Evolve

# Evolve with Intel Core i5-10400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

This combination places in the 1749th position out of 2872 tested combos for Evolve, situating it in the lower-middle tier of the database. The pairing of a 6-core Comet Lake CPU with the Blackwell 2.0-based RTX 5050 produces a system that can run the game comfortably at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles at 4K with higher presets. The data indicates a system that is GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides adequate headroom for the game's demands at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1749 out of 2872 tested combinations places it in the 39th percentile of all systems tested for Evolve. This is a mid-pack result that reflects the GPU's 66th percentile standing among all GPUs and the CPU's 68th percentile among all CPUs. The ranking suggests that while neither component is a standout performer in their respective fields, their combined output is sufficient for a playable experience in this 2015 FPS title.

Benchmark results indicate the CPU's average benchmark score of 14185 places it within 0.6% of its nearest rivals. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, a 0.3% advantage, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, a 0.6% lead. Conversely, the i5-10400F outperforms the Intel Xeon 6756E (14163, 0.2% behind) and the AMD EPYC 7552 (14115, 0.5% behind). This tight clustering shows the processor is competitive with a wide range of server and mobile chips in synthetic benchmarks.

For the GPU, the RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 places it near several older and mobile parts. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21153, a 0.6% advantage, and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237, a 1% lead. The RTX 5050 outperforms the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713, 1.6% ahead) but trails the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21379, 1.6% behind). These margins are small, indicating the GPU delivers performance roughly equivalent to a mid-range part from several generations ago.

The rank in Evolve specifically, however, reflects more than just synthetic scores. The game's age and engine characteristics mean that the combination of 6 cores and 12 threads from the i5-10400F, paired with the 8 GB GDDR6 frame buffer, produces a playable but not exceptional experience. The 39th percentile ranking in-game is slightly lower than the component percentiles might suggest, implying that Evolve's optimization favors other architectures or configurations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is adequate for Evolve at 1080p and 1440p, where texture and geometry demands are modest by modern standards. At 4K, however, the 8 GB frame buffer and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth become limiting factors, as evidenced by the measured frame rates.

The GPU's clock speeds — a base of 2317 MHz and a boost of 2572 MHz — are relatively high for a 5 nm part from TSMC. The chip contains 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation units. These specifications yield a pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s, which are sufficient for Evolve's rendering workload at lower resolutions but strain at 4K.

The RTX 5050's FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS, with FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, indicates balanced compute capabilities. In Evolve, which relies primarily on traditional rasterization rather than ray tracing or tensor core workloads, the 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores are largely idle. The game's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is well within the GPU's API capabilities, which include DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 17326 places it at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, confirming its mid-range positioning. The DirectX 11 score of 150 and DirectX 12 score of 66 from PassMark suggest that the GPU handles older APIs efficiently, which is relevant for Evolve given its 2015 release date. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 provides a modern benchmark comparison point, though Evolve's engine predates this workload.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the RTX 5050 delivers 169 FPS on Low settings, which drops to 113 FPS at 1440p (a 33% reduction) and 64 FPS at 4K (a 62% reduction from 1080p). This scaling curve is characteristic of a GPU that is being pushed toward its limits as pixel count increases.

At Medium settings, the progression is 131 FPS at 1080p, 88 FPS at 1440p (a 33% drop), and 50 FPS at 4K (a 62% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings — roughly one-third from 1080p to 1440p and another third from 1440p to 4K — indicates that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The CPU is not the limiting factor here, as the 6-core/12-thread configuration provides sufficient processing power for Evolve's physics and AI workloads at these frame rates.

High settings show a similar pattern: 103 FPS at 1080p, 69 FPS at 1440p (a 33% drop), and 39 FPS at 4K (a 62% drop). Ultra settings produce 71 FPS at 1080p, 48 FPS at 1440p (a 32% drop), and 27 FPS at 4K (a 62% drop). The consistent scaling across all four presets strongly suggests that the GPU's 8 GB memory capacity and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are the binding constraints at higher resolutions, rather than the shading or texture units which scale more linearly with pixel count.

