Evolve

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is an interesting combination for a 2015 title like Evolve. The CPU is a modern, high-core-count processor, while the GPU is an older, mid-range Turing card. The recorded data in the database shows this combo achieves a rank of 2845 out of 3700 tested combinations for this game, placing it in roughly the 23rd percentile of all tested systems. This means most other hardware pairings deliver higher frame rates, but the results are still playable at several settings, as the measurements below will show. The analysis that follows is based strictly on the measured FPS data and the hardware profiles contained in the database.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is recorded as rank 2845 out of 3700 tested combos in the database for Evolve. That places this pairing in the lower-middle portion of all tested systems, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer for this title, it is also not at the very bottom. Out of 3700 combinations, only 855 are ranked lower, meaning this setup outperforms roughly 23% of all tested hardware pairings for this game. The primary constraint here is clearly the graphics card, which is an older model with a lower average benchmark score compared to the CPU’s very high standing among processors.

The CPU, an Intel Core i7-14700K, has a very high percentile ranking of 94 among all CPUs in the database, meaning it is more powerful than 94% of all tested processors. Its average benchmark score is 69355. In contrast, the GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, has a percentile ranking of 58 among all GPUs, meaning it is more powerful than 58% of all tested graphics cards. Its average benchmark score is 15290. This significant gap between the CPU and GPU performance suggests that the graphics card is the limiting factor for gaming performance in this specific combination. The CPU has ample headroom, while the GPU is being pushed to its limits at higher resolutions and settings.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database provides measured average FPS values for four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at three resolutions. The playable threshold is defined as 60 FPS. For each resolution, the best settings are the most demanding preset that still stays at or above 60 FPS on average.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the recorded data shows no settings that reach the 60 FPS threshold. The average FPS values are 53.4 for Low, 42.2 for Medium, 37.2 for High, and 23.6 for Ultra. All of these fall below 60 FPS, so the verdict for this resolution is that no playable settings exist. The best possible outcome is Low settings with an average of 53.4 FPS, but that still misses the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the data shows three settings that clear the 60 FPS line: Low at 95.9 FPS, Medium at 79 FPS, and High at 62.1 FPS. Ultra fails to reach 60 FPS with an average of 41.6 FPS. The most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 62.1 FPS. This is the recommended best setting for this resolution.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), all four settings achieve average FPS above 60. The recorded averages are 147.7 for Low, 114.5 for Medium, 91.8 for High, and 63.6 for Ultra. Since Ultra is the most demanding preset and it still maintains an average of 63.6 FPS, the best setting for this resolution is Ultra, at 63.6 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while remaining playable.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings reveals clear patterns about which component matters more for this game. In general, the GPU is the dominant factor, as evidenced by the steep drop in performance when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings. The CPU, being far more powerful, does not appear to be a bottleneck at any resolution tested.

Looking at the scaling between resolutions, at Low settings, the average FPS drops from 147.7 at 1080p to 95.9 at 1440p, then further to 53.4 at 4K. That is a 64.8% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is a massive decrease that points directly at GPU limitations. At High settings, the drop is from 91.8 at 1080p to 62.1 at 1440p, then to 37.2 at 4K. Again, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor, as the CPU’s performance is virtually unchanged across these resolutions. The i7-14700K has 20 cores and 28 threads, and its benchmark scores in the database (such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33440.5) show it has far more processing power than a game like Evolve would require, especially at lower resolutions.

The difference between settings at a fixed resolution further supports the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At 1080p, going from Low to Ultra reduces the average FPS from 147.7 to 63.6, a drop of 84.1 FPS. At 1440p, the same settings change reduces FPS from 95.9 to 41.6, a drop of 54.3 FPS. At 4K, the drop is from 53.4 to 23.6, a reduction of 29.8 FPS. The absolute drop is larger at 1080p because the GPU is less saturated, but the proportional impact is similar. This pattern indicates that graphical settings and resolution both have a direct and significant effect on the GPU’s workload.

The CPU’s role is minimal at all tested resolutions. The i7-14700K’s single-core performance is strong, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2569 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4472, which are more than sufficient for a game from 2015. The data suggests that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the GPU is least stressed, the CPU is not the bottleneck; the FPS of 147.7 is high but not limited by the processor. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across different resolutions at the same settings, but instead we see massive differences, confirming that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database lists nearest rivals for both the CPU and the GPU, based on their average benchmark scores. These alternatives would be expected to behave similarly in terms of overall system performance, though the exact gaming results can vary. For the Intel Core i7-14700K, the nearest rivals are:

• AMD EPYC 9115: average score 69288, which is 0.1% lower than the i7-14700K’s 69355.
• AMD Ryzen 9 7950X: average score 69515, which is 0.2% higher than the i7-14700K.
• AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX: average score 69875, which is 0.7% higher.
• AMD Ryzen 7 9700F: average score 69996, which is 0.9% higher.

