Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER pairing presents a fascinating case study in resolution-dependent bottlenecks, particularly when examining the 2015 FPS title Evolve. With a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 processor driving a 6 GB Turing-based GPU, the measured data reveals a system that transitions from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a heavily GPU-limited state at 4K, with a combo rank of 2450 out of 2872 tested configurations indicating a mid-to-low-tier standing for this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent decline as resolution increases, telling a clear story about where the performance ceiling lives. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 123 FPS, which drops to 83 FPS at 1440p and further to 47 FPS at 4K. This represents a 62% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The pattern holds across other presets: High settings yield 75 FPS at 1080p, 50 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K, a 61% drop. Medium settings follow suit with 96 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K, a 61% decline. Ultra settings produce 52 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and just 20 FPS at 4K, a 62% reduction.

The remarkable consistency of this roughly 62% scaling penalty across all four quality presets suggests a single, dominant limiting factor rather than a more nuanced balance between CPU and GPU workloads. When the resolution rises, the number of pixels the GPU must shade increases dramatically, and the GTX 1660 SUPER's 5.027 TFLOPS of FP32 compute becomes the constraining resource. The CPU, with its boost clock of 4.70 GHz and strong single-core performance, is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions; instead, the GPU's raw throughput dictates the frame rate ceiling.

This scaling behavior implies that at 1080p, the system may be partially CPU-bound, as the Ryzen 5 7400F's strong single-thread performance can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. The 123 FPS Low result at 1080p indicates the GPU is still managing to keep up, but the drop to 83 FPS at 1440p demonstrates how quickly the GPU's fill rate limits the system. For Evolve, a game with fast-paced action, the 4K results are largely unusable for competitive play, with even the Low preset failing to hit 50 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER serves as the primary performance arbiter at higher resolutions, and its specifications provide insight into why the 4K results are so constrained. The GPU features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. While this memory configuration was adequate for 1080p gaming at the card's 2019 release, the demands of 4K resolution in Evolve push it to its limits. The card's base clock runs at 1530 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and its 1408 shading units must process the increased pixel workload at 3840x2160.

The GPU's DirectX 12 (12_1) API support and 48 ROPs provide a baseline for modern rendering techniques, but the 5.027 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is the key metric for understanding the 4K performance. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces only 20 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The 4K Medium preset fares better at 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS, but this still falls short of the 60 FPS target that many players prefer. The 4K Low preset achieves 47 FPS, which is playable but requires significant graphical compromises.

The GTX 1660 SUPER's percentile ranking of 53 against all GPUs places it in the lower-middle tier of graphics cards, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile with a 0.4% higher average score and the AMD Radeon RX 580 with a 0.4% higher score. This competitive positioning means that in Evolve, the card's performance at 4K is expected to be modest. Interestingly, the GPU's memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s is substantial for its class, but the 6 GB VRAM capacity may become a limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where texture sizes and geometry data can exceed this allocation.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F plays a supporting role in this combo, but its specifications ensure that it does not become the bottleneck at lower resolutions. With 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, the processor operates at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This single-thread performance is crucial for Evolve, which is an FPS title that relies on consistent frame pacing and responsive input. The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for game logic and physics calculations.

The Ryzen 5 7400F's benchmark results demonstrate its capabilities: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072. These scores place the CPU in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs, indicating strong overall performance. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T with a 0.1% higher average score and the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with a 0.2% higher score, showing that the 7400F is competitive with modern mid-range processors.

At 1080p, the CPU's role becomes more prominent. The 123 FPS result at Low settings suggests that the processor can handle the game's logic and draw calls efficiently, allowing the GPU to work at its maximum frame output. However, as resolution increases, the CPU's workload remains relatively constant while the GPU's workload grows exponentially. This means that at 4K, the CPU has significant headroom, and the frame rate is entirely dictated by the GPU's rendering speed. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 5 nm process node contribute to its efficiency, but in this pairing, its performance is underutilized at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: The data indicates that 1080p provides the best playable experience, with all presets achieving at least 52 FPS. The Low preset reaches 123 FPS, Medium hits 96 FPS, and High manages 75 FPS, all above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Evolve?*

A: The measured results show that 4K is only marginally playable at Low settings with 47 FPS. Medium settings drop to 37 FPS, High to 29 FPS, and Ultra is unplayable at 20 FPS. These numbers suggest that 4K requires significant graphical compromises.

