Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination delivers a decisive performance profile in Evolve. Benchmark data shows this pairing is capable of high refresh rate gameplay at standard resolutions, but requires specific settings adjustments to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K. The measured results indicate a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher presets, with the CPU providing ample headroom even in the most demanding scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 251 FPS, which is nearly double the 106 FPS average seen at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a robust average of 195 FPS, with a minimum of 165 FPS and a maximum of 224 FPS. High settings average 153 FPS, comfortably exceeding the playable threshold of 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected scaling impact. Low settings yield an average of 168 FPS, while Medium drops to 130 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS and maximum of 150 FPS. High settings average 102 FPS, and even the demanding Ultra preset maintains an average of 71 FPS. This resolution represents a sweet spot for this hardware, as all presets clear the 60 FPS threshold.

The 3840x2160 results demonstrate where the system begins to strain. Low settings still deliver a playable 96 FPS average, and Medium maintains 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS and maximum of 85 FPS. However, High settings drop to 58 FPS average, narrowly missing the playable threshold. Ultra settings fall further to 40 FPS average, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that 4K requires either Low or Medium settings to maintain frame rates above 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K resolution with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low or Medium settings. At 3840x2160, Low averages 96 FPS and Medium averages 74 FPS with a minimum of 63 FPS. High settings average 58 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: Ultra settings at 2560x1440 achieve an average of 71 FPS, which exceeds the playable threshold. This is the most demanding preset that maintains smooth performance at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 handle 1080p Ultra settings in this game?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the system averages 106 FPS. This provides a significant margin over the 60 FPS threshold, making it suitable for high refresh rate monitors.

Q: Is there a significant performance gap between Medium and High settings at 4K?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 3840x2160, Medium averages 74 FPS while High averages only 58 FPS, a drop of 16 FPS. This represents the difference between playable and unplayable performance.

Q: What frame rates can players expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 averages 195 FPS, with a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 224 FPS. This provides an extremely smooth experience well above the playable threshold.

Q: Does this system maintain consistent frame times at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 shows a minimum of 111 FPS and maximum of 150 FPS, indicating a stable frame delivery. The 39 FPS spread between minimum and maximum suggests consistent performance without major stutters.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 in Evolve. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, with frame rates scaling dramatically based on graphical settings. The jump from Ultra at 106 FPS to Low at 251 FPS demonstrates that the GPU workload dominates performance at this resolution. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides sufficient processing power to keep the GPU fed even at lower presets.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly toward the GPU. The performance scaling between presets remains significant, with Ultra at 71 FPS and Low at 168 FPS. The CPU continues to show adequate headroom, as even the most demanding settings maintain playable frame rates. The data suggests that the RTX 3080's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the increased resolution without causing CPU-related bottlenecks.

The 3840x2160 results highlight the GPU's dominant role. The performance drop from Medium at 74 FPS to High at 58 FPS indicates that the RTX 3080's compute resources are the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU's role becomes less significant as the GPU struggles to maintain frame rates under the increased pixel workload. Across all resolutions, the i5-12400's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by its 3dmark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257, ensures it does not become the performance bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 1039 out of 3700 total combos for Evolve. This places the system in the upper third of all tested configurations, indicating solid performance relative to the wider hardware landscape. The CPU's percentile rank of 72 among all processors and the GPU's percentile rank of 68 among all graphics cards contribute to this balanced mid-to-high-tier positioning.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 18683 places it in close competition with several rivals. It sits just 0.1 percent behind the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.3 percent behind the Intel Core i7-1355U. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 is 0.7 percent ahead, while the Intel Core i3-14100F trails by 0.9 percent. This narrow spread indicates that the i5-12400 delivers competitive processing power for gaming workloads.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 23172 shows a similar pattern of close competition. The NVIDIA P106-100 leads by 0.3 percent, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 and AMD Radeon RX 6600M also hold 0.3 percent and 0.4 percent advantages respectively. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X matches within 0.4 percent. These margins suggest the RTX 3080 performs consistently with its immediate peers in the benchmark hierarchy.

The Verdict

This system can definitively run Evolve, with the playable threshold set at 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—achieve playable frame rates, with Ultra averaging 106 FPS. The 2560x1440 resolution also supports all presets, with Ultra maintaining 71 FPS average. At 3840x2160, the system remains playable at Low and Medium settings, with Medium averaging 74 FPS. However, High settings at 4K fall short at 58 FPS, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS, making these presets unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

The verdict by resolution confirms these findings. At 3840x2160, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best option at 74 FPS average. At 2560x1440, all settings are playable, with Ultra providing the best experience at 71 FPS average. The 1920x1080 resolution allows for Ultra settings at 106 FPS average, delivering the highest quality experience without sacrificing performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that maintains at least 60 FPS is Ultra, which achieves an average of 106 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above the playable threshold. Players seeking maximum frame rates can drop to Low for 251 FPS, but Ultra offers the best balance of quality and performance.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings are the best choice, averaging 71 FPS. This clears the 60 FPS threshold with a modest margin, making it suitable for standard 60 Hz displays. For higher refresh rate monitors, Medium settings at 130 FPS or High settings at 102 FPS provide additional headroom.

For 3840x2160, Medium settings are the optimal choice, achieving 74 FPS average with a minimum of 63 FPS. This provides the best visual quality while ensuring frame rates stay above the playable threshold. Low settings at 96 FPS are available for those prioritizing performance over fidelity, but Medium offers the most balanced experience at 4K resolution.