These CPUs are all within a 1% performance delta of the i7-14700K in average benchmark scores. In practice, for a GPU-bound game like Evolve, the difference between these processors would be negligible, as the RTX 2060 would still be the limiting factor. Any of these CPUs paired with the same GPU would likely produce nearly identical frame rates.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, the nearest rivals are:

• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580: average score 15283, which is 0% different (essentially identical).
• AMD Radeon 680M: average score 15270, which is 0.1% lower.
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM: average score 15199, which is 0.6% lower.
• AMD Radeon RX 7600: average score 15171, which is 0.8% lower.

These GPUs have average scores very close to the RTX 2060’s 15290. The GTX 580 is an extremely old card, but its average score is nearly identical, suggesting that it would perform similarly in this game, though it lacks modern features. The RTX 3050 OEM and RX 7600 are more modern but still fall slightly short of the RTX 2060 in average benchmark score. In gaming, the differences would be small, and all of these GPUs would likely produce similar FPS results in Evolve at the same settings and resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Evolve at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 63.6 FPS, which is above the playable threshold of 60 FPS. This is the best settings option for this resolution, according to the database.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average FPS of 62.1. Ultra settings fall to 41.6 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: Is Evolve playable at 4K with this hardware?

A: No. At 3840x2160, all tested settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) produce average FPS below 60. The highest recorded average is 53.4 FPS at Low settings, which still misses the playable threshold.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck for this game?

A: The database shows the GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, is the limiting factor. Its percentile rank among all GPUs is 58, while the Intel Core i7-14700K has a rank of 94. The massive FPS drops when increasing resolution or settings indicate GPU-bound performance.

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

A: The combo is ranked 2845 out of 3700 tested combinations for Evolve. This places it in the lower-middle range, outperforming roughly 23% of tested systems, but falling behind the majority.

Q: What are the average FPS numbers at 1080p for each setting?

A: At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS are 147.7 for Low, 114.5 for Medium, 91.8 for High, and 63.6 for Ultra. All are above 60 FPS.

The Verdict

The data confirms that this PC can run Evolve, but the experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution and settings. The verdict by resolution is clear from the database.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot achieve playable frame rates at any setting. The best recorded average is 53.4 FPS at Low, which falls short of the 60 FPS threshold. The verdict for this resolution is that it is not playable.

At 2560x1440, the system is playable at Low, Medium, and High settings. The best of these is High, with an average FPS of 62.1, which just clears the 60 FPS line. Ultra settings are not playable, as they drop to 41.6 FPS. For a smooth experience at this resolution, High settings are the recommendation.

At 1920x1080, the system is playable at all four tested settings. The best setting is Ultra, with an average FPS of 63.6. This allows for maximum visual quality while maintaining a frame rate above the playable threshold. Low settings produce 147.7 FPS, which is far above what is needed, indicating that the GPU has plenty of headroom at this resolution and lower settings.

Overall, the verdict is that this PC is a solid choice for 1080p gaming in Evolve, capable of running the game at Ultra settings with an average of 63.6 FPS. At 1440p, it can run at High settings with an average of 62.1 FPS, which is acceptable. At 4K, it is not capable of reaching 60 FPS at any setting, so users should stick to lower resolutions for a smooth experience. The CPU is more than adequate for this game, and the GPU is the determining factor for performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes the measured average FPS values for each resolution and settings combination, as recorded in the database. The data shows no minimum or maximum FPS values, only averages.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 53.4 FPS
• Medium: 42.2 FPS
• High: 37.2 FPS
• Ultra: 23.6 FPS

At 4K, the frame rates are consistently below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The difference between Low and Ultra is 29.8 FPS, indicating a significant performance cost for higher visual quality. The GPU is heavily taxed at this resolution, and even Low settings cannot reach playable levels.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 95.9 FPS
• Medium: 79 FPS
• High: 62.1 FPS
• Ultra: 41.6 FPS

At 1440p, the system delivers playable frame rates up to High settings. Low settings provide a comfortable 95.9 FPS, while High settings just barely clear the 60 FPS threshold at 62.1 FPS. Ultra settings are not playable, with a drop of 20.5 FPS compared to High.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 147.7 FPS
• Medium: 114.5 FPS
• High: 91.8 FPS
• Ultra: 63.6 FPS

At 1080p, all settings are playable, with even Ultra maintaining an average of 63.6 FPS. Low settings produce a very high 147.7 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a drop of 84.1 FPS, but the system remains above 60 FPS throughout.

This breakdown highlights that the RTX 2060 is the limiting factor, as the CPU’s performance is not reflected in any of these numbers. The i7-14700K’s high benchmark scores do not translate into higher FPS because the GPU cannot keep up at higher resolutions and settings. For users aiming for consistent 60 FPS or higher, 1080p with Ultra settings is the best choice, offering a balance of visual fidelity and performance.