Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 asymmetric FPS, presents an interesting stress profile for the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B570 combination. The benchmark data indicates this pairing achieves a combo rank of 2294 out of 2872 tested configurations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of performance for this title. This is a pairing where the GPU's capabilities are the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the CPU's six performance cores provide adequate headroom for the game's logic. The measured frame rates reveal a system that can deliver smooth gameplay at mainstream settings but struggles to maintain high refresh rates at 4K with maximum details.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It operates at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and can boost up to 4.40 GHz. For a game like Evolve, which was released in 2015, the demands on the CPU are not as extensive as modern titles, but the 12 threads still provide solid multi-threaded capacity for background tasks and game logic. The processor's benchmark scores support this, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a single-core score of 2257, indicating strong per-thread performance that is beneficial for older game engines.

In the context of this specific pairing, the CPU's performance percentile of 72 versus all CPUs suggests it is a capable mid-range part. The data shows that the i5-12400 is not the bottleneck at 1080p, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved at that resolution. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 137, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively. The processor's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4/DDR5 memory also contribute to its ability to handle the game's data streams without causing significant frame pacing issues.

However, the CPU's role becomes more apparent when examining the scaling from 1080p to 4K. The frame rate drops are substantial across all settings, which points to the GPU becoming the limiting factor rather than the CPU. The i5-12400's single-thread performance, as measured by a Passmark single-thread score of 3456, is sufficient to handle Evolve's engine, which typically relies on a few primary threads. The data suggests that the CPU is not holding back the system, as even at 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 22 is more indicative of GPU limits than CPU processing power.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12400 shows a negligible performance delta. It is 0.1% slower than the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.3% slower than the Intel Core i7-1355U, but 0.9% faster than the Intel Core i3-14100F. These differences are within the margin of error, meaning the CPU's relative performance in this game is consistent with its general benchmark standing. The processor's 65W TDP and UHD Graphics 730 integrated GPU are irrelevant for this discrete GPU setup, but the 10 nm process node and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility are standard for its generation.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B570 is the primary driver of the measured frame rates in Evolve. This GPU, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture and Battlemage generation, features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The memory clock is set at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective), while the base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz. For a game from 2015, the 10 GB VRAM is more than sufficient, ensuring that texture loading and memory allocation are not bottlenecks even at 4K Ultra settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it at the 65th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, is 0.1% faster, while the Intel Arc A750 is 0.1% slower. This indicates that the B570 is positioned as a solid mid-range card. In Evolve, the GPU's raw compute power, rated at 11.52 TFLOPS for FP32, is what determines the frame rates at higher resolutions. The data shows that the B570 can handle 1080p gaming with ease, achieving 83 FPS on High settings, but falls to 32 FPS at 4K High.

The limiting factor at 4K is not the VRAM capacity but the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth. With 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the B570 is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles to maintain playable frame rates at 4K with higher presets. The pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are respectable for its class, but they are insufficient for the pixel workload at 3840x2160. The 150W TDP and PCIe 4.0 x8 interface are standard for this tier of GPU, and the 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1 outputs provide modern connectivity options.

The GPU's performance in Evolve is further highlighted by its DirectX 12 benchmark score of 72 in Passmark, which is lower than its DirectX 11 score of 118. This suggests that the game, being from 2015, may not fully utilize the B570's DirectX 12 Ultimate capabilities (12_2), but the driver overhead is still manageable. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2649 indicates the GPU's overall DirectX 12 performance, but in practice, Evolve's engine shows better scaling with the older API. The B570's 5 nm process node from TSMC and 19,600 million transistors also contribute to its efficiency, though this does not translate to higher frame rates in this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2294 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve. This rank places it in the 20th percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms roughly 20% of the tested setups. This is a modest ranking, reflecting the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance percentile of 72 is higher than the GPU's percentile of 65, indicating that the CPU is relatively stronger than the GPU when compared to their respective pools.

This ranking suggests that while the CPU is a competent partner, the GPU holds back the overall system in Evolve. The combo's performance is more dependent on the GPU's ability to render frames than the CPU's processing power. In games with lower graphical demands, this pairing might rank higher, but Evolve's visual effects and texture quality at Ultra settings strain the B570. The rank of 2294 indicates that there are many other combinations, likely with more powerful GPUs, that achieve higher frame rates. However, it also shows that this combo is not at the very bottom, as it still delivers playable performance at lower settings.

The data implies that for users with this combo, the expectation should be for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings, where the system can achieve 83 to 106 FPS. At 1440p, the frame rates drop to 56 to 71 FPS, which is still playable but not optimal for high refresh rate monitors. The 4K performance is the weakest point, with even Low settings only reaching 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. This ranking serves as a warning that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Evolve, and users should stick to lower resolutions for the best experience.

The delta between the CPU's and GPU's percentile scores is a clear indicator of where the bottleneck lies. The GPU's percentile of 65 is significantly lower than the CPU's 72, confirming that the Arc B570 is the limiting component. This is consistent with the frame rate data, which shows a steep drop-off as resolution increases. The combo's rank of 2294 is a holistic measure of this imbalance, and it suggests that upgrading the GPU would yield a more substantial performance improvement than upgrading the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. On Low settings, the average FPS is 137, which is excellent for high refresh rate gaming. Medium settings reduce the average to 106 FPS, with a minimum of 90 and a maximum of 122 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High settings bring the average down to 83 FPS, and Ultra settings further reduce it to 58 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the combo can handle all settings, with Ultra still providing a playable frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 92 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings average 71 FPS, with a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 82 FPS, ensuring a consistent experience. High settings bring the average to 56 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. Ultra settings drop to an average of 39 FPS, which is on the edge of playability and may result in noticeable stutters. This resolution is a compromise between visual quality and frame rate, with Medium being the sweet spot.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overburdened. Low settings average 52 FPS, which is the only preset that approaches playability. Medium settings average 40 FPS, with a minimum of 34 and a maximum of 47 FPS, indicating significant frame drops. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS, both of which are not suitable for smooth gameplay. The data shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in Evolve, and users should avoid it unless they are willing to tolerate low frame rates.

The minimum and maximum FPS values are only provided for Medium settings across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 90 to 122 FPS, which is tight and suggests good frame pacing. At 1440p Medium, the range is 60 to 82 FPS, still acceptable. At 4K Medium, the range is 34 to 47 FPS, which is wide and indicates inconsistent performance. These values highlight that the GPU struggles to maintain a stable frame rate at 4K, further confirming its limitations.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The scaling of frame rates from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 137 at 1080p to 92 at 1440p, a 33% decrease, and then to 52 at 4K, a 43% decrease from 1440p. This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering resolution directly impacts performance. The CPU has enough headroom to handle the increased pixel workload, but the GPU's processing power is insufficient.

At Medium settings, the drop is similar: from 106 FPS at 1080p to 71 FPS at 1440p (33% decrease) and then to 40 FPS at 4K (44% decrease from 1440p). High settings show a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p (83 to 56 FPS) and a 43% drop from 1440p to 4K (56 to 32 FPS). Ultra settings follow the same pattern, with a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p (58 to 39 FPS) and a 44% drop from 1440p to 4K (39 to 22 FPS). The consistent percentage drops across all settings indicate that the performance degradation is purely resolution-dependent.

This behavior is characteristic of a GPU-limited system. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would not decrease as significantly with resolution, as the CPU workload remains constant regardless of pixel count. The fact that the FPS drops by roughly one-third at each resolution step confirms that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU with draw calls and game state updates, but the GPU cannot render the frames fast enough at higher resolutions. This analysis is further supported by the CPU's higher percentile ranking versus the GPU, which indicates that the CPU has more relative performance headroom than the GPU.

The scaling data also suggests that the 10 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor, as the memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s is sufficient for the game's texture data. The bottleneck is the GPU's compute throughput, specifically its 2304 shading units and 80 ROPs, which are not enough to handle 4K resolutions with high detail levels. The 160-bit memory bus, while providing adequate bandwidth, also contributes to the GPU's limitations at 4K.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 83 FPS, which is smooth and visually appealing. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS is also playable, but the visual improvement over High may not justify the 30% frame rate drop. Medium at 106 FPS is excellent for high refresh rate monitors, but High strikes a balance between visual quality and performance.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, with an average of 71 FPS and a minimum of 60 FPS. This provides a consistent 60+ FPS experience, which is ideal for most players. The High preset at 56 FPS is slightly lower but still playable, though it may dip below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. Low at 92 FPS is the best for competitive players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, but Medium offers a better overall experience.

For 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 52 FPS. This is borderline playable, but users should expect occasional drops below 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 40 FPS is not recommended, as the minimum FPS of 34 is too low for a smooth experience. High and Ultra presets are not playable at 4K, with averages of 32 and 22 FPS respectively.

In summary, the best experience for this combo is at 1080p High or 1440p Medium. These settings maximize the GPU's capabilities while maintaining acceptable frame rates. At 4K, users should stick to Low settings or consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates across all presets. For 1440p, Medium is the sweet spot, and for 4K, the system is not adequately powered. The combo's rank of 2294 out of 2872 reflects this reality, with the GPU being the primary constraint on performance.