The diminishing returns at 4K — where even Low settings only achieve 64 FPS — indicate that the RTX 5050 is not well-suited for 4K gaming in Evolve. The 128-bit memory bus and 8 GB capacity are simply insufficient for the 8.3 million pixels at 4K, especially when texture quality increases memory pressure.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5050 delivers playable frame rates across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 169 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. Medium settings average 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS and maximum of 150 FPS, providing a smooth experience with consistent frame pacing. High settings average 103 FPS, still comfortably above 60 FPS for a responsive experience. Ultra settings drop to 71 FPS, which remains playable but begins to approach the threshold where frame drops become noticeable in fast-paced FPS gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the performance envelope tightens. Low settings average 113 FPS, maintaining high refresh rate capability. Medium settings average 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS and maximum of 101 FPS, offering a good balance of visual quality and smoothness. High settings average 69 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for acceptable gameplay. Ultra settings fall to 48 FPS, dipping below the ideal range for competitive play and indicating that this preset is not recommended at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050 struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher presets. Low settings average 64 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. Medium settings average 50 FPS with a minimum of 42 FPS and maximum of 57 FPS, placing the experience in a borderline zone where frame drops can affect gameplay. High settings average 39 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and likely to feel sluggish. Ultra settings average 27 FPS, which is not suitable for serious gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience at 1920x1080 is achieved with Medium settings, which average 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS. This preset provides a 27% improvement over High settings while maintaining a minimum frame rate that stays above 100 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. The 111 FPS minimum is particularly notable because it indicates consistent performance without significant dips.

For 2560x1440, Medium settings offer the best balance, averaging 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS. This preset provides a 28% improvement over High settings while keeping the minimum above 75 FPS, which is sufficient for responsive gameplay. The 75 FPS minimum is within the range where most players would not notice frame pacing issues.

At 3840x2160, Low settings are the only viable option for playable performance, averaging 64 FPS. Medium settings at 4K average 50 FPS with a 42 FPS minimum, which may be acceptable for less demanding titles but is marginal for an FPS game like Evolve. The data suggests that 4K gaming on this combination should be limited to Low settings, or the user should consider dropping to 1440p for higher quality.

Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution. At 1080p, Ultra delivers 71 FPS, which is a 46% reduction from Medium settings with minimal visual benefit in most games. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 48 FPS, and at 4K, it falls to 27 FPS, both of which are below acceptable thresholds for competitive gameplay.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 1920x1080, High settings average 103 FPS, Medium settings average 131 FPS, and even Ultra settings average 71 FPS. All presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the RTX 5050 in Evolve?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 64 FPS. Medium settings average 50 FPS with a minimum of 42 FPS, while High and Ultra average 39 and 27 FPS respectively. The 8 GB frame buffer and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth limit higher presets at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to the RX 5600 XT in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 is 1.6% higher than the RX 5600 XT's 20713. This places the two GPUs in a similar performance tier, though Evolve-specific performance may vary.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance like?

A: The i5-10400F scores 10283 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 4318 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 12115 in PassMark multithread. These scores place it at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, indicating solid mid-range multi-threaded capability.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests not, as frame rates scale consistently with resolution changes. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 169 FPS, and the 6-core/12-thread configuration with a 4.30 GHz boost clock provides sufficient processing power for Evolve's workload.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the RTX 5050 have?

A: The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but becomes a limiting factor at 4K with higher presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F provides 6 cores and 12 threads, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. This Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process, includes 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

For Evolve, the CPU's single-thread performance is critical, as the game's engine relies heavily on a main thread for game logic and rendering commands. The i5-10400F scores 1451 in Cinebench R23 single-core, 688 in 3DMark single-thread, and 2541 in PassMark single-thread. These scores indicate adequate single-threaded performance for a 2015-era game, though not exceptional by modern standards.

The multi-threaded capabilities are more than sufficient for Evolve's AI and physics calculations. The CPU scores 10283 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 4318 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, and 12115 in PassMark multithread. These results place the processor at the 68th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14185 that is within 0.6% of its nearest rivals.

The CPU's 3DMark scores provide additional context for gaming performance: 688 single-thread, 1350 for 2 threads, 2560 for 4 threads, 3929 for 8 threads, and 4735 for maximum threads. The scaling from 2 to 4 threads (90% increase) and 4 to 8 threads (53% increase) shows good multi-threading efficiency, which benefits games that utilize multiple cores. The 12 threads available from the 6-core/12-thread configuration ensure that Evolve's background tasks do not compete with the main game thread for processing resources.

In this combo, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The measured FPS scaling across resolutions shows consistent drops that align with GPU-bound behavior. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 169 FPS, which is likely near the engine's or GPU's practical limit for this configuration. The 65 W TDP and active production status indicate this is a mainstream part that remains relevant for budget gaming builds, though its 14 nm process is older than the GPU's 5 nm node.