Evolve

This analysis examines the performance of the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 in the game Evolve. The data presented is derived from measured benchmarks, providing a detailed breakdown of frame rates across common resolutions and quality presets. The findings indicate that this combination offers a wide range of performance capabilities, from high-refresh-rate 1080p gameplay to playable 4K experiences, with specific limitations at the most demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data for this CPU and GPU combination in Evolve shows a clear performance hierarchy across the three tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates that comfortably exceed the 60 FPS threshold at every preset. The Low setting produces an average of 301 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure in the entire dataset. Moving to Medium reduces the average to 276.5 FPS, while High yields 215.2 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still maintains a robust 151.3 FPS average, indicating that the RTX 5080 is heavily underutilized at this resolution in Evolve.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very strong. The Low preset delivers 237.1 FPS, and Medium follows at 181.4 FPS. The High setting produces 148.1 FPS, which is still more than double the playable threshold. The Ultra preset drops to 100.2 FPS, which remains comfortably above 60 FPS and suggests that the game can be played at maximum quality without compromising smoothness. The scaling between presets is consistent, with each step from Low to Ultra reducing the average frame rate by a meaningful margin.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve becomes more pronounced. The Low preset maintains a high 136.9 FPS average, and Medium drops to 105.6 FPS. The High setting yields 82.2 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold. However, the Ultra preset falls to 54.8 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. This represents the only configuration in the entire dataset where the system fails to maintain 60 FPS, indicating that 4K Ultra is the boundary for this hardware combination in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific configuration achieves a combo rank of 197 out of 3700 tested combinations. This places the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 pairing in the top percentile of all tested systems for Evolve. The rank reflects the strong overall performance, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU can fully stretch its capabilities.

The high ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 5080’s substantial rasterization performance. The GPU’s passmark_g3d score of 36565 and avgBenchmarkScore of 56083 place it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU, with an avgBenchmarkScore of 13494, sits in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. The combination of a high-percentile GPU with a mid-range CPU still produces top-tier results in Evolve, which suggests the game is not extremely demanding on processor resources at these settings.

The data shows that the combo’s ranking is likely limited by the CPU in certain scenarios. At 1080p with Low settings, the 301 FPS average may be constrained by the i3-12100F’s single-thread performance, as the GPU has ample headroom to render far more frames. The passmark_single_thread score of 3444 and 3dmark_single_thread score of 893 indicate solid but not exceptional single-core performance. In contrast, at 4K Ultra where the frame rate drops to 54.8 FPS, the GPU is the primary bottleneck due to the extreme rendering load.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU provide context for what other processors might behave similarly when paired with the RTX 5080. The Intel Core 3 N355 has an average score of 13492, which is essentially identical to the i3-12100F’s 13494, showing a 0% deltaPct. This suggests that a system with the N355 would perform nearly indistinguishably in CPU-bound scenarios. The Intel Core i5-9500 is also very close with a score of 13452 and a 0.3% deltaPct advantage for the i3-12100F. The Intel Core 5 120UL is slightly faster with a score of 13594, giving it a -0.7% deltaPct relative to the i3-12100F, which means it would be marginally slower. The Intel Core i7-1250U has a lower score of 13351, resulting in a 1.1% deltaPct advantage for the i3-12100F. These differences are minimal and would not produce noticeable frame rate variations in Evolve.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals show a narrow band of performance. The AMD Radeon 8060S has an average score of 55757, which is 0.6% lower than the RTX 5080’s 56083. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, a 0.7% deltaPct deficit. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is further behind with a score of 54828, representing a 2.3% deltaPct gap. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE is the only rival that is faster, with a score of 57367, giving the RTX 5080 a -2.2% deltaPct disadvantage. In practical terms, these GPUs would deliver very similar frame rates in Evolve, with differences of only a few FPS at most settings.

The Verdict

The benchmark results clearly indicate that this system is capable of running Evolve at playable frame rates across nearly all tested configurations. According to the verdict data, at 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding setting that maintains an average of 82.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. The Low and Medium presets also remain playable at 136.9 FPS and 105.6 FPS respectively. The Ultra preset at 4K falls short at 54.8 FPS, making it the only non-playable configuration.

At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra achieving 100.2 FPS and High at 148.1 FPS. This resolution provides the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, allowing players to use the highest quality settings without concern. Similarly, at 1920x1080, every preset is playable, with Ultra delivering 151.3 FPS. The system is more than capable of handling Evolve at 1080p with maximum settings or at 1440p with high refresh rates.

The data indicates that players targeting 4K should stick to High settings for a smooth experience, while those using 1440p or 1080p displays can confidently enable Ultra presets. The single exception is 4K Ultra, which requires lowering quality to High to maintain the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals which component is the limiting factor in Evolve. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extremely high across all presets, ranging from 151.3 FPS at Ultra to 301 FPS at Low. The relatively small difference between Low and Ultra (approximately 150 FPS) suggests that the GPU is not fully utilized even at the highest settings, and the CPU may be imposing a ceiling on maximum frame rates. The i3-12100F’s 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient for this game, but the architecture’s single-thread performance becomes a factor when trying to achieve extremely high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates still remain high, but the gap between presets widens. The difference between Low (237.1 FPS) and Ultra (100.2 FPS) is approximately 137 FPS, which indicates that the GPU is now becoming more of a bottleneck as resolution increases. The CPU still has enough headroom to feed the GPU, but the rendering load is shifting more toward the graphics card.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The frame rates drop significantly, with Ultra at 54.8 FPS and High at 82.2 FPS. The difference between Low (136.9 FPS) and Ultra (54.8 FPS) is over 80 FPS, demonstrating that the RTX 5080’s rendering capabilities are the primary constraint at this resolution. The CPU has ample resources to process the game logic, but the GPU cannot maintain 60 FPS at Ultra settings due to the sheer pixel count. The data shows that Evolve scales predictably with resolution, and the RTX 5080’s performance is the main determinant of frame rates at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the measured frame rates and the 60 FPS playable threshold, the optimal settings for each resolution are as follows. At 3840x2160, the best setting that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, which produces an average of 82.2 FPS. This provides a significant visual improvement over Medium while still leaving a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. Low and Medium are also playable but offer reduced visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is Ultra, achieving 100.2 FPS. This allows players to experience the game at its highest visual quality while maintaining a smooth frame rate that is well above the threshold. The High preset at 148.1 FPS is also excellent for those who prefer higher refresh rates, but Ultra provides the best visual experience without sacrificing playability.

At 1920x1080, the best setting is also Ultra, with an average of 151.3 FPS. This is more than double the playable threshold and provides an exceptionally smooth experience. The Low preset at 301 FPS is beneficial for competitive play or for users with very high refresh rate monitors, but Ultra is the recommended choice for the best balance of visuals and performance.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the system can run Evolve at 3840x2160 with the High preset, achieving an average of 82.2 FPS. The Low and Medium presets are also playable at 136.9 FPS and 105.6 FPS respectively. However, the Ultra preset at 4K falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 54.8 FPS.

Q: What is the highest quality setting that maintains 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 100.2 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination ranks 197 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the top tier of all configurations in the database.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the data suggests the CPU may be the limiting factor for very high frame rates. The difference between Low (301 FPS) and Ultra (151.3 FPS) is substantial, but the GPU has enough power to render faster than the CPU can process, especially at lower settings.

Q: What is the best setting for 4K gaming with this hardware?

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, producing an average of 82.2 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay.

Q: Are there any configurations where this system fails to reach 60 FPS?

A: Yes, the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold is 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, which averages 54.8 FPS. All other tested combinations at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K maintain at least 60 FPS.