Evolve

FAQ

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 9900X3D has an average benchmark score of 54762, placing it 0.6% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF (score 55093) and 1.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K (score 54053). It also leads the Intel Xeon 6505P by 2% (score 53701) and the Intel Core i7-14700F by 2.1% (score 53620).

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile, and which cards are its nearest competitors?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti sits in the 41st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 7723. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon 540, which scores 7673 (0.7% slower), followed by the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 at 7580 (1.9% slower) and the AMD Radeon R7 250 at 7557 (2.2% slower).

Q: What frame rates can this combo achieve at 1080p with Medium settings in Evolve?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the measured average FPS is 95, with a minimum of 81 and a maximum of 110. This is the only settings level in the data that provides both minimum and maximum frame rate figures at this resolution.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested CPU-GPU pairings in Evolve?

A: This combination of AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2468 out of 2872 total tested combos in the game. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, indicating that while it can run the game, many other pairings deliver higher performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 20, while at Low settings it reaches 47. This large swing across settings levels, combined with the GPU's modest 41st percentile standing, indicates the GTX 1660 Ti is the primary constraint at this resolution, as the CPU's 91st percentile rank suggests ample headroom.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and how does it relate to performance?

A: The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory operates at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). This configuration is a key factor in the GPU's performance ceiling in Evolve, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture (codename Granite Ridge), manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a TDP of 120 W. The processor includes 128 MB of L3 cache, with 80 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, and it is built for the AMD Socket AM5 platform.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates strong single-threaded performance with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1269 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6739. Its multithreaded capabilities are substantial, reflected in a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 47737 and a Geekbench multicore score of 22884. The CPU's 91st percentile ranking among all processors underscores its high-end positioning, with an average benchmark score of 54762.

For Evolve, a game released on 2015-02-09, the CPU's raw processing power is far beyond what the title typically requires. The 12 cores and 24 threads, combined with the high boost clock of 5.50 GHz, ensure that the processor is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution or settings level. The game's CPU demands, even when heavily threaded, are easily met by this processor's capabilities. The CPU's 128 MB L3 cache also helps with game logic and asset streaming, though the game's age means it likely does not exploit such large caches fully.

The benchmark data confirms this interpretation: across all resolutions and settings, the frame rate variations are more consistent with GPU-side limits. For instance, at 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 52 at Ultra to 123 at Low, a span of 71 FPS. This magnitude of change when adjusting graphics settings is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's high scores in data compression (685074 in Passmark) and floating-point math (119622 in Passmark) indicate it can handle complex game calculations without strain.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is built on the Turing architecture (chip TU116) using a 12 nm process at TSMC. It has 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with a TDP of 120 W and a dual-slot cooling design requiring one 8-pin power connector. The card has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its pixel rate is 84.96 GPixel/s, texture rate is 169.9 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 5.437 TFLOPS.

In the context of this benchmark database, the GTX 1660 Ti sits in the 41st percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 7723. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 540, is only 0.7% slower. The GPU supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it compatible with Evolve's rendering requirements.

The GPU's role in Evolve's performance is decisive, as the measured FPS data shows. At 1920x1080, the GPU delivers 123 FPS at Low settings, 95 FPS at Medium, 75 FPS at High, and 52 FPS at Ultra. These numbers indicate that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU could easily push higher frame rates. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game at 1080p, but at higher resolutions, the memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and the 192-bit bus become constraints. At 3840x2160, the GPU manages only 47 FPS at Low and 20 FPS at Ultra, reflecting the significant load on the memory subsystem and the shading units.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1061 and Passmark G3D score of 12871 provide additional context for its performance tier. The card's end-of-life production status and its 2019 release date mean it predates many modern optimizations, but for a 2015 game like Evolve, it remains serviceable at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2468 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 14th percentile of all pairings. This rank is primarily driven by the GPU's modest performance, as the CPU is in the 91st percentile while the GPU is only in the 41st percentile.

The rank of 2468 means that 404 tested combos perform worse than this pairing. However, the vast majority of combos (2467) outperform it. This positioning is expected given the GPU's age and performance tier. The CPU contributes little to the ranking because Evolve is not a CPU-intensive title by modern standards, and even a high-end processor like the Ryzen 9 9900X3D cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations in frame rate delivery.

Compared to the CPU's nearest rivals, the performance delta of -0.6% to +2.1% in synthetic benchmarks is unlikely to translate into meaningful FPS differences in Evolve, as the game's frame rates are constrained by the GPU. The GPU's nearest rivals are all significantly weaker or comparable in synthetic scores, but the GTX 1660 Ti's performance in this game is what matters for the ranking.

The data is measured, not estimated, which adds confidence to the ranking. The measured FPS values across resolutions and settings show a consistent pattern of the GPU being the limiting factor, which aligns with the overall rank of 2468.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured results show a clear progression across settings:

• Low: 123 FPS average
• Medium: 95 FPS average (minimum 81, maximum 110)
• High: 75 FPS average
• Ultra: 52 FPS average

The 1080p resolution provides the best playable experience, with even Ultra settings achieving 52 FPS, which is above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset offers a good balance at 95 FPS, with the minimum FPS of 81 ensuring no significant dips.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops notably:

• Low: 83 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average (minimum 54, maximum 74)
• High: 50 FPS average
• Ultra: 35 FPS average

The 1440p resolution is still playable at Medium settings, which deliver 64 FPS with a minimum of 54. High settings at 50 FPS are borderline, while Ultra at 35 FPS is not recommended for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become apparent:

• Low: 47 FPS average
• Medium: 36 FPS average (minimum 31, maximum 42)
• High: 29 FPS average
• Ultra: 20 FPS average

The 4K resolution is only viable at Low settings, which produce 47 FPS. Medium settings at 36 FPS are marginal, and High and Ultra are not playable. The minimum FPS of 31 at Medium indicates potential stuttering.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual quality.

For 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering 95 FPS on average with a minimum of 81 FPS. This provides a smooth experience with a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 75 FPS are also viable, offering improved visuals while maintaining playability. Ultra at 52 FPS is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is again the best choice, with 64 FPS average and a minimum of 54 FPS. This keeps the experience mostly smooth, though the minimum FPS approaches the edge of playability. Low settings at 83 FPS are the safe option if consistency is prioritized, while High at 50 FPS is borderline and Ultra at 35 FPS is not recommended.

For 3840x2160, only the Low preset is recommended, yielding 47 FPS. Medium at 36 FPS is too close to the 30 FPS threshold for comfort, and High (29 FPS) and Ultra (20 FPS) are not playable. Users wanting higher quality at 4K would need a more powerful GPU.

The data indicates that the Medium preset across all resolutions provides the most balanced experience, but the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions make Low the only viable option at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the GPU-bound nature of this combo. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1920x1080 to 64 at 2560x1440 (a 32.6% reduction) and then to 36 at 3840x2160 (a 62.1% reduction from 1080p). This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is stressed by increasing pixel counts, as the CPU has ample headroom.

At Low settings, the FPS drops from 123 at 1080p to 83 at 1440p (a 32.5% reduction) and then to 47 at 4K (a 61.8% reduction from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings levels further confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's 91st percentile performance does not influence these scaling factors, as the GPU's rendering workload grows with resolution.

The transition from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, with FPS nearly halving at each settings level. This is due to the GPU's 6 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus, which struggle to handle the increased data at 4K. The bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s is insufficient for the pixel throughput required at 3840x2160, leading to the sharp decline in performance.

The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where the GPU can deliver high frame rates even at Ultra settings. At 1440p, it is playable at Medium, but at 4K, only Low settings are acceptable. The resolution scaling analysis indicates that any upgrade path for this combo should focus on the GPU, as the CPU is more than capable of supporting higher-performing graphics cards in Evolve.