Evolve

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a decisive performance envelope in Evolve, with benchmark results indicating that the Medium preset provides the most balanced experience across all tested resolutions. At 1080p, Medium produces an average of 269 FPS, which is only 21% below the Low preset’s 342 FPS but represents a substantial 84% improvement over Ultra’s 146 FPS. The scaling pattern holds at 1440p, where Medium achieves 181 FPS versus 233 FPS on Low and 98 FPS on Ultra. The argument for Medium strengthens at 4K, where it is the only preset that maintains a playable average above 100 FPS (103 FPS), while Low reaches 133 FPS and High drops to 81 FPS. Ultra at 4K falls to 56 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth competitive play. For users prioritizing visual fidelity without sacrificing frame time consistency, High at 1440p (142 FPS) offers a reasonable middle ground, but the data clearly favors Medium as the optimal preset for maintaining high refresh rates while retaining acceptable image quality.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Evolve?*

A: The maximum average FPS measured is 342, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This represents the absolute ceiling for this configuration, with the Medium preset following at 269 FPS and High at 211 FPS for the same resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 5080’s memory bandwidth influence performance at 4K?

A: The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 56 FPS on Ultra to 133 FPS on Low, indicating that the memory subsystem is sufficiently provisioned to feed the GPU’s 10752 shading units, as even the most demanding preset remains limited by compute rather than bandwidth starvation.

Q: Is the Core i5-12600KF a bottleneck at 1080p with the RTX 5080?

A: The data suggests the CPU keeps pace effectively. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields 342 FPS, which is 47% higher than the 233 FPS seen at 2560x1440 for the same settings. This scaling indicates that the 10-core, 16-thread processor with a 4.90 GHz boost clock is capable of driving the GPU to its limits at lower resolutions, as the frame rate increases proportionally with reduced pixel count.

Q: What is the combined rank of this CPU-GPU pairing among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 194th out of 3700 tested combinations, placing it in the top 5.2% of all systems. This percentile reflects the strong synergy between the i5-12600KF’s single-thread performance (1016 in 3DMark single-thread) and the RTX 5080’s raw graphics throughput.

Q: How does the Ultra preset’s minimum frame rate compare to Medium at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 98 FPS with no recorded minimum value, while Medium shows a measured minimum of 153 FPS against an average of 181 FPS. This 55 FPS gap between the two presets’ averages indicates that Ultra imposes a significant additional load, likely from advanced shading effects, that Medium avoids while still delivering a smooth experience.

Q: Which resolution offers the best frame time consistency according to the data?

A: The 1920x1080 Medium preset shows the tightest frame time distribution, with a minimum of 229 FPS and a maximum of 310 FPS against an average of 269 FPS. This 81 FPS spread is proportionally smaller than the 1440p Medium’s 55 FPS range (153-208 FPS) when normalized to average frame rate, suggesting superior consistency at the lower resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant component in this pairing for Evolve, with its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth providing ample headroom for the game’s textures and effects. The GPU’s boost clock of 2617 MHz, combined with its 10752 shading units, delivers 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which directly translates to the high frame rates observed. At 4K Ultra, the average of 56 FPS indicates the GPU is heavily loaded, while dropping to Low settings at the same resolution yields 133 FPS, a 138% increase that showcases the graphics card’s ability to scale with reduced visual complexity.

The GPU’s memory configuration is particularly relevant when examining the scaling from 1440p to 4K. With 16 GB of VRAM, there is no evidence of capacity-related stuttering, as even the most demanding preset (4K Ultra at 56 FPS) maintains a playable average. The 960.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient to keep the 256-bit bus saturated, as evidenced by the smooth progression from 1440p High (142 FPS) to 4K High (81 FPS), which represents a 43% reduction in frame rate for a 2.25x increase in pixel count. This indicates that the RTX 5080’s memory system is not a limiting factor; rather, the compute units are the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

The GPU’s benchmark scores further contextualize its performance. A Passmark G3D score of 36565 places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (57367 avg score, 2.2% higher) and the AMD Radeon 8060S (55757 avg score, 0.6% lower). This competitive positioning suggests that the RTX 5080 is among the top-tier graphics cards available, and its performance in Evolve reflects that standing, with even the most demanding preset at 4K maintaining a frame rate above 50 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination achieves a rank of 194 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the top 5.2% of all systems. This positioning is particularly notable given the CPU’s age relative to the GPU; the i5-12600KF was released in November 2021, while the RTX 5080 launched in January 2025. The 10-core, 16-thread processor with a 4.90 GHz boost clock holds its own against more modern CPUs, as evidenced by its 79th percentile ranking among all processors and its average benchmark score of 27799, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896 avg score, -0.3% delta).

