to 77). This suggests that the Medium preset offers the most efficient cost-to-benefit ratio, providing a significant visual upgrade over Low with a manageable FPS hit. At higher resolutions, the FPS cost of each settings tier becomes more pronounced, reinforcing the recommendation to stick with Medium at 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Technomancer?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, with all presets averaging above 77 FPS, including the Ultra preset at 77 FPS. 2560x1440 is viable with the Medium preset at 75 FPS, but 3840x2160 falls below 60 FPS on all settings, with the highest average being 54 FPS on Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The combo ranks 1709 out of 2825, while the CPU alone ranks in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. The FPS scales directly with resolution and settings, which is a GPU-bound characteristic, and the CPU’s nearest rivals have nearly identical scores, indicating that processor choice has minimal impact.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, deltaPct -0.2%) and AMD Radeon 780M (17588, deltaPct 0.3%). These negligible differences suggest that all three GPUs would perform within a margin of error in The Technomancer.

Q: Can this combo run the game at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 54 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, and High and Ultra average 35 FPS and 28 FPS respectively. None of these meet the 60 FPS standard for a smooth action game.

Q: What is the most efficient settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the most efficient, with an average of 75 FPS and a minimum of 64 FPS. It is the only 1440p preset that maintains a consistent 60+ FPS experience, while High averages 64 FPS and Ultra drops to 50 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra X7 368H’s performance translate to this game?

A: The CPU’s strong benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 28221 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4005, are not fully utilized by The Technomancer. Its 87th percentile ranking and near-identical performance to its rivals (within 0.2%) indicate that it provides ample headroom and is not the limiting factor in this combo.