Evolve

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B570 presents a mixed picture for running Evolve, with performance heavily dependent on the chosen resolution and graphics preset. The recorded data indicates that this combination is fully capable of delivering smooth, playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with the right settings, but it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K under any tested configuration. The Arc B570 demonstrates strong raw throughput, but the demands of 4K resolution prove too much for this pairing in Evolve.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers its most convincing performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 137 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS playable threshold and provides a highly responsive experience. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 106 FPS, with the minimum recorded at 90 FPS and the maximum at 122 FPS, ensuring that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid. High settings still produce a strong average of 83 FPS, keeping the experience comfortably above the playable mark. Ultra settings, however, bring the average down to 58 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target and indicates that the most demanding preset is not viable for a consistently smooth experience at this resolution.

Stepping up to 1440p, the performance profile shifts noticeably. Low settings yield an average of 92 FPS, which remains excellent and well above the threshold. Medium settings follow with an average of 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS. This makes Medium the highest playable setting at 1440p, as it maintains an average that clears the mark while the minimum matches it exactly. High settings see a significant drop to 56 FPS, which is below the playable threshold and suggests that the extra graphical load at this resolution is too much for the GPU to handle while maintaining smooth gameplay. Ultra settings fall further to an average of 39 FPS, which is not a viable option for competitive or fluid play.

At 4K, the results are decisively below the playable threshold across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 52 FPS, which is the best result at this resolution but still short of the 60 FPS target. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. High settings drop to 32 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 22 FPS. The data clearly shows that this hardware combination cannot maintain smooth gameplay at 3840x2160, regardless of the graphical compromises made.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i5-9400 sits in a specific performance tier according to the database, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals are closely matched, with the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scoring 2259, just 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scoring 2264, which is 0.4% higher. On the other side, the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, putting it 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, which is 0.4% lower. These deltas are minimal, meaning a system built with any of these CPUs would deliver a nearly identical experience in Evolve, with the CPU being a negligible factor in the frame rate differences at most settings.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556 and ranks in the 65th percentile of all tested graphics cards. Its nearest rival is the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20582, a difference of only 0.1%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534, also 0.1% away, while the AMD Radeon R9 M390X scores 20662, 0.5% higher, and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20480, 0.4% lower. The closeness of these scores indicates that swapping the Arc B570 for any of these alternatives would result in very similar frame rates in Evolve, with differences well within the margin of run-to-run variance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets in Evolve points to the GPU as the dominant factor for this combination. At 1080p, the transition from Low to Ultra settings cuts the average frame rate from 137 FPS to 58 FPS, a reduction of more than half. This steep decline as the graphical load increases strongly suggests that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU at these lower resolutions. The Intel Core i5-9400, with its six cores and six threads, is sufficient to keep up with the demands of the game without becoming a bottleneck.

As the resolution increases, the GPU's role becomes even more pronounced. At 1440p, the average frame rates drop across all settings compared to 1080p, and at 4K, the performance falls well below the playable threshold even at Low settings. The scaling from 1080p Low at 137 FPS to 4K Low at 52 FPS represents a 62% reduction in performance, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering. The CPU is not the constraint here, as the frame rate differences between resolutions are far too large to be attributed to processor limitations.

The Ultra preset data further reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 58 FPS, at 1440p Ultra it is 39 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it is 22 FPS. This consistent and dramatic reduction with each step up in resolution indicates that the Arc B570's rendering throughput is the primary factor determining playability. The CPU's performance remains constant regardless of resolution, so the variance in results is directly attributable to the GPU's workload.

The Verdict

The question of whether this PC can run Evolve is answered by the verdict data, which is based on the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 1920x1080, the system is playable at High, Low, and Medium settings. The best playable setting is High, which delivers an average of 83 FPS. Ultra is not playable, as its 58 FPS average falls just below the line. At 2560x1440, the playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best option at an average of 71 FPS. High and Ultra at this resolution are not viable, with averages of 56 FPS and 39 FPS respectively. At 3840x2160, there are no playable settings. Even Low, which is the best performer, only manages an average of 52 FPS, and every other setting is substantially lower.

The overall assessment is that this combination is a solid 1080p performer and a capable 1440p option when settings are adjusted appropriately. Users targeting 4K will need to consider a more powerful GPU, as the Arc B570 cannot deliver the frame rates needed for a smooth experience at that resolution in Evolve.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database's ranking of tested hardware combinations for Evolve, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2971 out of 3700 total combinations. This places it in the lower portion of the rankings, which is consistent with the measured performance data. While the system is capable of playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, its inability to handle 4K and the fact that many other combinations achieve higher frame rates at lower resolutions contribute to its position. The rank reflects that while this is a functional setup for many users, it is not among the higher-performing configurations for this specific game.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 1080p with High settings?

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings is 83 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1440p?

A: Medium settings is the best playable option at 2560x1440, delivering an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS.

Q: Is this combination capable of 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average frame rate is 52 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. No settings at 4K are playable.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to the Intel Arc A750?

A: The Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, while the Intel Arc A750 scores 20582, making the A750 just 0.1% faster. The performance difference in Evolve would be minimal.

Q: What is the CPU's average benchmark score and percentile ranking?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254 and ranks in the 47th percentile of all tested CPUs.

Q: What frame rate does the system achieve at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The average frame rate at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 58 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS playable threshold, making it not a recommended setting.