Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X (launch MSRP $499) paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (launch MSRP 999 USD) is a high-end desktop combination built for demanding workloads. For Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, the measured frame rates show that this combo comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS playable threshold at 1080p and 1440p across all presets, and at 4K up to High settings. The data indicates a robust experience, though 4K Ultra falls short at 56.8 FPS, making it the only configuration that fails the 60 FPS target.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 74.7 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 56.8 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold, so it cannot be recommended for a smooth experience. Medium delivers 96.5 FPS and Low reaches 125.3 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while maintaining the target. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, as the jump from High to Ultra costs over 17 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves significantly. The Ultra preset averages 96.8 FPS, clearing the threshold with a substantial margin of 36.8 FPS. High runs at 135.2 FPS, Medium at 170.5 FPS, and Low at 222.4 FPS. Since Ultra is both the most demanding and well above 60 FPS, it is the recommended setting at this resolution. The headroom at 1440p suggests that the combo can handle even more demanding scenes without dropping below the threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 139.8 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS target. High runs at 202.1 FPS, Medium at 260.9 FPS, and Low at 336 FPS. The data shows that the combo has ample headroom at 1080p, with even the most demanding preset delivering nearly 140 FPS. This resolution is clearly the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate displays, as the frame rates are consistently above 130 FPS regardless of the preset chosen.

The pattern across resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 1080p, the frame rate gap between Low and Ultra is 336 FPS versus 139.8 FPS, a difference of 196.2 FPS. At 4K, the gap narrows to 125.3 FPS versus 56.8 FPS, a difference of 68.5 FPS. This suggests that the CPU's role diminishes at higher resolutions, while the GPU's raw throughput becomes the primary bottleneck.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Ryzen 9 9900X features 12 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 32172 and single-core score is 2253. The CPU also has a 64 MB L3 cache and a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, supporting DDR5 memory. The RTX 4080 SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, and a FP32 throughput of 52.22 TFLOPS. It also packs 10240 shading units, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores, with a pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s.

In Evolve, the frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals which component dominates. At 1080p, the difference between Low (336 FPS) and Ultra (139.8 FPS) is a factor of about 2.4, indicating that the GPU is heavily utilized even at the lowest preset. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (2253 in Cinebench R23) ensures that it does not become a bottleneck at these high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the game reaches 336 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit for this title, but the 12-core, 24-thread design provides ample headroom for background tasks and future titles.

As resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows. The frame rate at 4K Ultra is 56.8 FPS, compared to 139.8 FPS at 1080p Ultra, a drop of 83 FPS. At 4K Low, the frame rate is 125.3 FPS versus 336 FPS at 1080p Low, a drop of 210.7 FPS. This shows that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU's performance is largely consistent across resolutions. The GPU's 16 GB of memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's textures, but the raw compute power (52.22 TFLOPS) is not enough to sustain 60 FPS at 4K Ultra.

The data also indicates that the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32172) are not fully utilized by Evolve, which is typical for a 2015 FPS title. The game likely relies on a few threads, and the CPU's single-core score of 2253 is more relevant. Overall, the CPU provides a strong foundation, but the GPU dictates the frame rate at higher resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Ryzen 9 9900X has an average benchmark score of 57498 across all tests. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9015 with an average score of 57555 and a delta of -0.1%, the AMD EPYC 7313 at 57399 (delta 0.2%), the Intel Core i9-14900 at 58115 (delta -1.1%), and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M at 58323 (delta -1.4%). These deltas are all within 1.5% of the 9900X, meaning that a system with any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve, assuming the same GPU is used. The Intel Core i9-14900 is the closest in performance, with a delta of -1.1%, so it would behave almost exactly the same in this game.

The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 with a score of 54247 and a delta of -0.1%, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54828 (delta -1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB at 55698 (delta -2.7%), and the AMD Radeon 8060S at 55757 (delta -2.8%). The RTX 4080 is the closest match, with a delta of -0.1%, so swapping to a non-SUPER 4080 would yield almost exactly the same performance in Evolve. The other alternatives are within 3% of the 4080 SUPER, so they would also deliver similar playable experiences, though the RX 6750 GRE and Radeon 8060S have higher average scores, meaning they could be slightly faster in some scenarios.

For a user considering a CPU upgrade or GPU swap, these alternatives represent the boundary of similar behavior. The data suggests that the combo's performance in Evolve is robust, and any of these nearby components would maintain the same playability profile.

The Verdict

The data shows that this combo can run Evolve at 60 FPS or above at 1080p and 1440p on all presets, including Ultra. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 139.8 FPS; at 1440p Ultra, it is 96.8 FPS. At 4K, the combo clears 60 FPS on High (74.7 FPS), Medium (96.5 FPS), and Low (125.3 FPS), but not on Ultra, which averages 56.8 FPS. Therefore, the system is fully playable at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings or lower. For a 60 FPS target, 4K Ultra is the only configuration that fails. The verdict by resolution confirms this: at 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium; at 2560x1440 and 1920x1080, all four presets are playable.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting at 4K for Evolve with this combo?

A: High, which averages 74.7 FPS. Ultra drops to 56.8 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 1440p Ultra?

A: Yes, it averages 96.8 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p Low?

A: The data shows 336 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: How many cores and threads does the Ryzen 9 9900X have?

A: It has 12 cores and 24 threads.

Q: What is the RTX 4080 SUPER's memory bandwidth?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested configurations?

A: It ranks 281 out of 3700 tested combinations.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this combo ranks 281 out of 3700 tested combinations for Evolve. This places it in the top 8% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a high-performing pairing. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of the CPU and GPU, and given the measured frame rates, the combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, as well as 4K gaming at High settings. The data shows that the combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, and the only shortfall is 4K Ultra, which is a niche scenario. For a game released in 2015, this hardware provides a level of performance that far exceeds the requirements, making it a future-proof choice for similar titles.