Evolve

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a benchmark profile that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions and CPU-bound at the extreme high end, resulting in a system that fully saturates the playable threshold of 60 FPS across every tested preset and resolution in Evolve. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the combination produces frame rates well beyond what the display can typically show, while even the most demanding 4K Ultra preset maintains an average of 64.7 FPS, making this a top-tier configuration for the game despite its age.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU and GPU in this configuration each have close competitors that would produce nearly identical in-game behavior. For the Intel Core i7-12700K, the nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent in average benchmark score, meaning gameplay differences would be negligible. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35,305, which is just 0.1% lower than the i7-12700K’s 35,287 average. Similarly, the Intel Core i7-12700KF (35,365, -0.2% delta) and Intel Core i7-13700T (35,403, -0.3% delta) sit essentially at parity. Even the Intel Core 5 213PE, at 35,428, is only 0.4% ahead. For practical purposes, swapping the i7-12700K for any of these three processors would yield identical frame pacing in Evolve, as the game’s demands are far below what any of these chips can saturate.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5090’s nearest rivals are more diverse but still extremely close in aggregate performance. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (79,605) is 0.3% ahead, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (79,396) is 0.6% ahead. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78,940) trails by 1.1%, and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (80,959) is 1.4% ahead. These deltas are small enough that in a game like Evolve, where the RTX 5090 already produces hundreds of frames per second at lower resolutions, the differences would not be perceptible. At 4K Ultra, however, the 1.4% lead of the Pro Vega 64X could theoretically translate to roughly 1-2 FPS, which is within the margin of measurement error. The data suggests that any of these GPU alternatives would deliver a nearly identical experience, though the RTX 5090’s massive memory bandwidth and 32 GB of GDDR7 would be the differentiator in future titles or with higher-resolution textures.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily CPU-limited, as evidenced by the relatively small frame rate drop from Low to Ultra settings. The Low preset achieves 351.8 FPS, Medium drops to 295.9 FPS, High to 233 FPS, and Ultra to 162.8 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is only 54% of the Low value, which indicates that the CPU’s single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 1,043) is the limiting factor once the GPU is capable of producing frames faster than the processor can issue draw calls. The i7-12700K’s 12 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for Evolve’s engine, but the game’s 2015 release date means it likely relies on fewer threads, making the CPU’s 5.00 GHz boost clock and strong single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,850.5) more important than raw multi-core throughput.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts toward the GPU, but the CPU still holds relevance. The Low preset produces 256.4 FPS, Medium 201.4 FPS, High 154.2 FPS, and Ultra 108.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is 42% of the Low value, which is slightly less than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is beginning to take over as the primary constraint. This is consistent with the RTX 5090’s massive compute capacity (104.8 TFLOPS FP32) being more fully utilized at higher resolutions. The 1440p Ultra frame rate of 108.3 FPS is still nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, so neither component is a bottleneck in a practical sense.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant factor. The Low preset yields 149.4 FPS, Medium 116.1 FPS, High 89.9 FPS, and Ultra 64.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is 43% of the Low value, similar to 1440p, but the absolute frame rates are much lower. This suggests that the RTX 5090’s rendering throughput (pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s) is the limiting factor at 4K, while the CPU’s role diminishes. The fact that the game can still average 64.7 FPS at Ultra 4K reflects the GPU’s raw power, but the data shows that this is the only resolution where the system approaches the 60 FPS playable threshold with any settings headroom.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 3,700 tested CPU-GPU combinations in the database, this pairing ranks 50th overall for Evolve. This places it in the top 1.35% of all configurations tested, which is remarkable given that the database includes many high-end enthusiast builds. The rank suggests that while there are 49 combinations that produce higher average frame rates, the i7-12700K + RTX 5090 combination is positioned well within the top percentile for this specific game. The high rank is likely driven by the RTX 5090’s exceptional performance at 4K, where its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for Evolve’s textures and effects. The CPU’s contribution to the rank is more modest, as its 84th percentile standing among all CPUs means there are many processors that could match or slightly exceed its performance in this game, but the GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs is what pushes this combo into the top 50.

It is notably the combo’s rank of 50 is not the result of any single outstanding metric, but rather a balanced profile. The CPU’s multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19,784) is strong for a 2021 processor, but not class-leading. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 79,842, however, is exceptional, and its nearest rivals are all enterprise or workstation parts, not consumer gaming GPUs. This suggests that for Evolve specifically, the RTX 5090 is overkill in the best possible way, providing massive headroom even at the most demanding settings.

The Verdict

This PC can run Evolve at every resolution and preset tested, and it clears the 60 FPS playable threshold with substantial margin in all cases. At 3840x2160, the highest playable settings are Ultra, which averages 64.7 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, so players targeting 4K can use the maximum visual quality without dipping below playability. The 2560x1440 resolution offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, with Ultra settings averaging 108.3 FPS, which is nearly double the threshold and provides smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1920x1080, the system produces 162.8 FPS on Ultra, which is more than enough for any 144Hz or 165Hz display, and the Low preset reaches 351.8 FPS for competitive play or extremely high refresh rates.

The data indicates that the only scenario where the system approaches the 60 FPS limit is 4K Ultra, and even then, it does not fall below it. Therefore, users can confidently enable all settings at any resolution without concern for performance degradation. The lack of min/max FPS data in the measured results means we cannot assess frame time consistency, but the average frame rates are so far above the threshold that even significant dips would likely remain playable.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 64.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the most demanding setting tested, and it remains playable.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering 108.3 FPS average. This is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, so there is no need to reduce settings for smoother gameplay.

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

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35,287. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-13600T, scores 35,305, which is only 0.1% different. The i7-12700KF and i7-13700T are within 0.2% and 0.3% respectively, meaning performance is nearly identical.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: No, at 1080p the CPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 351.8 FPS on Low to 162.8 FPS on Ultra, but this scaling is driven by CPU single-thread performance rather than GPU limits, as the RTX 5090 is far more capable than this game requires.

Q: What is the combo’s ranking among all tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 50th out of 3,700 tested combos for Evolve, placing it in the top 1.35% of all configurations tested.

Q: Should I lower settings for higher FPS at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset already achieves 64.7 FPS, which is above the playable threshold. If you want more headroom, dropping to High settings increases the average to 89.9 FPS, and Medium reaches 116.1 FPS.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the most demanding and still produces an average of 162.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. There is no reason to use lower settings unless targeting refresh rates above 162 Hz. At 2560x1440, Ultra is similarly optimal, with an average of 108.3 FPS, comfortably clearing 60 FPS and suitable for 100 Hz displays. At 3840x2160, Ultra is the best choice, averaging 64.7 FPS, which just barely clears the threshold. Users who prefer a larger safety margin may opt for High settings at 89.9 FPS, but the data confirms that Ultra is playable at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 149.4 FPS, Medium settings produce 116.1 FPS, High settings produce 89.9 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 64.7 FPS. All values are above the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the lowest margin being the Ultra preset at just 4.7 FPS above the line. At 2560x1440, the results are substantially higher: Low averages 256.4 FPS, Medium averages 201.4 FPS, High averages 154.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 108.3 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 42%, which is consistent with a balanced CPU/GPU workload. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extremely high: Low averages 351.8 FPS, Medium averages 295.9 FPS, High averages 233 FPS, and Ultra averages 162.8 FPS. The 1080p results show the smallest relative drop from Low to Ultra (54% of the Low value), confirming the CPU bottleneck at this resolution. No min or max FPS data was recorded, so only average frame rates are available for analysis.