Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers a wide spread of frame rates in Evolve, ranging from a playable 42 FPS at 4K Ultra to a highly responsive 262 FPS at 1080p Low. The data shows a clear pattern where the GPU becomes the primary performance limiter as resolution increases, while the CPU's strength is most evident at lower resolutions where frame rates are highest. This analysis breaks down the measured results to explain how each component contributes to the overall experience in this 2015 FPS title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across the three tested resolutions demonstrates a substantial performance drop as pixel count increases. At the High preset, the average frame rate falls from 159 FPS at 1920x1080 to 107 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 61 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 33% reduction moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 43% reduction moving from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the RX 9070 XT's rendering workload grows faster than its memory bandwidth and compute capabilities can compensate for.

The Low preset shows an even more dramatic scaling curve. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 262 FPS, which drops to 176 FPS at 1440p and 100 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 33% and 43% respectively, nearly identical to the High preset's scaling. This consistency suggests that the relative performance penalty from increasing resolution is independent of the graphics settings chosen, pointing to a fixed hardware limitation rather than a software or driver bottleneck.

At the Medium preset, the available minimum and maximum frame rates provide additional insight. At 4K Medium, the combo averages 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 89 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average rises to 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the average reaches 203 FPS with a minimum of 172 FPS and a maximum of 233 FPS. The frame time variance, as indicated by the spread between minimum and maximum, widens proportionally with the average, suggesting that the rendering pipeline remains stable under load rather than exhibiting sporadic spikes.

The Ultra preset, which represents the highest graphical demands, shows the steepest progression from a playable 110 FPS at 1080p to 74 FPS at 1440p and a marginal 42 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 43% reduction, matching the pattern seen in other presets. This indicates that the RX 9070 XT's 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus are sufficient to feed the rendering engine, but the raw shader throughput becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The data reveals that the limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU is more likely to constrain performance, as the GPU has ample headroom to produce very high frame counts. At 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, with even the Low preset only reaching 100 FPS. The Ryzen 5 7400F's six Zen 4 cores are capable of driving high frame rates at lower resolutions, but they are not the primary constraint when the GPU is tasked with rendering over 8 million pixels per frame.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 48 chip, provides the graphical horsepower for this combo. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus delivers a memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, which is ample for Evolve's texture and geometry requirements at any tested resolution. The memory runs at 2518 MHz, translating to 20.1 Gbps effective, a speed that ensures the 4096 shading units are kept fed with data.

The GPU's clock behavior is notable for explaining the measured results. The base clock is 1660 MHz, but the boost clock reaches 2970 MHz, with a game clock rated at 2400 MHz. The large gap between base and boost suggests that the card can dynamically adjust its frequency based on thermal and power headroom. In Evolve, the benchmark results indicate that the GPU is sustaining high clocks during lighter loads, such as at 1080p Low, where the 262 FPS average implies the card is operating near its boost ceiling. At 4K Ultra, the 42 FPS average suggests the GPU is likely dropping below its game clock due to sustained heavy load.

The GPU's pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s are key specifications for understanding the resolution scaling. At 4K, the fill rate requirements increase by four times compared to 1080p, and the measured FPS drops by roughly 61% at High settings (from 159 to 61 FPS). This sub-linear drop indicates that while fill rate is important, other factors like shader complexity and memory latency also play a role in the performance degradation.

The FP32 compute performance of 48.66 TFLOPS is the same as the FP16 rating, indicating a 1:1 ratio. For a game like Evolve, which was released in 2015, this level of compute power is more than sufficient for the DirectX 12 rendering path. The GPU also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with modern APIs even though the game itself is older. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 7260 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 65879 provide synthetic benchmarks, but the measured FPS in Evolve is the most relevant indicator of real-world performance.

The GPU's 55th percentile ranking among all GPUs, based on an average benchmark score of 13543, places it in the upper-middle tier of the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7770M, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, NVIDIA P106-090, and AMD Radeon Pro 555, with delta percentages ranging from 0.1% to 1%. This close grouping suggests that while the RX 9070 XT outperforms these older or lower-tier cards, the margin is small in synthetic tests, though the real-world Evolve results show a much larger practical advantage due to driver optimizations and modern architecture.

How This Combo Ranks

The Ryzen 5 7400F and RX 9070 XT combination holds a combo rank of 647 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve. This places it in the top 22.5% of all system pairings in the database, indicating a strong but not elite performance tier. The rank reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where the CPU's single-thread performance and the GPU's rasterization capabilities combine to deliver high frame rates at mainstream resolutions.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 83rd among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 32750, shows that the Ryzen 5 7400F is a well-above-average processor. Its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark include the Intel Core i5-14600T (delta 0.1%), Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (delta 0.2%), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (delta -0.2%), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (delta 0.3%). These tiny deltas indicate that the 7400F's performance is tightly clustered with these competitors, meaning the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo's ranking.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 55th among all GPUs is lower than the CPU's ranking, suggesting that the graphics card is the weaker link in this pairing. The GPU's average benchmark score of 13543 places it close to the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (delta 0.1%) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (delta 0.2%), both of which are much older architectures. This odd grouping in synthetic benchmarks does not reflect the RX 9070 XT's actual gaming performance, which is far superior, but it explains why the combo rank is not higher.

