Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS built on the CryEngine, presents an interesting stress test for the combination of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER. The measured frame rates across different resolutions and settings reveal a system that is exceptionally capable, though the scaling patterns indicate where the bottlenecks lie in this specific title. The data shows a configuration that can push high refresh rates at 1440p but is brought to more moderate levels at 4K, especially when the highest graphical presets are enabled.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K is the most telling indicator of system balance in Evolve. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 333 FPS. This high baseline suggests that the CPU and GPU are working in a state where the rendering pipeline is not overly taxed, allowing for maximum throughput. Moving to Medium settings at 1080p drops the average to 258 FPS, and High settings yield 203 FPS. The most demanding 1080p preset, Ultra, still produces a robust 140 FPS average. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is rarely limited by the GPU, as even the most demanding settings maintain frame rates well above what most displays can refresh.

Transitioning to 2560x1440, the performance scaling shows a predictable shift. The Low preset average falls from 333 FPS to 224 FPS, a reduction of about 33%. Medium settings at 1440p produce 173 FPS, while High settings average 136 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 94 FPS. This pattern demonstrates that as pixel count increases, the load on the GPU grows significantly. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets also widens at 1440p compared to 1080p, from a 193 FPS difference to a 130 FPS difference, which is a smaller absolute gap but a larger percentage drop from the Low baseline, indicating the GPU is becoming a more significant factor.

At 3840x2160, the scaling behavior clearly identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component. The Low preset average drops to 127 FPS, which is still very playable, but the demands of 4K resolution become apparent. Medium settings at 4K average 99 FPS, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. High settings average 77 FPS, and the Ultra preset brings the system down to an average of 54 FPS. The performance cost of moving from 1440p to 4K is substantial; for example, the High preset loses 59 FPS. This steep decline at 4K, particularly on the Ultra preset, suggests that the game's shader complexity and fill-rate requirements at that resolution outpace what the RTX 4080 SUPER can deliver for a consistently high refresh rate experience. The system is clearly CPU-bound at lower resolutions and settings, but becomes heavily GPU-bound at 4K.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, with its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, plays a decisive role in Evolve's performance, especially as resolution and settings increase. The memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s is a critical asset, as Evolve's environments and texture data require substantial throughput. The benchmark results show that the GPU's capabilities are well-utilized at higher resolutions, where the frame rate differences between presets are more pronounced. For instance, at 4K, the jump from Medium to High settings costs 22 FPS on average, and from High to Ultra costs another 23 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's shading units and texture processing are the primary drivers of performance at these settings.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2295 MHz and a boost of 2550 MHz, provide the computational power necessary to handle the game's rendering. The data shows that the card's raw compute is sufficient for high frame rates at 1440p, but the 4K Ultra results suggest a limit to its ability to handle the most intense pixel shading workloads. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is a forward-looking feature; while Evolve may not fully utilize it at 1080p or 1440p, it ensures that texture streaming at 4K with high-detail presets does not become a bottleneck, as evidenced by the playable, if not consistently high, 77 FPS average at 4K High settings. The GPU's performance relative to other cards, sitting at the 86th percentile, confirms it is a high-end part, but the measured results show that even this level of performance must make concessions at 4K Ultra in a game from 2015.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1080p with High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with the High preset, the combo produces an average of 203 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from High settings at 1440p to High settings at 4K?

A: The average frame rate drops from 136 FPS at 2560x1440 to 77 FPS at 3840x2160, a loss of 59 FPS.

Q: Is the system capable of running Evolve at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but with a significant compromise. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 54 FPS, which is playable but below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: For the 2560x1440 Medium preset, the minimum FPS is 147 and the maximum is 199, with an average of 173 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the system is not GPU-limited at 1080p, as even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 140 FPS. This indicates the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D provides ample processing power to keep the GPU fed at this resolution.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: This specific combination of CPU and GPU ranks 190th out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the top tier of systems.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of over 2872 tested combinations for Evolve, the pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a rank of 190. This places the system in the upper echelon of configurations, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of other CPU-GPU pairings tested for this game. The rank is a composite measure of the system's overall capability across the tested resolutions and settings.

The position relative to other combos is a strong indicator of the synergy between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 9 9900X3D, which sits at the 91st percentile among all CPUs in the benchmark database, provides a high-performance foundation. The RTX 4080 SUPER, at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, is similarly a top-tier component. The combination of these two high-percentile parts results in a rank that is better than either component's individual percentile, suggesting that they work well together in Evolve without one significantly bottlenecking the other in most scenarios. While it does not reach the very top of the rankings, the 190th spot out of 2872 combos demonstrates that this is a premium setup capable of delivering a high-quality experience in this title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. With a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, it provides substantial single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. In Evolve, a game that relies heavily on a single primary game thread for simulation and physics, the high boost clock is crucial for maintaining high frame rates. The benchmark results show that at 1080p, where the GPU is less of a limiting factor, the CPU's performance is what allows the system to reach an average of 333 FPS on Low settings. This indicates that the processor's single-core speed is more than sufficient to handle the game's logic without becoming a bottleneck.

The processor's large 128 MB of L3 cache is another key attribute. While Evolve may not be as cache-sensitive as some modern simulation titles, the large cache can help reduce memory latency and improve data access for the game's core loops. The multi-threaded capabilities of the 24-thread processor are also present; the data shows that the system does not suffer from performance cliffs at lower resolutions, which can occur when a CPU is unable to manage the game's background tasks and rendering threads effectively. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 47737, indicate a high level of processing power that ensures the GPU is not starved of data. In this context, the CPU's role is to provide a stable and fast platform that allows the RTX 4080 SUPER to perform to its full potential, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU workload is more demanding.

Measured FPS Breakdown

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

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its highest performance. The Low preset achieves an average of 333 FPS. The Medium preset produces an average of 258 FPS, with a minimum of 220 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS. The High preset averages 203 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 140 FPS. These figures show that the system is capable of delivering extremely high refresh rates at this resolution, even on the most demanding settings.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 224 FPS. The Medium preset averages 173 FPS, with a minimum of 147 FPS and a maximum of 199 FPS. The High preset averages 136 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 94 FPS. This resolution offers a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, with all presets except Ultra maintaining averages above 135 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance is more moderate due to the increased pixel load. 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, and the Ultra preset averages 54 FPS. This resolution is best suited for visual fidelity over extreme frame rates, as the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smoothness.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as the system maintains an average of 140 FPS, ensuring a highly responsive and visually rich experience without significant compromise.

For 1440p users, the High preset offers an excellent balance, providing an average of 136 FPS. This allows for smooth gameplay on high-refresh-rate monitors while delivering strong visual quality. The Ultra preset is also viable for those prioritizing image quality, as the 94 FPS average is still above 90 FPS, but the High preset offers a more significant performance buffer.

For 4K users, the recommendations require more consideration. The High preset is the most balanced option, delivering an average of 77 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS playability threshold and provides a good level of detail. The Medium preset, with an average of 99 FPS, is the best choice for those who prioritize smoother motion over maximum visual fidelity. The Ultra preset, while visually impressive, averages only 54 FPS, which may be too low for some players. The data suggests that the High preset at 4K is the sweet spot for this combo, as it offers a substantial upgrade in visual quality over Medium while maintaining a frame rate that is comfortably playable.