Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800M. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a configuration that is clearly capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but quickly becomes bound by the GPU as resolution increases. The data suggests a pairing where the CPU has significant headroom, while the GPU determines the ultimate performance ceiling at higher graphical loads.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 99 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440, the average drops to 66 FPS, a reduction of 33 FPS. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 38 FPS, which is a 61 FPS drop from the 1080p result. This scaling pattern—a roughly 33% decrease from 1080p to 1440p and another 42% decrease from 1440p to 4K—is characteristic of a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions. The GPU is working progressively harder to fill more pixels, and the frame rate suffers accordingly.

The data for Low settings reinforces this analysis. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 163 FPS, indicating the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU very quickly. At 1440p Low, the average is 109 FPS, and at 4K Low, it drops to 62 FPS. The fact that even at Low settings, which reduce GPU load, the 4K frame rate is only 62 FPS suggests that the RX 7800M's raw pixel throughput is the primary limit at that resolution. The CPU is not the limiting factor; if it were, the frame rates would be more consistent across resolutions.

The implication is that for a game like Evolve, the Radeon RX 7800M's 12 GB of VRAM and 432.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for the data, but its compute power (35.87 TFLOPS FP32) is what dictates performance at higher pixel counts. The drop from 48 FPS at 4K Medium to 38 FPS at 4K High is a 10 FPS penalty, while the jump from High to Ultra at 4K results in a 12 FPS drop to 26 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is being saturated, and each incremental increase in visual fidelity has a direct and significant cost.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42713 and a single-core score of 6030. These numbers place the CPU in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, indicating exceptional processing power. However, in Evolve, the CPU's role appears to be more about maintaining a high minimum frame rate than pushing the average higher.

At 1080p Low, the system hits 163 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that requires a strong CPU to feed the GPU. The Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its high boost clock and 64 MB of L3 cache, is more than capable of handling this task. Its performance rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX (with a 0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (with a 0.6% delta), are all within a 1% performance band, suggesting that any of these top-tier CPUs would yield similar results in this game at lower resolutions.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is working to keep up with the GPU, but it is not the bottleneck. The game's frame rate at 1080p Low (163 FPS) is more than double the 4K High result (38 FPS), showing that the CPU's potential is only fully realized when the GPU is not overwhelmed. The Cinebench R15 single-core score of 607 and multi-core score of 4305 further underscore the processor's strength, but these numbers do not translate into higher frame rates at 4K because the GPU is the limiting component there.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Evolve, this specific pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and AMD Radeon RX 7800M ranks 1918 out of 2872 combinations. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the rankings, which might seem surprising given the individual components' capabilities. The CPU is in the 95th percentile, and the GPU is in the 73rd percentile, yet their combined performance in this game is not top-tier.

This ranking suggests that while the individual parts are strong, the combination is not optimized for Evolve's specific engine. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (with a -0.5% delta in average benchmark score), a card from a previous generation, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X (with a -0.3% delta). These are not modern high-end gaming GPUs, which implies that the RX 7800M's performance in this game is moderate. The combo's rank reflects this, as many other systems with different GPU configurations likely achieve higher frame rates.

The data implies that the CPU is not the issue, as it outranks the GPU significantly. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, and its performance class in this game is what drags the overall combo ranking down. For a user looking to play Evolve at high settings and high resolutions, this combo would be adequate but not exceptional, as evidenced by the 1918th rank out of 2872 tested combinations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers playable frame rates across all presets. Low settings yield an average of 163 FPS, Medium produces 126 FPS (with a minimum of 107 and maximum of 145), High achieves 99 FPS, and Ultra drops to 69 FPS. This shows a clear scaling curve, with the gap between Low and Ultra being 94 FPS. The 1080p Medium result is particularly solid, offering a high average with a minimum FPS of 107, which ensures smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, performance is still respectable but shows the GPU's strain. Low settings produce an average of 109 FPS, which is excellent for 1440p. Medium settings average 85 FPS (min 72, max 97), High settings average 66 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 46 FPS. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings is a 33 FPS drop (from 99 to 66), which is a significant reduction. At 1440p, the recommendation would be to use Low or Medium settings to maintain a high and stable frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the combo is clearly GPU-bound. Low settings average 62 FPS, which is playable but not high-refresh territory. Medium settings average 48 FPS (min 41, max 55), High settings average 38 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to a marginal 26 FPS. The 4K results show that this configuration is not ideal for Ultra settings, as the frame rate is too low for a competitive FPS. Even at Low settings, the 62 FPS average is the ceiling for this GPU at 4K.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the frame rate is directly proportional to the pixel count and settings level, with no anomalies. The Medium settings at each resolution provide a balanced midpoint, offering a significant improvement over High and Ultra while not sacrificing too much visual quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Evolve?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the best resolution for this combo. At 1080p, even High settings average 99 FPS, and Low settings reach 163 FPS, providing a wide range of options for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K?

A: Yes, it can run at 4K, but with limitations. The measured data shows that at 4K Low settings, the average FPS is 62, which is playable. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 26 FPS, which is not a smooth experience for a fast-paced FPS.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its direct rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7800M has an average benchmark score of 27883. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20, has a score of 27839, which is a 0.2% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti has a score of 28020, showing that the RX 7800M is slightly behind it by 0.5%.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU pushes 163 FPS, but at 4K High, the frame rate is only 38 FPS, showing that the GPU cannot keep up with the CPU's potential at higher pixel counts.

Q: What are the minimum FPS values for Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum FPS values are only available for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 107 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 72 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 41 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX has an average benchmark score of 76212. Its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, has a score of 76155, which is a 0.1% delta. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has a score of 75779, showing the 8945HX is slightly ahead by 0.6%.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for the best experience in Evolve. For users with a 1080p monitor, the High preset is recommended. It delivers an average of 99 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and it offers a substantial visual upgrade over Medium. For those seeking the absolute highest frame rates, the Low preset at 163 FPS is the choice, but High provides a better balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the optimal choice. It provides an average of 85 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. The High preset at 66 FPS is also playable, but the lower minimum FPS and reduced headroom make Medium a safer bet for maintaining a stable frame rate during intense action sequences. The Ultra preset at 46 FPS is not recommended for competitive play, as it may dip below 60 FPS.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for a decent experience. It averages 62 FPS, which is acceptable for casual play. The Medium preset at 48 FPS is borderline, and the High and Ultra presets (38 and 26 FPS, respectively) are too slow for a FPS. The 4K Medium setting, with a minimum FPS of 41, is likely to cause noticeable stuttering and should be avoided for a competitive edge.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved by using the High preset at 1080p or the Medium preset at 1440p. These settings offer the highest visual quality while maintaining an average FPS above 60, which is the standard for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it incurs a significant performance penalty for minimal visual gains, as seen in the 69 FPS at 1080p and 26 FPS at 4K.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7800M is a mobile GPU based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, with 3840 shading units and 96 ROPs. Its boost clock is 2335 MHz, and it has a 12 GB GDDR6 memory pool on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications result in a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2994 and a Passmark G3D score of 17613, placing it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs.

In Evolve, the GPU's role is pivotal. The 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for the game's textures, as evidenced by the fact that even at 4K Ultra, the system runs without crashing, though at a very low 26 FPS. The GPU's memory bandwidth and compute power are the key factors in determining the frame rates at higher resolutions. The data shows that as the resolution increases, the GPU's workload increases, and the frame rate drops correspondingly.

The GPU's performance in this game is modest compared to its rivals. Its nearest benchmark rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X (with a -0.3% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (with a -0.5% delta), which are older or professional cards. This indicates that the RX 7800M is not a top-tier gaming GPU for this title. The 35.87 TFLOPS FP32 performance is decent, but it is not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K with high settings.

The GPU's clock speeds—base at 1295 MHz and boost at 2335 MHz—are moderate for the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The data suggests that the GPU is not thermally or power-limited, as it consistently delivers the frame rates shown. The 180 W TDP is a standard figure for this class of mobile GPU, and it seems to be a limiting factor only in the sense that it sets the performance ceiling. The GPU's role in this combo is to provide a solid 1080p and 1440p experience, but it falls short at 4K, where the 26 FPS Ultra result makes it clear that the RX 7800M is not designed for high-fidelity 4K gaming in Evolve.