The GPU’s contribution to this rank is substantial. The RTX 5080’s 87th percentile standing among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56083, places it in the same performance tier as the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (57367 avg score, 2.2% higher) and significantly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828 avg score, 2.3% lower). This combination of a top-20% CPU and top-13% GPU results in a system that excels in Evolve’s fast-paced FPS gameplay, where both single-thread responsiveness and raw graphics throughput are critical.

The rank of 194th out of 3700 represents a better outcome than either component’s individual percentile might suggest, indicating excellent synergy. The i5-12600KF’s strong single-core performance (1016 in 3DMark single-thread) complements the RTX 5080’s massive compute resources, allowing the system to avoid the CPU bottleneck that often plagues high-end GPU pairings. This is particularly evident at 1080p, where the combo achieves 342 FPS on Low, demonstrating that the CPU can feed frames fast enough to fully utilize the GPU’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a consistent pattern of GPU-bound scaling, with the CPU maintaining sufficient headroom across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo produces 269 FPS, which drops to 181 FPS at 1440p (a 33% reduction) and 103 FPS at 4K (a 62% reduction from 1080p). This scaling is more severe than the pixel count increase alone would suggest, indicating that the RTX 5080’s compute units become progressively more saturated as resolution rises.

The Low preset shows the most dramatic scaling, with 342 FPS at 1080p dropping to 233 FPS at 1440p (-32%) and 133 FPS at 4K (-61%). This pattern suggests that at Low settings, the GPU is operating closer to its theoretical peak, and the additional pixels at higher resolutions directly translate to reduced frame rates. Conversely, the Ultra preset exhibits the flattest scaling curve: 146 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p (-33%), and 56 FPS at 4K (-62%). The consistency of these percentage drops across presets indicates that the limiting component is the GPU’s rendering pipeline, not memory bandwidth or CPU throughput.

The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal, as evidenced by the 1080p results. At 1920x1080 Low, the 342 FPS average is more than double the 4K Low result, demonstrating that the i5-12600KF can drive frame rates well beyond what the GPU can render at higher resolutions. The 4.90 GHz boost clock and 10-core configuration provide ample single-thread performance for Evolve’s game logic, while the 20 MB of shared L3 cache ensures that draw calls and physics calculations do not introduce stutter. This balanced scaling profile confirms that the RTX 5080 is the primary determinant of frame rate across all tested settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the benchmark results show a clear hierarchy across presets. The Low setting delivers the highest average at 342 FPS, followed by Medium at 269 FPS with a measured range of 229 to 310 FPS. High drops to 211 FPS, while Ultra bottoms out at 146 FPS. The 196 FPS spread between Low and Ultra demonstrates the substantial computational cost of the game’s higher-quality effects, with the Medium preset offering the best compromise at 269 FPS, which is 84% higher than Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern emerges with reduced absolute numbers. Low achieves 233 FPS, Medium averages 181 FPS with a minimum of 153 FPS and maximum of 208 FPS, High reaches 142 FPS, and Ultra falls to 98 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 153 FPS is particularly notable, as it remains above the 144 Hz refresh rate threshold common on high-end monitors, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. The gap between Medium and High narrows to 39 FPS at this resolution, compared to 58 FPS at 1080p, indicating that the GPU’s pixel throughput becomes more evenly matched across presets as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the performance envelope tightens considerably. Low is the only preset to exceed 120 FPS, averaging 133 FPS. Medium averages 103 FPS with a range of 87 to 118 FPS, while High drops to 81 FPS. Ultra falls below the 60 FPS threshold, averaging just 56 FPS. The Medium preset’s 87 FPS minimum is the only sub-100 FPS figure among the measured minimums, highlighting the increased GPU load at 4K. Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality, with its 1440p result (181 FPS average) being particularly impressive for a game released in 2015.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF serves as a capable foundation for the RTX 5080 in Evolve, with its 10 cores and 16 threads providing ample parallel processing for the game’s FPS mechanics. The processor’s base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz deliver strong single-thread performance, as reflected in its 3DMark single-thread score of 1016 and Cinebench R23 single-core result of 3302. These figures indicate that the CPU can respond quickly to game logic and input processing, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing in a fast-paced shooter.

The CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 and a Passmark multithread score of 27575. This parallel throughput ensures that background processes and game engine threads do not interfere with rendering, allowing the RTX 5080 to operate at full capacity. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache is particularly beneficial for Evolve’s asset streaming, as it reduces memory latency and improves data locality for frequently accessed game data.

Comparing the i5-12600KF to its nearest rivals reveals a well-balanced processor. Its average benchmark score of 27799 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872 avg score, -0.3% delta) and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896 avg score, -0.3% delta), placing it in a performance tier that includes several older high-end CPUs. This parity is notable given the i5’s lower core count than the i9-10900K, suggesting that its Alder Lake architecture and higher clock speeds compensate for fewer physical cores. For Evolve, this means the CPU does not bottleneck the GPU at any tested resolution, as evidenced by the 342 FPS result at 1080p Low, which represents the upper limit of what the RTX 5080 can render at that setting.