Evolve

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 produces a striking performance profile in Evolve, demonstrating that a $97 launch MSRP processor can feed one of the most powerful consumer GPUs on the market. The benchmark data shows a system that delivers exceptional frame rates across all resolutions, with the CPU holding its own even at 1080p where processor load is typically highest. This combination ranks 303rd out of 3,700 tested combos in the game, placing it in the top 10% of all systems measured, evidence of the balance between the 12th-gen quad-core and the Ada Lovelace flagship.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combination achieves?

A: The peak performance comes at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the system hits 301 FPS average. This is the only measured configuration to exceed the 300 FPS threshold, with the next closest being 260 FPS at Medium settings on the same resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080 scores 54,247 on average, which places it 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209) and 1.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54,828). Interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S both score higher, at 55,698 and 55,757 respectively, putting them 2.6% and 2.7% ahead.

Q: Does the Core i3-12100F bottleneck the RTX 4080 at any resolution?

A: The data indicates the CPU scales well with the GPU. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 301 FPS, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 54 FPS. The 82% performance drop from 1080p to 4K suggests the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU maintains adequate throughput even at low settings.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides the best balance with 174 FPS average and a minimum of 148 FPS. This represents a 39 FPS improvement over High settings (137 FPS) while still looking substantially better than Low, which runs at 225 FPS but sacrifices visual fidelity.

Q: How does the i3-12100F's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i3-12100F scores 13,494 on average, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13,492 (0% delta). It sits 0.3% ahead of the Core i5-9500 (13,452) and 1.1% ahead of the Core i7-1250U (13,351), but falls 0.7% behind the Core 5 120UL (13,594).

Q: Is the RTX 4080's 16 GB of memory sufficient for 4K gaming?

A: The data shows playable performance at 4K across all presets. At High settings, the system averages 78 FPS, which drops to 54 FPS at Ultra. The 16 GB GDDR6X memory with a 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is clearly adequate for this title, as even the most demanding preset maintains over 50 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant force in this pairing, and its specifications explain why the system performs so well in Evolve. Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm process at TSMC, the GPU packs 45,900 million transistors into a 379 mm² die. The core runs at a 2,205 MHz base clock and boosts to 2,505 MHz, which translates to 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, a figure that drives the high frame rates seen across all tested configurations.

Memory subsystem performance is critical for a game like Evolve with its large, detailed environments. The 16 GB of GDDR6X memory operates at an effective 22.4 Gbps across a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration is likely a major reason why 4K performance remains strong, with High settings producing 78 FPS average. The GPU's 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores are present, though Evolve's age means these features may not be fully utilized; nevertheless, the raw rasterization power from 9,728 shading units is more than sufficient.

The GPU's benchmark credentials reinforce its position as a top-tier component. With a percentile ranking of 86 against all GPUs, it outperforms the vast majority of installed hardware. Its PassMark G3D score of 34,457 and Geekbench Vulkan score of 263,779 indicate strong general compute and graphics capabilities. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 further validates its DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant given Evolve's FPS genre and the need for responsive, high-refresh-rate rendering. The RTX 4080's end-of-life production status and launch MSRP of 1,199 USD make it a high-end part, but the measured data confirms it delivers commensurate performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the optimal experience for different priorities. At 1080p, the Medium preset at 260 FPS average is the standout choice. It provides a 56 FPS improvement over High (204 FPS) while remaining 41 FPS behind Low (301 FPS), but the visual quality upgrade from Low to Medium is substantial for a small frame rate cost. The minimum of 221 FPS at Medium ensures smooth gameplay even in intense scenes, which is crucial for a fast-paced FPS.

For 1440p, the Medium preset again emerges as the most balanced option. At 174 FPS average with a 148 FPS minimum, it delivers well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on modern monitors. The jump from Medium to High costs 37 FPS (174 to 137), which is a significant reduction for incremental visual gains. Low settings at 225 FPS are competitive for esports-style play, but the Medium preset is the recommended starting point.

