Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, using the Phoenix codename and built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, and its 16 MB of shared L3 cache is a key resource for gaming workloads. For a game like Evolve, which relies heavily on consistent frame pacing rather than extreme multi-threaded throughput, the CPU’s single-thread performance is often the deciding factor. The data shows the processor scores 951 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2,943 in cinebench_r23_singlecore, indicating robust per-core capability. This is crucial because Evolve is a 2015 FPS title, and its engine typically does not scale perfectly across many cores, making the 8400F’s strong single-core showing more relevant than its raw multi-core numbers.

In multi-threaded scenarios, the 8400F still holds its own, with a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 20,851 and a passmark_multithread score of 24,389. This suggests that even when the game does utilize additional threads for physics or AI calculations, the processor has sufficient headroom. The CPU’s percentile versus all CPUs is 77, meaning it outperforms the majority of processors in the benchmark database. When compared to its nearest rivals, the 8400F is nearly identical in performance: it is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i7-11850H, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H, while trailing the AMD EPYC 9474F by 0.4%. For Evolve, this means the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck at any resolution, as even the most demanding scenes will not push the 12 threads to their limits given the game’s age. The 65 W TDP also indicates power efficiency, but the focus here is on how the cores and clocks translate to frame delivery. The 4.70 GHz boost clock ensures that the processor can rapidly respond to spikes in draw calls, which is typical for a fast-paced FPS. The 6 cores are more than adequate for the game’s threading model, and the 12 threads provide additional security for background tasks or overlays without impacting frame times. Overall, the CPU’s architecture and clock speeds are well-matched to the demands of Evolve, providing a solid foundation for the GPU to operate without being starved of data.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB207 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 2,560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units, along with 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory running at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. For Evolve, the VRAM capacity is a significant factor, as the game’s textures and effects can be demanding at higher settings. The 8 GB allocation is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data indicates that at 4K Ultra, the GPU struggles, which is likely due to both memory bandwidth and raw compute limits rather than just capacity.

The RTX 5050’s FP32 performance is 13.17 TFLOPS, which is a moderate figure for a modern graphics card, placing it in the 66th percentile versus all GPUs. Its nearest rivals provide context: it is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, 1% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, 1.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile. This places the RTX 5050 in a performance tier where it can handle esports titles and older AAA games with ease, but newer titles at maximum settings may require compromises. In Evolve, the GPU’s role is to render the dense jungle environments and particle effects. The boost clock of 2572 MHz helps maintain high frame rates in less demanding scenes, while the memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s ensures that texture streaming does not cause hitches. However, the pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s are more indicative of its fill-rate capabilities. At 1080p, these figures are more than adequate, but at 4K, the GPU’s 32 ROPs become a limiting factor, as evidenced by the measured FPS dropping significantly. The RTX 5050’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 means it can fully leverage the game’s API features, but the game’s age means it likely relies on DirectX 11, which is still well-supported. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is a double-edged sword: it is enough for high-quality textures at 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the game may be swapping assets, contributing to the low 27 FPS average. The 20 tensor cores could potentially be used for DLSS in other titles, but since Evolve predates widespread DLSS adoption, the GPU must rely on raw rasterization power, which is where it shows its limits at higher resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Evolve shows a clear trend of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High settings, the average FPS is 103, which drops to 69 at 1440p High, and further to 39 at 4K High. This represents a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 62% drop from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern suggests that the RTX 5050 is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s performance headroom is sufficient to feed the GPU at all settings. The frame rate reduction from 1080p to 1440p is steeper than what would be expected if the CPU were the bottleneck, indicating that the GPU’s fill rate and bandwidth are being taxed. At 4K, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed, with even Low settings only achieving 64 FPS, which is below the 1080p Ultra score of 71 FPS.

