Evolve

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for this combination of Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 in Evolve shows a wide spread of frame rates depending on resolution and quality preset. At 1920x1080, the game is exceptionally fluid across the board. Low settings produce an average of 212.2 FPS, Medium reaches 193.8 FPS, High drops to 158.8 FPS, and Ultra still holds 107.8 FPS. No minimum or maximum frame time data was captured, so the analysis relies on average FPS only.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but the gap between presets widens. Low settings average 176.2 FPS, Medium delivers 135.8 FPS, High sits at 108.5 FPS, and Ultra manages 76.2 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is roughly linear for each preset, with the RTX 4070 showing it has ample headroom at this resolution for a 2015 title.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes noticeably. Low settings still produce a playable 98 FPS average, Medium drops to 75.8 FPS, High falls to 58.5 FPS, and Ultra dips to 42.4 FPS. This is the only resolution where the 60 FPS threshold becomes a real consideration, and where the user must make deliberate preset choices. The data shows a clear pattern: each step up in quality costs roughly 15-20% performance at 4K, while the penalty is smaller at lower resolutions.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, every preset clears the 60 FPS bar comfortably. The most demanding preset, Ultra, averages 107.8 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold. There is no reason to compromise on visual quality at this resolution. The data indicates that even a 144Hz display could be fed by Medium and High settings, with Ultra still providing a smooth experience for standard 60Hz monitors.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is again the best choice. It averages 76.2 FPS, which stays above 60 FPS with a modest margin. High settings at 108.5 FPS would be the safer pick for those who want more headroom for demanding scenes, but the recorded average for Ultra shows it is viable. The gap between Ultra and High is roughly 32 FPS, so users with variable refresh rate monitors may prefer High for consistency.

For 3840x2160, the best setting that maintains 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 75.8 FPS. High falls short at 58.5 FPS, just under the threshold. Low settings average 98 FPS but sacrifice visual fidelity unnecessarily. The verdict data confirms Medium as the optimal 4K preset for this hardware combination. Ultra at 42.4 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay, though it remains an option for screenshots or slower-paced play.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling data reveals how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more influence on frame rates, especially at lower presets. The jump from Low (212.2 FPS) to Ultra (107.8 FPS) is a 104.4 FPS difference, which is substantial. This suggests the GPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p; the six-core, six-thread i5-9400 with its 2.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clock is likely the ceiling for very high frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on more responsibility. The spread between Low (176.2 FPS) and Ultra (76.2 FPS) is exactly 100 FPS, similar to 1080p. However, the absolute values are lower, indicating that the RTX 4070 is doing more work per frame. The i5-9400 still keeps up, as evidenced by the fact that even Ultra at 1440p stays above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The gap between Low (98 FPS) and Ultra (42.4 FPS) is 55.6 FPS, and the drop from Medium to High is 17.3 FPS, which is the largest single-step penalty in the entire dataset. This is classic GPU-bound behavior. The i5-9400 has enough single-thread performance, as shown by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, to feed the RTX 4070 at 4K without bottlenecking. The CPU's percentile rank of 47 among all CPUs suggests it is mid-pack, but for a game from 2015, it does not impede the GPU at higher resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-9400, the data shows several CPUs with nearly identical average benchmark scores. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259, which is 0.2% lower than the i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2254. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, only 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 matches closely at 2246, 0.4% above. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% below. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve at the resolutions tested. The differences are within the margin of measurement noise.

For the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628, which is 0.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507, 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, 1.3% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37157, 1.3% lower. The RTX 4070's percentile rank of 81 among all GPUs places it well above the median. Users with any of these rival GPUs would see frame rates within a few percent of what the RTX 4070 delivers in Evolve, meaning the gameplay experience would be effectively the same at each resolution and preset.

FAQ

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

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings or lower. The recorded data shows Medium averages 75.8 FPS at 3840x2160, while High drops to 58.5 FPS and Ultra falls to 42.4 FPS. Low settings average 98 FPS.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: Ultra is the best choice at 2560x1440, averaging 76.2 FPS. This stays above the 60 FPS threshold while providing maximum visual quality. High settings average 108.5 FPS if you prefer more headroom.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU can limit maximum frame rates on low presets, but it still delivers playable performance on all presets. At 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the i5-9400 provides sufficient throughput.

Q: How much performance is lost going from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 107.8 at 1920x1080 to 76.2 at 2560x1440, then to 42.4 at 3840x2160. That is a 65.4 FPS total reduction from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Does the RTX 4070 have enough VRAM for Evolve?

A: The RTX 4070 features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with a 192-bit bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth. The recorded frame rates show no indication of memory-related stutters or performance drops in this game.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with maximum settings?

A: Ultra settings at 1920x1080 average 107.8 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the most demanding preset leaves room for a high refresh rate monitor.

The Verdict

The data clearly answers whether this PC can run Evolve. At 1920x1080, the answer is an emphatic yes. Every preset, from Low at 212.2 FPS to Ultra at 107.8 FPS, clears the 60 FPS threshold with substantial margin. The verdict data lists all four settings as playable, with Ultra as the best choice at 107.8 FPS average. This is the ideal configuration for competitive play or high refresh rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the system also delivers a fully playable experience across the board. Ultra averages 76.2 FPS, which is above the threshold, and all four presets are marked as playable. The best setting is Ultra, providing the highest visual quality while maintaining smooth frame rates. Users with 144Hz 1440p monitors should stick to High (108.5 FPS) or Medium (135.8 FPS) for maximum smoothness, but 60Hz displays can run Ultra without issue.

At 3840x2160, the answer is conditional. Only Low (98 FPS) and Medium (75.8 FPS) clear the 60 FPS bar. High falls short at 58.5 FPS, and Ultra is not viable at 42.4 FPS. The verdict recommends Medium as the best playable setting, with an average of 75.8 FPS. For 4K owners, this means accepting a medium preset for smooth gameplay, or dropping to Low for a higher frame rate buffer. High and Ultra are only suitable for those who prioritize image quality over responsiveness, or for screenshots and non-interactive scenes.

Overall, this combination of Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is more than capable for Evolve at 1080p and 1440p, and remains playable at 4K with preset adjustments. The GPU's performance percentile of 81 and the CPU's mid-pack standing together create a balanced pairing for this title, with no single component creating a severe bottleneck at any tested resolution.