Evolve

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers exceptional performance in Evolve, a game that, despite its age, still demands substantial hardware at higher resolutions. Measured data shows this combination handles the title with remarkable ease, offering high refresh rates across all tested settings and resolutions. The pairing of a strong mid-range 13th-gen CPU with a flagship Blackwell GPU creates a system where the graphics card clearly dominates the workload, resulting in a benchmark profile that is both revealing of the GPU's raw power and indicative of the CPU's ability to keep pace without becoming a bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark results for this combination in Evolve are consistently high, with the average FPS figures providing a clear picture of its capabilities. At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset, Ultra, yields an average of 159.6 FPS. This is a remarkably high floor for maximum settings, indicating that the system is never challenged at this resolution. The performance scaling is linear and predictable as settings are reduced: Medium delivers 291.4 FPS, High drops slightly to 231.5 FPS, and Low produces the highest average at 319.3 FPS. The substantial gap between the Ultra and Medium presets suggests a significant jump in graphical complexity, but the hardware absorbs it without issue.

Moving to 2560x1440, the system continues to deliver excellent numbers. The Ultra preset maintains an average of 109.5 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The High preset produces 155.1 FPS, while Medium reaches 200.1 FPS. Interestingly, the Low preset at this resolution achieves 261.1 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU has immense headroom when visual fidelity is not the priority. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable but not severe, with the Ultra preset seeing a reduction of about 50 FPS, which is a typical scaling pattern for a GPU-heavy title.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5090's capabilities become more apparent, yet the results remain stellar. The Ultra preset, the most visually intensive setting, averages 60.8 FPS, just clearing the 60 FPS playability threshold. This is the only configuration in the entire dataset that approaches the lower boundary of smooth gameplay. Dropping to High provides a substantial boost to 91.9 FPS, while Medium reaches 115.4 FPS. The Low preset at 4K is particularly impressive, hitting 149.4 FPS, which highlights the sheer computational power of the GPU even at 8.3 million pixels.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the aggregate benchmark data, the CPU and GPU in this combo have close rivals that would produce similar performance in Evolve. The Intel Core i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25292, and its nearest competitors are separated by only fractions of a percent. The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS matches it almost exactly with a score of 25284 and a deltaPct of 0. Similarly, the Intel Core 5 120 (score 25362, deltaPct -0.3) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (score 25365, deltaPct -0.3) are within a hair's breadth of the i5-13400F's performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (score 25201, deltaPct 0.4) is also a direct match. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Evolve, as the game's engine is unlikely to differentiate between such minor scoring deltas.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds an average benchmark score of 79842, putting it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, while having lower scores, are still within a very close margin. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (score 79605, deltaPct 0.3) and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (score 79396, deltaPct 0.6) are the closest, though these are compute-oriented cards. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (score 78940, deltaPct 1.1) is a mobile chip that comes close, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (score 80959, deltaPct -1.4) is slightly ahead. For gaming in Evolve, the RTX 5090 would outperform all of these rivals, but a system built with any of these GPUs would not see a dramatic difference in average FPS, likely staying within a few frames of each other.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data from Evolve clearly illustrates a GPU-bound workload at higher resolutions, with the RTX 5090 being the primary driver of performance. The scaling between resolutions shows a classic pattern: as pixel count increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the CPU's role diminishes. At 1920x1080, the average FPS across all settings is extremely high, ranging from 159.6 to 319.3 FPS. This suggests that even the i5-13400F, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, is sufficient to feed the GPU at these frame rates. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as 22604 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 3191 in single-core, indicate strong processing power that is not a limiting factor here.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops, but the CPU remains capable. The Ultra preset falls to 109.5 FPS, which is a significant reduction from the 1080p figure. This reduction is attributable to the GPU's increased rendering load, not CPU constraints. The transition to 3840x2160 reinforces this analysis. The Ultra preset's average of 60.8 FPS is almost exactly half of the 1440p result, showing a linear scaling that is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would plateau or show inconsistent scaling across resolutions. Instead, the consistent reduction in FPS as resolution increases points directly to the RTX 5090 as the performance arbiter.

The settings presets also tell the same story. At 4K, the difference between Low (149.4 FPS) and Ultra (60.8 FPS) is a 88.6 FPS swing, a massive range that only a powerful GPU can produce. The CPU's role is to maintain a stable baseline, which it does admirably. The data shows that the i5-13400F is a capable partner, but the RTX 5090 is the component that determines the final frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the comprehensive database of tested configurations, this particular combination ranks impressively. The combo ranks 84th out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the top 2.3% of all systems evaluated. This is a remarkable position, especially considering the variety of hardware combinations that include more expensive or newer CPUs. The high ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 5090's raw performance, which is in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The i5-13400F, while not a top-tier processor, is in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, which is more than sufficient to support the GPU's output in this game. This combination does not suffer from a significant bottleneck, allowing the GPU to operate near its full potential. The result is a system that excels in Evolve, delivering frame rates that are competitive with much more expensive builds.

The Verdict

This PC can absolutely run Evolve with exceptional performance. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: every single resolution and settings preset tested clears the 60 FPS playability threshold. At 1920x1080, the lowest average FPS is 159.6 at Ultra settings, which is more than double the playability threshold. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset still achieves 109.5 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience. Even at 3840x2160, the most demanding configuration, the Ultra preset averages 60.8 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS line. For any other preset at this resolution, the performance is even higher, with Low settings reaching 149.4 FPS. The data indicates that this combination will provide a fluid gaming experience across all standard display resolutions, with no need to compromise on visual quality. The only caveat is that at 4K Ultra, the system is operating at the edge of the 60 FPS threshold, but it does not cross it.

Best Settings per Resolution

For gamers seeking the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness, the data provides clear recommendations. At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, which delivers an average of 159.6 FPS. This is the most demanding preset, and it still provides a frame rate that is far above the 60 FPS target, making it the ideal choice for maximum image quality. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is again the best choice, with an average of 109.5 FPS. This maintains high visual detail while ensuring a comfortable margin above the playability threshold. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is also the recommended settings, but it is a closer call. The average of 60.8 FPS is just above the 60 FPS line, so players with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors might notice slight dips in demanding scenes. However, it is technically playable and offers the best visual experience. The data confirms that this system is powerful enough to run Evolve at maximum settings at all tested resolutions, with the 4K Ultra configuration being the only one that approaches the lower limit of acceptable performance.