The data also reveals how settings impact performance at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is significant: 169 FPS versus 71 FPS, a 58% reduction. This shows that the GPU has enough compute headroom at 1080p to handle increased graphical fidelity, but the gap narrows at higher resolutions. At 1440p, Low yields 113 FPS while Ultra yields 48 FPS, a 58% reduction as well, but the absolute numbers are lower. At 4K, Low yields 64 FPS while Ultra yields 27 FPS, a 58% reduction again, but the baseline is much lower. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the GPU’s shading units are being scaled uniformly, and the VRAM capacity or bandwidth is not causing a sudden cliff at any specific setting. The min FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings: 111 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p, and 42 FPS at 4K. These minimums are relatively close to the averages, suggesting that frame pacing is stable, which is crucial for a competitive FPS like Evolve. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings shows a drop from 131 FPS to 50 FPS, a 62% reduction, which aligns with the High settings trend. This indicates that the limiting component is the GPU’s raw processing power, not memory constraints, as the game’s asset load does not disproportionately spike at Medium settings. The resolution scaling analysis points to the RTX 5050 being the bottleneck beyond 1080p, while the Ryzen 5 8400F maintains a stable foundation without causing frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination of the Ryzen 5 8400F and RTX 5050 delivers strong performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 169 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates that the CPU and GPU are both underutilized, likely due to engine-level frame caps or lack of demanding effects. Medium settings yield 131 FPS, with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 150 FPS, showing consistent frame delivery. High settings reduce the average to 103 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Ultra settings drop to 71 FPS, which is playable but shows the GPU beginning to work harder. The spread from 169 FPS to 71 FPS across settings demonstrates that the RTX 5050 has ample headroom at 1080p, and the CPU’s single-thread performance is more than sufficient to handle the game’s draw calls.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings average 113 FPS, which is still very high and suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 88 FPS, with a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS, maintaining a smooth experience. High settings produce 69 FPS, which is playable but begins to show the GPU’s limitations. Ultra settings drop to 48 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for fast-paced action, and this is where players would need to lower settings for competitive play. The 1440p results show a 33% reduction from 1080p at High settings, confirming that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes. At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050 struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 64 FPS, which is acceptable, but Medium settings drop to 50 FPS, with a minimum of 42 FPS and a maximum of 57 FPS, indicating occasional drops below 60 FPS. High settings average 39 FPS, which is not ideal for an FPS, and Ultra settings average 27 FPS, which is nearly unplayable. The 4K results highlight the GPU’s memory bandwidth and ROP limits, as the frame rate drops by 62% from 1080p to 4K at High settings. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K only viable at Low settings for a playable experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 achieves a rank of 1,749 out of 2,872 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the 39th percentile of all combinations, meaning it outperforms roughly 39% of the systems tested, but it is not a top-tier setup. The rank is influenced by the GPU’s performance, as the CPU is a strong performer in its class, but the RTX 5050’s 66th percentile GPU score drags the overall combo down. When considering the CPU’s rivals, the 8400F is nearly identical to the Ryzen 5 7500F, with only a 0.2% difference, so swapping between these CPUs would likely not change the combo rank significantly. Similarly, the GPU’s rivals are a mix of older and newer parts, with the RTX 5050 being 1.6% faster than the RX 5600 XT but slower than the RX Vega M GL and HD 8970M by small margins. This suggests that the combo’s rank is highly sensitive to the GPU’s performance tier rather than the CPU.

The rank of 1,749 out of 2,872 indicates that this is a mid-to-low-tier combination for Evolve, which is consistent with the measured FPS at 4K being low. The data shows that the combo is more competitive at 1080p, where it can achieve 103 FPS on High settings, which would likely place it higher in the rankings if only that resolution were considered. However, the overall rank aggregates performance across all tested scenarios, and the poor 4K Ultra result of 27 FPS pulls the rank down. In comparison to other combos, this setup is not designed for maximum graphical fidelity at high resolutions, but it offers a balanced experience at mainstream resolutions. The CPU’s high percentile rank (77) versus the GPU’s lower percentile (66) suggests that the combo is mismatched in terms of raw potential, but for Evolve, the bottleneck is clearly the GPU, especially at higher settings. The rank reflects this reality, positioning the combo as a capable 1080p performer that struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Evolve at 1080p?*

A: The highest average FPS is 169, achieved at 1080p with Low settings. At 1080p High settings, the average FPS is 103, and at Ultra, it drops to 71.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 27, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance (2,943 in cinebench_r23_singlecore) is more than adequate to handle the game’s demands. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for this resolution and settings combination.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F compare to its nearest CPU rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25,005, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F’s score of 24,964. It is also 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-11850H and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H, but 0.4% lower than the AMD EPYC 9474F.

Q: What is the frame rate stability like at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 1440p Medium settings, the average FPS is 88, with a minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS. The close proximity of the minimum to the average indicates stable frame pacing, which is beneficial for a competitive FPS.

Q: Does this combo perform better at 1080p Low or 4K Low settings?

A: The combo performs significantly better at 1080p Low, achieving an average of 169 FPS, compared to 64 FPS at 4K Low. The 4K Low result is more than 60% lower, highlighting the GPU’s resolution scaling limitations.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank in the database for Evolve?*

A: The combo ranks 1,749 out of 2,872 tested combinations. This places it in the lower half of all combos, reflecting the GPU’s mid-range performance tier, even though the CPU is in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.