Evolve

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is a capable combination for Evolve, but its performance ceiling depends heavily on the resolution you target. The data places this combo at rank 2378 out of 3700 tested combinations, meaning it sits in the lower-middle portion of the database, outperformed by a significant number of more powerful setups. However, this ranking does not tell the whole story. At 1080p, this combo delivers a fully playable experience at the highest settings, while at 4K, it struggles to maintain smooth frame rates beyond the lowest preset. The recorded measurements show a clear pattern: the system is far more capable at lower resolutions, where the GPU has ample headroom, but it falls behind at 4K where the demands on the graphics card become severe.

How This Combo Ranks

The recorded data places this combination at rank 2378 out of 3700 total tested combos for Evolve. This percentile position indicates that while the pairing is not a top-tier performer, it is also far from being an outlier at the bottom. The combination's average performance is dragged down by the CPU's modest standing relative to modern processors. The Intel Core i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms less than half of the processors in the database. This is a six-core, six-thread part based on the Coffee Lake architecture, and its benchmark scores reflect a mid-range standing: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935. The GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, fares better, sitting at the 60th percentile among all GPUs, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2348 and a Passmark G3D score of 17132.

The combination's overall rank is influenced more by the CPU than the GPU. The GPU is a modern RDNA 3.0 part with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is a significant asset for texture-heavy scenes. Yet, the CPU's lower percentile rank means the system cannot fully leverage the GPU's potential in CPU-bound scenarios. The data shows that at 1920x1080, the combo manages an average of 72.3 FPS on Ultra settings, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is a strong result for a game released in 2015, but the rank suggests many other modern combos achieve higher frame rates. The 2378th rank out of 3700 is a reflection of the CPU's aging architecture, even though the GPU is recent. The system is not a high-end performer, but it is sufficient for smooth gameplay at 1080p.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the CPU and GPU becomes evident when examining the scaling of frame rates across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is often GPU-limited, but the CPU still plays a role. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 168.5 FPS to 72.3 FPS, a 57% reduction in performance. This steep decline is typical of a GPU-heavy workload, where higher settings increase pixel and shader work. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, does not appear to bottleneck severely at this resolution; the frame rates scale consistently with the graphical load.

At 2560x1440, the GPU takes on more responsibility. The average FPS at High settings drops to 66.1 from 100.7 at 1080p, a 34% reduction. This shows that the GPU is struggling more at higher pixel counts. The CPU's role becomes less critical, as the frame rates are now more dependent on the GPU's ability to render the increased resolution. The gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p is still large, from 112.2 to 47.7 FPS, but the relative drop is similar to 1080p. The system does not show signs of being CPU-bound at 1440p, as the frame rates are still high enough on Low settings to suggest the CPU is keeping up.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant component. The average FPS at High settings plummets to 40, and Ultra drops to 28.1. The CPU's performance is no longer the limiting factor; the GPU is overwhelmed by the 4K pixel count. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is from 64 to 28.1 FPS, a 56% decline, which mirrors the 1080p scaling. This suggests the system is consistently GPU-bound across all resolutions, but the CPU's lower single-thread performance may be holding back the GPU at lower settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 168.5 FPS, which is high, but the CPU's single-core score of 935 in Cinebench R23 might prevent the GPU from reaching even higher frame rates. The data does not show a CPU bottleneck, but the overall rank suggests the CPU is a limiting factor compared to rival combos.

Best Settings per Resolution

For a consistent experience above the 60 FPS threshold, the data provides clear guidance for each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system can run Evolve at Ultra settings with an average FPS of 72.3. This is the most demanding preset that stays at or above the 60 FPS threshold, and it delivers a smooth, high-quality experience. The frame rate is high enough to handle most action sequences without dipping below the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is High, with an average of 66.1 FPS. This is a slight drop from the 1080p Ultra performance, but it remains above 60 FPS. The Medium preset also works with 85.8 FPS, but High is the most demanding option that still meets the playable criterion. Ultra at 1440p drops to 47.7 FPS, which is not playable.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, with an average of 64 FPS. This is a significant compromise, as the visual quality will be much lower than at other resolutions. Medium at 4K produces 49.2 FPS, and High drops to 40 FPS, so the system cannot handle the higher settings at this resolution. The data indicates that 4K is not a practical resolution for this combo beyond the lowest settings.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU each have nearest rivals in the database that would behave similarly in games. The Intel Core i5-12400's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, with an average score of 2259, a delta of -0.2% against the i5-9400's average. This means the i7-1068NG7 is virtually identical in performance, so a system with that CPU would produce nearly the same frame rates in Evolve. The Intel Core i7-10710U is also close, with a score of 2248, a delta of 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 is another close rival, scoring 2246, a delta of 0.4%. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, a delta of -0.4%. These four CPUs are all within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12400, so the CPU performance would be indistinguishable in practice.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has a benchmark average of 17083. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690, with an average score of 17037, a delta of 0.3% lower. This means the GTX 690 does not perform exactly like the RX 7600 XT. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M is also close, with a score of 17019, a delta of 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 scores 17208, a delta of -0.7% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla M4 scores 16932, a delta of 0.9% lower. These rivals are all close in raw compute, but the RX 7600 XT has more modern features like 16 GB of memory and ray tracing support, which may affect performance in newer titles. For Evolve, a system with any of these GPUs would deliver similar frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides a detailed look at average frame rates across all resolutions and settings, though no minimum or maximum FPS values are available. At 1920x1080, the system starts at 168.5 FPS on Low settings, a very high result. Medium settings drop to 131.4 FPS, High to 100.7 FPS, and Ultra to 72.3 FPS. The step from High to Ultra is a 28% reduction, which is the largest drop between presets.

At 2560x1440, the Low setting produces 112.2 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium drops to 85.8 FPS, High to 66.1 FPS, and Ultra to 47.7 FPS. The High preset is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while Ultra is not playable. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is significant, with Low dropping by 33%, Medium by 35%, High by 34%, and Ultra by 34%. This consistency indicates that the GPU is the primary factor in these differences.

At 3840x2160, the performance is much lower. Low is the only playable setting with 64 FPS, a drop of 43% from the 1440p Low. Medium gets 49.2 FPS, High 40 FPS, and Ultra 28.1 FPS. The Ultra drop at 4K is a 41% reduction from the 1440p Ultra. The data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases, with the GPU being the dominant bottleneck at 4K. The CPU's performance at lower resolutions is sufficient to reach high frame rates, but at 4K, the GPU's limitations are fully exposed.

FAQ

Q: Can this combination run Evolve at 1920x1080 on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the recorded data shows an average of 72.3 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 66.1 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 47.7 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this combo?

A: Only at the Low preset, which achieves 64 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with the Ultra preset at 28.1 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 score of 2259, a delta of -0.2%, so the performance is nearly identical.

Q: How does the GPU compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT has an average score of 17083, while the RTX 3070 has a score of 17208, a delta of -0.7%. The RTX 3070 has a slightly higher raw compute score, but the difference is minor.

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this combination?

A: The combo ranks 2378 out of 3700 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database.