Evolve

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination delivers a wide spread of frame rates in Evolve, ranging from a demanding 28 FPS at 4K Ultra to a fluid 176 FPS at 1080p Low. The data reveals a system that is clearly capable of high-refresh gaming at standard resolutions, but one that struggles to maintain smooth performance at the most demanding 4K presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, ranks the combo against other tested hardware, and identifies the best settings for each resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the pairing shows strong headroom across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 176 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 137 FPS, with a measured minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, showing a consistent frame delivery. The High preset averages 107 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. Even the most demanding Ultra preset at 1080p maintains an average of 74 FPS, demonstrating that this combination can handle maxed-out settings at the most common resolution without dipping below playable levels.

Stepping up to 2560x1440 reveals a predictable scaling penalty. The Low preset still delivers a very high 118 FPS average. Medium settings produce 92 FPS on average, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS, indicating that even the frame dips stay comfortably above the 60 FPS line. The High preset averages 72 FPS, which is playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to an average of 50 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and suggests that the GPU is now the primary limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the performance picture changes dramatically. The Low preset is the only setting that clears the 60 FPS bar, with an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS, showing that while it can hit 60 FPS momentarily, it cannot sustain it. High settings drop to 41 FPS, and Ultra falls to 28 FPS. This scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a significant performance cliff, where the RX 9060's resources are overwhelmed by the sheer pixel count at higher detail levels.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 2181 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This percentile position indicates that while the combo is not a top-tier performer, it sits in the upper half of all configurations tested. The rank suggests that many other systems, likely featuring higher-end GPUs or CPUs, can push higher average frame rates in this title. However, the rank does not tell the whole story, as the specific resolution and settings matter greatly. At 1080p, the combo's performance would likely rank much higher than at 4K, given how the GPU scales with resolution. The data implies that the system's overall ranking is dragged down by its 4K performance, while its 1080p and 1440p capabilities are comparatively strong.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the optimal choice for a balanced visual and performance experience.

• 1920x1080: The Ultra preset is the best choice, with an average of 74 FPS. This allows for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smooth gameplay.
• 2560x1440: The High preset is the best option, delivering an average of 72 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium while still staying above the playable threshold.
• 3840x2160: The Low preset is the only playable setting, with an average of 67 FPS. While it requires a reduction in visual quality, it is the only way to achieve a playable frame rate at this resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 4K with high settings?*

A: No. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the combo averages 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only the Low preset at 4K achieves a playable average of 67 FPS.

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

A: The High preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 72 FPS. Ultra at 1440p drops to 50 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: Is the frame rate stable at 1080p Medium settings?

A: Yes. The Medium preset at 1920x1080 averages 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, showing a very stable frame delivery well above the playable threshold.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to all other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2181 out of 3700 total tested combos for Evolve, placing it in the upper portion of the database but not among the top performers.

Q: Does the RX 9060 perform better than an RTX 3060 Ti?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the RX 9060 is slightly behind the RTX 3060 Ti. The RX 9060 has an average score of 16014, while the RTX 3060 Ti scores 16129, a delta of -0.7%.

Q: Can the CPU keep up with the GPU at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data suggests it can. The 1080p Low preset achieves 176 FPS, which is a very high frame rate. This indicates the Intel Core i7-12700KF is not a bottleneck at this resolution, as the GPU is still able to push frames well beyond the 60 FPS target.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data reveals a clear shift in system bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the CPU's strong performance, evidenced by its high benchmark scores, allows the GPU to reach very high frame rates. The 176 FPS result at Low settings and 137 FPS at Medium suggest the CPU provides ample headroom for the GPU to operate at its maximum potential. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 102 FPS drop, which is a substantial change. This large delta indicates that the GPU's workload increases significantly with visual fidelity, but the CPU is still capable of feeding it frames.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The frame rate drops from 118 FPS at Low to 50 FPS at Ultra, a difference of 68 FPS. This steeper curve compared to 1080p suggests the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as the pixel count rises. The CPU's role remains important, but its performance headroom is less exposed. The 1440p Medium result of 92 FPS shows the system is still capable, but the Ultra preset's drop to 50 FPS indicates the GPU can no longer maintain high frame rates when pushed with higher detail levels.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant bottleneck. The frame rate falls from 67 FPS at Low to just 28 FPS at Ultra, a 39 FPS drop. This severe scaling shows that the RX 9060's compute resources are saturated by the 4K resolution, and the CPU's performance is no longer the primary factor. The fact that the Low preset at 4K (67 FPS) is lower than the Medium preset at 1440p (92 FPS) underscores how impactful resolution is on this GPU. The data implies that for this game, the RX 9060 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p, where it can leverage its full capabilities, while the CPU provides a solid foundation that prevents it from being a limiting factor at lower resolutions.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 can run Evolve effectively, but the experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution. The system provides a fully playable experience at 1920x1080 with all presets, including Ultra at 74 FPS. At 2560x1440, it remains playable for High, Medium, and Low presets, with the best visual quality capped at High for a 72 FPS average. The 4K resolution is the system's weak point, as only the Low preset achieves a playable 67 FPS. For 1080p and 1440p gamers, this is a solid combination that delivers high frame rates. For 4K enthusiasts, the system requires significant settings compromises to stay above the 60 FPS threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365. The closest rival is the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35403, a negligible delta of -0.1%. This means the i7-13700T would offer virtually identical performance in this game. The Intel Core i5-13600T scores 35305, a delta of 0.2%, also indicating near-identical performance. The Intel Core 5 213PE scores 35428, a delta of -0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-12700K scores 35287, a delta of 0.2%. All four of these CPUs would behave essentially the same as the i7-12700KF in Evolve, with performance differences well within the margin of error.

For the GPU, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129, a delta of -0.7%. This indicates the RTX 3060 Ti is very slightly faster, but the difference is negligible in practice. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, a delta of 1%, showing it is almost exactly on par. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852, a delta of 1%, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679, a delta of 2.1%. These GPUs would all provide a very similar frame rate experience in Evolve, with the RTX 3060 Ti being the closest match. Choosing any of these alternatives would result in nearly identical performance metrics to the RX 9060 at all tested resolutions and settings.