Evolve

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database groups the Intel Core i5-9400 with a narrow band of processors that deliver nearly identical average benchmark scores. The closest match is the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259, a delta of only -0.2% relative to the i5-9400's average of 2254. The Intel Core i7-10710U sits 0.3% behind at 2248, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 trails by 0.4% with a score of 2246. The Intel Core i3-10305 leads this group slightly, posting 2264, which is 0.4% above the i5-9400. For practical purposes, swapping between these four CPUs would produce almost indistinguishable frame rates in Evolve, given that the entire spread is less than 1% in either direction.

On the GPU side, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 24442, placing it in the 70th percentile among all tested graphics cards. The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630, which scores 24277 and is just 0.7% lower. The Intel Arc A350M comes in at 24647, which is 0.8% higher, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 24236, a 0.8% deficit. Notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER also appears in this cluster with a score of 24170, only 1.1% behind the RX 6600 XT. The data suggests that these four GPUs would deliver similar performance envelopes in Evolve, with the RX 6600 XT holding a slight edge over most of them.

For a system builder considering alternatives, the practical takeaway is that the i5-9400's closest CPU peers are all six-core or similarly positioned parts, and the RX 6600 XT's nearest GPU peers span older NVIDIA architectures and a modern Intel entry. The performance differences are within noise margins for most gaming workloads, including Evolve.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured frame rates across resolutions and presets reveal how the balance shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT in Evolve. At 1920x1080, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The Low preset produces 160.2 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 68 FPS, a reduction of 92.2 FPS or roughly 58% when the graphical load increases. Medium sits at 125 FPS and High at 98.9 FPS. The CPU has enough headroom at this resolution to feed the GPU adequately, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at Medium and High.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rate ceiling lowers noticeably. Low preset still achieves 106.2 FPS, but High drops to 64.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 45.5 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at the same preset shows a consistent drop: Low loses 54 FPS, Medium loses 43 FPS, High loses 34.8 FPS, and Ultra loses 22.5 FPS. This pattern indicates that the GPU becomes more strained as pixel count rises, but the CPU is still capable of maintaining playable performance at the lower presets.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. Low preset manages 63.9 FPS, but Medium falls to 46.6 FPS, High to 37.3 FPS, and Ultra to 23.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 40.4 FPS, which is a 63% reduction. The i5-9400's six cores and 4.10 GHz boost clock are sufficient to keep up with the RX 6600 XT's rendering demands at 4K; the limiting factor is clearly the GPU's raw throughput as the resolution scales.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU has spare capacity, and the GPU determines the frame rate across all presets. At 1440p, the GPU still leads, but the margin tightens. At 4K, the GPU is the sole constraint, and no preset above Low reaches the 60 FPS threshold. The CPU's role remains consistent: it never becomes the primary bottleneck in any measured configuration for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks 2591 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve. This places the pairing in the lower third of the database, which may seem surprising given the individual component scores. The CPU ranks in the 47th percentile among all processors, and the GPU ranks in the 70th percentile among all graphics cards. The combined rank reflects that many other tested systems pair stronger CPUs with comparable or better GPUs, or vice versa.

The rank of 2591 out of 3700 means that roughly 70% of tested configurations outperform this pairing in Evolve. However, the percentile ranking for the GPU suggests that the RX 6600 XT is a solid mid-range performer, and the CPU is near the median. The gap between the component percentiles and the combo rank indicates that Evolve's performance profile rewards systems with more balanced or higher-end components, particularly at higher resolutions and presets where the GPU's 70th percentile standing is not enough to overcome the CPU's 47th percentile position.

In practical terms, this combo sits in a crowded field. Many systems with newer six-core CPUs or higher-tier GPUs will land above it. The rank is not a verdict on playability, as the measured FPS data shows that the combo clears the 60 FPS threshold at most settings under 1440p. Rather, the rank reflects the competitive landscape of all 3700 combinations, where faster hardware is common.

