Evolve

# Evolve with AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX + AMD Radeon 8060S

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 8060S delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. Benchmark data shows the combo achieving 176 FPS at 1080p Low settings, but dropping to 28 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution increases. The combo ranks 1664th out of 2872 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, though the CPU and GPU individually hold strong percentile positions (95th and 87th, respectively).

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread mobile processor based on Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a 55 W TDP. This is a high-end mobile CPU, as evidenced by its 95th percentile ranking among all tested CPUs. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 42,713 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,030 in single-core, while its average benchmark score across all tests is 76,212.

In Evolve, the CPU's role becomes most apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less strained. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 176 FPS, which is the highest measured result across all settings and resolutions. This suggests that at this setting, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU sufficiently, and the frame rate is not limited by processor performance. However, the game is from 2015, and Evolve is not a particularly CPU-intensive title by modern standards, so even a lower-spec processor might handle it adequately.

The 8945HX's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score provide context for its overall capability. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores 76,155, a delta of 0.1% compared to the 8945HX's 76,212, making them essentially equivalent in aggregate performance. The AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX score 76,492 and 76,513, respectively, both showing a -0.4% delta, meaning the 8945HX is slightly behind those server-class chips. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 75,779, a 0.6% delta, placing the 8945HX slightly ahead. These small deltas indicate that the 8945HX is well within the performance envelope of top-tier desktop and mobile CPUs, despite being a mobile part.

The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for gaming workloads. The 16 cores and 32 threads are far more than Evolve would require, given its release date, but the high single-core performance (6,030 in Cinebench R23) is more relevant for a game engine from that era. Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor in most scenarios, except possibly at very high frame rates where per-frame overhead becomes significant.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average FPS is 176, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 137 FPS at 1080p Medium and 118 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 67 at Low settings to 28 at Ultra settings. Medium settings produce 52 FPS, and High settings produce 41 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K exceeds 60 FPS.

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

A: The combo ranks 1664th out of 2872 tested combinations. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, despite the individual CPU and GPU having high percentile rankings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 176 FPS, suggesting the CPU is handling the workload well. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking and high single-core score (6,030 in Cinebench R23) indicate it is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded for Medium settings?

A: For Medium settings, the measured data includes min and max FPS. At 1080p, the range is 116 to 157 FPS with an average of 137. At 1440p, the range is 78 to 105 FPS with an average of 92. At 4K, the range is 44 to 60 FPS with an average of 52.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 8060S has an average benchmark score of 55,757. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, scores 55,698 (0.1% delta). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 scores 56,083 (-0.6% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (1.7% delta).

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a pronounced resolution scaling curve for Evolve with this combo. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K shows substantial frame rate drops across all settings, which indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiting component as pixel count increases.

At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 176 at 1080p to 118 at 1440p, a 33% reduction, and then to 67 at 4K, a further 43% reduction from 1440p. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 62%, which is a significant decline but not as steep as what the Ultra preset shows. At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 74 at 1080p to 50 at 1440p (32% reduction) and then to 28 at 4K (44% reduction from 1440p). The total drop from 1080p to 4K Ultra is 62% as well, mirroring the Low preset's relative decline.

This consistent ~62% drop from 1080p to 4K across Low and Ultra settings suggests that the scaling is primarily driven by GPU fill-rate and pixel-processing demands rather than CPU limitations. The Radeon 8060S, with its 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, is a capable integrated GPU, but it is still a mobile part with a 55 W TDP. The pixel rate of 185.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 464.0 GTexel/s are decent figures, but at 4K, the sheer number of pixels being processed overwhelms the GPU.

The fact that 4K Low (67 FPS) is only slightly above 1440p Ultra (50 FPS) further emphasizes the GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions. Meanwhile, at 1080p, the frame rates are high enough (74-176 FPS depending on settings) that the CPU's role becomes more relevant, but the data shows the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 resolution, the combo delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce an average of 176 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 137 FPS with a range of 116 to 157 FPS, showing consistent frame delivery. High settings drop to 107 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 74 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 102 FPS, indicating that the GPU has enough headroom at this resolution to accommodate significant visual quality increases while maintaining playable frame rates.

