Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, presents a demanding workload where the Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB combination delivers a playable but tier-dependent experience. The data shows a system that scales predictably with settings, offering high refresh rates at 1080p but struggling to maintain 60 FPS at 4K on higher presets. The core bottleneck shifts from the GPU at lower resolutions to a mixed dependency at higher ones, where the 8 GB VRAM capacity of the RX 9060 XT becomes a limiting factor.

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

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory position it as a high-performance desktop part, as reflected in its 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs. In Evolve, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the benchmark results suggest it does so without becoming a primary constraint at standard resolutions.

At 1080p with Low settings, the system reports an average of 194 FPS, indicating that the CPU is capable of driving frame rates far beyond typical display refresh rates. This is consistent with the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance metrics, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 27575. Even when compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF holds its own; it is essentially tied with the Intel Core i9-10900K (deltaPct -0.3) and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (deltaPct -0.3) in average benchmark score, while being slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (deltaPct 0.3).

The data implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing for Evolve. The frame rate drops observed from 1080p to 4K are not characteristic of a CPU-bound scenario, as they would be if the processor were saturated. The single-threaded performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3925, is more than adequate for a game of Evolve's generation. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility are noted for system integration context, but the benchmark numbers indicate that its compute headroom is sufficient to keep the GPU busy across most settings.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB is the other half of this equation, and its performance data tells a more complex story. This GPU, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with a Navi 44 chip, has a boost clock of 3130 MHz and a game clock of 2530 MHz. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 322.3 GB/s. With 2048 shading units and 64 ROPs, it is a modern mid-range part, but its 24th percentile ranking among all GPUs suggests that its raw compute power is below average in a broad database context.

In Evolve, the GPU’s performance is highly sensitive to settings. The data shows a clear hierarchy: at 1080p, the GPU can push from 82 FPS on Ultra to 194 FPS on Low, demonstrating its capability at lower resolutions. However, the 8 GB VRAM capacity appears to be a critical constraint at higher resolutions and quality presets. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 31 FPS, which is nearly unplayable. This is not just a compute limitation; the texture and geometry demands at 4K likely exceed the 8 GB buffer, causing performance to tank. The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4093, which is nearly identical to the Intel HD Graphics 630 (deltaPct 0.4) and NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (deltaPct -1.4), underscores that this card, despite its modern architecture, does not have the raw throughput for high-end 4K gaming in this title.

The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 322.3 GB/s is a notable figure, but it cannot compensate for the VRAM deficit at 4K. The data indicates that the RX 9060 XT is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where its 8 GB frame buffer is sufficient and its boost clock can deliver high frame rates. The lack of measured minimum FPS values for most settings further suggests that the average frame rates are stable, but the severe drop at 4K Ultra points to a memory capacity wall rather than a pure clock speed issue.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. Starting at the High preset, the average frame rates are 118 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p, and 45 FPS at 4K. This represents a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 43% drop from 1440p to 4K. Such scaling is far more aggressive than what a CPU-bound system would exhibit, where frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. On Medium, the averages are 151 FPS at 1080p, 101 FPS at 1440p, and 57 FPS at 4K, with minimum FPS values of 128, 86, and 49 respectively. The drop from 1080p to 4K on Medium is a 62% reduction. On Low, the system jumps from 194 FPS at 1080p to 130 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 74 FPS at 4K. This scaling behavior strongly indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the workload per pixel increases quadratically with resolution, and the CPU’s frame generation capability is not being taxed to the same degree.

The Ultra preset data is particularly telling: 82 FPS at 1080p, 55 FPS at 1440p, and 31 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below the 30 FPS threshold for playability, and the 1440p Ultra result of 55 FPS is borderline. This confirms that the RX 9060 XT’s rendering throughput and 8 GB VRAM are insufficient for high-fidelity 4K in Evolve. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as the CPU’s performance headroom, demonstrated by its 194 FPS at 1080p Low, is never a constraining factor in these measurements.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB is ranked 1890 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a sobering verdict given the modern components involved. The rank suggests that while the CPU is strong, the GPU drags the overall performance down significantly, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

The combo’s rank of 1890 out of 3700 means that approximately 51% of tested combinations perform better in this game. This is a direct consequence of the GPU’s 24th percentile standing among all GPUs. The CPU’s 79th percentile ranking is effectively nullified by the GPU’s lowly position. In practical terms, this combo is outclassed by systems pairing the same CPU with a more powerful GPU, or even systems with a weaker CPU but a significantly stronger graphics card.

The data suggests that this pairing is unbalanced for Evolve. The CPU is ready to deliver high frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up at higher resolutions. For a game like Evolve, which is not particularly CPU-intensive by modern standards, the ranking reflects that the GPU is the sole determinant of the experience. A user looking at this rank would conclude that the system is adequate for 1080p gaming but will not excel at 1440p or 4K, which is exactly what the measured FPS data shows.

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 heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset delivers an average of 118 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and even suitable for high refresh rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 82 FPS, which is still playable but shows a 30% performance penalty for what is likely a marginal visual gain in a 2015 title.

At 1440p, the High preset yields 79 FPS, which is a solid experience, but the Medium preset at 101 FPS offers a better balance for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 55 FPS, which is borderline for a smooth experience. At 4K, the situation becomes critical. The Low preset is the only option that provides a playable average of 74 FPS, while Medium drops to 57 FPS and High to 45 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is unplayable at 31 FPS.

The best experience per the measured rows is achieved by prioritizing the Medium preset at 1440p or the High preset at 1080p. For a consistent 60+ FPS experience, the data supports using Medium settings at 1440p, which provides a 101 FPS average with a 86 FPS minimum. At 4K, users must accept Low settings to maintain playability, as the jump to Medium incurs a 23% frame rate penalty that is not offset by visual improvements. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as it offers no playable frame rates at any resolution.

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

The following breakdown uses the exact measured average FPS values from the data pack, with minimum FPS noted where available.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 194 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo, indicating no CPU or GPU bottleneck at this resolution.
• Medium: Average 151 FPS, with a minimum of 128 FPS and maximum of 173 FPS. This is a high-refresh-rate experience with good frame pacing.
• High: Average 118 FPS. This is the sweet spot for most users, offering high visual fidelity while staying well above 60 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 82 FPS. Playable but a significant drop from High, indicating the GPU is starting to struggle with the highest settings.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 130 FPS. Still a very playable frame rate, showing the GPU can handle lower settings at this resolution without issue.
• Medium: Average 101 FPS, with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS. This is the recommended preset for 1440p, offering a balance of visuals and performance.
• High: Average 79 FPS. This is a solid 60+ FPS experience, though the drop from Medium is noticeable.
• Ultra: Average 55 FPS. This is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay and indicates the GPU is becoming a limiting factor.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 74 FPS. This is the only playable option at 4K, providing a decent experience at the cost of visual quality.
• Medium: Average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and maximum of 66 FPS. This is borderline playable, but the minimum FPS dips below 50, which could cause stuttering.
• High: Average 45 FPS. This is not a smooth experience and is likely to feel sluggish in fast-paced gameplay.
• Ultra: Average 31 FPS. This is effectively unplayable, as the 8 GB VRAM and compute throughput are insufficient for this workload.

The data collectively shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can handle all presets, and 1440p gaming with Medium or High settings. At 4K, the system is only viable with Low settings, making it clear that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing.