Evolve

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER presents a stark contrast in performance tiers within the context of Evolve. The data indicates a configuration where the GPU’s immense rendering power is frequently moderated by the CPU’s architectural limits, particularly at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured frames-per-second (FPS) data to understand the balance of this pairing, its standing among other tested combinations, and the optimal settings for gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern of performance scaling as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High settings preset, the average frame rate drops from 188 FPS at 1080p to 126 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 72 FPS at 4K. This represents a significant 61.7% decrease in average FPS from 1080p to 4K, illustrating the escalating load placed on the GPU as pixel count multiplies.

This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of the system’s bottleneck shifting with resolution. At 1920x1080, the average FPS of 188 on High settings suggests that the Intel Core i3-12100F’s four cores are likely the primary constraint, preventing the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER from reaching even higher frame rates. The GPU is not being fully utilized because the CPU cannot feed it data fast enough. However, as the resolution climbs to 3840x2160, the workload on the GPU becomes exponentially heavier, and the 72 FPS average at 4K High indicates the system has transitioned to a GPU-bound state, where the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is now the limiting factor.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS scales from 240 at 1080p, to 161 at 1440p, and down to 92 at 4K. The 4K Medium result also includes a minimum FPS of 78 and a maximum of 105, showing some variance in frame delivery under this load. This consistent drop-off across presets confirms that the resolution scaling is the dominant factor influencing performance, with the system being heavily CPU-bound at 1080p and progressively becoming GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

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 benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a single-core score of 1674, place it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates it is a capable budget-oriented processor, but its physical core count is a limiting factor for modern, heavily-threaded workloads.

In the context of Evolve, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1920x1080. The 301 FPS average at Low settings is exceptionally high, but it’s telling that even with the lowest graphical load, the frame rate does not scale to match the GPU’s raw capability. The data suggests that the i3-12100F’s four cores are working at their limit to maintain these frame rates. The difference between the 1080p Low (301 FPS) and 1080p High (188 FPS) presets is a 113 FPS gap, which is substantial, but the absolute ceiling appears to be capped by the CPU’s single-thread and multi-thread performance.

This is further supported by the CPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database, which include the Intel Core 3 N355 and Intel Core i5-9500, with average scores of 13492 and 13452, respectively. The i3-12100F’s average benchmark score is 13494, showing it performs nearly identically to these processors. In a game like Evolve, which relies on consistent frame pacing, the CPU’s ability to maintain a high minimum frame rate becomes critical. While the data does not provide min FPS for all presets, the 4K Medium preset shows a minimum of 78 FPS, suggesting that the CPU can still keep up with the GPU at higher resolutions where the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is a high-end graphics card built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 672.3 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 2610 MHz, and it holds a strong 76th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 31087. This positions it as a top-tier performer, especially for 1440p and 4K gaming.

The GPU’s role is most prominently demonstrated at 3840x2160. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 50 FPS, which is a playable but not perfectly smooth experience. This is a significant drop from the 87 FPS at 1440p Ultra, showing the immense load placed on the card at 4K. The card’s raw power is evident in the 4K High preset, where it manages a 72 FPS average, and the 4K Low preset, which hits 118 FPS. These figures show that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER has enough headroom to handle Evolve at 4K, but the most demanding settings will push it to its limits.

The GPU’s performance in this pairing is largely dictated by the CPU. At 1080p, the card is clearly underutilized. The 188 FPS at High settings is a strong result, but it’s likely not the maximum the card can produce. The data indicates that if paired with a stronger CPU, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER could push frame rates even higher at 1080p. However, at 4K, the card is the dominant force, and its 16 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth ensure that texture streaming and memory bandwidth are not limiting factors, as evidenced by the stable performance across the 4K presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER combination ranks 450th out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve. This places it in the top 12.2% of all configurations, which is a strong showing given the CPU’s budget-oriented nature. The high rank is almost entirely due to the GPU’s exceptional performance, which can overcome the CPU’s limitations at higher resolutions.

The ranking highlights the effectiveness of this pairing for high-resolution gaming. While the CPU may bottleneck at 1080p, the combo’s ability to maintain high frame rates at 1440p and 4K solidifies its position in the upper echelon of the database. The data suggests that this combination is well-suited for gamers who prioritize visual fidelity and resolution over maximising frame rates at lower resolutions. The 450th rank means that 3,250 other combinations performed worse, demonstrating that despite the CPU’s modest specifications, the overall system is more than capable for most gaming scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the system’s performance across all resolution and settings combinations. The table below summarizes the average FPS, with minimum and maximum values where available.

• 1920x1080: At Low settings, the system achieves an average of 301 FPS. Medium settings yield 240 FPS, with a minimum of 204 and a maximum of 276 FPS. High settings drop to 188 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 130 FPS.
• 2560x1440: Low settings deliver 208 FPS. Medium settings average 161 FPS, with a minimum of 137 and a maximum of 185 FPS. High settings drop to 126 FPS, and Ultra settings produce 87 FPS.
• 3840x2160: Low settings produce 118 FPS. Medium settings average 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 and a maximum of 105 FPS. High settings drop to 72 FPS, and Ultra settings are the most demanding, yielding just 50 FPS.

This breakdown shows a clear hierarchy of performance. The 1080p results are all exceptionally high, with even the Ultra preset maintaining a 130 FPS average. The 1440p results are also strong, with the Medium preset offering a smooth 161 FPS average. The 4K results show a steeper drop-off, particularly at the Ultra preset, where the 50 FPS average is the lowest measured. The data indicates that 1440p is the "sweet spot" for this combination, offering a balance between high visual fidelity and high frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Evolve?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 301, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

*Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming in Evolve?*

A: Yes, the data shows it is capable of 4K gaming. At 3840x2160, it achieves an average of 72 FPS on High settings and 50 FPS on Ultra settings.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 4K on High settings?

A: On the High settings preset, the average FPS drops from 188 at 1920x1080 to 72 at 3840x2160, a decrease of 116 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's core count impact the results?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has 4 cores and 8 threads. This is a limiting factor at 1080p, where the CPU is likely the bottleneck, preventing the GPU from reaching even higher frame rates.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 50, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.

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

A: This combo ranks 450th out of 3700 tested combinations in Evolve, placing it in the top 12.2% of all tested systems.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user’s target resolution and performance goals.

For 1920x1080 displays, the Ultra preset is the best choice. The average FPS of 130 is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and it provides the highest visual quality. Even the demanding Ultra preset does not push the system to its limits at this resolution, offering a significant visual upgrade over High settings while maintaining excellent performance.

For 2560x1440 displays, the High preset offers the best balance. The 126 FPS average is exceptionally smooth and provides a significant improvement in visual fidelity over the Medium preset. While the Ultra preset at 87 FPS is also playable, the High preset ensures a more consistent and higher frame rate, which is beneficial for a fast-paced FPS like Evolve.

For 3840x2160 displays, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. The 92 FPS average is smooth and responsive, and it includes a minimum FPS of 78, which helps prevent stutters. The High preset at 72 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset provides a more comfortable margin for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset should be avoided, as the 50 FPS average may fall below the player’s preferred smoothness threshold. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 4K offers the best compromise between visual quality and performance for this high-resolution target.