Evolve

This combo—Intel Core i5-14600K paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090—delivers an extraordinary experience in Evolve, a 2015 FPS that remains demanding at high resolutions. The measured data places this pairing at rank 69 out of 3700 tested combos for this game, putting it in the top 1.9% of all configurations evaluated. That ranking reflects the raw muscle of both components: the CPU sits in the 90th percentile among all tested processors, while the GPU ranks in the 92nd percentile among all tested graphics cards. For a game like Evolve, which relies heavily on sustained frame rates during chaotic monster encounters, this hardware combination leaves almost nothing on the table. The benchmark results show playable performance at every resolution and preset combination tested, with even the most punishing settings—4K Ultra—holding an average of 61 FPS, exactly at the playability threshold. Every other configuration clears 60 FPS with substantial headroom, making this a system that can run Evolve without compromise.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 69 out of 3700 tested configurations places this i5-14600K + RTX 5090 pairing in the top tier for Evolve. To contextualize that position, consider that only 68 other CPU-GPU combinations in the entire test database achieve higher average frame rates in this title. The ranking is driven primarily by the GPU’s overwhelming performance—the RTX 5090 posts a Passmark G3D score of 39650 and an average benchmark score of 79842, figures that place it in the 92nd percentile of all graphics cards tested. The CPU contributes meaningfully as well, with the i5-14600K achieving an average benchmark score of 48618 and sitting in the 90th percentile among processors. In practical terms, this means the combo outperforms the vast majority of systems that Evolve players might use, from older mid-range builds to many current-generation setups. The gap between this combo and the bottom of the ranking is massive—the 69th position indicates that only specialized, top-tier hardware combinations consistently beat it. For a game released in 2015, this modern hardware is effectively overkill, but the data shows that Evolve still scales with hardware improvements, particularly at 4K resolution where the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for high-resolution textures and effects. The ranking also reflects the balance of this pairing: neither component bottlenecks the other in a way that would drag the combo down, which is why it lands so high relative to other configurations with similar individual component scores.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 in Evolve shifts noticeably as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more significant role than at higher resolutions, though the GPU still dominates overall performance. The 1080p Low preset delivers 373 FPS average, which is the highest frame rate measured in this entire dataset—a clear sign that the i5-14600K’s 14 cores and 20 threads, boosted by a 5.30 GHz max clock, are feeding the GPU efficiently enough to reach that ceiling. Moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p drops the average to 160 FPS, a reduction of 213 FPS or roughly 57%, which demonstrates how much the GPU’s workload increases with settings even when the resolution stays constant. At 2560x1440, the GPU’s role becomes more pronounced. The Low preset yields 254 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 107 FPS—a 147 FPS difference. The scaling between 1080p and 1440p at the same settings shows the GPU taking on more work: High goes from 231 FPS at 1080p to 155 FPS at 1440p, a 33% reduction, while Low goes from 373 FPS to 254 FPS, a 32% reduction. This consistent scaling suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1440p; the RTX 5090 is simply processing more pixels. At 3840x2160, the GPU completely takes over as the dominant component. The Low preset at 4K produces 145 FPS average, which is still highly playable but represents a 61% drop from the 1080p Low result. The Ultra preset at 4K yields just 61 FPS average, exactly at the playability threshold, showing that even the RTX 5090—with its 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 21760 shading units—is pushed hard by Evolve’s Ultra settings at 4K. The CPU’s role at 4K is minimal; the i5-14600K has ample headroom to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the fact that frame rates scale almost entirely with resolution and preset rather than showing CPU-related inconsistencies. The measured data shows no min FPS data for most settings, but the Medium presets at each resolution include min/max figures: at 4K Medium, the range is 95-129 FPS; at 1440p Medium, 168-227 FPS; at 1080p Medium, 250-338 FPS. These ranges indicate that the GPU maintains relatively stable frame pacing, with the widest spread appearing at 1080p Medium where the 88 FPS difference between min and max suggests some CPU involvement in frame generation at high frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for each component provides useful context for builders considering alternatives to this exact pairing. The Intel Core i5-14600K’s closest competitor in average benchmark score is the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, which scores 48698 against the i5-14600K’s 48618—a difference of just -0.2%, meaning the Xeon is essentially identical in overall processing power. The AMD EPYC 4345P posts 48470, which is 0.3% behind the i5-14600K, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX scores 48287, trailing by 0.7%. On the other side, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 48995, which is 0.8% ahead of the i5-14600K. These four rivals bracket the i5-14600K within a narrow 1.5% performance band, indicating that any of them would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve when paired with the same GPU. For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, the nearest rivals are more varied. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79605, which is 0.3% ahead of the RTX 5090’s average of 79842—though note that the Tesla P100 is a compute-oriented card, not a gaming product, so its real-world gaming performance may differ despite similar benchmark scores. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79396, trailing by 0.6%, while the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78940, which is 1.1% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X scores 80959, putting it 1.4% ahead of the RTX 5090 in average benchmark score. These deltas are small, but the gaming-specific characteristics of the RTX 5090—particularly its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and DirectX 12 Ultimate support—make it better suited for Evolve than the compute-focused Tesla cards or the mobile-oriented RX 6850M XT. In practical terms, a builder could swap the i5-14600K for any of its four nearest rivals and see virtually identical Evolve performance, while swapping the RTX 5090 for one of its rivals would likely produce similar average scores but potentially different frame-time behavior in actual gameplay.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Evolve? The data says unequivocally yes, at every resolution and preset combination tested. The verdict by resolution confirms that all four settings—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable at every resolution from 1080p through 4K, with the playability threshold set at 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the best playable setting is Ultra with an average of 61 FPS, which clears the threshold by just 1 FPS—that is cutting it close, but it passes. At 2560x1440, Ultra delivers 107 FPS average, providing substantial headroom above the threshold. At 1920x1080, Ultra achieves 160 FPS average, which is more than 2.5 times the playability threshold. The most demanding scenario—4K Ultra—is the only configuration that approaches the lower bound of playability, and even then it stays above 60 FPS. For players who prioritize smoothness over visual fidelity, the 4K Low setting offers 145 FPS average, which is more than double the threshold and would suit competitive play. The 1440p and 1080p results are so far above the threshold that players could enable V-sync or frame limiting without any risk of dropping below 60 FPS. The measured data includes min FPS figures only for Medium settings, but those minimums—95 FPS at 4K, 168 FPS at 1440p, and 250 FPS at 1080p—all remain comfortably above the playability threshold, indicating that even the most demanding scenes in Evolve will not cause frame rates to plummet below playable levels. The verdict is clear: this combo runs Evolve flawlessly at any setting, with the only caveat being that 4K Ultra is right at the edge of what the hardware can sustain.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 373 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p produces an average of 294 FPS, with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS—this 88 FPS spread between min and max is the largest of any measured configuration, suggesting some scene-to-scene variance at high frame rates. The High preset at 1080p yields 231 FPS average, while the Ultra preset drops to 160 FPS average. At 2560x1440, performance scales down predictably. The Low preset achieves 254 FPS average, Medium produces 197 FPS average with a min of 168 FPS and a max of 227 FPS, High delivers 155 FPS average, and Ultra settles at 107 FPS average. The 1440p Medium min/max range of 59 FPS (168 to 227) is tighter than the 1080p Medium range, indicating more consistent frame pacing at higher resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly working hard. The Low preset delivers 145 FPS average, Medium produces 112 FPS average with a min of 95 FPS and a max of 129 FPS, High achieves 88 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 61 FPS average. The 4K Medium min/max range of 34 FPS (95 to 129) is the narrowest of any Medium setting, suggesting that at 4K, the GPU’s workload is more uniform across different scenes. Notably, the scaling from 1080p to 4K at the Low preset shows a 61% reduction in frame rate (373 to 145 FPS), while the Ultra preset shows a 62% reduction (160 to 61 FPS). This consistent scaling suggests that Evolve’s performance is primarily GPU-bound across all settings, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom at every resolution. The absence of min/max data for most settings means we cannot assess worst-case frame drops for High and Ultra presets, but the average FPS figures all remain above the playability threshold, and the Medium preset minimums—which are the only minimums measured—stay well above 60 FPS even at 4K.

