Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates strong scaling from 2 to 16 threads, with a 3DMark score of 1699 for 2 threads rising to 5912 for max threads, indicating that its 12 threads are effectively utilized by multi-threaded workloads. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16518 and single-core score of 2332 place it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 19221. The data shows this processor sits directly between the Intel Core i7-8700K (avg score 19210, deltaPct 0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS (avg score 19364, deltaPct -0.7%), meaning its overall computational throughput is effectively neck-and-neck with those parts.

For a game like Evolve, which is a 2015 FPS title, the CPU's performance is more than adequate to feed the GPU. The single-thread score of 909 in 3DMark and 3481 in Passmark single-thread indicate strong per-core performance, which is critical for game logic and physics. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data locality, reducing latency for frequently accessed game assets. The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel bus, provides flexibility, though the game's frame rates in the measured data suggest the bottleneck is almost entirely on the GPU side, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured frame rate data for this combo reveals a clear hierarchy of playable settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 111.2 FPS, which is highly fluid for a fast-paced FPS. The Medium preset drops to 86.1 FPS, still very smooth, while High yields 68.8 FPS, which is acceptable for most players. The Ultra preset at 1080p, however, falls to 46.2 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes significantly. The Low preset maintains a respectable 77.5 FPS, but Medium drops to 56.8 FPS, and High dips to 46.7 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p is largely unplayable at 32.5 FPS. For 4K resolution (3840x2160), only the Low preset approaches playability at 41.8 FPS; Medium is marginal at 34.4 FPS, and High and Ultra are effectively slideshows at 23.5 FPS and 20.4 FPS, respectively.

The data suggests that the best experience for this combo, balancing visual fidelity and performance, is the Medium preset at 1920x1080, offering 86.1 FPS. This provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS. For players prioritizing maximum smoothness, the Low preset at 1080p at 111.2 FPS is the top choice. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only setting that consistently stays above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for that resolution. Pushing to High or Ultra at any resolution above 1080p yields diminishing returns and sacrifices the responsiveness required in a shooter.

FAQ

Q: Can this CPU/GPU combo run Evolve at 60 FPS in 1080p?

A: Yes. The measured data shows the combo achieves 68.8 FPS on High settings and 86.1 FPS on Medium settings at 1920x1080, both comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset reaches 111.2 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Evolve with this hardware?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all presets except Ultra stay above 60 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (77.5 FPS) remains above 60 FPS, while at 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 delivers 46.2 FPS, which is a significant drop from the High preset's 68.8 FPS. The 22.6 FPS loss for the Ultra visual upgrade makes High the more practical choice for smoother gameplay.

Q: Is the RTX 3050 4 GB a limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: Yes. The data shows that at 3840x2160, even the Low preset only achieves 41.8 FPS, and the High preset drops to 23.5 FPS. This indicates the GPU's 4 GB memory and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming in this title.

Q: How does this combo's rank reflect its overall performance?

A: The combo ranks 1550 out of 1695 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8.5% of all combos. This is primarily due to the GPU's lowly 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 77th percentile.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Medium presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 77.5 FPS, while the Medium preset drops to 56.8 FPS. This 20.7 FPS gap is substantial, pushing the Medium preset below the 60 FPS target.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU/GPU combinations for Evolve, this setup with the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB ranks 1550 out of 1695 combos. This places it in the bottom percentile of systems tested, indicating that it is not a particularly strong pairing for this specific game. The CPU itself is quite capable, ranking in the 77th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 19221, putting it on par with the Intel Core i7-8700K (deltaPct 0.1%) and slightly ahead of the AMD EPYC 7773X (deltaPct 1.3%). However, the GPU's percentile rank of 50th among all GPUs drags the overall combo down significantly.

The ranking disparity highlights that the RTX 3050 4 GB is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. While the i5-12400F can easily handle the game's computational demands, the GPU's 4 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus width limit its ability to render Evolve at higher settings and resolutions. The measured FPS data confirms this, showing a steep drop-off as resolution and settings increase. This combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium or Low presets, where it can deliver playable frame rates, but it is not competitive with higher-end pairings in the database.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4 GB is the decisive component in this combo's performance. Based on the Ampere architecture with the GA107 chip on Samsung's 8 nm process, it features 2048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GPU has a base clock of 1545 MHz and a boost clock of 1740 MHz, with memory running at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) across a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s. Its 4 GB of GDDR6 memory is the critical limitation, as modern games at higher settings and resolutions easily exceed this capacity.

The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 7.127 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. With a TDP of 90 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W, it is a low-power card, but its performance is correspondingly limited. The measured data shows that in Evolve, the GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth become the primary constraint at 1440p and 4K. At 1920x1080, the GPU can push 111.2 FPS on Low, but this drops to 46.2 FPS on Ultra, demonstrating that the shading and texture throughput is insufficient for high-fidelity settings even at 1080p. The GPU's 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs reflects its mid-range positioning, and its end-of-life production status suggests it is a lower-tier option in the current market.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve with this combo reveals a predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution and settings increase. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are: Low at 111.2 FPS, Medium at 86.1 FPS, High at 68.8 FPS, and Ultra at 46.2 FPS. This shows a steady decline, with the gap between Low and Medium being 25.1 FPS, and the gap between Medium and High being 17.3 FPS. The drop from High to Ultra is the steepest at 22.6 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset's additional effects severely tax the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably: Low at 77.5 FPS, Medium at 56.8 FPS, High at 46.7 FPS, and Ultra at 32.5 FPS. The Low preset remains playable, but Medium falls below the 60 FPS target. The difference between Low and Medium is 20.7 FPS, and between Medium and High is 10.1 FPS, showing diminishing returns as settings increase. The Ultra preset at 32.5 FPS is not recommended for any serious play.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed: Low at 41.8 FPS, Medium at 34.4 FPS, High at 23.5 FPS, and Ultra at 20.4 FPS. None of these settings achieve 60 FPS, and even the Low preset is marginal for a fast-paced game. The data shows that the 4 GB memory capacity is exhausted at this resolution, causing severe performance drops. The difference between Low and Medium is 7.4 FPS, and between High and Ultra is only 3.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU is hitting a hard performance ceiling. For this combo, 1080p is the only resolution where a smooth experience is possible, and 1440p is only viable on Low settings.