Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a distinct case study in system bottlenecking within the 2015 FPS title Evolve. The measured data indicates a configuration where the integrated graphics solution is the primary constraint, with the CPU's substantial processing power largely held in reserve. This analysis breaks down the performance characteristics across resolutions and settings, drawing exclusively from the provided benchmark dataset.

Resolution Scaling

The performance trajectory from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario, where the frame rate plummets as pixel count increases. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 89 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure in the entire dataset. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 60 FPS, representing a 32.6% reduction in performance. The scaling continues steeply to 4K Low, where the average falls to 34 FPS, a 61.8% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This pronounced decline with resolution is a clear indicator that the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities are saturated well before the CPU becomes a limiting factor.

The trend holds across all quality presets. For High settings, the averages are 54 FPS at 1080p, 36 FPS at 1440p, and 21 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at High settings is a 61.1% drop, nearly identical to the Low setting delta. Medium settings show a similar pattern: 69 FPS at 1080p, 46 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. Even at the most demanding Ultra preset, the scaling remains consistent, with 37 FPS at 1080p, 25 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. The consistency of this ~60% performance loss from 1080p to 4K across all settings strongly suggests that the GPU's pixel throughput and fillrate are the decisive factors. The frame rate is not being influenced by CPU overhead at higher resolutions, as the workload shifts almost entirely to the graphics processor.

The data implies that for a smoother experience, users must prioritize lower resolutions. The 1440p Low setting provides a 60 FPS average, which is often considered a baseline for playable frame pacing. However, the 4K resolution is largely impractical for this game with this hardware, as even the lowest settings yield only 34 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 14 FPS. The scaling behavior indicates that any attempts to increase visual fidelity at 4K will result in a slideshow, confirming that the Arc B390 is not designed for high-resolution gaming in this title.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and built on Intel's 3 nm process node. Its role in this configuration is pivotal, as it is the sole renderer for the game. The GPU's specifications paint a picture of a modest performer: it features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. The boost clock is rated at 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. The memory subsystem is entirely system-dependent, sharing the main system memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. This architectural choice often leads to bandwidth limitations, which can be particularly impactful in fast-paced FPS titles.

The GPU's benchmark standing is weak, with a percentile of only 9 against all other GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the company of much older, low-end discrete graphics cards. The nearest rivals listed include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463 (1.3% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, scoring 1460 (1.5% slower). This context is crucial; the Arc B390 is performing at a level comparable to entry-level mobile GPUs from over a decade ago. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 reflects this positioning.

In Evolve, the GPU's limitations are evident. The jump from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p results in a 58.4% frame rate reduction (from 89 to 37 FPS). This sensitivity to settings is a hallmark of a GPU that is short on raw compute and memory bandwidth. The system-shared memory architecture means that the GPU and CPU compete for the same memory resources, which can cause stutters and inconsistent frame times, although the measured average FPS does not fully capture such micro-stuttering. The data shows that the GPU is the definitive bottleneck, as its performance ceiling is reached even at 1080p Medium, where it manages 69 FPS but drops to 54 FPS at High.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2530 out of 2872 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems tested, a direct reflection of the GPU's limited capabilities. The CPU, while capable, is severely held back by the integrated graphics. The pairing creates a significant imbalance, as the Ryzen 5 5600F has the processing headroom to drive much higher frame rates, but the Arc B390 cannot deliver them.

The ranking reflects the fact that in gaming, the GPU is often the dominant component. Despite the CPU's strong Passmark scores—including a multithread score of 19236 and a single-thread score of 2872—the system's overall gaming performance is dragged down by the GPU's 3DMark score of 1482. The combo rank is not a reflection of the CPU's potential but of the system's actual measured performance in this specific game. A system with a similar CPU but a discrete graphics card would likely rank significantly higher, underscoring that the Arc B390 is the limiting factor. The data suggests that this configuration is only suitable for low-demanding titles or esports games at modest settings, not for a graphically intensive FPS like Evolve.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured performance metrics, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and acceptable frame rate. For a playable experience at 1080p, the Low preset is the clear winner, delivering an average of 89 FPS. This is the only setting at 1080p that provides a frame rate above the 60 FPS threshold, which is generally considered smooth for an FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p offers 69 FPS, which is also playable and provides a substantial visual upgrade over Low. However, the High preset at 1080p drops to 54 FPS, which may introduce noticeable judder in fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 37 FPS is not recommended for competitive play.

At 1440p, the options are more constrained. The Low preset is the only setting that achieves a 60 FPS average, making it the only viable choice for a fluid experience. The Medium preset at 46 FPS is borderline, potentially playable for a slower-paced game but likely insufficient for the frantic hunting and running mechanics in Evolve. Both High (36 FPS) and Ultra (25 FPS) at 1440p are too slow for a playable experience. At 4K, the results are universally poor. The Low preset at 34 FPS is the best case, but it is still below the playability threshold. The Ultra preset at 14 FPS is effectively a slideshow and should be avoided.

The data indicates that the "best" experience is achieved by prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity. For 1080p users, the Medium preset offers a good balance, providing 69 FPS while improving visuals over Low. For 1440p users, the Low preset is the only sensible choice. The measured rows show no scenario where a High or Ultra preset is viable at any resolution for a smooth gaming experience. Therefore, the recommendation is to use Low settings for 1440p and Medium for 1080p, accepting the visual compromises inherent to these presets.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following section details the exact average frame rates measured for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 89 FPS average.
• Medium: 69 FPS average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 79 FPS.
• High: 54 FPS average.
• Ultra: 37 FPS average.

The 1080p results show a clear hierarchy. The 20 FPS gap between Low and Medium is significant, and the drop from Medium to High is another 15 FPS. The Ultra preset is 52 FPS slower than Low, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle high-detail effects like advanced shadows and post-processing.

2560x1440:

• Low: 60 FPS average.
• Medium: 46 FPS average, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS.
• High: 36 FPS average.
• Ultra: 25 FPS average.

At 1440p, the performance degrades uniformly. The Medium preset shows a variance of 14 FPS between its minimum and maximum, indicating potential for frame pacing issues. The Low preset is the only one that maintains a 60 FPS average, while Ultra dips to a quarter of the 1080p Low score.

3840x2160:

• Low: 34 FPS average.
• Medium: 26 FPS average, with a minimum of 22 FPS and a maximum of 30 FPS.
• High: 21 FPS average.
• Ultra: 14 FPS average.

The 4K results are consistently below playable thresholds. The Medium preset's minimum of 22 FPS and maximum of 30 FPS show a range that would be highly distracting during gameplay. The Ultra preset at 14 FPS is the worst-case scenario in the dataset, making the game unplayable at those settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Vermeer) and manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a 65W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 32 MB L3 cache. Its memory support is dual-channel DDR4, with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The CPU's benchmark scores are respectable, with a Passmark multithread score of 19236 and a single-thread score of 2872. It holds a percentile of 85 against all CPUs, indicating it outperforms the majority of processors in general computing tasks.

In the context of Evolve, the CPU's role is largely underutilized. The performance data shows that the frame rate is consistently limited by the GPU. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 89 FPS. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see lower frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but the opposite is true; reducing the resolution or settings increases FPS, which is a classic GPU-bound signature. The CPU is not the limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

The nearest rivals to the Ryzen 5 5600F in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (scoring 36938, a 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (scoring 37018, a -0.2% delta). These scores show that the 5600F is positioned in a competitive mid-range segment for CPU performance. However, this processing power is wasted when paired with the Arc B390 in this game. The CPU's 12 threads and high clock speeds are capable of handling the game's AI and physics simulation, but the GPU's inability to render frames quickly enough means the CPU spends most of its time idle, waiting for the graphics pipeline to complete. The data strongly suggests that swapping the Arc B390 for any discrete GPU would yield a massive increase in frame rate, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a much more powerful graphics card.