The Verdict

The recorded data shows that this system can run Evolve, but the playable range depends heavily on resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra achieves 68 FPS, High reaches 98.9 FPS, Medium hits 125 FPS, and Low peaks at 160.2 FPS. The verdict for 1080p is unambiguous: the system runs the game at maximum settings with headroom to spare.

At 2560x1440, the playable settings are High, Medium, and Low. High averages 64.1 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium delivers 82 FPS, and Low reaches 106.2 FPS. Ultra falls short at 45.5 FPS, so it is not recommended at this resolution. The best playable setting is High, with an average of 64.1 FPS.

At 3840x2160, only Low is playable, with an average of 63.9 FPS. Medium drops to 46.6 FPS, High to 37.3 FPS, and Ultra to 23.5 FPS. The 4K verdict is that the system can handle the game only on the lowest preset, and even then, the margin above 60 FPS is slim at 3.9 FPS.

In summary, the system is fully capable at 1080p, mostly capable at 1440p, and only marginally capable at 4K. For users targeting a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1080p with Ultra settings is the safest choice, while 1440p requires dropping to High. 4K users must accept Low settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: Only at the Low preset, which averages 63.9 FPS. Medium drops to 46.6 FPS, so Low is the only 4K setting that clears the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: High is the best playable preset at 1440p, averaging 64.1 FPS. Ultra falls to 45.5 FPS and is not recommended. Medium and Low also clear 60 FPS with averages of 82 and 106.2 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RX 6600 XT scores 24442 on average. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 is 0.7% lower at 24277, the Intel Arc A350M is 0.8% higher at 24647, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti is 0.8% lower at 24236, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is 1.1% lower at 24170.

Q: Does the i5-9400 bottleneck the RX 6600 XT in Evolve?

A: The data does not show CPU bottlenecking. At 1080p, the GPU scales frame rates across presets, and at 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The CPU's six cores and 4.10 GHz boost clock are sufficient for this game.

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

A: The rank is 2591 out of 3700 combinations. The CPU sits in the 47th percentile and the GPU in the 70th percentile among their respective categories.

Q: Is the system playable at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, Ultra averages 68 FPS at 1080p, which is 8 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets, High, Medium, and Low, also clear 60 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 63.9 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below the threshold, so Low is the sole recommended setting for 4K.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that maintains 60 FPS is High, averaging 64.1 FPS. Medium and Low are also playable, but High offers the best visual quality while still clearing the target. Ultra is not playable at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, Ultra is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 68 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available for this system in Evolve, and it clears the threshold by 8 FPS. High, Medium, and Low all exceed 60 FPS as well, but Ultra provides the maximum visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full measured data for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT in Evolve is as follows.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages 23.5 FPS. High averages 37.3 FPS. Medium averages 46.6 FPS. Low averages 63.9 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 10 to 14 FPS per step, with the largest single drop occurring between Medium and High.

At 2560x1440, Ultra averages 45.5 FPS. High averages 64.1 FPS. Medium averages 82 FPS. Low averages 106.2 FPS. The step from Ultra to High is the largest jump, adding 18.6 FPS, while the step from Medium to Low adds 24.2 FPS.

At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 68 FPS. High averages 98.9 FPS. Medium averages 125 FPS. Low averages 160.2 FPS. The difference between Ultra and High is 30.9 FPS, between High and Medium is 26.1 FPS, and between Medium and Low is 35.2 FPS.

The data shows that the system's frame rates scale predictably with both resolution and preset. Lowering resolution from 4K to 1440p at the same preset yields roughly 1.7 to 1.9 times the frame rate, while dropping from 1440p to 1080p yields another 1.5 to 1.6 times increase. The minimum and maximum FPS values were not recorded, so the analysis relies on average FPS only. The playable threshold of 60 FPS is met at 1080p for all presets, at 1440p for High, Medium, and Low, and at 4K only for Low.