Evolve

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a dominant performance profile in Evolve, clearing the 60 FPS threshold at every resolution and settings combination tested, with the sole exception of 4K Ultra. The data indicates that this combo is not merely playable but exceptionally fast, with the most demanding 4K Ultra preset hitting an average of 58.6 FPS — just shy of the playable threshold — while every other tested configuration, including 1440p Ultra and 1080p Ultra, lands well above 100 FPS. Benchmark results position this pairing in the 95th percentile for CPU performance and 87th percentile for GPU performance, and the measured in-game data confirms that the system’s headroom is substantial across the board.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the combo’s performance scales predictably with graphics settings, but the margins reveal a system that is heavily GPU-bound at this resolution. On Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 139 FPS, which is a remarkable figure for 4K and indicates that the RTX 5080’s 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth are more than sufficient for Evolve’s demands. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 107.8 FPS — a 22.4% reduction from Low, which is a moderate cost for the visual uplift. High settings produce an average of 80.5 FPS, still comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, while Ultra falls to 58.6 FPS, the only sub-60 result in the entire dataset. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is a steep 21.9 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset’s additional effects place a disproportionate load on the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes substantially, as the CPU’s strength begins to show. Low settings average 239.3 FPS, which is nearly double the 4K Low result and underscores the resolution’s lighter pixel workload. Medium delivers 185.5 FPS, High hits 147.1 FPS, and Ultra — the most demanding preset — still averages 102.1 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is a 137.2 FPS drop, but the absolute numbers remain so high that even the worst case is over 40 FPS above the playable threshold. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for this combo, as it balances visual fidelity with frame rates that exceed the refresh rates of most high-end monitors.

At 1920x1080, the combo essentially becomes CPU-bound at lower settings, with the Core i9-14900K’s 24 cores and 32 threads providing ample headroom. Low settings produce an extraordinary 352.3 FPS average, which is the highest recorded figure in the dataset. Medium drops to 274.3 FPS, High to 213.5 FPS, and Ultra to 149.3 FPS. Even at Ultra, the average frame rate is more than double the 60 FPS threshold, and the delta between Low and Ultra is 203 FPS — a massive range that reflects both the GPU’s raw throughput and the CPU’s ability to feed it. For competitive play at 1080p, the Low and Medium presets would easily saturate a 240 Hz display, while Ultra remains viable for high-refresh-rate gaming.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the best settings that maintain at least 60 FPS are High, which averages 80.5 FPS. The data shows that Ultra falls to 58.6 FPS, below the playable threshold, so High is the highest preset that guarantees a smooth experience. Medium and Low also clear the threshold, at 107.8 FPS and 139 FPS respectively, but High is the optimal choice for visual quality without sacrificing playability.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 102.1 FPS. This is a clear verdict: the combo has enough headroom to run the most demanding preset at 1440p while staying over 40 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. The other presets — High at 147.1 FPS, Medium at 185.5 FPS, and Low at 239.3 FPS — are all playable, but Ultra is the recommended setting because it delivers the full visual experience without any performance concerns.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are also Ultra, averaging 149.3 FPS. This result is particularly strong because it shows that even at 1080p, the system is not bottlenecked by the CPU or GPU, and the Ultra preset runs at nearly 2.5 times the playable threshold. The lower presets — High at 213.5 FPS, Medium at 274.3 FPS, and Low at 352.3 FPS — are all far above playable, but Ultra is the clear pick for maximum fidelity.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU’s nearest rivals, the Intel Core i9-14900K sits in a tight cluster of high-end processors. The Intel Core i9-14900KF has an average benchmark score of 79371, which is just 0.3% lower than the i9-14900K’s 79097 — effectively identical performance, and this is expected given that the KF variant is the same chip without integrated graphics. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus scores 79574, a 0.6% difference, and the AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, a 1.2% difference — all within noise-level territory. On the other side, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower, meaning the i9-14900K holds a slight edge over that rival. For gaming in Evolve, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates, as the game is unlikely to stress the CPU heavily at the resolutions tested, and the GPU is the primary driver of the measured FPS differences.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5080’s nearest rivals show a similar pattern of close scores. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757, just 0.6% lower than the RTX 5080’s 56083, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, a 0.7% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, which is 2.3% lower, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE scores 57367, which is 2.2% higher. In practical terms, the RX 9070 GRE would deliver slightly higher frame rates in Evolve, but the differences are small enough that the user experience would be nearly indistinguishable. The RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, despite being a lower-tier card, is remarkably close in average benchmark score, suggesting that it could offer similar performance in this specific game, though the RTX 5080’s 16 GB memory and newer architecture might provide better headroom in other titles.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC can run Evolve at all tested resolutions and settings, with one exception. At 3840x2160, the verdict is playable on Low, Medium, and High presets, with High being the best playable option at an average of 80.5 FPS. Ultra at 4K is not playable, averaging 58.6 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. At 2560x1440, all four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — are playable, with Ultra averaging 102.1 FPS. At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 149.3 FPS.