At 4K, the High preset at 78 FPS is the best compromise between visual fidelity and playability. Ultra drops to 54 FPS, which is playable but noticeably less smooth, while Medium at 99 FPS sacrifices some detail for a substantial frame rate boost. The 78 FPS average at High is just above the 60 FPS standard for console-like smoothness, and the lack of a reported minimum suggests consistent performance. For players prioritizing frame rate over absolute visual quality, Medium at 99 FPS is the stronger choice, but High offers the best overall experience at this resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Resolution-by-resolution analysis reveals how the system scales with pixel count. Starting at 1920x1080, the RTX 4080 is clearly GPU-bound even at Ultra settings. The measured results are: Low 301 FPS, Medium 260 FPS (minimum 221, maximum 299), High 204 FPS, and Ultra 141 FPS. The 160 FPS spread between Low and Ultra demonstrates the GPU's massive headroom at this resolution, where the i3-12100F's 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but the scaling pattern shifts. Low settings produce 225 FPS, Medium 174 FPS (minimum 148, maximum 200), High 137 FPS, and Ultra 95 FPS. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across presets, with an average drop of approximately 31% across all settings. This resolution represents the sweet spot for this combination, offering high refresh rates with excellent visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases dramatically. Low settings still achieve 128 FPS, but Medium drops to 99 FPS (minimum 84, maximum 114), High to 78 FPS, and Ultra to 54 FPS. The 4K results clearly show the RTX 4080's 16 GB memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth being taxed, yet the system remains playable at all presets. The minimum FPS figures at Medium (84) and the 54 FPS floor at Ultra indicate that even the most demanding configuration maintains a stable experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and revealing. At Low settings, the system loses 173 FPS going from 301 FPS at 1080p to 128 FPS at 4K, a 57% reduction. Medium settings see a decline from 260 to 99 FPS, a 62% drop. High settings fall from 204 to 78 FPS, a 62% reduction, while Ultra drops from 141 to 54 FPS, a 62% loss. This consistent 57-62% reduction across presets indicates that the RTX 4080's rasterization throughput is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

The scaling behavior points to a system that is GPU-limited even at 1080p, with the i3-12100F providing sufficient headroom. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller frame rate differences between 1080p and 1440p, as the GPU becomes more stressed. Instead, the data shows a steady decline as resolution increases, which is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The i3-12100F's boost clock of 4.30 GHz and 12 MB of shared L3 cache are evidently enough to keep the RTX 4080 fed at all tested resolutions.

The 1440p to 4K transition shows the steepest relative drop, with High settings falling from 137 to 78 FPS (43% reduction) and Medium from 174 to 99 FPS (43% reduction). This aligns with the 4K pixel count being 2.25 times that of 1440p, which would theoretically require more than double the GPU throughput. The RTX 4080's 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute delivers this performance capably, though the 54 FPS floor at 4K Ultra highlights the limits of even this high-end part in a demanding scenario.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a quad-core, 8-thread processor based on Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. With a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, it provides strong single-thread performance that is essential for FPS games like Evolve. The CPU's 58 W TDP and 163 mm² die size make it a modest component by modern standards, yet its benchmark results show it performs well above its price point.

Single-threaded performance is the key metric for gaming, and the i3-12100F delivers. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,674 and Geekbench single-core score of 1,932 are competitive with much more expensive processors. The 3DMark single-thread score of 893 further validates its capability in gaming workloads. This strong single-core performance is why the system can achieve 301 FPS at 1080p Low, as the CPU can process game logic and draw calls quickly enough to keep the GPU saturated.

Multi-threaded performance is less critical for Evolve but still relevant for background tasks and modern game engines. The i3-12100F scores 11,860 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 7,252 in Geekbench multi-core, with a PassMark multithread score of 14,015. Its 4-core, 8-thread configuration is a limitation compared to higher-end CPUs, but the game's age means it likely doesn't utilize more than a few threads effectively. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking against all CPUs places it in the upper third, and its average benchmark score of 13,494 puts it within 1.1% of its closest rivals.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, along with dual-channel architecture, provides flexibility for system builders. The 12 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache offer sufficient data locality for gaming workloads. With a launch MSRP of $97, the i3-12100F represents an entry-level processor, but the measured FPS data shows it does not hold back the RTX 4080 in Evolve, making this an unexpectedly balanced pairing for a game that primarily stresses the GPU.