Evolve

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 delivers a broad range of performance in Evolve, scaling from a solid 4K experience to high-refresh 1080p dominance. The data shows a clear pattern: this combo is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance allows it to keep up at lower resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that players can expect playable frame rates across nearly every setting tier, with only the most demanding 4K Ultra preset dipping below the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the combination of the Core i5-14400F and RX 9070 shows its limits. The measured average frame rates are 96.8 FPS on Low, 72.5 FPS on Medium, 54.3 FPS on High, and 42 FPS on Ultra. This represents a steep drop-off as settings increase, with a 56.7% performance penalty from Low to Ultra. The jump from Low to Medium is substantial (24.3 FPS), but the most significant hit occurs when moving from Medium to High, which costs 18.2 FPS. The transition from High to Ultra is another 12.3 FPS loss. These numbers suggest that at 4K, the RX 9070's 16 GB of memory and bandwidth are sufficient for the lower presets, but the shader load at High and Ultra becomes too heavy for the 36.13 TFLOPS compute unit to maintain fluid motion.

At 2560x1440 (QHD), the results are much more comfortable. The average FPS figures are 166.7 on Low, 125.8 on Medium, 103.6 on High, and 67.7 on Ultra. The scaling here is more linear, with each preset step costing roughly 20-25 FPS until the Ultra jump, which costs 35.9 FPS from High. This indicates that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck, but it has enough headroom to handle the increased pixel count better than at 4K. The 67.7 FPS average on Ultra is above the 60 FPS playable threshold, making QHD Ultra a viable option, though not with a massive margin for demanding scenes.

At 1920x1080 (Full HD), the combo excels. The data shows average frame rates of 244.9 FPS on Low, 191.1 FPS on Medium, 152.9 FPS on High, and 105.5 FPS on Ultra. The performance gap between presets is significant, yet even the lowest figure (105.5 FPS on Ultra) is well above the playable threshold. The scaling from High to Ultra (47.4 FPS drop) is the largest single-step penalty, suggesting that Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU's 3584 shading units. At this resolution, the CPU's 4.70 GHz boost clock becomes more relevant, as the frame rates are high enough to demand faster draw-call processing.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear shift in component roles depending on resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. The frame rate scales dramatically with preset changes, dropping from 96.8 FPS on Low to 42 FPS on Ultra, a 54.8 FPS swing. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, has little influence here because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to create a CPU bottleneck. The i5-14400F's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and high boost clock are sufficient to feed the GPU at 4K, but they are not the reason for the performance differences between presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly. The frame rates are higher, reaching 166.7 FPS on Low, which begins to approach the CPU's limit for sustained frame delivery. The scaling between Medium (125.8 FPS) and High (103.6 FPS) is a 22.2 FPS drop, which is still primarily GPU-driven. However, the fact that the Ultra preset (67.7 FPS) shows a larger relative drop from High (35.9 FPS) suggests that the GPU's ROPs and texture units are working harder, while the CPU is still comfortably ahead. The i5-14400F's single-core performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055, ensures it is not the bottleneck at this resolution for most settings.

At 1920x1080, the roles invert. The GPU is still important, but the CPU's capability becomes more visible. The Low preset average of 244.9 FPS is extremely high, and the jump to Medium (191.1 FPS) and High (152.9 FPS) shows that the GPU is still scaling with load. However, the fact that the CPU can push over 244 FPS on Low indicates that its 2.50 GHz base clock with a 4.70 GHz boost is more than adequate for high-refresh gaming. The data suggests that at 1080p, the i5-14400F is the enabling factor for the high frame rates, while the RX 9070 handles the graphical fidelity. The difference between 1440p Low (166.7 FPS) and 1080p Low (244.9 FPS) is 78.2 FPS, which is a 46.9% improvement, demonstrating how much the pixel count affects GPU load while the CPU remains constant.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested configurations, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 holds a combo rank of 1106 out of 3700 tested combos. This places it in the top 29.9% of all systems tested for Evolve. The rank reflects a strong, but not elite, standing. The data suggests that this combo outperforms the majority of systems, likely due to the RX 9070's 25,381 Passmark G3D score, which is a robust number. However, the CPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs (with an average benchmark score of 32,279) is slightly lower than the GPU's 69th percentile among all GPUs (with an average score of 23,877), indicating a slight imbalance where the GPU is the stronger component relative to its peers.

