Evolve

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 represent a flagship pairing for Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The benchmark data shows this combination delivers high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the CPU providing a robust foundation and the GPU enabling very high settings at 4K. The measured results indicate that this is a top-tier configuration, though the game's age means performance is often CPU-bound at lower resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge. It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and is manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process node, containing 16,630 million transistors across a dual-die design with each die measuring 70.6 mm². The base clock is 4.30 GHz, boosting up to 5.70 GHz, which is critical for Evolve's frame pacing. The processor carries a 170 W TDP and supports DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, along with PCIe Gen 5 providing 24 lanes from the CPU.

The cache hierarchy is substantial: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 128 MB of L3 cache. This large L3 pool is particularly relevant for Evolve, which was released in 2015 and may not be optimized for many threads. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 16,374 in 3DMark with 16 threads and 17,184 with max threads, showing a modest scaling from 16 to 32 threads. Single-thread performance is strong, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,292 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,259, which is what matters for a game engine that likely relies on a few primary threads.

The benchmark data reveals that this CPU sits at the 95th percentile among all processors tested. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755, has an average benchmark score of 75,738, which is only 0.1% lower than the 9950X3D's average of 75,779. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 trails by 0.4% with an average score of 75,488. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the 9950X3D scores 42,018, while its single-core score of 2,259 indicates that the clock speed of 5.70 GHz is being utilized effectively.

For Evolve, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in most scenarios. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 379 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate. The 16 cores and 32 threads provide headroom, but the game's age means it likely does not use all of them. The 128 MB of L3 cache helps with data locality, which can improve frame times in scenarios where the game engine repeatedly accesses the same assets. The 4.30 GHz base clock ensures consistent performance under sustained load, while the 5.70 GHz boost clock provides bursts of speed when needed. The data shows the CPU excels in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks, with a Geekbench multicore score of 26,736 and a single-core score of 3,064.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB202 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process. It contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, with a transistor density of 122.9 million per mm². The GPU has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz for 28 Gbps effective. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, which is massive for a game like Evolve that was designed for much older hardware.

The memory configuration is a key strength. With 32 GB of VRAM, there is no risk of running out of memory at any resolution or setting, even with texture-heavy mods or future patches. The 512-bit bus width and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that data can be fed to the GPU cores efficiently, which is critical for maintaining high frame rates. The GPU has 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. Its compute capabilities are substantial, with FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS and FP16 at the same rate (1:1).

In benchmark results, the RTX 5090 achieves a Passmark G3D score of 39,650 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 18,355. The Geekbench OpenCL score is 334,370, while the Vulkan score is 376,728. The GPU sits at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 79,842. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which has an average score of 79,605, representing a 0.3% difference. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X has a higher average score of 80,959, which is 1.4% above the RTX 5090, though this is likely due to specific workload characteristics.

For Evolve, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo drops to 61 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K with maximum settings. The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Evolve, which was released in 2015 and would have been designed for much smaller memory pools. The boost clock of 2407 MHz helps maintain high frame rates, though the game's optimization will cap performance regardless of the GPU's raw power. The RTX 5090's PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures no bandwidth limitation from the CPU, and the 575 W TDP with a suggested 950 W PSU indicates the power demands of this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 379, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. At 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average drops to 254 FPS, and at 3840x2160 with Low settings, it reaches 145 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D has an average benchmark score of 75,779, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 (75,738) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D (75,716). It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 8224P (75,582) and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 (75,488).

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs tested. Its average benchmark score is 79,842, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB at 79,605 (0.3% lower).

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 61, which is playable but close to the threshold for competitive gaming. At High settings, the average rises to 88 FPS, and at Medium settings, it reaches 112 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: The CPU's multi-threaded performance is significantly higher, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 42,018 compared to a single-core score of 2,259. The 3DMark max threads score of 17,184 is substantially higher than the single-thread score of 1,292.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the GPU have, and does it matter for Evolve?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s from its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. For Evolve, this bandwidth is more than sufficient, as the game's assets are small by modern standards, and the GPU never appears to be memory-limited in the measured results.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination ranks 51st out of 3,700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the top 1.4% of all configurations tested, indicating that it is among the most powerful setups available for this game. The high rank is expected given the flagship nature of both components, but the specific rank of 51 suggests that there are 50 other combinations that perform slightly better, likely due to factors such as memory speed, cooling, or silicon lottery variations.

