Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, presents an interesting stress profile for the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system with substantial headroom, but also clear bottlenecks at different quality levels. This analysis breaks down the data to show where the 4080 SUPER’s 16 GB of VRAM and the 5800XT’s 8-core, 16-thread configuration matter most.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 follows a predictable curve, but the magnitude of the drops tells a specific story about the limiting component. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p sees a decline from 309 FPS to 224 FPS, a 27.5% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings yields 127 FPS, a further 43.3% drop. This steep decline at lower settings indicates the GPU is becoming the primary constraint as pixel count increases, but even at 4K Low, the system maintains a highly playable 127 FPS.

The scaling pattern shifts at higher settings. At High settings, 1080p produces 203 FPS, which drops to 136 FPS at 1440p (a 33% decrease) and then to 77 FPS at 4K (a 43.4% decrease from 1440p). The Ultra preset shows a similar proportional decline, with 140 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p (down 32.9%), and 54 FPS at 4K (down 42.6% from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings suggests that resolution scaling is largely GPU-bound, with the RTX 4080 SUPER’s 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth being the decisive factors.

Notably, the gap between 1080p and 1440p is consistently smaller than the gap between 1440p and 4K. This is typical of a GPU with ample bandwidth for lower resolutions, but the 4K jump requires significantly more memory throughput and shading power. The data shows the 4080 SUPER is not fully saturated at 1080p, as the jump from Low to Ultra at that resolution only reduces FPS from 309 to 140, indicating CPU involvement. At 4K, however, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as the spread between Low (127 FPS) and Ultra (54 FPS) is a substantial 73 FPS, purely driven by GPU workload.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the measured results. With 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, the card delivers 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. This is sufficient for Evolve’s largest textures, even at 4K Ultra, where the average frame rate settles at 54 FPS. The card’s 10,240 shading units and 320 TMUs provide the raw compute necessary for the game’s effects, while the 112 ROPs handle the final pixel output.

The boost clock of 2550 MHz, up from a base of 2295 MHz, allows the GPU to dynamically scale performance. The data suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the GPU is not the limiting factor — the 309 FPS average is more likely constrained by the CPU’s ability to feed the render pipeline. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully engaged, and the 54 FPS average reflects the card’s absolute limit in this title. The variance data at Medium settings provides insight into frame pacing: at 1080p, the range is 220-297 FPS (a 77 FPS spread), while at 4K it tightens to 84-113 FPS (a 29 FPS spread). This indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU workload smooths out frame delivery, whereas at lower resolutions, CPU-driven frame spikes create more variance.

The RTX 4080 SUPER’s 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54209, places it just slightly below the standard RTX 4080 (deltaPct of -0.1%). This marginal difference in synthetic benchmarks aligns with the measured FPS data, which shows no unusual spikes or drops that would indicate a driver or hardware anomaly. The card’s 320 W TDP and triple-slot cooler are not directly reflected in FPS numbers, but they enable sustained boost clocks under load, which is critical for maintaining the 4K Ultra 54 FPS average without thermal throttling.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for different priorities. For maximum visual fidelity at 4K, the Ultra preset is the only choice, delivering a 54 FPS average. This is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. The High preset at 4K offers a significant improvement to 77 FPS, a 42.6% increase over Ultra, while presumably sacrificing some shadow or post-processing quality. For 4K gamers prioritizing smoothness, High is the recommended preset, as it crosses the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 136 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 94 FPS, which is still fluid and offers the best visual experience. Given the narrow gap between High and Ultra at this resolution (42 FPS difference), the Ultra preset is viable. However, for a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, the High preset at 136 FPS is closer to maximizing the display’s potential. The Medium preset at 1440p produces 173 FPS with a measured range of 147-199 FPS, which provides a consistent high-refresh-rate experience.

At 1080p, all presets exceed 140 FPS, making the choice purely about visual preference. The Ultra preset at 140 FPS is fully playable and likely the best-looking option. For esports-style play, the Low preset at 309 FPS maximizes frame rate, but the visual compromise is significant. The Medium preset at 258 FPS offers a balanced approach, with a 220-297 FPS range indicating good frame consistency. The data suggests that at 1080p, the system has enough headroom that users should default to Ultra or High, as the FPS penalty is minimal relative to the visual gains.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 4K Ultra smoothly?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 54 FPS. This is technically playable but below the 60 FPS target many consider smooth. For a more consistent 4K experience, the High preset at 77 FPS is recommended.

Q: What is the best preset for a 144Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers 136 FPS, which is close to a 144Hz refresh rate. The Medium preset offers 173 FPS, which exceeds 144Hz, with a range of 147-199 FPS. For a 144Hz display, Medium is the safer choice to avoid frame drops below the refresh rate.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080 in this game?