The rank of 1106 implies that there are 1,105 other combinations that deliver higher average FPS in Evolve. This is not surprising given the game's age (released in 2015) and the presence of newer, more expensive hardware in the database. However, the fact that this combo still ranks in the top third confirms the RX 9070's modern architecture. The 4K Ultra result of 42 FPS is the primary drag on the ranking, as many higher-ranked combos likely handle that preset above 60 FPS. At 1440p and 1080p, the combo's performance is strong enough to compete with systems that have more powerful CPUs, but the 4K weakness prevents a higher overall rank.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU (Intel Core i5-14400F), the nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are a mix of mobile and desktop parts. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has an average score of 32,233, which is a 0.1% delta from the i5-14400F's 32,279. This means the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U would perform nearly identically in CPU-bound scenarios. The Intel Core i9-11900 (32,226, 0.2% delta) is another very close match, offering similar multi-threaded performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS (32,354, -0.2% delta) is slightly faster on average, while the Intel Core i7-12800H (32,121, 0.5% delta) is marginally slower. In practice, swapping the i5-14400F for any of these would result in no perceptible difference in Evolve, as the game is not heavily CPU-bound at the resolutions tested. The i5-14400F's 10 cores and 16 threads are sufficient, and these rivals offer comparable thread counts.

For the GPU (AMD Radeon RX 9070), the nearest rivals are interesting because they are older or mobile parts. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z has an average score of 23,736, a 0.6% delta from the RX 9070's 23,877. This is surprising, but it indicates that the TITAN Z's raw compute (though older) is similar in aggregate benchmarks. The AMD Radeon RX 6800S (24,063, -0.8% delta) is a closer match, being a mobile GPU that performs nearly identically. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile (23,628, 1.1% delta) is also very close, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170, -1.2% delta) is slightly faster. For Evolve, these GPUs would produce very similar frame rates at the same settings. The RTX 2080 SUPER, for instance, would likely match the RX 9070's 4K High result of 54.3 FPS within a few frames, despite being an older card. The RX 9070's advantage lies in its 16 GB of VRAM, which is not a factor in Evolve at these settings.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 4K with High settings?*

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 54.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The verdict data lists Low and Medium as the playable settings at 4K.

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

A: According to the verdict, the best settings at 2560x1440 are Ultra, which achieves an average of 67.7 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the highest quality preset that remains playable.

Q: How much faster is the combo at 1080p compared to 4K on Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 on Low, the average FPS is 244.9. At 3840x2160 on Low, the average FPS is 96.8. This represents a 148.1 FPS difference, meaning the 1080p result is approximately 153% higher.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck at 1440p Medium?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 Medium, the average FPS is 125.8. Given that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate changes between presets, and the CPU's benchmark scores are high (e.g., 21,645 in Cinebench R23 multi-core), the GPU is the limiting factor here. The CPU has enough headroom to process the 125.8 FPS without becoming a bottleneck.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems?

A: The combo is ranked 1106 out of 3700 tested combinations. This places it in the top 29.9% of all systems in the database for Evolve.

Q: Does the game support high refresh rates at 1080p?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 is 105.5 FPS on Ultra, 152.9 FPS on High, 191.1 FPS on Medium, and 244.9 FPS on Low. All of these exceed 100 FPS, making the combo well-suited for 144Hz or higher monitors.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-14400F and AMD Radeon RX 9070 configuration is fully capable of running Evolve at playable frame rates in the vast majority of scenarios. At 1920x1080, the verdict lists all four settings presets (High, Low, Medium, Ultra) as playable, with the best setting being Ultra at an average of 105.5 FPS. This is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay on standard 60Hz displays and provides a solid foundation for high-refresh monitors.

At 2560x1440, the verdict also lists all settings as playable, with Ultra being the best at 67.7 FPS average. This clears the 60 FPS threshold, though the margin is not enormous. Players seeking more headroom can drop to High, which averages 103.6 FPS, offering a much larger buffer for demanding scenes. At 3840x2160, the verdict is more cautious. Only Low (96.8 FPS) and Medium (72.5 FPS) are listed as playable. The High preset (54.3 FPS) and Ultra preset (42 FPS) fall short of 60 FPS. The best playable setting at 4K is Medium, which delivers an average of 72.5 FPS, providing a playable 4K experience, though not at the highest visual fidelity. In summary, this PC can run Evolve excellently at 1080p and 1440p across all settings, and it handles 4K at medium quality, but it cannot maintain 60 FPS at 4K High or Ultra.