Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is a high-performance combination that delivers playable frame rates across most of the tested spectrum for Evolve, but it hits a hard wall at 4K Ultra settings. The benchmark data shows that while this combo excels at 1080p and 1440p, clearing the 60 FPS threshold with ease, it falls short of that mark at 4K with the highest preset. Specifically, at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 38.8 FPS, which is below the playable threshold of 60 FPS. However, the data indicates that lowering the settings at 4K to Medium yields a solid 73.7 FPS average, making it a viable resolution for this title with adjusted graphics.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four quality presets. At the native 1080p resolution (1920x1080), the combo is exceptionally fast, with the Low preset producing an average of 248.4 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 196.1 FPS, and High settings still achieve a very high 152.7 FPS average. Even at Ultra settings, which are typically the most demanding, the average frame rate remains well above the 60 FPS threshold at 107.8 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the user has complete freedom to choose any preset and still experience a buttery-smooth performance with significant headroom.

Moving up to 1440p (2560x1440), the performance remains strong but shows the expected impact of increased pixel count. The Low preset yields an average of 170.2 FPS, while Medium settings produce 127.8 FPS. High settings are still comfortably above the target at 102.2 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 74.2 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold, confirming that maxing out the game at 1440p is a viable option for this hardware combination.

At 4K (3840x2160), the demands on the GPU become significant. The Low preset averages 98.4 FPS, and Medium settings drop to 73.7 FPS, both of which are playable. However, the High preset dips to an average of 57.3 FPS, which falls just below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of only 38.8 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay on this setup. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a steep performance penalty, with the Ultra preset delivering less than half the frame rate of the Low preset.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but not at the highest settings. The data shows that at 3840x2160, the Low and Medium presets achieve average frame rates of 98.4 FPS and 73.7 FPS respectively, both of which are above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset averages 57.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 38.8 FPS, so those are not recommended for a consistent experience.

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

A: All four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at 2560x1440. The Ultra preset provides the highest visual quality while still achieving an average of 74.2 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. This makes Ultra the best choice for 1440p on this hardware.

Q: How does the 1080p performance compare to the 60 FPS threshold?

A: The performance at 1920x1080 is far above the threshold. Even the most demanding Ultra preset averages 107.8 FPS, which is nearly double the 60 FPS requirement. The Low preset averages 248.4 FPS, indicating the combo is heavily GPU-bound at this resolution.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 4K Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is 73.7 FPS, which is the best playable setting at that resolution according to the verdict data.

Q: Is the RTX 3080 or the i5-12400F more of a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data cannot directly attribute bottleneck percentages, but the performance scaling suggests that at 1080p, the frame rates are so high that the CPU’s single-thread performance becomes a limiting factor, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at those output levels.

Q: What is the highest resolution at which Ultra settings remain playable?

A: Ultra settings are playable at both 1920x1080 (averaging 107.8 FPS) and 2560x1440 (averaging 74.2 FPS). At 3840x2160, Ultra settings are not playable, averaging only 38.8 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a clear shift in component roles as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across all presets, with the Low preset hitting 248.4 FPS and Ultra hitting 107.8 FPS. This wide gap between presets indicates that the GPU is the primary driver, as reducing graphical load yields massive frame rate gains. The Intel Core i5-12400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is capable of feeding the RTX 3080 enough data at this resolution, but the high frame rates suggest that the CPU is nearing its limit in terms of maximum FPS generation, as the GPU is not the sole constraint.

At 2560x1440, the scaling between presets is more moderate. The Low preset averages 170.2 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 74.2 FPS. The performance difference between Low and Ultra is a factor of 2.3, which is less pronounced than at 1080p. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor, as the increased pixel count puts more strain on the rasterization and shading units of the RTX 3080. The CPU’s role diminishes relatively, as the frame rates are lower and the GPU is tasked with more work per frame.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is unequivocally the dominant bottleneck. The performance drop from Low to Ultra is steep, with the Low preset averaging 98.4 FPS and the Ultra preset dropping to 38.8 FPS. This is a 2.5x reduction in frame rate, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the RTX 3080’s 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 8704 shading units are fully saturated. The CPU’s role at this resolution is minimal, as the frame rates are low enough that the i5-12400F can easily supply frames without being a constraint.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provides context for what other hardware would behave similarly. For the Intel Core i5-12400F, the closest competitor by average benchmark score is the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which has a deltaPct of 0, meaning its performance is statistically identical. The Intel Core 3 201E is also very close, with a deltaPct of -0.1, indicating it is 0.1% slower. The Intel Core i5-1335U is 0.3% faster, and the AMD EPYC 7773X is also 0.3% faster. These rivals would likely produce similar frame rates in Evolve, as the CPU is not the main bottleneck in most tested scenarios.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, the nearest rival is the NVIDIA P106-100, which has a deltaPct of -0.3, making it 0.3% slower in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 also has a deltaPct of -0.3, while the AMD Radeon RX 6600M is 0.4% slower. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X is also 0.4% slower. These GPU alternatives would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Evolve, meaning that users with these cards can expect similar performance margins at each resolution and preset. The deltaPct values are all within 0.4% of the RTX 3080, so the gaming experience would be practically indistinguishable.

The Verdict

Based on the measured FPS data and the verdictByResolution field, this PC can run Evolve effectively, but the experience varies by resolution. At 1920x1080, the combo clears the 60 FPS threshold on all presets, with the Ultra preset averaging 107.8 FPS, making it the best choice for maximum visual quality. At 2560x1440, the verdict is similarly positive, with all presets playable, and the Ultra preset averaging 74.2 FPS, which is the recommended setting for that resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more nuanced. The verdict lists Low and Medium as the playable settings, with Medium being the best setting at that resolution, averaging 73.7 FPS. The High preset at 4K is not playable, averaging 57.3 FPS, and the Ultra preset is far below the threshold at 38.8 FPS. Therefore, the definitive answer is that this PC can run the game at 4K, but only if the user is willing to lower the settings to Medium or below. For users who prioritize 4K Ultra, this combination is insufficient, and they would need to consider a more powerful GPU to achieve that goal.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Evolve, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 holds a rank of 1032 out of 3700 total combos. This places the combo in the upper third of all tested systems, indicating that it is a strong performer for this title. The rank is a holistic measure that considers all resolutions and presets, and the data shows that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it is significantly above the median. The 1032nd position out of 3700 represents a percentile ranking of roughly the top 28% of all tested hardware combinations, which aligns with the strong 1080p and 1440p performance and the acceptable 4K performance at reduced settings. This rank demonstrates that the combo is well-balanced for Evolve, offering a high level of playability across most common gaming scenarios.