Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti delivers a robust but resolution-dependent experience in Evolve. Measured data for this combination shows a clear performance ceiling at 4K Ultra, while 1440p and 1080p remain highly playable across most presets. The combo ranks in the 64th percentile overall, sitting at position 1316 out of 3700 tested combinations, indicating a solid mid-to-upper tier standing for this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers high refresh-rate performance across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 229.4 FPS, while Medium reaches 174.9 FPS. High settings yield 136.3 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset holds a strong 92.9 FPS average. Every preset at this resolution clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a substantial margin, with the delta between Low and Ultra representing a 136.5 FPS spread.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains fluid but the scaling is more pronounced. Low settings average 151.7 FPS, dropping to 120.9 FPS on Medium. High settings maintain 92.1 FPS, while Ultra falls to 66.8 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is the closest any setting comes to the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution, but it still clears it comfortably. The step from High to Ultra costs 25.3 FPS, which is a significant but acceptable trade for visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes considerably. Low settings average 84.9 FPS, and Medium delivers 69.5 FPS. High settings drop to 55.4 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playability threshold. Ultra is the outlier, producing only 33.4 FPS, making it effectively unplayable for smooth gameplay. The 4K results show a steep performance cliff between Medium and High, with a 14.1 FPS loss, and an even sharper drop from High to Ultra, losing 22.0 FPS.

The data shows no min or max FPS values, so the analysis relies on averages. The overall pattern indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Evolve, with 4K requiring settings compromises.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 3700 tested combinations, this CPU-GPU pairing ranks 1316th in Evolve. This places it in the upper-middle tier of the database, roughly in the 64th percentile of all tested systems. The rank reflects a configuration that is capable but not top-tier, consistent with the hardware generation involved.

The i5-12400 holds the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, while the RTX 3070 Ti sits in the 75th percentile among all GPUs. The combo ranking is slightly lower than either component’s individual percentile, suggesting that Evolve’s engine may not fully leverage the combined potential of this pairing. The gap between the GPU’s 75th percentile and the combo’s 64th percentile indicates that the CPU might be a limiting factor in some scenarios, though the game’s age and optimization also play a role.

Compared to other tested combos, this configuration sits firmly in the middle of the pack. It outperforms a large portion of the database, but systems with newer or higher-end components would rank above it. The 3700-combo pool includes a wide range of hardware, so this rank should be interpreted as solid mainstream performance rather than enthusiast-class capability.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU across resolutions and presets. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 229.4 FPS, which suggests the GPU is not the primary constraint. The i5-12400’s strong single-thread performance, as indicated by its 3dmark_single_thread score of 910, helps drive high frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work per frame.

As resolution increases to 1440p, the GPU begins to assert more influence. The Low preset drops from 229.4 FPS at 1080p to 151.7 FPS, a 77.7 FPS decrease. This 34% reduction in frame rate at the same settings indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti is becoming the limiting factor. The GPU’s 608.3 GB/s memory bandwidth and 8 GB GDDR6X frame buffer are sufficient, but the rendering load at 1440p starts to outpace the CPU’s ability to feed frames.

At 4K, the GPU dominates the performance equation. The Low preset falls to 84.9 FPS, and Ultra drops to 33.4 FPS. The scaling between 1080p Low and 4K Low shows a 144.5 FPS reduction, which is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s pixel throughput limits. The RTX 3070 Ti’s 169.9 GPixel/s pixel rate becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s role diminishes.

The preset scaling within each resolution further clarifies the balance. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 136.5 FPS, indicating that both CPU and GPU are taxed as settings increase. At 1440p, the Low-to-Ultra gap narrows to 84.9 FPS, and at 4K it shrinks to 51.5 FPS. This trend confirms that the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom at lower resolutions but the GPU limiting returns at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the i5-12400 provide context for CPU-bound scenarios. The AMD EPYC 7643 scores 0.1% lower on average, making it effectively equivalent in synthetic benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-1355U is 0.3% lower, while the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 trails by 0.7%. The Intel Core i3-14100F is the closest competitor on the higher side, scoring 0.9% above the i5-12400. In Evolve, these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates, with differences well within measurement error.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3070 Ti’s nearest rivals show similar performance parity. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile scores 0.1% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 6800 is 0.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti sits 0.5% below, and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 is 1.6% lower. For this game, swapping to any of these GPUs would yield comparable FPS, with the RX 6700 potentially showing slightly lower results in GPU-bound scenarios at 4K.

For users considering alternatives, the Intel Core i3-14100F paired with this GPU would behave nearly identically in Evolve, given the 0.9% CPU score delta. Similarly, the RTX 2080 Ti would be a close GPU substitute, with its 0.5% lower score translating to a few frames per second at most in practice. The AMD RX 6800 offers a slightly better average score but would likely match the RTX 3070 Ti within the margin of error.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo averages 92.9 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 4K?

A: Medium settings at 3840x2160 produce an average of 69.5 FPS. High settings drop below the threshold at 55.4 FPS, making Medium the highest playable preset at 4K.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 Ti or the i5-12400 the limiting factor in this game?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU becomes the primary constraint as settings increase. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, with Low preset performance falling from 229.4 FPS at 1080p to 84.9 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to similar hardware?

A: The combo ranks 1316th out of 3700 tested combinations. The CPU scores are within 0.9% of its nearest rivals, and the GPU is within 1.6% of its closest competitors.

Q: What 4K settings are playable?

A: Low settings average 84.9 FPS, and Medium averages 69.5 FPS. Both clear the 60 FPS threshold. High and Ultra do not, with 55.4 FPS and 33.4 FPS respectively.

Q: Does the game favor CPU or GPU performance?

A: The scaling data indicates the GPU matters more at higher resolutions. The 4K Low-to-Ultra spread is 51.5 FPS, while at 1080p it is 136.5 FPS, showing the CPU has more influence at lower resolutions.

The Verdict

This PC can run Evolve, but the experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS threshold, including Ultra at 92.9 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets remain playable, with Ultra averaging 66.8 FPS. The 4K resolution is more restrictive: Low and Medium settings are playable, with Medium achieving 69.5 FPS, but High and Ultra fall short at 55.4 FPS and 33.4 FPS respectively.

The verdict by resolution confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Evolve. For 4K, users must accept Medium settings or lower to maintain smooth gameplay. The system’s overall rank of 1316 out of 3700 combos reflects a capable configuration that handles the game well at mainstream resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 92.9 FPS. This provides the full visual experience while maintaining a comfortable frame rate cushion.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is also the best playable setting, averaging 66.8 FPS. The margin above the 60 FPS threshold is narrower than at 1080p, but it remains sufficient for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, Medium is the highest preset that stays above 60 FPS, delivering 69.5 FPS. High settings drop to 55.4 FPS, so Medium represents the optimal balance of visual quality and performance at this resolution.