Evolve

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 delivers a playable, though not dominant, experience in Evolve. Benchmark data shows this combo ranks 1399th out of 1695 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of the database. The system is clearly capable of running the title, but the performance envelope is heavily dictated by resolution and quality presets. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to understand the balance between the six-core processor and the Turing-based graphics card.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a significant drop in performance as resolution increases, indicating that the graphics card is the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 145.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 99.5 FPS, a 31.6% reduction. At 4K Low, the average FPS falls to 56.9, which is a 60.9% decline from the 1080p Low result. This steep scaling curve is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario where the RTX 2060’s shading and memory bandwidth are saturated.

The pattern persists across all quality settings. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 89.3 FPS at 1080p to 57.7 FPS at 1440p and further to 32.4 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 60.5 FPS at 1080p, 41.8 FPS at 1440p, and just 25 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling; it falls below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered the minimum for smooth gameplay. This suggests that the RTX 2060’s 6 GB GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus are insufficient for the demands of 4K Ultra in this title.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions. While the i5-10400F provides a solid foundation with its 6 cores and 12 threads, the consistent FPS declines across all settings as resolution scales point directly to GPU limitations. The RTX 2060, which sits in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, simply cannot maintain high frame rates when pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K. For a smoother 4K experience, the data suggests that Low settings (56.9 FPS) are the practical ceiling for this combo.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a Comet Lake processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmark results show a strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and a Geekbench multicore score of 5783. The single-thread performance is also respectable, as evidenced by a 3dmark single-thread score of 688 and a Passmark single-thread score of 2541.

In Evolve, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU at most settings. The 1080p Low result of 145.4 FPS demonstrates that the processor can feed the graphics card adequately at lower resolutions. However, the CPU's percentile rank of 73 against all CPUs suggests it is a mid-range performer. The nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7552, has an average score of 14115, which is only 0.4% lower than the i5-10400F's average of 14168. This indicates that the i5-10400F is well-matched with other mid-range processors.

The boost clock of 4.30 GHz is crucial for gaming performance, as Evolve is an FPS title that may rely on single-threaded physics and game logic. The 3dmark_2_threads score of 1350 and 4_threads score of 2560 suggest that the processor can handle the multi-threaded workloads common in modern game engines. However, the data does not show a scenario where the CPU becomes the bottleneck; even at 1080p Low, the FPS is high enough to suggest the GPU is still the limiting factor. The processor's 14 nm process node and 65 W TDP indicate it is an efficient, capable mid-range part that supports the RTX 2060 without holding it back in this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1399th out of 1695 tested combinations in Evolve, which places it in the bottom 17.5% of all tested systems. This rank is surprisingly low given the individual component scores, but it reflects the demanding nature of the game at higher settings. The RTX 2060’s average benchmark score of 16074 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, while the i5-10400F sits in the 73rd percentile of CPUs. Despite these above-average individual rankings, the combined system falls short in this specific title.

The ranking suggests that Evolve is particularly sensitive to GPU performance. The RTX 2060's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7600S, which scores 15996 (0.5% lower), and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700, which scores 16351 (1.7% higher). These small deltas indicate that the RTX 2060 is competitive with other mid-range GPUs, but none of them are top-tier performers. The combo's rank of 1399 means that 296 other combinations deliver better performance in Evolve, likely due to more powerful GPUs or better CPU-GPU pairings.

The 1080p Ultra result of 60.5 FPS is the most playable high-quality setting, but it is not outstanding. The 4K Ultra result of 25 FPS is below the playable threshold, confirming that this combo is not suited for maximum settings at high resolutions. The data indicates that the combo is best used at 1080p or 1440p with medium to high settings, where it can maintain frame rates above 57 FPS. The rank reflects this limitation, as higher-ranked combos likely maintain 60+ FPS at 4K or offer substantially higher frame rates at 1440p.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p Low produces 145.4 FPS, while 1080p High yields 89.3 FPS. For a balance of quality and performance, 1440p Medium at 76.3 FPS or 1080p Ultra at 60.5 FPS are viable options. 4K is only playable at Low settings, with 56.9 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. As resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, FPS drops consistently across all settings, indicating GPU saturation. The CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 4.30 GHz boost clock is sufficient to avoid becoming the primary bottleneck in this title.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 16074. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600S, scores 15996, which is 0.5% lower. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 16351, which is 1.7% higher. These small deltas show the RTX 2060 is competitive with other mid-range GPUs.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Evolve?*

A: At 4K Ultra, the system produces 25 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. At 4K High, it achieves 32.4 FPS, and at 4K Medium, 41.7 FPS. The only playable 4K option is Low, which yields 56.9 FPS.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking in the benchmark database?

A: The combo ranks 1399th out of 1695 tested combinations in Evolve. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, many other combinations offer better performance.

Q: How does the i5-10400F's performance compare to other CPUs?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7552, scores 14115, which is 0.4% lower. The Intel Core i5-8500 scores 14332, which is 1.1% higher. The CPU sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU with 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. It features 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, indicating support for real-time ray tracing and DLSS, though these features are not directly measured in the Evolve FPS data. The GPU has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, with memory running at 14 Gbps effective across a 192-bit bus, yielding 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The 6 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in Evolve. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 25, which is likely due to both the shading load and memory capacity being exceeded. The GPU's pixel rate of 80.64 GPixel/s and texture rate of 201.6 GTexel/s are mid-range figures, explaining the significant performance drops at higher resolutions. The FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is modest compared to higher-tier cards, confirming that the RTX 2060 is a solid 1080p performer but struggles at 4K.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce this analysis. The Passmark G3D score of 14111 and 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1242 indicate competent DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant for Evolve. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 67425 shows good API utilization. The GPU's percentile rank of 58 against all GPUs confirms it is an average performer, and its nearest rivals all score within 1.8% of its average. The 160 W TDP and dual-slot design are standard for this class, but the data clearly shows that the GPU is the deciding factor in this combo's performance, particularly when resolution scales upward.