The combo rank of 647 is influenced by the fact that Evolve is an older title that may not fully utilize the RX 9070 XT's modern features like ray tracing (64 RT cores) or mesh shaders. The game's release in 2015 predates RDNA 4.0, so the GPU is working in a compatibility mode rather than leveraging its full feature set. This means the combo's rank might be lower than what would be seen in a more modern game, but the measured FPS still indicates a highly playable experience at most settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the combo delivers an average of 61 FPS on High settings, with no minimum or maximum data available. The Low preset at 4K achieves 100 FPS, while Medium averages 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 89 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered smooth for fast-paced shooters.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance improves significantly. High settings produce an average of 107 FPS, Low reaches 176 FPS, Medium averages 136 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS, and Ultra hits 74 FPS. All of these results exceed the 60 FPS target, making 1440p a comfortable resolution for this combo across all presets.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high. High settings average 159 FPS, Low reaches 262 FPS, Medium averages 203 FPS with a minimum of 172 FPS and a maximum of 233 FPS, and Ultra achieves 110 FPS. The 262 FPS at Low is the highest measured result in the entire dataset, indicating that the combo is primarily CPU-limited at this setting, as the GPU has more than enough headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can feed it.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete minimum and maximum data across all resolutions. This allows for a detailed analysis of frame pacing. At 1080p, the spread between minimum (172 FPS) and maximum (233 FPS) is 61 FPS, which is 30% of the average. At 1440p, the spread is 40 FPS (116 to 156), which is 29% of the average. At 4K, the spread is 23 FPS (66 to 89), which is also 30% of the average. This consistent relative variance suggests that the frame time distribution is stable and not subject to sudden stutters or hitches.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Evolve?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 262 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only result exceeding 250 FPS in the dataset.

*Q: Is the combo capable of 4K gaming in Evolve?*

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K Low, the combo averages 100 FPS, at Medium 77 FPS, and at High 61 FPS. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 13543, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 7770M, 0.2% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570, and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA P106-090.

*Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Evolve?*

A: The combo ranks 647th out of 2872 tested combos, placing it in the top 22.5% of all system pairings in the database.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor, as the GPU can produce very high frame rates (up to 262 FPS at Low) that approach the CPU's maximum achievable frame rate for this title.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS at 1440p Medium?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 116 and the maximum FPS is 156, with an average of 136 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K resolution, the data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 4K Medium, the combo averages 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS, which remains above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K averages 61 FPS, but the lack of minimum data makes it a riskier choice for maintaining consistent frame rates. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as the 42 FPS average falls below playable standards. The Low preset at 4K achieves 100 FPS but sacrifices too much visual fidelity for the resolution.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the recommended choice, delivering an average of 107 FPS with no minimum data indicating potential dips. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 74 FPS, which is still playable, but the High preset provides a 45% higher frame rate with only a modest reduction in visual quality. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 136 FPS, which is beneficial for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often more noticeable at this resolution.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the best choice for those prioritizing visual quality, as it averages 110 FPS, well above the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 1080p averages 159 FPS, providing a significant boost for competitive play. For users with 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, the Medium preset at 1080p, averaging 203 FPS with a minimum of 172 FPS, ensures that frame rates stay above the monitor's refresh rate even during intense scenes. The Low preset at 1080p is only recommended for extreme competitive scenarios where maximizing FPS is the sole objective.

The Medium preset across all resolutions shows the most stable frame delivery, with consistent minimum and maximum values relative to the average. This makes it a safe choice for users who prefer consistent frame times over peak performance. However, the High preset at 1080p and 1440p offers a better balance of visual fidelity and high frame rates, making it the overall recommended starting point for most users.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F features six cores and twelve threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache, providing a total of 32 MB of L3. This configuration is well-suited for gaming, as the high boost clock and generous L3 cache reduce memory latency for frequently accessed game data.

In Evolve, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p Low, where the combo achieves 262 FPS. This frame rate is likely at or near the CPU's maximum rendering capability for this game, as the GPU is not heavily taxed at these settings. The CPU's single-thread performance, as indicated by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3072, is strong enough to drive high frame rates without bottlenecking the GPU. The multi-core score of 21765 in Cinebench R23 suggests that the six cores can handle background tasks without interfering with game performance.

The CPU's passmark multi-thread score of 25645 and single-thread score of 3689 provide additional context. The single-thread score is particularly relevant for Evolve, as older FPS titles often rely heavily on one or two cores for game logic and physics. The 7400F's Zen 4 architecture, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC, offers high instructions-per-clock efficiency, which translates to strong per-core performance in gaming workloads.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth ensures that the GPU has sufficient data throughput. While Evolve is not memory-bandwidth sensitive, the fast DDR5 memory helps maintain consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the stable minimum FPS values in the Medium preset data. The CPU's PCIe Gen 5 support with 24 lanes allows the RX 9070 XT to communicate at full bandwidth, though the GPU's PCIe 5.0 x16 interface is more than sufficient for this game.

The CPU's benchmark results show it performing at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32750. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, has an average score of 32707, a delta of 0.1%. This indicates that the 7400F is competitive with mid-range Intel offerings in synthetic tests. In Evolve, the CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid becoming the limiting factor at resolutions above 1080p, where the GPU's workload dominates the frame time budget. The data shows that at 4K, the frame rates are determined almost entirely by the GPU, while at 1080p, the CPU's capability sets the upper ceiling on performance.