Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics within the 2015 title Evolve. The data shows a combination capable of extreme frame rates, yet the relationship between the CPU's 6 cores and the GPU's massive 24 GB memory pool shifts dramatically depending on resolution and settings. This analysis explores how this pairing behaves across the measured spectrum, from the CPU-bound depths of 1080p to the GPU-dominated heights of 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the combo's overall standing among tested systems in Evolve?*

A: The benchmark results place this configuration at rank 251 out of 1695 tested combos, placing it in the top 15% of all systems measured for this game.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Core i5-12400F's average benchmark score of 19221 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-8700K, which scores 19210, a delta of just 0.1%. It also sits close to the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS, which trails by 0.3%.

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achieved by this setup?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 302.5, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates a significant performance headroom at lower graphical loads.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU feature, and what is its memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking compared to all other graphics cards?

A: The Radeon RX 7900 XTX holds an 85th percentile ranking among all GPUs, indicating it outperforms the vast majority of its peers in aggregate benchmark scores.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Intel Core i5-12400F does not include integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the undisputed powerhouse in this pairing, and its specifications make its role in Evolve clear. With a base clock of 1929 MHz and a boost clock of 2498 MHz, the GPU has substantial processing throughput. This is complemented by a 384-bit memory bus and 24 GB of GDDR6 memory, which delivers a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. This immense memory subsystem ensures that texture streaming and high-resolution assets are handled without becoming a limiting factor, even at the demanding 4K resolution.

The GPU's architecture, RDNA 3.0, is built on a 5 nm process from TSMC, packing 57,700 million transistors. Its compute capabilities are substantial, with 6144 shading units and an FP32 performance of 61.39 TFLOPS. In Evolve, this raw power translates into the performance deltas seen between settings. For instance, at 4K, moving from Medium to High settings reduces the average frame rate from 89.1 FPS to 68.7 FPS, a significant drop that highlights how the game's visual effects scale with GPU load. The data suggests that the GPU is the primary driver of performance at 4K, where its 85th percentile ranking among all GPUs is put to the test. It sits near the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, which trails by 0.8%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, which is 2% faster in average score, showing it is in a competitive tier of high-end hardware.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F provides the processing foundation for this system, and its role becomes more pronounced as resolution decreases. This 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 18 MB of shared L3 cache is sufficient for gaming workloads, and its 10 nm process node from Intel ensures efficient operation within its 65 W TDP. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16518 and a single-core score of 2332, indicate a strong mid-range performer.

However, in the context of Evolve with this GPU, the CPU's role is largely to feed frames. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 302.5 FPS. This high frame rate is a clear sign that the CPU is keeping pace with the GPU's output, but it also suggests that the CPU is nearing its limit. The data shows a pattern where the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance and core count become more critical. The i5-12400F's performance is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-8700K, with a delta of only 0.1%, which puts its gaming capability in perspective. Its 77th percentile ranking versus all CPUs indicates it is a solid, but not top-tier, processor that can support high frame rates without being the primary constraint in most scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on the optimal settings for different display resolutions. For players targeting 4K, the choice is between visual fidelity and frame rate. Ultra settings at 3840x2160 yield 48.8 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. High settings at 4K provide a better balance, with 68.7 FPS offering a smoother experience while retaining most visual quality. Dropping to Medium at 4K brings the frame rate up to 89.1 FPS, which is the best option for competitive play at this resolution.

At 1440p, the system has ample headroom. The High preset delivers 126.7 FPS, which is excellent for most monitors. Players with high-refresh-rate displays can opt for the Medium preset at 155.5 FPS for a significant boost in smoothness. The Ultra preset at 84.4 FPS is still viable for those prioritizing image quality, but High is the recommended setting for the best overall experience. At 1080p, the data shows the system is exceptionally fast, with even the Ultra preset achieving 127 FPS. The Low preset at 302.5 FPS and Medium at 237.4 FPS are well beyond the refresh rate of typical monitors, making High at 185.8 FPS the recommended setting for a blend of visual quality and performance that will not be visually limited by most displays.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations for Evolve, this Intel and AMD pairing secures a strong position. Its rank of 251 out of 1695 combos places it in the top 15% of all systems. This reflects the raw power of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which is a top-tier GPU. The CPU, while not a flagship, is more than capable of supporting the GPU's output without creating a severe imbalance.

This ranking suggests that the system is well above the median for gaming performance in this title. The GPU's 85th percentile ranking is the primary driver of this high overall placement. The CPU's 77th percentile ranking is respectable, but the data indicates that the GPU is the star of the show. The system's performance is likely held back in some CPU-bound scenarios, but overall, it is a formidable combination that outperforms the vast majority of other setups tested in the database for Evolve.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact average frame rates measured for this configuration across all tested resolutions and settings. The results are consistent and show a clear hierarchy of performance.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. The Low preset produces an average of 302.5 FPS, followed by Medium at 237.4 FPS and High at 185.8 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still manages a robust 127 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, there is a noticeable, but expected, decline in performance. The Low preset averages 207.2 FPS, while Medium falls to 155.5 FPS. The High preset delivers 126.7 FPS, and the Ultra preset rounds out the options at 84.4 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is fully taxed. The Low preset averages 116.3 FPS, which is still very playable. The Medium preset drops to 89.1 FPS, and High falls further to 68.7 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 48.8 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the shifting bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. The data shows a significant drop in performance as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of the GPU becoming the primary limiting factor. For instance, at High settings, the system drops from 185.8 FPS at 1080p to 126.7 FPS at 1440p, a 31.8% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, the average FPS drops from 126.7 to 68.7, a 45.8% reduction. This steep decline at 4K indicates that the Radeon RX 7900 XTX is being pushed to its limits by the pixel count and shader complexity.

The pattern is similar across other settings. At Ultra, the frame rate falls from 127 FPS at 1080p to 84.4 FPS at 1440p, and then to 48.8 FPS at 4K. This consistent scaling behavior suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The i5-12400F is capable of feeding the GPU enough data at 4K, and the performance is determined by the GPU's rendering capabilities. The slight non-linearity in the scaling, particularly the larger drop from 1440p to 4K, is characteristic of a game becoming heavily GPU-bound. The fact that the 1080p frame rates are so high, exceeding 300 FPS on Low, implies that the CPU has headroom, but it is not holding the system back in a way that would flatten the performance curve at higher resolutions. The data points to a well-balanced system for Evolve, with the GPU as the decisive component as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.