Evolve

Can Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 run Evolve? Benchmark data from the FACT PACK shows this combination is overwhelmingly capable of running the game at the highest settings across all tested resolutions, with measured average FPS figures never dropping below the 60 FPS playable threshold, even at the most demanding preset tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination in Evolve covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional headroom. The Low preset achieves an average of 304.5 FPS, which is the highest figure recorded for this combo. Moving to Medium yields 277.2 FPS, and High drops slightly to 229 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still produces an average of 156.3 FPS at this resolution. The data shows a spread of roughly 148 FPS between Low and Ultra at 1080p, indicating that the GPU has substantial capacity left even when settings are maxed out.

At 2560x1440, performance remains very strong. The Low preset averages 249.1 FPS, while Medium delivers 193.9 FPS. High settings produce 154.1 FPS, and Ultra maintains an average of 105.7 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p causes a predictable drop in frame rates, but the relationship is not linear. For example, Ultra at 1440p runs at 105.7 FPS, which is about 32% lower than Ultra at 1080p. Meanwhile, Low at 1440p runs at 249.1 FPS, which is roughly 18% lower than Low at 1080p. This suggests that the performance cost of increasing resolution is more pronounced at higher settings.

At 3840x2160, the system still clears the 60 FPS threshold comfortably, but the margins tighten. Low settings average 143.4 FPS, Medium drops to 109 FPS, and High delivers 88.7 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration that approaches the playable threshold, with an average of 61.1 FPS. Scaling from 1440p to 4K is steep: Ultra falls from 105.7 FPS to 61.1 FPS, a reduction of about 42%. High drops from 154.1 FPS to 88.7 FPS, a 42% decrease as well. Medium falls from 193.9 FPS to 109 FPS, a 44% reduction, and Low goes from 249.1 FPS to 143.4 FPS, a 42% drop. The consistency of these scaling percentages indicates that the RTX 4090 is the primary performance driver at these resolutions, as the relative cost of each resolution step remains stable across settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at Ultra settings in 4K?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 61.1 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, this is the only configuration tested that comes this close to the threshold, leaving minimal headroom for demanding scenes.

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

A: The data shows Ultra settings at 2560x1440 produce an average of 105.7 FPS. Since this is well above 60 FPS and represents the highest visual quality preset tested, it is the recommended choice for this resolution.

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

A: Comparing Ultra presets, the average FPS drops from 156.3 at 1920x1080 to 61.1 at 3840x2160, which is a reduction of approximately 61%. For the Low preset, the drop is from 304.5 to 143.4, a 53% decrease.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data indicates that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset delivers 156.3 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 304.5 FPS. The wide gap between settings suggests the GPU is not fully saturated at lower presets, meaning the CPU may be imposing a performance ceiling at lower resolutions.

Q: Which resolution offers the best balance of quality and frame rate?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the system averages 105.7 FPS. This is more than 40 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p, making it the strongest balance in the tested data.

Q: Does the system ever drop below 60 FPS?

A: No. The lowest measured average FPS across all resolutions and settings is 61.1 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. Every other configuration tested yields a higher average.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with a measured average of 156.3 FPS. This provides maximum visual quality with substantial performance headroom, as the average is more than double the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is also the best choice, delivering an average of 105.7 FPS. This remains comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold, with enough margin to handle in-game fluctuations without dropping below playable levels.

For 3840x2160, the Ultra preset again qualifies as the most demanding option at or above 60 FPS, with an average of 61.1 FPS. This is the tightest margin in the dataset, leaving only about 1.1 FPS of average headroom above the playable threshold. While it technically meets the requirement, the data suggests that High settings at 88.7 FPS would provide a more stable experience if frame rate consistency is a priority.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly indicates that this PC can run Evolve, and it does so with exceptional capability. Verdict data confirms that all four tested settings presets are playable at every resolution. At 3840x2160, the playable settings include High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 61.1 FPS. This meets the 60 FPS threshold, but barely. The data shows that High settings at this resolution average 88.7 FPS, which would be a safer choice for consistent performance.

At 2560x1440, all presets are playable, with Ultra as the best setting at 105.7 FPS. This is a strong result, offering a high-quality experience with significant frame rate headroom. At 1920x1080, the system excels, with Ultra averaging 156.3 FPS and even the most demanding preset leaving plenty of performance in reserve. The verdict is straightforward: this combination runs Evolve at or above 60 FPS on every preset and resolution tested, with the only caveat being that 4K Ultra is close to the boundary.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling in Evolve reveals distinct roles for the CPU and GPU across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is 148.2 FPS (304.5 minus 156.3), which is the largest absolute spread in the dataset. This suggests the GPU is not the sole bottleneck, as lowering settings would not yield such dramatic gains if the CPU were the limiting factor. The 1080p results, particularly the 304.5 FPS Low figure, indicate that the Intel Core i5-12400 is capable of feeding the RTX 4090 at very high frame rates, but the GPU's workload becomes the primary constraint as settings increase.

At 2560x1440, the Low-to-Ultra spread narrows to 143.4 FPS (249.1 minus 105.7). The relative cost of each settings tier remains similar to 1080p, but the overall frame rates drop, pointing to the GPU taking on more of the performance burden. At 3840x2160, the Low-to-Ultra spread is 82.3 FPS (143.4 minus 61.1), which is the smallest absolute difference. The 4K results show that the GPU is now the dominant factor, with the CPU's role diminishing as resolution increases.

The data supports this interpretation through the resolution scaling at identical settings. Moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra reduces performance by about 61%, while the same resolution change at Low reduces performance by about 53%. This difference in scaling percentages shows that the game becomes more GPU-bound at higher settings, as the CPU has less impact on the final frame rate. In practical terms, the RTX 4090 governs performance at 4K, while the i5-12400 becomes relatively more influential at 1080p, particularly at lower settings where the GPU has spare capacity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in Evolve is tracked by the combo rank, which places this pairing at rank 138 out of 3700 tested combinations. This top-tier ranking reflects the measured FPS data, which shows the system delivering well above playable frame rates across all tested scenarios.

The CPU's individual benchmark performance provides context for this ranking. The i5-12400 sits in the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 at 18697 (a 0.1% difference), the Intel Core i7-1355U at 18730 (0.3% higher), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 at 18811 (0.7% higher). The Intel Core i3-14100F trails at 18519, which is 0.9% lower. These tight margins show the i5-12400 is competitive with a range of other processors, though it is not a standout performer on its own.

The GPU, meanwhile, is in the 88th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60326 (essentially tied at 0% difference), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (0.3% lower), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 at 58657 (2.9% lower). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is slightly ahead at 61896, a 2.5% advantage. The RTX 4090's strong individual performance, combined with the i5-12400's adequate support, yields the high combo ranking observed in the Evolve data. The rank of 138 out of 3700 means this pairing outperforms the vast majority of tested combinations, consistent with the measured FPS results that show no configuration falling below the 60 FPS threshold.