Evolve

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a balanced but aging combination for 2015’s Evolve. In the benchmark database, this specific combo ranks 2910 out of 3700 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-to-mid tier of all possible pairings. This ranking reflects a system that can deliver playable frame rates at mainstream resolutions, but it struggles to maintain high performance at 4K or with maximum settings. The data indicates a pairing where the GPU is often the primary bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s four performance cores provide adequate but not exceptional support for the game’s engine.

How This Combo Ranks

The 2910th position out of 3700 combos places this system in the 21st percentile of all tested setups, meaning roughly 79% of configurations deliver better overall performance in Evolve. This is a modest standing, driven by the combination of a low-end quad-core CPU and a mid-range GPU from 2019. The ranking suggests that while the system is capable of running the game, it will not excel in demanding scenarios. For context, the CPU alone sits at the 68th percentile against all processors, while the GPU is at the 58th percentile against all graphics cards; when paired, their combined effectiveness in this specific title drops significantly.

The low combo rank is not surprising given the age of the components relative to the game’s release, but it is notable that the pairing performs worse than the sum of its parts might suggest. The RTX 2060 is a competent 1080p card, and the i3-12100F is a strong budget CPU, yet the system’s overall standing is dragged down by the GPU’s limitations at higher settings. Benchmark results show that the combo is most competitive at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, where it can achieve frame rates that rival more modern entry-level systems. However, at 4K, the performance collapses, and the system falls behind even some older mid-range configurations. This is a classic case of a GPU-bound pairing, where the RTX 2060’s 6GB of VRAM and 336 GB/s bandwidth become the limiting factors as resolution increases.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the most viable resolution, with average FPS ranging from 62 (Ultra) to 146 (Low). At 2560x1440, performance drops to between 41 and 98 FPS, while 3840x2160 is only playable at Low settings, hitting 56 FPS average.

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

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494. It is nearly identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, +0.3%). It trails the Intel Core 5 120UL (13594) by 0.7% but beats the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351) by 1.1%.

Q: Is the GPU the main bottleneck in this system?

A: Yes. The RTX 2060’s performance peaks at 1080p, with a 146 FPS average on Low settings. At 4K, the frame rate drops to 34 FPS on High, a 77% reduction, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s single-thread score of 893 (3DMark) is sufficient for the game’s demands.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU and GPU?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has a launch MSRP of $97. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has a launch MSRP of 349 USD.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its direct competitors?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290. It performs nearly identically to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon 680M (15270, +0.1%). It is slightly faster than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, +0.6%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, +0.8%).

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at any resolution?

A: At 1080p, Ultra settings yield an average of 62 FPS, which is playable. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 41 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 23 FPS, which is not smooth. The system is only viable at Ultra for 1080p gaming.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, characteristic of a GPU-limited system. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 89 to 60 FPS, a 32.6% reduction. This is a significant hit, but the system remains playable. However, the jump from 1440p to 4K is far more punishing, with the High preset falling from 60 to 34 FPS, a 43.3% decrease. This steep drop-off indicates that the RTX 2060’s memory bandwidth and compute resources are overwhelmed by the 3840x2160 pixel count.

The scaling behavior is consistent across all settings. At Low, the system goes from 146 FPS at 1080p to 98 FPS at 1440p (32.9% drop) and then to 56 FPS at 4K (42.9% drop). At Medium, the figures are 113, 76, and 43 FPS, representing a 32.7% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 43.4% drop from 1440p to 4K. The consistency of these drops suggests that the GPU is the sole limiting factor, as the CPU’s workload does not scale with resolution. The i3-12100F, with its 4 cores and 8 threads, maintains sufficient frame pacing, but the RTX 2060’s 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K demands.

