Evolve

Can the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination deliver a smooth experience in Evolve? The recorded data indicates that this system is fully capable of running the game at 1080p and 1440p with high visual quality, but it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold at 4K. The benchmark results show a clear pattern of performance scaling across resolutions, with the most demanding preset proving too heavy for the hardware at every tested resolution. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to determine the optimal settings for each resolution, the role of each component, and how this setup compares to nearby hardware alternatives.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the target for each resolution. The data shows that the GTX 1070 and i5-9400 combination has different ceilings depending on the pixel count.

At 3840x2160 (4K), no preset achieves the 60 FPS target. The best average FPS recorded at this resolution is 50 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset drops to 39 FPS, High to 31 FPS, and Ultra to 21 FPS. Since none of these clear the 60 FPS threshold, there is no "best playable setting" at this resolution. The system is simply not capable of delivering a smooth experience at 4K, even at the lowest quality settings.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the situation improves significantly. The Low preset delivers a 88 FPS average, which is well above the target. However, the Medium preset is the most demanding option that still stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 68 FPS. The minimum FPS recorded on Medium is 58, meaning there can be brief dips below the target, but the average remains comfortable. High settings drop to 54 FPS average, and Ultra falls to 37 FPS. Therefore, Medium is the recommended preset for 1440p, as it is the highest quality tier that keeps the average at or above 60 FPS.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the system has ample headroom. The Low preset achieves a 132 FPS average, Medium hits 102 FPS, and High reaches 80 FPS. The High preset is the most demanding that stays above 60 FPS, and it does so with a solid margin. Ultra settings drop to 55 FPS average, just below the threshold. Consequently, High is the best playable setting at 1080p, offering a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets indicates which component is the primary bottleneck. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, while the CPU's role remains relatively constant.

Comparing the 1080p High average of 80 FPS to the 1440p High average of 54 FPS, there is a 26 FPS drop when moving to 1440p. This is a substantial reduction of roughly 33% in frame rate. The same settings at 4K High produce only 31 FPS, another significant drop. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The GTX 1070 is working progressively harder to render more pixels, and its performance ceiling is being reached.

At lower settings, the CPU's influence becomes more apparent. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 132, which is nearly double the 4K Low average of 50 FPS. The gap between Low and High settings at 1080p is 52 FPS (132 vs 80), while at 4K the gap is only 19 FPS (50 vs 31). This compression at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is saturated, and the CPU has less impact on the final frame rate.

The i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is not the primary constraint in this game. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU enough frames to reach over 130 FPS on Low settings, indicating it is not a hard bottleneck there. However, at 1440p and 4K, the GPU's workload increases, and the CPU's performance becomes less relevant to the overall FPS. The bottleneck shifts almost entirely to the GTX 1070 at higher resolutions. The verdict data supports this: the system is playable at 1080p High and 1440p Medium, but not at 4K, which aligns with the GPU's capabilities rather than the CPU's.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded FPS data provides a detailed view of performance across all settings and resolutions. The following breakdown lists the exact average, minimum, and maximum FPS values where available.

At 1920x1080, the system performs as follows:

• Low: average 132 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Medium: average 102 FPS, minimum 87 FPS, maximum 117 FPS.
• High: average 80 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Ultra: average 55 FPS, no min/max recorded.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: average 88 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Medium: average 68 FPS, minimum 58 FPS, maximum 79 FPS.
• High: average 54 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Ultra: average 37 FPS, no min/max recorded.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops considerably:

• Low: average 50 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Medium: average 39 FPS, minimum 33 FPS, maximum 45 FPS.
• High: average 31 FPS, no min/max recorded.
• Ultra: average 21 FPS, no min/max recorded.

The Medium preset is the only one with full min/max data at each resolution. This reveals that at 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges from 87 to 117 FPS, a tight band that indicates consistent performance. At 1440p Medium, the range is 58 to 79 FPS, with the minimum just below the 60 FPS target. At 4K Medium, the range is 33 to 45 FPS, showing significant variability and a clear lack of playability. The data shows that the GTX 1070 has a wide performance envelope, but it is only within the playable range at 1080p and 1440p on lower presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU provide context for what other hardware would behave similarly in this game. These comparisons are based on average benchmark scores, not game-specific FPS, but they indicate a similar performance tier.

For the Intel Core i5-9400, the closest alternatives are:

• Intel Core i7-1068NG7, with an average score 0.2% lower.
• Intel Core i7-10710U, with an average score 0.3% higher.
• AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, with an average score 0.4% higher.
• Intel Core i3-10305, with an average score 0.4% lower.

These deltas are extremely small, all within 0.4% of the i5-9400's average score. In practical terms, a system with any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve. The i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, meaning it is a mid-range part, and these rivals represent similar performance levels.

For the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, the nearest rivals are:

• AMD FirePro W5000, with an average score 0.2% lower.
• NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, with an average score 0.5% lower.
• NVIDIA Tesla M10, with an average score 0.6% higher.
• NVIDIA Tesla C2070, with an average score 0.7% higher.

Again, the performance differences are negligible, all within 0.7% of the GTX 1070's average score. The GTX 1070 is at the 47th percentile among all GPUs, and these alternatives would deliver essentially the same experience in Evolve. It is notably some of these rival GPUs are professional or workstation parts, but their raw benchmark scores place them in the same performance class for gaming purposes.

The Verdict

The verdict data for this system is clear. The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 combination can run Evolve, but the playable resolutions and presets are limited.

At 1920x1080, the system is fully playable. The best settings that clear 60 FPS are High, with an average of 80 FPS. Low and Medium also clear the threshold, with 132 FPS and 102 FPS respectively. Ultra settings fall short at 55 FPS average, so they are not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable, but with fewer options. The best settings are Medium, with an average of 68 FPS. Low also works at 88 FPS. High and Ultra both fail to reach 60 FPS, with averages of 54 FPS and 37 FPS respectively.

At 3840x2160, the system is not playable at any preset. The highest average FPS is 50 on Low, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets produce even lower averages, with Ultra at 21 FPS. The verdict data confirms that no settings at 4K are playable.

The overall verdict is that this PC can run Evolve well at 1080p and 1440p, but it is not suitable for 4K gaming in this title. For a smooth experience, users should stick to High settings at 1080p or Medium settings at 1440p. The system's performance is typical for its hardware class, ranking 3053 out of 3700 tested combinations in this game.

FAQ

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

A: No. The recorded data shows that no preset at 3840x2160 achieves the 60 FPS threshold. The best average is 50 FPS on Low settings, with Ultra dropping to 21 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting for 1080p gaming in Evolve?

A: The best playable setting at 1920x1080 is High, which delivers an average of 80 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p gaming in Evolve?

A: The best playable setting at 2560x1440 is Medium, with an average of 68 FPS. Low also works at 88 FPS, but Medium offers higher visual quality while maintaining the target frame rate.

Q: How much faster is the system at 1080p compared to 1440p on High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 80. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 54. This represents a 26 FPS difference, or roughly a 33% reduction in performance when moving to the higher resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The system reaches 132 FPS at 1080p Low, showing the CPU can handle the workload, but the frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, which points to GPU limitations.

Q: Are there other CPUs that perform similarly to the i5-9400?

A: Yes. The closest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305. All of these have average benchmark scores within 0.4% of the i5-9400, meaning they would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve.