Evolve

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT ranks 815th out of 3700 tested combinations in Evolve. This places the combo in the top 22 percent of all tested configurations, a strong position for a game that launched in early 2015. The ranking suggests that this pairing delivers well above average performance for Evolve, though it is not among the absolute top tier of combinations in the database.

The CPU itself sits at the 68th percentile among all processors tested, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of all CPUs in the database. The GPU, meanwhile, sits at the 55th percentile among all graphics cards. The disparity between these two percentile values is notable: the processor is relatively stronger in the overall database than the graphics card, yet the combined system still achieves a top-quartile ranking in this specific game. This indicates that Evolve's workload leans heavily on the CPU, and the i5-10400F's six cores and twelve threads are well suited to the game's demands.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is High, which delivers an average of 66.6 FPS. The Ultra preset falls below the playable threshold at 46.5 FPS, while Medium achieves 84.9 FPS and Low reaches 111 FPS. For 4K gaming, High is the ceiling for smooth play, and the jump from High to Ultra costs roughly 20 FPS, a substantial drop that pushes the experience below the 60 FPS line.

At 2560x1440, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold. The most demanding playable setting is Ultra, which averages 77.4 FPS. High reaches 113.8 FPS, Medium hits 145.2 FPS, and Low tops out at 191.8 FPS. The 1440p results show headroom even at the highest quality setting, with Ultra staying well above the playability floor.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is again the best playable preset, delivering 119.7 FPS. High averages 169.2 FPS, Medium reaches 202.9 FPS, and Low peaks at 221.7 FPS. At 1080p, even the most demanding settings provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, with the Ultra preset nearly doubling the playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals which component constrains the system in Evolve. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 102 FPS (221.7 down to 119.7), a difference of 46 percent. At 1440p, the same settings gap is 114.4 FPS (191.8 down to 77.4), a 60 percent difference. At 4K, the gap is 64.5 FPS (111 down to 46.5), a 58 percent difference. The largest absolute spread between settings occurs at 1440p, suggesting that both components are being exercised meaningfully at that resolution.

Resolution scaling tells a clearer story. Moving from 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra drops average FPS from 119.7 to 77.4, a 35 percent reduction. Moving from 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra drops performance from 77.4 to 46.5, a 40 percent reduction. The consistent performance loss as resolution increases points to the GPU becoming progressively more important at higher pixel counts. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom relative to the GPU, which is why Ultra settings still produce nearly 120 FPS. At 4K, the RX 7900 XT's rendering workload dominates, and the CPU's role diminishes.

The data also shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck even at 1080p Low, where the system reaches 221.7 FPS. This high ceiling indicates that the i5-10400F can feed the GPU effectively at lower resolutions. However, the substantial FPS drops when moving to higher resolutions confirm that the GPU is the limiting factor for 4K Ultra, where the system falls below 60 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-10400F provide context for its CPU-level performance. The Intel Xeon 6756E scores 14163 in the database, just 0.2 percent below the i5-10400F's average benchmark score. The AMD EPYC 7552 sits 0.5 percent higher at 14115, while the Intel Core 7 160UL is 0.3 percent above this CPU and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6 percent above. These four processors all deliver near-identical aggregate benchmark scores, meaning any of them would likely produce similar frame rates in Evolve when paired with the same GPU. The differences among them are within measurement noise, so swapping the i5-10400F for any of these alternatives would not materially change the gaming experience.

For the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M, which scores 13812, just 0.5 percent above the RX 7900 XT's average of 13745. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile is also 0.5 percent above at 13821, and the AMD Radeon RX 570X is 0.9 percent higher at 13871. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5 percent below the RX 7900 XT. These deltas are all small, indicating that these GPUs would produce very similar frame rates in Evolve. A system using any of these alternatives with the same CPU would land within a couple of percentage points of the measured results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the recorded data shows an average of 221.7 FPS on Low settings, 202.9 FPS on Medium, 169.2 FPS on High, and 119.7 FPS on Ultra. The progression from Low to Ultra is not linear: the step from Low to Medium costs 18.8 FPS, Medium to High costs 33.7 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 49.5 FPS. The largest performance penalty comes at the highest quality tier, which is typical for games that add expensive effects at the top settings.

At 2560x1440, Low settings average 191.8 FPS, Medium averages 145.2 FPS, High averages 113.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 77.4 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is 31.4 FPS, and the drop from High to Ultra is 36.4 FPS. The 1440p results show a more even distribution of performance costs across settings compared to 1080p, where the Ultra tier was disproportionately expensive.

At 3840x2160, Low settings average 111 FPS, Medium averages 84.9 FPS, High averages 66.6 FPS, and Ultra averages 46.5 FPS. The step from Low to Medium costs 26.1 FPS, Medium to High costs 18.3 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 20.1 FPS. At 4K, every settings increase carries a significant penalty, and the Ultra preset drops below the 60 FPS playability threshold.

The database records only average FPS values for this game, with no minimum or maximum frame time data available. The absence of min/max values means the analysis relies solely on average performance, which typically correlates well with overall smoothness in a game from 2015 that is not particularly demanding by modern standards.

The Verdict

This PC can run Evolve at all three tested resolutions, but the quality ceiling varies. At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable performance at every preset, with Ultra averaging 119.7 FPS. This is far above the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience even in the most demanding settings.

At 2560x1440, all four presets also clear the 60 FPS line. Ultra averages 77.4 FPS, which leaves enough headroom for consistent frame pacing. Players who prefer maximum visual quality at 1440p will be satisfied with this combination.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is more nuanced. High settings average 66.6 FPS, which clears the threshold, as do Medium at 84.9 FPS and Low at 111 FPS. However, Ultra drops to 46.5 FPS, falling short of the 60 FPS target. The verdict for 4K is that the system is playable at High settings or below, but not at Ultra. Gamers who want 4K Ultra in Evolve would need a stronger GPU or would need to accept the lower preset.

The overall assessment is positive: this combo handles Evolve well at 1080p and 1440p with full settings, and at 4K with a modest settings reduction. The GPU's 20 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth are more than sufficient for a game of this era, and the CPU's six cores and twelve threads keep up with the game's demands even at high frame rates.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 46.5, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. High settings at 4K average 66.6 FPS and are the most demanding playable preset.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p?

A: Ultra settings at 1920x1080 average 119.7 FPS, making it the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS. All four presets at 1080p are playable, including Low at 221.7 FPS, Medium at 202.9 FPS, and High at 169.2 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 7900 XT compare to its closest rival GPU in benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT averages 13745, while the AMD Radeon 660M scores 13812, the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821, and the AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871. The RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5 percent lower. All are within 1.5 percent of the RX 7900 XT.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Evolve performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 Ultra averages 77.4 FPS, and the system is playable at all presets. The CPU's nearest rivals all score within 0.6 percent of the i5-10400F's average, and the GPU's rivals are within 1.5 percent, so both components perform near their nearest alternatives.

Q: What FPS does the i5-10400F achieve at 4K Low settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Low settings average 111 FPS, and at 4K High averages 66.6 FPS. Medium reaches 84.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 46.5 FPS. The i5-10400F scores 14185 on average, and the Xeon 6756E is 0.2 percent below that score.

Q: Does the game stay above 60 FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: Yes. High settings at 2560x1440 average 113.8 FPS, and Ultra averages 77.4 FPS. All four settings at 1440p exceed the 60 FPS threshold, with Low at 191.8 FPS and Medium at 145.2 FPS.