Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 asymmetric FPS, places unique demands on a system, mixing large map traversal with intense, physics-driven monster battles. The benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination provides a clear picture of its capabilities, showing a system that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate play at 1080p and 1440p, but which struggles to maintain smooth performance at 4K with high visual fidelity. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance metrics.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this configuration across all resolutions and presets reveal a consistent scaling pattern. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate hits 176 FPS, providing an exceptionally smooth experience. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS. At High settings, the average is 107 FPS, and even at the demanding Ultra preset, the average remains high at 74 FPS. This indicates that at 1080p, the RX 9060 is rarely the bottleneck, and the CPU's strong single-threaded performance ensures high frame rates across the board.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected impact of increased pixel count. The Low preset yields an average of 118 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset sees the average at 72 FPS, which is playable. However, the Ultra preset at this resolution drops the average to 50 FPS, indicating a significant performance cost that pushes the system below the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a playable average, scoring 67 FPS. The Medium preset falls to an average of 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High settings yield an average of just 41 FPS, and Ultra drops to 28 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming is only viable when visual quality is significantly reduced. The lack of min/max data for several presets, particularly at 4K, suggests that the frame pacing may be less consistent, but the averages alone are enough to define the performance tiers.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results demonstrate a clear shift in system bottleneck depending on the resolution. At 1920x1080, the high frame rates, particularly the 176 FPS average on Low settings, indicate that the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the primary factor limiting performance. The Intel Core i5-14600KF, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, has more than enough headroom to feed the GPU at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 176 FPS to 74 FPS, a reduction of roughly 58%, which is a typical GPU-bound scenario where the workload increases with settings.

As the resolution increases to 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The performance drop from 118 FPS at Low to 50 FPS at Ultra is more pronounced. While the GPU is still the dominant factor, the CPU's role becomes more significant as the frame rate targets lower. The 1440p results show a smaller gap between the High (72 FPS) and Medium (92 FPS) presets compared to 1080p, suggesting the system is beginning to feel the combined pressure of higher pixel throughput and more complex shading.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is unequivocally the bottleneck. The average frame rates of 67 FPS at Low and 28 FPS at Ultra highlight that the RX 9060's 8 GB of memory and 128-bit bus are heavily taxed. The CPU's performance is less relevant at this resolution because the GPU cannot maintain high enough frame rates to require more CPU resources. The data shows that the i5-14600KF is a capable partner, but the Radeon RX 9060's performance ceiling is reached first at 4K, making the GPU the sole determinant of playability at that resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

Based on the 60 FPS playable threshold, the best settings for each resolution are defined by the most demanding preset that still maintains an average of 60 FPS or higher.

• 3840x2160: The only playable preset is Low, which delivers an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset falls short with an average of 52 FPS, so users at this resolution must accept the lowest visual quality to maintain smooth gameplay.
• 2560x1440: The best playable setting is High, which achieves an average of 72 FPS. This offers a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Ultra preset's average of 50 FPS is not playable, making High the most demanding option that clears the threshold.
• 1920x1080: All presets are playable, but the most demanding one that stays above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 74 FPS. This allows users to max out the game's visual options at 1080p without sacrificing smoothness.

These results indicate that the system is versatile, offering a high-quality experience at 1440p and a fully maxed-out experience at 1080p.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, which produce an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest settings preset that maintains 60 FPS at 2560x1440?

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that remains playable, with an average of 72 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 50 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1920x1080?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's strong performance allows for high frame rates, but the Radeon RX 9060's capabilities cap the output, as evidenced by the scaling from 176 FPS at Low to 74 FPS at Ultra.

Q: What kind of frame rate can I expect with Medium settings at 1920x1080?

A: The average frame rate is 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, providing a very smooth experience.

Q: How does this system compare to the overall benchmark database for this game?

A: The combination ranks 2181st out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of all systems tested for Evolve.

Q: Is the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 playable?

A: No. The average frame rate is 50 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold, so it is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For users considering similar hardware, the nearest rivals to the CPU and GPU provide context for expected performance. The Intel Core i5-14600KF is closely matched by the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which has an average benchmark score 0.3% higher, indicating near-identical CPU-bound performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G is also a close match, with a 0.4% higher score. On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the closest rival to the AMD Radeon RX 9060, with an average score 0.7% lower, suggesting that these two cards would deliver very similar frame rates in Evolve. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is also comparable, with a score just 1% higher. These alternatives would behave nearly identically, making them reasonable substitutes for building a similar system.

The Verdict

The data confirms that the Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination is a capable gaming platform for Evolve. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 1920x1080, the system can run the game at Ultra settings with an average of 74 FPS, fully clearing the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, it can run the game at High settings with an average of 72 FPS, providing a great experience. At 3840x2160, performance is limited to Low settings to achieve an average of 67 FPS. Therefore, this PC can run Evolve successfully at 1080p and 1440p with high visual fidelity, but 4K requires significant compromises. It is a balanced system where the GPU is the primary consideration for higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p.