Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti delivers a performance profile in Evolve that is heavily dictated by resolution. The data shows a clear and consistent scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions, revealing where the bottleneck shifts as pixel count increases.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates demonstrate a steep performance curve as resolution climbs. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 181 FPS, which drops to 121 FPS at 1440p and further to 69 FPS at 4K. That represents a 33% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and another 43% reduction from 1440p to 4K at the same settings. The pattern is consistent across all presets — the frame rate penalty for moving up a resolution tier is substantial and nearly proportional.

This scaling behavior is a textbook indicator of a GPU-limited scenario at higher resolutions. The GTX 1080 Ti, with its 11 GB of GDDR5X memory and 484.4 GB/s bandwidth, is being pushed harder as the pixel workload increases, while the Ryzen 5 9600X's six cores and 12 threads have ample headroom to feed frames at lower resolutions. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 181 FPS but 4K Low only manages 69 FPS — a 62% drop — underscores that the graphics card is the primary constraint when resolution increases.

At 1080p, the data suggests the CPU is still capable of driving higher frame rates, but the GPU begins to become the limiting factor. The 1440p results sit in a transitional zone where both components contribute, but the steep drop-off at 4K makes it clear that the GTX 1080 Ti is the dominant bottleneck at that resolution. The Ultra preset at 4K falls to 29 FPS, which is a playability concern, while the same preset at 1080p holds 76 FPS — a 2.6x difference that cannot be attributed to CPU limitations given the processor's 3dmark single-thread score of 1253 and passmark single-thread score of 4570.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The GTX 1080 Ti's specifications directly inform its behavior in Evolve. The card runs at a base clock of 1481 MHz with a boost clock of 1582 MHz, and its memory operates at 1376 MHz with 11 Gbps effective speed. The 11 GB VRAM allocation is generous for a 2015 title, and the 352-bit bus width delivers 484.4 GB/s of bandwidth. These figures explain why the card can maintain playable frame rates at 1440p but struggles at 4K Ultra.

The GPU's compute capabilities — 11.34 TFLOPS FP32 and a texture rate of 354.4 GTexel/s — are adequate for mid-range settings at higher resolutions. However, the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS suggests that the card's 88 ROPs and 224 TMUs are saturated by the combined load of high-resolution rendering and maximum detail settings. The Pascal architecture, built on a 16 nm process, does not have the advantage of newer features like dedicated ray tracing cores, but Evolve does not require those, so the card's raw rasterization power is what matters here.

The measured data shows a tight correlation between settings and frame rates at each resolution. At 1080p, the jump from Low (181 FPS) to Medium (140 FPS) costs 41 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High (110 FPS) costs 30 FPS, and High to Ultra (76 FPS) costs 34 FPS. This diminishing return pattern is typical for a GPU with a 250 W TDP, where the power envelope and thermal limits cap sustained performance under heavy loads. The GTX 1080 Ti's passmark G3D score of 18600 and its 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs place it as a solid mid-range performer in current terms, which aligns with the observed frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific processor and graphics card combination ranks 2088 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve. That places it in the 56th percentile of all pairings, meaning roughly 44% of tested combinations deliver higher frame rates in this game. The ranking reflects the balance — or imbalance — between the Ryzen 5 9600X's modern CPU performance and the GTX 1080 Ti's older but still capable GPU.

The CPU's benchmark scores suggest it is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The Ryzen 5 9600X achieves a cinebench R23 multicore score of 17528.5 and a single-core score of 2183.5, with a passmark multithread score of 30027. Its nearest rivals — the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE at 29656 (0.2% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H at 29868 (-0.5% delta), the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT at 29879 (-0.6% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS at 29955 (-0.8% delta) — are all within 1% of its average benchmark score of 29713. This indicates the CPU is performing at a level consistent with upper-mid-range processors, and the 81st percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms it has headroom.

The GPU, conversely, sits at the 58th percentile with an average benchmark score of 15548. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 M380 at 15521 (0.2% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 at 15679 (-0.8% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 at 15290 (1.7% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 at 15283 (1.7% delta). The GTX 1080 Ti is sandwiched between these cards, indicating it remains competitive with mid-range options from later generations but is outclassed by higher-tier modern GPUs. The combo rank of 2088 reflects this GPU constraint, as the CPU could drive higher frame rates if paired with a stronger graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce 181 FPS average, Medium settings yield 140 FPS with a range of 119 to 161 FPS, High settings achieve 110 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 76 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is comfortably playable at any preset, with even the most demanding settings staying well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance declines predictably. Low settings average 121 FPS, Medium settings average 94 FPS with a range of 80 to 108 FPS, High settings produce 74 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 51 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p remains smooth, but the Ultra preset dips below the 60 FPS mark, signaling that maximum quality is not viable at this resolution for consistent high-refresh-rate play.

