Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics presents a unique benchmark scenario for Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The data indicates a system where raw CPU horsepower is immense, but the integrated GPU is the definitive bottleneck across all tested configurations. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, offering practical insights for users considering this mobile platform for older competitive shooters.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Evolve at a consistently playable frame rate?*

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate is 79 FPS, which is playable. However, the 1% lows are not recorded for this setting, and the average drops to 61 FPS on Medium with reported lows of 52 FPS. For a competitive FPS, the Medium preset provides a safer margin above 60 FPS, while Low is faster but with unmeasured frame time consistency.

Q: How demanding is the Ultra preset on this system?

A: The Ultra preset is extremely demanding for the Radeon 890M. Average frame rates fall to 33 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and just 13 FPS at 4K. These numbers are below the threshold for smooth gameplay, clearly indicating that the integrated GPU is overwhelmed by the setting's graphical load.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX processor a limiting factor in these results?

A: No, the benchmark data strongly suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck. The processor's benchmark scores are exceptionally high, and the frame rates scale consistently with graphical settings and resolution, which is a classic indicator of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU has ample headroom, but the iGPU cannot feed frames fast enough.

Q: What is the best resolution to use for this game with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution that provides a playable experience. At 2560x1440, the average frame rate on Low settings is 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for many players. The 4K resolution results are uniformly too low for practical play.

Q: How does the Radeon 890M's performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Radeon 890M's average benchmark score is 9210, placing it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, has an average score of 9221, a negligible 0.1% difference. It performs essentially identically to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, which scores 9273 (a 0.7% difference), indicating it is a mid-range performer from a bygone era.

Q: Does the game's release date affect the expected performance?

A: Evolve was released in February 2015, making it a title from the DirectX 11 era. The Radeon 890M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, but its raw compute power (5.939 TFLOPS FP32) is the limiting factor. The game's age means it doesn't require modern hardware, but the iGPU's low power envelope (15W TDP) still struggles with higher settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture. Its role in this system is defined by its hardware specifications and how they translate into Evolve's performance. The GPU has a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz, with a memory interface that is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the main system DDR5 memory. This shared memory configuration is a critical factor, as the bandwidth is "System Dependent" and can become a bottleneck for the GPU.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest, with 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. It also features 16 ray tracing cores, though these are largely irrelevant for a 2015 title. The pixel rate is 92.80 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 185.6 GTexel/s. These figures are quite low by modern standards and align with the GPU's 45th percentile ranking among all GPUs. Its FP32 performance of 5.939 TFLOPS is the theoretical ceiling for its compute work.

In the context of Evolve, these specifications result in a clear performance ceiling. The GPU's performance is directly reflected in the measured FPS data. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Ultra settings causes a dramatic drop from 79 FPS to 33 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is fully utilized and that each increase in graphical fidelity directly impacts its ability to render frames. The integrated nature of the GPU, with its 15W TDP, means it cannot sustain high clock speeds under sustained load, further contributing to its performance limits. The data shows a consistent pattern: the 890M is a capable entry-level graphics solution for esports titles at low settings, but it lacks the raw throughput for high-fidelity gaming.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy for settings presets at each resolution. The primary goal for a playable experience in Evolve is to maintain a frame rate above 60 FPS. The data shows that this is only reliably achievable at 1080p.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 79 FPS. This is the fastest configuration, but it sacrifices visual quality. The Medium preset is the recommended balance, with an average of 61 FPS and a reported minimum of 52 FPS. The minimum frame rate is crucial here; while the average is above 60, the dips below it indicate potential stuttering. However, the High preset at 48 FPS average and the Ultra preset at 33 FPS average are not suitable for a smooth experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset yields an average of 53 FPS, which is below the desired 60 FPS target. The Medium preset drops to 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS, and the High preset is at 32 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1440p is not a viable resolution for this game on this hardware, even at the lowest settings. The 4K resolution results are uniformly poor, with the best case being the Low preset at an average of 30 FPS, which is unplayable.

For the best experience, the data supports using the Medium preset at 1920x1080. This configuration offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and performance, with an average frame rate just above 60 FPS and a minimum that is still within a tolerable range. While the Low preset offers a higher average FPS, the lack of minimum frame data makes it a riskier choice for consistent performance. The Medium preset provides a more stable experience, as evidenced by its measured minimum of 52 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Evolve, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon 890M holds a rank of 2711 out of 2872 total combos. This places it in the bottom 6% of all tested systems for this game, which is a stark indicator of its overall performance level.

This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The processor, the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, is a top-tier mobile part. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 76212, which is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which scores 76155 (a 0.1% difference). This CPU is not holding the system back in any meaningful way.

In contrast, the GPU's 45th percentile ranking and average score of 9210 place it in the middle of the pack historically, but its performance is insufficient for the demands of Evolve at higher settings. The combo's rank of 2711 is a direct consequence of the GPU's limits. The CPU could easily support a much more powerful dedicated graphics card, but as configured, the system is heavily GPU-bound. This is a classic case of a high-end processor being paired with a low-end graphics solution, resulting in a system that performs well in CPU-intensive tasks but poorly in gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, which reveals the nature of the system's bottleneck. The performance drop is consistent with a GPU-limited scenario.

At the Low settings preset, the average frame rate at 1080p is 79 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 53 FPS, a reduction of 26 FPS (or roughly 33%). At 4K, the average falls further to 30 FPS, which is a 49 FPS drop from 1080p (a 62% reduction). This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel processing power.

The same pattern is observed at the Medium settings preset. The average frame rate goes from 61 FPS at 1080p to 41 FPS at 1440p, and then to 23 FPS at 4K. The High preset shows a similar trend, with averages of 48 FPS, 32 FPS, and 18 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with averages of 33 FPS, 22 FPS, and 13 FPS across the three resolutions.

This consistent scaling with resolution confirms that the AMD Radeon 890M is the limiting component. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its high core count and boost clock, is not the source of the frame rate drop. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would be more consistent across different resolutions, as the CPU's workload is less dependent on resolution. The data clearly shows that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient to handle the increased pixel count at higher resolutions, making 1080p the only practical choice for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average frame rates for each resolution and settings preset combination.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 30 FPS average.
• Medium: 23 FPS average, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS.
• High: 18 FPS average.
• Ultra: 13 FPS average.

At 4K, all presets are unplayable. Even the Low preset fails to reach 30 FPS, and the Ultra preset is below 15 FPS. The frame times are likely very inconsistent, making the game feel even slower than the average suggests.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 53 FPS average.
• Medium: 41 FPS average, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS.
• High: 32 FPS average.
• Ultra: 22 FPS average.

At 1440p, the Low preset is close to playable but still falls short of a stable 60 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 35 FPS indicates significant stuttering. All other presets are too slow for a competitive shooter.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 79 FPS average.
• Medium: 61 FPS average, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS.
• High: 48 FPS average.
• Ultra: 33 FPS average.

At 1080p, the Low and Medium presets are the only viable options. The Low preset offers the highest average frame rate, but the Medium preset provides a more balanced experience with a reported minimum of 52 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for competitive play due to their low average frame rates.