At 2560x1440 resolution, performance declines noticeably. Low settings average 118 FPS, which is still excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 92 FPS with a range of 78 to 105 FPS, providing a smooth experience for most players. High settings average 72 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for standard displays. Ultra settings drop to 50 FPS, which may be acceptable for some but falls below the ideal smoothness standard. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a reduction of 58 FPS at Low, 45 FPS at Medium, 35 FPS at High, and 24 FPS at Ultra.

At 3840x2160 resolution, the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 67 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced gameplay. Medium settings average 52 FPS with a range of 44 to 60 FPS, showing that frame times can dip below the 60 FPS mark. High settings average 41 FPS, and Ultra settings average 28 FPS, which is borderline unplayable for an FPS title. The drop from 1440p to 4K is substantial: 51 FPS at Low, 40 FPS at Medium, 31 FPS at High, and 22 FPS at Ultra.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 8060S is an integrated GPU based on the Strix Halo chip, using RDNA 3.5 architecture on a 4 nm process. It features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with a base clock of 1295 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. The GPU has 40 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its memory configuration is system-shared, meaning it relies on the host system's DDR5 memory with bandwidth dependent on the system configuration.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 8060S scores 2,162 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 84,626 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 80,483 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its average benchmark score is 55,757, placing it in the 87th percentile among all tested GPUs. This is a strong showing for an integrated part, and its nearest rivals include discrete GPUs like the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698, 0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (56,083, -0.6% delta). The fact that an integrated GPU is within 1% of a modern discrete card like the RTX 5080 in average benchmark score is remarkable, though it should be noted that these are aggregate scores across multiple tests.

In Evolve, the GPU's role is clearly defined by the resolution scaling data. At 1080p, the GPU has enough throughput to produce high frame rates across all settings, with even Ultra averaging 74 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU begins to show strain at higher settings, with Ultra dropping to 50 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, with all settings failing to reach 70 FPS and Ultra falling to 28 FPS. The FP32 performance of 14.85 TFLOPS is adequate for a 2015 title, but the system-shared memory bandwidth, which is system dependent, likely limits performance at higher resolutions where memory bandwidth becomes critical.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 137 FPS with a range of 116 to 157 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides headroom for smooth gameplay even during intense action sequences. The High preset at 107 FPS is also viable, but the 30 FPS drop from Medium to High may not justify the visual improvements, depending on user preference. Ultra at 74 FPS is playable but represents a significant step down from Medium, and the visual difference may not be worth the 63 FPS reduction.

At 1440p, the Low preset at 118 FPS is the best choice for competitive play, offering high frame rates that exceed most display refresh rates. The Medium preset at 92 FPS is the recommended choice for a balance of quality and performance, with the min FPS of 78 ensuring that the experience remains smooth. High at 72 FPS is acceptable for players who prioritize visuals, but Ultra at 50 FPS is not recommended for an FPS title, as it falls below the 60 FPS standard.

At 4K, only the Low preset at 67 FPS provides a consistently playable experience. Medium at 52 FPS is borderline, with min FPS dipping to 44, which could cause noticeable stuttering. High at 41 FPS and Ultra at 28 FPS are not recommended for competitive play, as they fall well below playable thresholds. Users with 4K displays should stick to Low settings or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1664th out of 2872 tested configurations in Evolve, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all combos. This ranking is notably lower than what the individual component percentiles might suggest (CPU at 95th, GPU at 87th), indicating that the combination of these specific parts does not translate directly to top-tier gaming performance in this title. The likely explanation is that the integrated GPU, while impressive for its class, still falls short of high-end discrete GPUs in sustained gaming workloads, particularly at higher resolutions.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX with a 0.1% delta, would likely produce similar results when paired with equivalent GPUs, but the GPU's position relative to its rivals is more telling. The 8060S's average benchmark score of 55,757 is nearly identical to the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698) and within 0.6% of the RTX 5080 (56,083). Yet, in Evolve, the combo's 1664th rank suggests that real-world gaming performance may not fully reflect these synthetic benchmark scores.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers frame rates that are competitive with mid-range discrete GPU systems. At 4K, the combo falls behind, and users should adjust expectations accordingly. The 1664th rank out of 2872 combos places it in the lower half of the database, which is consistent with the GPU's performance limitations at higher resolutions, despite the CPU's high-end capabilities.