At 3840x2160, the GTX 1080 Ti's limits become apparent. Low settings average 69 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium settings drop to 54 FPS with a range of 45 to 62 FPS, High settings fall to 42 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 29 FPS. The 4K results show that only Low settings provide a consistently smooth experience, while Medium settings hover near the edge of playability and High and Ultra are not recommended for competitive or fluid gameplay.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The data supports a clear recommendation for each resolution tier. At 1080p, the High preset at 110 FPS offers an excellent balance — it is 30 FPS faster than Ultra while still delivering strong visual quality, and it is only 30 FPS slower than Medium, which may not justify the visual compromise. Players seeking maximum responsiveness can use Medium at 140 FPS, but High is the sweet spot for most users.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 94 FPS is the optimal choice. It maintains a frame rate above 90 FPS, which is sufficient for most displays, while the High preset at 74 FPS and Ultra at 51 FPS both introduce noticeable reductions in smoothness. The Low preset at 121 FPS is available for competitive players, but Medium provides a better visual experience without sacrificing playability.

At 4K, the Low preset at 69 FPS is the only setting that delivers a consistently smooth experience. Medium at 54 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 45 FPS that could cause stutter in intense scenes. High at 42 FPS and Ultra at 29 FPS are not recommended for action-heavy gameplay, as the frame rates fall below what most players consider acceptable for a fast-paced FPS. Users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate might tolerate Medium, but the measured minimum of 45 FPS is a risk.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings is 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. This setting is not recommended for a consistently fluid experience.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers an average of 94 FPS with a minimum of 80 FPS, making it the best balance of visual quality and performance. The High preset at 74 FPS is acceptable, but Ultra drops to 51 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti compare to the RTX 2060 in this game?

A: The GTX 1080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 15548, while the RTX 2060 scores 15290, resulting in a 1.7% delta in favor of the GTX 1080 Ti. This indicates near-identical performance in synthetic benchmarks, though actual Evolve results depend on other factors.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 9600X the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 29713 and its 81st percentile ranking versus all CPUs suggest it has significant headroom. The GPU's 58th percentile ranking and the steep frame rate drops at higher resolutions indicate the GTX 1080 Ti is the primary limiting component.

Q: What are the measured frame rates for the Ultra preset at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 76 FPS. This is playable but falls short of the 110 FPS achieved at High settings.

Q: Does the GTX 1080 Ti have enough VRAM for Evolve at 4K?

A: The card has 11 GB of GDDR5X memory with a 352-bit bus and 484.4 GB/s bandwidth. While the VRAM capacity is ample, the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS indicates the GPU's compute power, not memory, is the limiting factor.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is a six-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It operates at a base clock of 3.90 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and its 65 W TDP is notably low for a desktop CPU. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache, which supports its benchmark performance.

In Evolve, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic calculations. The measured frame rates at 1080p — particularly the 181 FPS at Low settings — demonstrate that the Ryzen 5 9600X is not a limiting factor at lower resolutions. Its cinebench R23 single-core score of 2183.5 and 3dmark single-thread score of 1253 indicate strong per-core performance, which is critical for games that rely on a few heavily threaded tasks. The passmark physics score of 2012 further confirms its capability to handle the computational load.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth ensures that data can be fed to the GPU without starvation. However, the GPU's 484.4 GB/s bandwidth is significantly higher, which is expected since graphics memory operates at a different performance tier. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache is also beneficial for game data that is frequently accessed, reducing the need to pull from system memory.

The processor's 9000-series positioning and its 81st percentile ranking among all CPUs mean it is a strong modern part, but the GTX 1080 Ti's age — released in 2017 on the Pascal architecture — creates a mismatch. The data shows that at 1440p and 4K, the frame rates are dictated by the GPU, and the CPU's performance is effectively masked. The combo rank of 2088 out of 3700 reflects this imbalance, as a more modern GPU would likely push this CPU pairing to a much higher rank given the processor's headroom. The Ryzen 5 9600X's 3dmark 16-thread score of 7585 and 2-thread score of 2456 illustrate its scaling efficiency, but in Evolve, the bottleneck is clearly on the graphics side.