Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT delivers a performance profile that is heavily skewed by resolution. At 1920x1080, the combination produces exceptionally high frame rates, including a 281.2 FPS average at Low settings, while at 3840x2160, the load shifts dramatically, with the Ultra preset dipping below the 60 FPS threshold. The data reveals a system capable of high-refresh-rate play at lower resolutions, but one that requires careful settings management for 4K gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve is presented across three resolutions and four quality presets, with the average frame rate being the sole metric provided. At 1920x1080, the performance envelope is broad, starting at 281.2 FPS on Low. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 219.8 FPS, and at High, it settles at 169.3 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still maintains a robust 120.4 FPS average. These figures indicate that the CPU-GPU combination has significant headroom at this resolution, with even the heaviest settings delivering well over double the 60 FPS playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a clear scaling pattern as settings increase. The Low preset yields a 191.5 FPS average, which is a notable reduction from the 1080p figure. Medium produces 149.4 FPS, High drops to 114.5 FPS, and Ultra reaches 78.7 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1440p shows a performance cost of roughly 60% from the lowest to highest preset, based on the 191.5 to 78.7 FPS spread. This suggests that the GPU is becoming a more significant factor, though the processor still has ample power to feed it.

At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens considerably. The Low preset averages 105.7 FPS, which is still comfortably above the playable threshold. Medium settings reduce this to 83.3 FPS, and High drops further to 65.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls to a 47.8 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is substantial, a 17.7 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset's additional graphical demands are particularly punishing at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

The verdict data provides clear guidance on the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at each resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, but the best settings are Ultra, which achieves a 120.4 FPS average. This is far above the threshold, meaning users can max out the game's visual options without concern for playability. The margin is large enough that even the heaviest preset leaves significant performance in reserve.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 78.7 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold, but the margin is tighter than at 1080p. The data shows that all presets, including Ultra, are playable at this resolution, but the Ultra setting is the recommended choice for visual fidelity, as it remains nearly 20 FPS above the minimum requirement.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The best settings are High, which delivers a 65.5 FPS average. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, leaving only a 5.5 FPS buffer. The Ultra preset is not playable at this resolution, as its 47.8 FPS average falls short. Users targeting 4K must choose High settings to maintain playability, and even then, the margin is slim, suggesting that any additional in-game load could push the frame rate below the threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component is the primary bottleneck at each setting. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across all presets, with the Low preset hitting 281.2 FPS. This suggests that the Intel Core i5-12400 is capable of feeding the GPU efficiently, and the GPU is not being pushed to its limits. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 160.8 FPS, which is a large absolute gap, but the frame rates are so high that the GPU is likely the limiting factor only at the Ultra preset.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop by roughly 30-35% across all presets compared to 1080p. For example, High goes from 169.3 to 114.5 FPS, a reduction of 54.8 FPS. This consistent drop indicates that the GPU is becoming more heavily utilized as the pixel count increases. The CPU's role appears secondary here, as the i5-12400 has sufficient single-thread and multi-thread performance to avoid being a bottleneck, based on its benchmark scores such as a 3dmark single-thread score of 910 and a cinebench r23 multicore score of 15989.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The Low preset still delivers 105.7 FPS, but the gap between Low and Ultra is 57.9 FPS, which is the largest absolute drop across any resolution. The Ultra preset's 47.8 FPS is below the playable threshold, indicating that the RX 7900 XT's capabilities are being exhausted at this resolution. The CPU's role is minimized, as the i5-12400's performance is more than adequate to handle the game's logic at 4K, but the GPU's raw throughput is insufficient for the highest settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for what other hardware might produce similar frame rates. For the Intel Core i5-12400, the closest competitor is the AMD EPYC 7643, which has an average benchmark score of 18697, a delta of -0.1% compared to the i5-12400's 18683. This indicates that the EPYC 7643 would perform nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios. Other close rivals include the Intel Core i7-1355U with a score of 18730 (-0.3% delta) and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 with a score of 18811 (-0.7% delta). The Intel Core i3-14100F is also nearby, with a score of 18519 and a +0.9% delta, meaning it is slightly slower. These alternatives would likely produce similar CPU-side performance, though the exact FPS in Evolve would depend on their individual architectures.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, the nearest rivals are notably different. The AMD Radeon 660M has an average benchmark score of 13812, which is -0.5% compared to the RX 7900 XT's 13745. This is surprising, as the 660M is an integrated GPU, but the benchmark data places it as a near-match. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile also scores 13821 (-0.5% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871 (-0.9% delta). The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the only rival with a positive delta, scoring 13543 and being 1.5% faster. These rivals would produce similar GPU-bound frame rates, though the RX 9070 XT might offer a slight edge in the most demanding settings, such as 4K Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 47.8, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is High, with a 65.5 FPS average.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 achieves a 78.7 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most demanding preset that remains playable at this resolution.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 169.3 at 1920x1080 to 65.5 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 103.8 FPS. This represents a 61% decrease in frame rate.

Q: Which component is more important at 4K resolution?

A: The GPU is the dominant factor at 3840x2160. The RX 7900 XT's performance limits the frame rate, as evidenced by the large drop from Low (105.7 FPS) to Ultra (47.8 FPS), while the CPU's role is secondary.

Q: Are there any rival GPUs that would perform similarly to the RX 7900 XT in this game?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the AMD Radeon 660M (-0.5% delta), NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (-0.5% delta), and AMD Radeon RX 570X (-0.9% delta) are all within 1% of the RX 7900 XT's performance. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is 1.5% faster.

Q: Does the system meet the 60 FPS threshold at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080, all presets exceed 60 FPS, with the lowest being Ultra at 120.4 FPS. The Low preset reaches 281.2 FPS, and the Medium preset hits 219.8 FPS.

The Verdict

This PC configuration is fully capable of running Evolve at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 with all settings, including Ultra. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers a 120.4 FPS average, which is double the playable threshold, offering a smooth experience even on high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1440p, the Ultra preset maintains a 78.7 FPS average, still comfortably above 60 FPS, making it a strong choice for users prioritizing visual quality over maximum frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the system can run the game, but with limitations. The High preset is the best playable option, achieving a 65.5 FPS average, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset is not recommended, as its 47.8 FPS average falls below playable standards. Users at 4K will need to accept High settings for stable performance, and even then, the buffer is thin, suggesting that the system is at the edge of its capabilities for this game at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT holds a rank of 708 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the top 19% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing. The ranking reflects the system's ability to handle the game well at 1080p and 1440p, with only the 4K Ultra preset proving to be a challenge. The high rank is supported by the CPU's benchmark scores, such as the passmark multithread score of 18747, and the GPU's passmark g3d score of 29009, both of which are above average. While the system is not at the very top of the rankings, it sits comfortably in the upper quintile, making it a reliable choice for Evolve at most settings.