Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a specific performance profile in Evolve, characterized by a steep resolution curve and a clear dependence on graphics settings. The measured data reveals how this combination balances the CPU’s strong multi-threaded foundation against the GPU’s 6 GB frame buffer and 192-bit memory interface, resulting in a playable but not high-refresh experience at 1080p, with diminishing returns as resolution climbs.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K produces a dramatic and consistent drop in average frame rates across all settings, indicating that the GTX 1660 SUPER becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 123 at 1920x1080 to 83 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 40 frames, and then to 47 at 3840x2160, representing a 61.8% decrease from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where the rendering load outpaces the card’s 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 336.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

The Medium preset shows a similar pattern, with averages of 96 at 1080p, 64 at 1440p, and 37 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K here is 27 frames, which is a 42.2% loss, slightly less severe than the Low preset’s 43.4% drop over the same step. High settings follow suit, moving from 75 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p and finally to 29 at 4K, losing 46 frames total across the three resolutions. Ultra, the most demanding preset, barely holds on at 4K with an average of 20 FPS, down from 35 at 1440p and 52 at 1080p.

The scaling behavior suggests that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads boosting to 4.60 GHz, is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions. If the Ryzen 5 5600X were limiting performance, the frame rate would plateau or show smaller differences between 1440p and 4K. Instead, the consistent halving of performance from 1080p to 4K points squarely at the GPU’s pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and its 192-bit bus, which struggle to feed the increasing number of pixels. The data shows that 1080p is the only resolution where this combo approaches high-refresh territory, while 1440p demands a compromise on settings, and 4K is only viable at Low.

GPU Role

The GTX 1660 SUPER’s specifications directly explain its behavior in Evolve. With 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus delivering 336.0 GB/s, the card has enough bandwidth for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results indicate a capacity and throughput ceiling. The benchmark data shows a passmark G3D score of 12699 and a percentile ranking of 53 among all GPUs, placing it slightly above the midpoint of tested hardware. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile with a score of 12940 (0.4% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 580 at 12928 (0.4% higher), meaning the 1660 SUPER is effectively on par with those parts in synthetic tests.

In actual gameplay, the GPU’s boost clock of 1785 MHz and 1408 shading units produce the measured frame rates, but the card’s 12 nm process node and 125 W TDP limit its sustained performance under load. The 4K Low average of 47 FPS is notable because it shows that even with reduced settings, the GPU cannot overcome the pixel fill requirements, likely due to the 48 ROPs and the 85.68 GPixel/s fill rate. The 4K Medium result of 37 FPS, with a minimum of 31 and maximum of 42, reveals a narrow band of performance, indicating that the GPU is consistently saturated rather than spiking or stalling.

The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game’s textures at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the data implies the frame buffer is a limiting factor. The 20 FPS Ultra average at 4K is below playable thresholds, and the lack of min/max data for most rows suggests the benchmark captured only average performance, which masks potential stuttering from memory swapping. The card’s DirectX 12 score of 50 in passmark is notably low, and Evolve’s engine likely relies on DX11, where the card scores 104, indicating better optimization for older APIs.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and playable frame rates is achieved at 1080p with the High preset, which delivers an average of 75 FPS. This is 21 frames below the Low preset’s 123 FPS but offers significantly better visuals, and it stays within the 60+ FPS range that most gamers consider smooth. The Medium preset at 1080p is a close second, with an average of 96 FPS and a minimum of 81, making it the safest choice for maintaining a consistent frame rate above 80 FPS.

At 1440p, the data suggests dropping to Medium or Low to stay playable. The Medium preset averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 55, which is acceptable for most players, though the Low preset’s 83 FPS provides more headroom for competitive play. High at 1440p dips to 50 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra at 35 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. For 4K, the only viable option is Low, which averages 47 FPS, while Medium and High drop to 37 and 29 respectively, and Ultra falls to 20 FPS, making it unplayable by most standards.

The data indicates that the Ultra preset is not worth the performance cost on this hardware. At 1080p, Ultra (52 FPS) is 23 frames slower than High (75 FPS) despite presumably offering marginal visual improvements. The same pattern holds at 1440p, where Ultra (35 FPS) is 15 frames below High (50 FPS), and at 4K, where Ultra (20 FPS) is 9 frames below High (29 FPS). Players should prioritize High or Medium presets to maximize frame rates without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings shows a clear hierarchy. Low settings produce an average of 123 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 96 FPS on average, with a minimum of 81 and a maximum of 110, indicating a stable frame time distribution. High settings average 75 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52 FPS. This represents a 57.7% reduction from Low to Ultra, demonstrating the significant cost of the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down proportionally. Low settings average 83 FPS, Medium averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 55 and maximum of 74, High averages 50 FPS, and Ultra averages 35 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 48 FPS, which is a 57.8% drop, nearly identical to the 1080p scaling, suggesting the GPU’s efficiency is consistent across these resolutions. The Medium preset’s min-max range of 55 to 74 shows a 19-frame spread, which is tighter than the 29-frame spread at 1080p Medium, indicating better frame pacing at lower pixel counts.

At 3840x2160, the results are heavily constrained. Low settings average 47 FPS, Medium averages 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 and maximum of 42, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages 20 FPS. The Medium preset’s range of 11 frames is the narrowest of any resolution, suggesting the GPU is running at its limit with little variation. The drop from 1440p Medium (64 FPS) to 4K Medium (37 FPS) is 27 frames, a 42.2% loss, while the drop from 1440p Low (83 FPS) to 4K Low (47 FPS) is 36 frames, a 43.4% loss. These similar percentages reinforce that the GPU is the consistent bottleneck at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Evolve?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently exceeds 60 FPS, with averages ranging from 52 FPS at Ultra to 123 FPS at Low. 2560x1440 is playable only on Medium or Low, while 3840x2160 averages below 50 FPS even at Low.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 12986, which is 0.4% higher than the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940) and 0.4% higher than the Radeon RX 580 (12928). It is 0.7% lower than the Tesla M2090 (13075) and 0.9% higher than the Radeon 740M (12870).

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600X holding back performance in this game?

A: The CPU’s high single-thread score of 917 in 3dmark and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1541 suggest it is not the limiting factor. The consistent frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K indicate the GPU is the bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium averages 64 FPS with a minimum of 55, while High averages 50 FPS. The 14-frame difference represents a 21.9% performance loss, making Medium the better choice for maintaining a smoother experience.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: Only at Low settings, which averages 47 FPS. Medium drops to 37 FPS, High to 29 FPS, and Ultra to 20 FPS. The 4K results are below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play, so it is not recommended for competitive play.

Q: How does the CPU rank against other processors?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600X has an average benchmark score of 21771, placing it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs. It is 0.1% faster than the Ryzen 7 4800H (21749) and 0.5% faster than the Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (21874), but 0.5% slower than the Core i7-11700 (21891).

CPU Role

The Ryzen 5 5600X provides a solid foundation for Evolve, with its 6 cores and 12 threads running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and boosting to 4.60 GHz. The CPU’s Zen 3 architecture and 7 nm process node contribute to strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 3dmark single-thread score of 917 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1541. These scores are critical for a game like Evolve, which relies on consistent frame delivery rather than extreme multi-threading.

The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11838 and a Geekbench multicore score of 9173. In the context of this game, the CPU’s 32 MB of L3 cache helps maintain data locality, reducing latency during intense combat sequences. The passmark physics score of 1316 indicates that the CPU can handle the game’s physical simulation without creating bottlenecks, which is confirmed by the GPU-bound scaling pattern observed in the FPS data.

The CPU’s 75th percentile ranking among all processors places it above the median, and its nearest rivals include the Ryzen 7 4800H (0.1% slower) and the Core i7-11700 (0.5% faster). This means the 5600X is competitive with newer and higher-tier chips, ensuring that it will not be the weak link in this pairing. The 4,150 million transistors on a 74 mm² die allow for efficient power draw at 65 W TDP, which is low enough to keep thermals in check during extended sessions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of Ryzen 5 5600X and GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 3151 out of 3700 combos for Evolve, placing it in the 15th percentile of all tested systems. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU’s modest position in the graphics hierarchy, as the CPU is comparatively strong. The GPU’s 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs contrasts sharply with the CPU’s 75th percentile, indicating a significant imbalance in this pairing.

The combo’s rank suggests that while the CPU is capable of driving higher-end graphics cards, the GTX 1660 SUPER limits overall performance in Evolve. The measured FPS data confirms this, as the frame rates at 1080p Ultra (52 FPS) and 4K Low (47 FPS) are not competitive with higher-tier combinations that would rank in the top 1000. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile and RX 580, would likely produce similar results, keeping this combo in the lower half of the rankings.

For players using this combo, the data suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance gains, as the CPU has headroom to support faster graphics cards. The 3700 total tested combos provide context for the 3151 rank, indicating that a majority of systems outperform this pairing in Evolve. However, the combo remains viable for 1080p gaming at Medium to High settings, where it delivers playable frame rates that are consistent with its mid-range positioning.