The data shows that this combo is not necessarily the absolute best for Evolve, despite the top-tier components. This could be because the game is heavily single-threaded, and some other CPUs may have higher single-core boost clocks. However, the 51st rank out of 3,700 is an exceptional result, placing it in the top 2% of all tested configurations. For context, the CPU's percentile rank of 95 and the GPU's percentile rank of 92 indicate that both components are near the top of their respective categories, yet the combo does not achieve the number one spot.

The rank of 51 suggests that there are diminishing returns with this configuration for Evolve specifically. The game was released in 2015, and its engine may not be able to fully utilize the 16 cores and 32 threads of the CPU or the massive 32 GB VRAM of the GPU. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 379 FPS, which is excellent, but the gap between this and the top-ranked combos might be minimal. The GPU's 92nd percentile rank indicates that there are GPUs that outperform it in synthetic benchmarks, even though the RTX 5090 is a flagship product.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience depends on the resolution and the target frame rate. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields an average of 61 FPS, which is playable for a single-player FPS but may feel less responsive in competitive multiplayer. The High preset at 4K provides 88 FPS, which is a better balance between visual quality and smoothness. The Medium preset at 4K delivers 112 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays, and the Low preset reaches 145 FPS for maximum performance.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset achieves 107 FPS, which is good for most gaming scenarios. The High preset at 1440p provides 155 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 197 FPS, which is excellent for 144 Hz monitors. The Low preset at 1440p delivers 254 FPS, which is suitable for 240 Hz displays. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset yields 160 FPS, while the High preset provides 231 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves 294 FPS, and the Low preset reaches 379 FPS, which is optimal for 360 Hz monitors.

The data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 112 with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 129, providing a smooth experience without significant frame drops. At 1440p Medium, the average is 197 FPS with a minimum of 168 and maximum of 227, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. At 1080p Medium, the average is 294 FPS with a minimum of 250 and maximum of 338, ensuring no stuttering even in intense scenes. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, shows a significant FPS drop, especially at 4K where it falls to 61 FPS, making it less suitable for competitive play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 resolution, the measured average FPS varies significantly by settings. The Low preset delivers 145 FPS, while the Medium preset provides 112 FPS with a minimum of 95 and maximum of 129. The High preset achieves 88 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 61 FPS. This progression shows a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate at 4K, with the difference between Low and Ultra being 84 FPS.

At 2560x1440 resolution, the Low preset achieves 254 FPS, which is the highest at this resolution. The Medium preset provides 197 FPS with a minimum of 168 and maximum of 227, offering a solid balance. The High preset delivers 155 FPS, and the Ultra preset reaches 107 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 147 FPS, which is larger than at 4K due to the reduced GPU load at lower resolution.

At 1920x1080 resolution, the Low preset achieves 379 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all tests. The Medium preset provides 294 FPS with a minimum of 250 and maximum of 338, ensuring a very smooth experience. The High preset delivers 231 FPS, and the Ultra preset reaches 160 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 219 FPS, showing that the GPU becomes less of a bottleneck at this resolution, and the CPU's performance becomes more significant.

The data shows that the minimum FPS values are only recorded for the Medium preset at each resolution: 95 FPS at 4K, 168 FPS at 1440p, and 250 FPS at 1080p. This suggests that the other presets may have more variable frame times, though the average FPS remains high. The maximum FPS values follow a similar pattern, with the Medium preset at 1080p reaching 338 FPS, which is close to the Low preset's average of 379 FPS. Overall, the measured performance indicates that this combo is capable of running Evolve at high frame rates across all settings, with the Medium preset offering the most consistent performance based on the available data.