This scaling pattern has practical implications. Gamers targeting a smooth 60 FPS experience will need to stick to 1080p for High settings (89 FPS) or 1440p for Low settings (98 FPS). The 4K resolution is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the 56 FPS average is borderline. The data strongly indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p being a stretch for all but the lowest presets. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as evidenced by the near-linear FPS drops with increasing pixel count.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 146, making for an exceptionally smooth experience. Medium settings reduce this to 113 FPS, with a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 130 FPS, indicating a stable frame time. High settings produce 89 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding 62 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 98 FPS, which remains excellent. Medium settings average 76 FPS, with a range of 65 to 87 FPS, showing some minor stuttering potential. High settings hit 60 FPS exactly, making it a borderline choice for competitive play. Ultra settings fall to 41 FPS, which is below the ideal smoothness threshold and may feel sluggish during fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings are the only viable option, averaging 56 FPS. Medium settings drop to 43 FPS, with a range of 37 to 50 FPS, which is noticeable stutter. High settings fall to 34 FPS, making the game difficult to play. Ultra settings are unplayable at 23 FPS. The data shows that 4K is only suitable for low-fidelity play, and even then, the frame rate is not consistent enough for a shooter like Evolve.

The Medium settings row provides the only min/max data across all resolutions, allowing for insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the 96 to 130 FPS range shows a 30% spread, which is acceptable. At 1440p Medium, the 65 to 87 FPS range has a similar 25% spread. At 4K Medium, the 37 to 50 FPS range is tight but low, confirming the GPU is maxed out.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a quad-core processor with 8 threads, based on the Alder Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, boosting up to 4.30 GHz, and it has a 12 MB shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 893 points in 3DMark single-thread and 4051 in 3DMark 16-thread tests. These scores indicate a processor with strong single-core performance, which is crucial for older game engines like the one powering Evolve. The single-thread score places it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, suggesting it can handle the game’s primary game logic and physics calculations without issue.

However, the CPU’s multi-threaded performance is less impressive. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 4026 shows that the four physical cores with Hyper-Threading provide diminishing returns beyond 4 threads. For Evolve, which was released in 2015, the game likely utilizes only a few cores effectively. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this pairing; the FPS drops at higher resolutions are entirely attributable to the GPU. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11860 and single-core score of 1674 further confirm that it has ample headroom for this title.

The CPU’s nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492), Intel Core i5-9500 (13452), Intel Core 5 120UL (13594), and Intel Core i7-1250U (13351). The i3-12100F’s performance is within 1.1% of all of these, meaning it is statistically tied with them. This suggests that upgrading the CPU alone would not yield noticeable gains in Evolve. The bottleneck is the RTX 2060, which, with its 1920 shading units and 6.451 TFLOPS FP32 performance, is a mid-range card from 2019. The GPU’s 12 nm process and 160 W TDP are older, but its architecture supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is backward-compatible with the game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience is at 1920x1080 with High settings, which delivers an average of 89 FPS. This strikes the best balance between visual fidelity and performance, providing a smooth frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold for a fast-paced FPS. The High preset at 1080p offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium (113 FPS) while maintaining a comfortable margin for demanding action sequences. The Ultra preset at 1080p is also viable at 62 FPS, but the drop from High to Ultra is not worth the performance cost unless the player prioritizes maximum visual quality over frame rate consistency.

For players with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset is the only recommended option, yielding 98 FPS. Medium settings at 1440p (76 FPS) are playable but may experience occasional dips to 65 FPS, which could be problematic during intense firefights. High settings at 1440p (60 FPS) are borderline and not recommended for competitive play. At 4K, the Low preset (56 FPS) is the only playable option, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. Players should avoid Ultra at all resolutions except 1080p, as the 23 FPS at 4K and 41 FPS at 1440p are unplayable.

The Medium preset offers the most stable frame times, as evidenced by the min/max data across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the 96 to 130 FPS range demonstrates consistent performance. For those seeking a competitive edge with high refresh rate monitors, the 1080p Low preset (146 FPS) is the best choice, as it maximizes frame rate and minimizes input lag. The data suggests that the game’s performance scales well with lowered settings, making it possible to achieve high frame rates even on this older hardware. The combination of the i3-12100F and RTX 2060 is best utilized at 1080p, where the GPU’s limitations are minimized and the CPU’s strong single-thread performance can shine.