Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an extreme combination of a mid-range Zen 4 desktop processor and a flagship Ada Lovelace GPU, and the measured data for Evolve shows that the GPU is the clear performance driver, with the CPU providing ample headroom. Benchmark results indicate that this combo achieves a rank of 125 out of 3700 tested combinations in this game, placing it within the top 3.4% of all tested systems, which is consistent with the strong average benchmark scores of both components.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 125 out of 3700 tested combinations places it comfortably in the upper echelon of systems tested for Evolve. This positioning is largely attributable to the GPU’s exceptional raw performance, as the RTX 4090 sits in the 88th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347. The CPU, while not a flagship, holds the 77th percentile against all CPUs with an average score of 25005, which is more than sufficient for this title. The data shows that the gap between this combo and those ranked higher is likely due to other systems pairing the RTX 4090 with faster CPUs, such as the AMD EPYC 9474F, which scores slightly higher in CPU benchmarks. However, for Evolve specifically, the combination’s rank indicates that it outperforms the vast majority of systems, and in terms of raw GPU capability, the RTX 4090’s average score is nearly double that of the CPU’s average, reinforcing the GPU-centric nature of this build.

CPU and GPU Roles

Examining the measured FPS across resolutions and presets reveals a clear pattern: the RTX 4090 is the dominant component, and the Ryzen 5 8400F does not become a limiting factor at any tested setting. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the GPU is still the bottleneck, as evidenced by the massive frame rates. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo produces 325.1 FPS, which drops to 156.5 FPS at Ultra. This scaling is entirely consistent with GPU load increasing as settings rise, and the CPU’s single-thread score of 951 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2943 in cinebench_r23_singlecore is evidently enough to keep up with the GPU’s output. Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates still remain exceptionally high, ranging from 250.8 FPS at Low to 106.6 FPS at Ultra, indicating that the GPU is still the primary driver. At 3840x2160, the GPU’s workload becomes more demanding, and the frame rates drop more noticeably, with Ultra producing 59.9 FPS, just below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. The pattern across resolutions shows that as the pixel count increases, the performance penalty grows, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering. The CPU’s role is to feed the GPU, and with 6 cores and 12 threads based on Zen 4 architecture, it provides a solid foundation; however, the data suggests that even a significantly weaker CPU would not compromise performance in Evolve, as the GPU is always the limiting factor in these tests.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are all within a fraction of a percent of the Ryzen 5 8400F’s 25005 average. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F scores 24964, a delta of 0.2%, which makes it an almost identical performer. The Intel Core i7-11850H scores 24935 (delta 0.3%), and the Intel Core i7-13620H scores 24911 (delta 0.4%). On the other side, the AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103, which is 0.4% higher. In practice, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly indistinguishable performance in Evolve, as the game is not CPU-intensive at the tested settings. For the GPU, the nearest rivals are more interesting because the RTX 4090’s average score of 60347 is so high. The Intel Arc Pro A60 scores 60326, a negligible 0% delta, meaning it performs essentially identically in synthetic benchmarks, though it is a professional-grade card. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60140 (delta 0.3%), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896 (delta -2.5%), which is actually slightly faster. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657, which is 2.9% slower. For gaming, the RTX 4090 is the obvious choice, but the data shows that in terms of average benchmark scores, there are professional workstation GPUs that sit in the same performance tier, though they may lack gaming-specific optimizations. The key takeaway is that the CPU has many similar alternatives, while the GPU’s nearest rivals are less common in consumer gaming systems.

The Verdict

Based on the verdict by resolution, this PC can run Evolve at playable frame rates in almost every scenario. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with High being the best playable setting, delivering an average of 84.8 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K falls short at 59.9 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with Ultra producing an average of 106.6 FPS. At 1920x1080, all presets are also playable, with Ultra achieving 156.5 FPS. The data shows that the only configuration that fails to clear 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which is a demanding setting for any hardware. For users with a 4K display, dropping to High settings is the recommended path to maintain smooth gameplay, as it still provides a significant margin above the threshold. For 1440p and 1080p displays, the system has more than enough performance to run the game at maximum settings with high frame rates, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at performance across all resolutions and presets, with only average FPS recorded (no min or max values). At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high: Low produces 325.1 FPS, Medium produces 286.1 FPS, High produces 228.3 FPS, and Ultra produces 156.5 FPS. This shows a steady decline as settings increase, with Ultra still maintaining a very high frame rate. At 2560x1440, the results are similarly impressive: Low yields 250.8 FPS, Medium yields 194.5 FPS, High yields 149.5 FPS, and Ultra yields 106.6 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent reduction of roughly 20-30% at each preset, which is expected as the GPU processes more pixels. At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop more significantly: Low produces 145.1 FPS, Medium produces 109.5 FPS, High produces 84.8 FPS, and Ultra produces 59.9 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K is much more pronounced, particularly at Ultra, where the frame rate nearly halves. This data illustrates that the RTX 4090 is powerful enough to handle 4K at high settings, but Ultra is just beyond its reach for this game. The absence of min and max FPS values means that frame time consistency cannot be assessed, but the average scores are uniformly high across all playable settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the measured average FPS is 59.9, which is just below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. The best playable setting at 4K is High, which achieves 84.8 FPS.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, but the best setting is Ultra, which delivers an average of 106.6 FPS, well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25005. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, scores 24964, which is a 0.2% difference. Other rivals like the Intel Core i7-11850H and Intel Core i7-13620H are within 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively, making them effectively equivalent in performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the fastest GPU in its benchmark tier?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, scores 60326, which is a 0% delta, meaning they are virtually identical in synthetic tests. However, the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896, which is 2.5% higher.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average FPS is 228.3. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS drops to 84.8, representing a 62.9% reduction in performance when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Does the game perform better at Low settings?

A: Yes, at all resolutions, Low settings produce the highest frame rates. For example, at 1920x1080, Low yields 325.1 FPS compared to 156.5 FPS at Ultra. At 3840x2160, Low yields 145.1 FPS compared to 59.9 FPS at Ultra.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is identified. At 1920x1080, the best setting is Ultra, which achieves an average of 156.5 FPS, leaving substantial headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, the best setting is also Ultra, delivering an average of 106.6 FPS, which is still comfortably above the target. At 3840x2160, the best setting is High, producing 84.8 FPS, as Ultra falls short at 59.9 FPS. These results indicate that for 1080p and 1440p displays, the system can run Evolve at maximum settings with high frame rates, suitable for even the fastest refresh-rate monitors. For 4K displays, the recommended setting is High, which provides a smooth experience while sacrificing some visual fidelity compared to Ultra. The data shows that the RTX 4090 is overkill for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, it is just barely insufficient for Ultra settings, making High the optimal choice for a consistent 60 FPS experience.