The practical takeaway is that this combo is overkill for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Evolve, where even the most demanding settings run at frame rates that exceed the refresh rates of most displays. The 4K Ultra limitation is the only caveat, and it is a minor one — the system is just 1.4 FPS short of the threshold, so a small reduction in settings (such as switching to High) restores a comfortable margin. For players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, the 4K Low preset at 139 FPS is an excellent option, and the 4K Medium preset at 107.8 FPS offers a good balance. Overall, the verdict is that this combo runs Evolve exceptionally well, with the only compromise being the 4K Ultra preset.

FAQ

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

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 58.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The best playable setting at 4K is High, which averages 80.5 FPS.

Q: What is the highest playable preset at 2560x1440?

A: Ultra is playable at 1440p, with an average of 102.1 FPS. All four presets — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clear the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest GPU rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE has an average benchmark score of 57367, which is 2.2% higher than the RTX 5080’s 56083. This suggests the RX 9070 GRE could deliver slightly higher frame rates in Evolve, though the difference is small.

Q: Is the Core i9-14900K significantly faster than the Core i9-14900KF?

A: No. The Core i9-14900KF has an average benchmark score of 79371, which is only 0.3% lower than the Core i9-14900K’s 79097. The two CPUs are effectively identical in performance, with the KF variant lacking integrated graphics.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Evolve?

A: The highest average FPS is 352.3, recorded at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the most extreme result in the dataset and shows the system’s capability at lower resolutions and settings.

Q: Does the combo rank well among other tested hardware combinations?

A: Yes. The combo ranks 153rd out of 3700 tested combinations in Evolve, placing it in the top 4.1% of all tested systems, which is consistent with its high CPU and GPU percentiles.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 153rd out of 3700 tested combinations in Evolve, which places it in the top 4.1% of all systems tested for this game. This rank is a strong indicator of overall performance, and it aligns with the CPU’s 95th percentile and GPU’s 87th percentile standings. The rank suggests that while there are 152 combinations that perform better, the vast majority of tested systems — 3547 of them — fall below this pairing.

The rank is particularly notable because Evolve is a 2015 title, and modern high-end hardware like the Core i9-14900K and RTX 5080 is likely overprovisioned for the game’s engine. The measured FPS data supports this, as the combo exceeds 100 FPS at 1440p Ultra and 149.3 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which are figures that would be challenging for many older titles. The rank of 153 out of 3700 also implies that the system is not at the absolute top, but the gap to the top tier is likely driven by other combinations with even more powerful GPUs or CPUs, such as those with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE’s higher benchmark score. Nevertheless, for a player targeting high-refresh-rate monitors or 4K gaming, this combo delivers a level of performance that is well above the playable threshold in almost all scenarios, and the measured data confirms that it is a top-tier choice for Evolve.