A: The nearest rival data shows the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, which is a -0.1% deltaPct from the RTX 4080’s 54247. This negligible difference suggests the two cards would perform nearly identically in Evolve.

Q: Is the 16 GB VRAM sufficient for Evolve’s maximum settings?

A: The 4K Ultra preset runs at 54 FPS, and there is no data indicating VRAM capacity issues. The 16 GB GDDR6X memory with 736.3 GB/s bandwidth is more than adequate for this 2015 title.

Q: Why is the FPS at 1080p Low (309) much higher than at 4K Low (127)?

A: This 182 FPS difference is due to the GPU workload scaling with pixel count. At 1080p, the CPU (Ryzen 7 5800XT) becomes a more significant factor, allowing the GPU to push higher frame rates. At 4K, the GPU’s shading and memory throughput are the limiting factors.

Q: What is the frame time variance at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the range is 220-297 FPS (77 FPS spread). At 1440p Medium, the range is 147-199 FPS (52 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range is 84-113 FPS (29 FPS spread). Higher resolutions show tighter frame delivery.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 305th out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the top 8.2% of all configurations. This high percentile is expected given the hardware’s specifications, but the rank provides context for how this pairing stacks against the broader database. The CPU’s 81st percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU’s 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs indicate a well-matched pairing, where neither component is dramatically holding back the other.

The combo rank of 305 suggests that there are 304 other configurations that perform better, likely featuring newer CPUs or higher-tier GPUs. However, the measured FPS data shows this combo is not far from the top tier. At 1080p Low, the 309 FPS average is close to the theoretical maximum for many displays, and the 4K High 77 FPS result is respectable. The rank is a holistic measure, and the data shows that in Evolve specifically, this combo excels at high refresh rates at 1440p and maintains playable frame rates at 4K. The gap between this combo and the top 304 is likely small, given the GPU’s benchmark score is only -0.1% off the RTX 4080.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT, with 8 cores and 16 threads, provides a strong foundation for Evolve. The CPU’s base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 4.80 GHz are directly relevant to the frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 309 FPS average suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with draw calls and game logic at a very high rate. The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for a game that relies on consistent frame pacing.

The 5800XT’s single-thread performance, as measured by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 959 and a cinebench_r23_singlecore score of 3359, is critical for Evolve’s main game thread. The data indicates this is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4080 SUPER at 1080p, as the FPS scales significantly between Low (309) and Ultra (140) at that resolution, showing the GPU is still a major factor. At 1440p, the CPU’s role diminishes slightly, as the GPU workload increases. The transition from 1440p High (136 FPS) to 4K High (77 FPS) is a 43.4% drop, which is a pure GPU scaling effect.

The CPU’s 16 threads are leveraged in multithreaded workloads, as evidenced by a passmark_multithread score of 28053 and a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 23794. However, Evolve is a 2015 title that may not fully utilize all 16 threads, meaning the CPU’s high boost clock is more important than raw core count. The 5800XT’s compatibility with DDR4 memory at 51.2 GB/s bandwidth is not a limiting factor in this game, as the GPU’s 736.3 GB/s bandwidth is far more critical. The CPU’s 105 W TDP and 7 nm process node allow for sustained boost clocks, which helps maintain the high FPS averages at 1080p without thermal degradation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data is organized by resolution and settings, providing a comprehensive view of performance.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 309 FPS. The Medium preset averages 258 FPS, with a minimum of 220 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS. The High preset averages 203 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 140 FPS. This progression shows a 169 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, indicating that the GPU is still the primary driver of performance even at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 224 FPS. The Medium preset averages 173 FPS, with a range of 147 to 199 FPS. The High preset averages 136 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 94 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra here is 130 FPS, showing a tighter spread due to increased GPU load.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 127 FPS. The Medium preset averages 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. The High preset averages 77 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 54 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 73 FPS, which is the smallest of the three resolutions, confirming the GPU is fully saturated at 4K.

The data shows a consistent pattern: each step up in settings reduces FPS proportionally, but the absolute reduction is larger at lower resolutions. For example, going from Medium to High at 1080p costs 55 FPS (258 to 203), while at 4K it costs 22 FPS (99 to 77). This is because at 1080p, the GPU has spare capacity, so additional settings have a larger relative impact. At 4K, the GPU is already near its limit, so the incremental cost of higher settings is smaller in absolute terms. The Medium preset is the only one with full min/max data, showing consistent frame delivery across all resolutions, with the 4K range of 84-113 FPS being the tightest.