Q: How does the CPU benchmark compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32750, placing it 0.1% above the Intel Core i5-14600T and 0.2% above the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. It trails the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H by 0.2%.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER sits in the 53rd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12986. Its closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile, which scores 0.4% higher.

Q: Does the frame rate drop linearly with resolution?

A: The data shows a consistent 61-62% reduction in FPS from 1080p to 4K across all settings. For example, Medium settings drop from 96 FPS at 1080p to 37 FPS at 4K, while Ultra drops from 52 FPS to 20 FPS.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck at 4K?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as evidenced by the steep FPS decline. The CPU's 4.70 GHz boost clock and strong single-core performance are more than sufficient for the game's logic, but the GTX 1660 SUPER's 5.027 TFLOPS compute cannot handle the pixel workload.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2450 out of 2872 tested combinations places it in the lower 15% of all configurations for Evolve. This ranking reflects the GTX 1660 SUPER's age and performance tier, as the GPU's 53rd percentile standing and 6 GB VRAM capacity are not well-suited to a demanding FPS title. The CPU, however, is not the weak link; the Ryzen 5 7400F's 83rd percentile ranking shows that it is a capable processor that would pair better with a more powerful GPU.

This ranking suggests that while the combo can deliver playable frame rates at 1080p, it falls behind many other configurations in the database. The 4K Ultra result of 20 FPS is particularly poor and highlights the GPU's limitations. For comparison, the combo's performance at 1080p Low (123 FPS) is respectable, but the overall ranking is dragged down by the poor high-resolution results. The data implies that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can provide a smooth experience, but it is not a competitive option for higher resolutions or high-refresh-rate displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 123 FPS, Medium reaches 96 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS, High hits 75 FPS, and Ultra produces 52 FPS. These results show that 1080p gaming is viable across all settings, with even Ultra staying above 50 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset drops to 83 FPS, Medium falls to 64 FPS with a range of 55-74 FPS, High manages 50 FPS, and Ultra drops to 35 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that Medium is the highest playable preset, as High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves 47 FPS, Medium reaches 37 FPS with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS, High drops to 29 FPS, and Ultra falls to 20 FPS. None of the 4K presets reach 60 FPS, and only Low approaches playability.

The minimum and maximum FPS data for Medium settings provides insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p, the range of 81-110 FPS shows a moderate spread, indicating some frame pacing variability. At 1440p, the range of 55-74 FPS narrows, and at 4K, the range of 31-42 FPS is tighter, suggesting that the GPU's consistent workload at higher resolutions reduces frame time spikes. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering pipeline is saturated and produces more uniform frame times.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is the optimal choice. The 96 FPS average with a minimum of 81 FPS provides a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS target, while the visual improvements over Low are noticeable. The High preset at 1080p, at 75 FPS, is also a viable option for players who prioritize graphics over frame rate, but the 21 FPS difference between High and Medium may not justify the visual upgrade for competitive play.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended setting, delivering 64 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS. This provides a playable experience, though the minimum frame rate dips slightly below 60 FPS, which may cause occasional stutters. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 83 FPS and is the better choice for players seeking consistent high frame rates, but it requires significant graphical compromises. For 4K gaming, the Low preset at 47 FPS is the only playable option, but it is not recommended for fast-paced gameplay.

The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it produces 52 FPS at 1080p, 35 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. The performance cost of Ultra settings is substantial, with a 46% reduction in FPS compared to High at 1080p (52 vs 75 FPS). The data suggests that Medium at 1080p offers the best overall experience, balancing visual fidelity with performance headroom for demanding scenes. Players with 144Hz monitors should consider the Low preset at 1080p for the highest frame rates, while those with 60Hz displays can comfortably use High settings at 1080p.