Evolve

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT delivers a high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p experience in Evolve, but the data shows that the CPU becomes a limiting factor at lower resolutions and lower settings, while the GPU dominates the load at 4K. The combo ranks 604th out of 1695 tested combinations, placing it in the upper third of all systems. This is a pairing where the graphics card’s raw power is evident, but the quad-core processor’s thread count and clock speeds dictate the ceiling in less demanding scenarios.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory position it as a capable modern entry-level CPU, but its 4 physical cores are the primary constraint in Evolve. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU’s single-thread performance is strong, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2224, which helps maintain high frame rates in a game that relies heavily on per-core performance.

However, the multi-threaded scores tell a more nuanced story. The CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015, but these numbers are modest compared to the GPU’s capabilities. In Evolve, the data suggests that at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is the bottleneck: the system reaches 240.8 FPS, which is nearly double the 4K High result of 54 FPS. This indicates that the CPU can push frames rapidly when the GPU has less work, but it cannot sustain that pace at higher settings where the GPU takes over.

The CPU’s percentile ranking of 72 against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13516, places it near rivals like the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (deltaPct -0.1) and the Intel Core i7-7700K (deltaPct 1.8). This shows that the i3-12100F is competitive with older high-end parts in synthetic tests, but its 4-core design means it will struggle in games that scale well beyond 8 threads. In Evolve, the measured FPS at 1080p Low (240.8) versus 1080p Ultra (99.9) demonstrates that the CPU can deliver high frame rates, but the GPU’s load increases significantly with settings, reducing the CPU’s influence.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is a high-end GPU with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock of 2250 MHz and game clock of 2015 MHz, combined with 4608 shading units and 128 ROPs, give it substantial raw compute power, reflected in a Passmark G3D score of 24980 and an average benchmark score of 49982. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 87 against all GPUs places it near the NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti SUPER (deltaPct 2.6) and the Intel Arc A550M (deltaPct 0.5), indicating it is a top-tier performer.

In Evolve, the GPU’s role becomes dominant at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 37.6 FPS, which is a massive reduction from 4K Low’s 92.1 FPS. This indicates that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and compute units are fully saturated at 4K Ultra, while the CPU is less of a factor. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this 2015 title, even at 4K, so the frame rate drops are purely a function of the GPU’s rendering load, not memory capacity.

The GPU’s performance at 1440p High (98 FPS) and 1080p High (150.9 FPS) shows that it can deliver smooth gameplay, but the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 4K, the difference between Low (92.1) and Ultra (37.6) is 54.5 FPS, while at 1080p it is 140.9 FPS. This suggests that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K, whereas the CPU’s 4-core limitation becomes apparent at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is capped by the processor’s ability to feed the GPU.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High delivers 98 FPS, which is smooth, while 1080p High reaches 150.9 FPS. At 4K, the system only manages 54 FPS on High, so 1440p is the sweet spot for a balance of visual quality and frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system hits 240.8 FPS, which is the highest measured value, indicating the CPU can push frames quickly. However, at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 99.9 FPS, showing that the GPU becomes more involved as settings increase.

Q: Is the RX 6800 XT sufficient for 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: The GPU can run the game at 4K, but only at Low settings (92.1 FPS) or Medium (71.3 FPS). At 4K Ultra, the frame rate falls to 37.6 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 604th out of 1695 tested combinations, placing it in the top 36% of all systems tested for Evolve.

Q: What is the CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13516, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX and 0.6% higher than the Intel Core i3-10105, showing it is competitive with much higher-tier processors in synthetic tests.

Q: Does the GPU’s VRAM capacity impact performance in Evolve?

A: The 16 GB VRAM is ample for this game, as even at 4K Ultra, the frame rate is limited by the GPU’s rendering power, not memory capacity. The measured FPS drops are consistent with increased shader and ROP workload, not VRAM saturation.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce 240.8 FPS, Medium settings yield 187.2 FPS, High settings reach 150.9 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 99.9 FPS. The progression shows a consistent 20-30% reduction in frame rate for each step up in settings, with the largest gap between High and Ultra (51 FPS difference).

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down proportionally. Low settings hit 165.6 FPS, Medium settings achieve 128.6 FPS, High settings maintain 98 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 69.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 96 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p (140.9 FPS), indicating the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings run at 92.1 FPS, Medium settings drop to 71.3 FPS, High settings fall to 54 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 37.6 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 54.5 FPS, showing that the GPU is the dominant factor at this resolution, with the CPU having minimal impact on the frame rate variance.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steepest at Low settings. At 1080p Low, the system hits 240.8 FPS, which drops to 165.6 FPS at 1440p (a 31% reduction) and 92.1 FPS at 4K (a 62% reduction from 1080p). This pattern indicates that at Low settings, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates, but the GPU’s workload increases significantly with pixel count, making the GPU the limiting factor at 4K.

At Ultra settings, the drop is less dramatic in absolute terms but still significant. 1080p Ultra delivers 99.9 FPS, 1440p Ultra drops to 69.6 FPS (a 30% reduction), and 4K Ultra falls to 37.6 FPS (a 62% reduction from 1080p). This consistency across settings suggests that the GPU’s rendering capabilities scale linearly with resolution, and the CPU is not a bottleneck at Ultra settings even at 1080p, where the frame rate is still above 100 FPS.

The data shows that the limiting component shifts based on resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU is the bottleneck, as the GPU is underutilized. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as the CPU’s frame rate ceiling is far above what the GPU can render. At 1440p High, the system achieves 98 FPS, which is a balanced point where neither component is severely limiting.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For the best overall experience, High settings at 1440p is the recommended preset, delivering 98 FPS with a significant visual quality improvement over Medium (128.6 FPS) and Low (165.6 FPS). The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p results in a 28.4 FPS drop (from 98 to 69.6 FPS), which is not worth the marginal visual gains in most cases.

At 1080p, High settings (150.9 FPS) is the optimal choice for competitive play, as it provides a high frame rate with good visuals. Ultra at 1080p (99.9 FPS) is playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS gameplay, where higher frame rates improve responsiveness. Low settings at 1080p (240.8 FPS) is only recommended for esports-style play where maximum frame rate is critical, but it sacrifices visual fidelity.

For 4K, Medium settings (71.3 FPS) is the best balance, as it provides a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. High at 4K (54 FPS) is borderline, and Ultra (37.6 FPS) is not recommended for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that players with a 4K display should use Medium settings to maintain a playable frame rate, while those with 1440p or 1080p displays can afford to use High settings without compromising performance.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT combination ranks 604th out of 1695 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 64th percentile of all systems tested. This ranking is notable because the GPU is a top-tier component (87th percentile), while the CPU is only in the 72nd percentile, suggesting that the combination’s overall rank is pulled down by the processor’s limitations.

The ranking indicates that this combo outperforms roughly two-thirds of all tested systems, which is a strong result for a quad-core CPU paired with a high-end GPU. However, it also shows that there is headroom for improvement: pairing the RX 6800 XT with a higher-core-count CPU would likely result in a better rank, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that the combo’s rank is competitive, but the CPU’s 4-core design prevents it from reaching the top tiers of performance in Evolve, where frame rates at 1080p Low (240.8 FPS) suggest the GPU is underutilized.