Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, is an unusual test case for a modern desktop pairing. The Intel Core i5-9400, a six-core Coffee Lake processor released in late 2018, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, an Ada Lovelace GPU from the GeForce 40-series, present a generational mismatch that shows clearly in the recorded frame rates. The database places this combination at rank 810 out of 3700 tested combos for this title, and the measurements show a system that can handle Evolve at high settings across most resolutions, with one notable exception at 4K Ultra. The RTX 4070 SUPER carries the load, with an 83rd percentile rank among all GPUs, while the i5-9400 sits at the 47th percentile among CPUs. The GPU's launch MSRP was 599 USD, reflecting its position as a high-end part, while the CPU's end-of-life status and six-thread design place it in the middle of the desktop processor market.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU side of this pairing is closely matched by several processors in the database. The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254 across the recorded Cinebench and Geekbench tests. The nearest alternative is the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259, 0.2% ahead of the i5-9400. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% ahead. On the other side, the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, 0.3% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% behind. In practical terms, any of these four processors would produce nearly identical frame rates in Evolve when paired with the RTX 4070 SUPER, because the game does not appear to be heavily dependent on CPU throughput at the settings measured. The i5-9400's individual scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 6629 and a single-core result of 935, show a processor that is competent but not exceptional by current standards. Its 6 cores and 6 threads, with a 4.10 GHz boost clock, are adequate for a 2015 title.

The GPU has a different set of neighbors. The RTX 4070 SUPER averages 43223 in the benchmark suite. The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB scores 43262, 0.1% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile scores 43268, also 0.1% higher. The standard Quadro M6000 scores 43301, 0.2% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the furthest of the four at 43667, 1% higher. These differences are small enough that swapping the RTX 4070 SUPER for any of these cards would move the measured FPS by only a few frames per second in Evolve. The RTX 4090 Mobile, despite its 1% lead in aggregate score, would not meaningfully change the playability verdict at any resolution. The RTX 4070 SUPER's own benchmark results, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 and a Passmark G3D score of 29995, place it clearly in the upper tier of the database, with an 83rd percentile rank.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data shows how the balance of responsibility shifts across resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are high enough that the CPU becomes the more relevant constraint. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is substantial: 212.4 FPS at Low versus 125.1 FPS at Ultra. Even the lowest measured value at this resolution is more than double the 60 FPS playability threshold, which suggests that neither component is fully stressed at 1080p. The i5-9400's six cores and six threads, running at a 4.10 GHz boost clock, are sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 SUPER at these frame rates.

As resolution increases to 1440p, the GPU becomes more heavily loaded. The same settings at 1440p produce 183 FPS at Low and 84.9 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. The 4K Ultra result of 48.9 FPS is the only measured point below the 60 FPS threshold, and it comes despite the CPU having the same workload at every resolution. This indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER, not the i5-9400, determines the ceiling at 4K. The GPU's 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 504.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth are substantial, but Evolve's Ultra preset at 4K demands more than this pairing can deliver.

The CPU's role is more visible at 1080p Low, where 212.4 FPS is achieved. At that setting, the GPU is underutilized and the i5-9400, with its 42.7 GB/s dual-channel memory bandwidth and 9 MB of shared L3 cache, is sufficient to keep the frame pipeline full. The CPU's benchmark profile, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 5141 and a single-core score of 1389, places it in the middle of the desktop pack. In a game like Evolve, which does not require a high-core-count processor, the i5-9400 is adequate, but it is not the component that lifts this combo's ranking.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings average 212.4 FPS, Medium 190.8 FPS, High 177.2 FPS, and Ultra 125.1 FPS. Every preset clears the 60 FPS playability threshold by a wide margin, and even Ultra leaves headroom for a high refresh rate display. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a steady decline, with the step from High to Ultra representing the largest single-setting drop in the sequence.

At 2560x1440, the results remain strong. Low averages 183 FPS, Medium 148.4 FPS, High 121.5 FPS, and Ultra 84.9 FPS. All four presets are playable, and Ultra remains above the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin. The 1440p results show that this pairing is well suited to high refresh rate 1440p monitors, with even the most demanding preset staying at 84.9 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU starts to hit its limits. Low averages 109.6 FPS, Medium 86.6 FPS, High 69.6 FPS, and Ultra 48.9 FPS. The Ultra preset is the only configuration across all resolutions and settings that falls below the 60 FPS threshold. High at 4K remains playable with 69.6 FPS, but it is the closest call in the dataset. The progression from 1080p to 4K at High settings shows the resolution scaling clearly: 177.2 FPS at 1080p, 121.5 FPS at 1440p, and 69.6 FPS at 4K. The same progression at Ultra settings goes from 125.1 to 84.9 to 48.9, making 4K Ultra the single unplayable data point in the entire measured set.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this CPU and GPU pairing at 810 out of 3700 tested combinations for Evolve. That places it in the upper portion of the field, though not near the top. The GPU's 83rd percentile rank among all GPUs is the primary driver of this position; the CPU's 47th percentile rank is a limiting factor. In a game like Evolve, which does not demand a modern high-core-count processor, the i5-9400 is adequate, but the combo's overall rank reflects that many other tested systems pair stronger CPUs with comparable GPUs.

The rank of 810 out of 3700 means this system outperforms the majority of tested configurations in Evolve, but it is not a top-tier result. The gap between the GPU's 83rd percentile and the CPU's 47th percentile shows where the bottleneck lies. If the same GPU were paired with a stronger processor, the combo rank would likely improve, but the measured FPS data suggests that at 4K, the GPU is already the limiting factor, and a better CPU would not recover the 48.9 FPS Ultra result. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU becomes more relevant, and a faster processor could push the already high frame rates even higher.

The Verdict

Can this PC run Evolve? The recorded data says yes, with caveats at the highest settings. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 125.1 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are also playable, with Ultra at 84.9 FPS. At 3840x2160, three of the four presets clear the 60 FPS threshold: High at 69.6, Medium at 86.6, and Low at 109.6. The 4K Ultra preset, at 48.9 FPS, is the only configuration that fails to reach 60 FPS.

The best playable settings by resolution are: 1080p Ultra at 125.1 FPS, 1440p Ultra at 84.9 FPS, and 4K High at 69.6 FPS. For users with a 4K display who want the highest visual quality, the 48.9 FPS at Ultra may be acceptable for a slower-paced title, but it does not meet the 60 FPS standard used by the database. The RTX 4070 SUPER has the raw compute, with 35.48 TFLOPS FP32 and 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, but Evolve's Ultra preset at 4K is simply too heavy for this pairing. The i5-9400, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, does not appear to be the limiting factor at 4K, but it is also not a strength of this system.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K?

A: Yes, at High settings with an average of 69.6 FPS. Low and Medium also clear 60 FPS at 109.6 and 86.6 FPS respectively. Ultra falls short at 48.9 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings at 1440p?

A: Ultra is playable at 84.9 FPS average, making it the best preset at this resolution. All four presets exceed 60 FPS.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 scores 2254 on average. The i7-1068NG7 is 0.2% ahead at 2259, the i3-10305 is 0.4% ahead at 2264, the i7-10710U is 0.3% behind at 2248, and the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 is 0.4% behind at 2246.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER the bottleneck?

A: At 4K Ultra, yes. The GPU's 83rd percentile rank is high, but the 48.9 FPS result at 4K Ultra shows it cannot maintain 60 FPS at that setting. At lower resolutions, the CPU is more of a factor, but the GPU remains the stronger component.

Q: What is the playable threshold used?

A: The database uses a 60 FPS playability threshold. Any preset averaging below 60 FPS is considered unplayable.

Q: How many tested combos does this rank above?

A: This pairing ranks 810 out of 3700 tested combinations for Evolve, placing it in the upper portion of the database.