Best Settings per Resolution

For players who want the highest visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS average, the best settings per resolution are straightforward based on the measured data. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 160 FPS average, which is the most demanding setting available and still provides more than 2.5 times the playability threshold. There is no reason to drop below Ultra at 1080p, as even the most demanding preset leaves enormous headroom. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 107 FPS average, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by 47 FPS. This is a comfortable margin that allows for potential frame rate dips during intense combat without falling below playable levels. The 1440p Ultra setting is the best visual option and remains highly playable. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset produces 61 FPS average, which is exactly 1 FPS above the playability threshold. This is technically playable, but it leaves virtually no headroom for frame rate variance. The measured data does not include min FPS for 4K Ultra, so we cannot confirm worst-case performance, but the average is so close to the threshold that any significant dip could push it below 60 FPS. For players who want a safety margin at 4K, the High preset at 88 FPS average provides a more comfortable buffer while still offering high visual quality. Alternatively, the Medium preset at 112 FPS average with a confirmed minimum of 95 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes stay well above the playability threshold. The verdict by resolution lists Ultra as the best playable setting at 4K because it meets the 60 FPS average criterion, but the practical recommendation for consistent performance would be High or Medium depending on tolerance for potential frame drops. At 1440p and 1080p, Ultra is the unambiguous choice, as the average FPS figures provide enough headroom that even severe scene complexity would not threaten the 60 FPS threshold. For competitive play, the Low presets at each resolution offer dramatically higher frame rates—373 FPS at 1080p, 254 FPS at 1440p, and 145 FPS at 4K—which could be preferable for players using high refresh rate monitors, though the visual quality trade-off is significant. The data supports Ultra at 1080p and 1440p without hesitation, and at 4K, Ultra is technically viable but High or Medium offer more consistent performance margins.