Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a wide range of performance in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The measured data shows that this combination is capable of high frame rates across all tested resolutions, though the most demanding settings at 4K will push the system to its limits. This analysis breaks down the exact performance metrics, component roles, and how this specific hardware pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is High, which achieves an average of 68.4 FPS. While the Medium preset runs at 84 FPS and Low at 113.4 FPS, the High preset represents the optimal balance of visual fidelity and performance, clearing the 60 FPS threshold with a comfortable margin. The Ultra preset at this resolution falls to 48.2 FPS, which is below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the system can handle the Ultra preset while staying above 60 FPS, with an average of 82.7 FPS. This is a significant jump from the 4K results, showing that the resolution reduction from 2160p to 1440p allows the GPU to fully flex its capabilities. The High preset at this resolution runs at 118.9 FPS, Medium at 153.5 FPS, and Low at 195 FPS, but Ultra is the clear choice for maximum quality without sacrificing playability.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 123 FPS, which is the highest quality setting available and remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. The performance headroom here is substantial, with Low settings reaching 289.5 FPS and Medium at 227.2 FPS. For gamers with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, even the Ultra preset provides enough frame rate for a smooth experience, while lower presets can push into esports-level refresh rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear shift in component bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are remarkably high, with the Low preset hitting 289.5 FPS. This extreme performance indicates that the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates, and the RTX 4070 SUPER is not yet fully saturated at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 289.5 to 123 FPS, a 57.5% reduction, which points to the GPU becoming progressively more involved as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across all presets compared to 1080p, but the system still delivers strong numbers. The Low preset falls from 289.5 to 195 FPS, while Ultra drops from 123 to 82.7 FPS. This scaling suggests that at 1440p, the GPU is starting to become the primary limiter, especially at higher settings. The CPU still has ample headroom, as evidenced by the 195 FPS result at Low settings, but the GPU workload is increasing.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The Low preset drops to 113.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 48.2 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 65.2 FPS, which is a larger absolute difference than at other resolutions, showing that the RTX 4070 SUPER's rendering pipeline is heavily taxed by the 2160p pixel count and the associated shading workload. The CPU's role diminishes at this resolution, as the 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 9950X3D is unlikely to be a bottleneck given the relatively modest frame rates.

The data implies that for this game, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the component to watch for 4K performance, while the Ryzen 9 9950X3D provides enough headroom to avoid limiting the GPU at lower resolutions. The CPU's high single-thread and multi-thread scores, such as its 3dmark_single_thread score of 1292 and cinebench_r23_multicore score of 42018, support its ability to handle the game's logic at high frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are as follows: Low at 113.4 FPS, Medium at 84 FPS, High at 68.4 FPS, and Ultra at 48.2 FPS. The progression shows a steep decline as settings increase, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 65.2 FPS. The High preset is the highest playable option, while Ultra falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the results show Low at 195 FPS, Medium at 153.5 FPS, High at 118.9 FPS, and Ultra at 82.7 FPS. All presets clear the 60 FPS bar, and the system maintains high performance even at maximum quality. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 57.5% reduction in frame rate, which is less severe than at 4K, indicating a more balanced workload distribution.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptional: Low at 289.5 FPS, Medium at 227.2 FPS, High at 178.7 FPS, and Ultra at 123 FPS. The system is clearly not CPU-limited at this resolution, as even the highest frame rate of 289.5 FPS is likely well below the CPU's maximum capability. The Ultra preset's 123 FPS average demonstrates that the RTX 4070 SUPER can deliver high-refresh-rate performance at 1080p with all settings maxed out.

The data contains only average FPS values, with no minimum or maximum frame time statistics available. This means that while the averages are strong, there is no information on frame pacing or worst-case dips, which could be relevant for competitive play or in heavy combat scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 610 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the top 16.5% of all tested configurations, which is a strong result given the game's age and the high-end nature of the CPU. The percentile data for the individual components supports this ranking: the CPU is in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs.

The ranking suggests that while the GPU is powerful, it is not the absolute top-tier option available, and the CPU's high performance helps the combo achieve a relatively high rank. The 610th position out of 3700 indicates that there are many other combos with higher performance, likely featuring more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 series, but this pairing still delivers excellent performance for Evolve.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 with an average score of 75738 (0.1% delta) and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 with a score of 75488 (0.4% delta), show that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's performance is closely matched by other high-end processors. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262, -0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (43667, -1% delta), indicating that the RTX 4070 SUPER's benchmark scores are comparable to some workstation and mobile parts.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 48.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest playable setting at this resolution is High, which averages 68.4 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 achieves an average of 82.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most demanding preset that remains playable at this resolution.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75779. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, scores 75738, a delta of 0.1%. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488, a delta of 0.4%.

Q: Is the GPU more important than the CPU at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the data shows that the CPU has enough headroom to push frame rates to 289.5 FPS at Low settings. The GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, with Ultra dropping to 123 FPS, indicating the GPU workload is the primary constraint at higher presets.

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

A: This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 610 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the top 16.5% of all configurations tested for this game.

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

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average frame rate is 178.7 FPS. At 3840x2160 with the same settings, the average drops to 68.4 FPS, a reduction of 110.3 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Evolve, with the caveat that the most demanding settings at 4K will require a compromise. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160, the playable settings are High, Low, and Medium, with the best setting being High at 68.4 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra being the best at 82.7 FPS. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 123 FPS.

The system is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and smooth 1440p gaming at maximum quality. For 4K, players will need to settle for High settings to maintain 60 FPS, which is a fair trade-off given the game's age and the visual fidelity offered at that preset. The data does not include any minimum frame rate information, so there is no indication of potential stuttering or frame drops, but the average FPS numbers are consistently above the playable threshold for all recommended settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D's nearest rivals in benchmark performance are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, with an average score of 75738 and a delta of 0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D, scoring 75716 with a 0.1% delta. The AMD EPYC 8224P scores 75582 (0.3% delta), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 scores 75488 (0.4% delta). These processors would provide nearly identical CPU-level performance in Evolve, meaning the game's logic and draw-call handling would be very similar.

For the GPU, the RTX 4070 SUPER's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, with an average score of 43262 and a delta of -0.1%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile, scoring 43268 with a -0.1% delta. The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 scores 43301 (-0.2% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile scores 43667 (-1% delta). These GPUs would produce frame rates in Evolve that are within a few percentage points of the RTX 4070 SUPER, though the mobile parts may have different power and thermal characteristics.

The data suggests that swapping the Ryzen 9 9950X3D for any of these rival CPUs would result in negligible performance changes, as the deltas are all under 0.5%. Similarly, the GPU alternatives are all within 1% of the RTX 4070 SUPER's average score, meaning the gaming experience in Evolve would be nearly identical. This provides flexibility for system builders who might find these alternative parts more accessible or better suited to their specific needs.