Evolve

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Evolve. The data shows a clear progression: at 1080p, the combo handles the game comfortably, but performance degrades significantly as resolution climbs to 4K. This pairing sits at rank 3185 out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of configurations for this title. The GTX 1660 Ti is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the i5-13400F provides more than enough headroom to avoid being a bottleneck in most scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how sharply performance drops as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 123 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops that to 83 FPS, a reduction of roughly one-third. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 47 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates the GPU is the dominant constraint — the pixel count increases by 78% from 1080p to 1440p, and performance drops proportionally, which is typical for a mid-range graphics card like the GTX 1660 Ti.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (123 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS) is 71 FPS. At 1440p, that spread narrows to 48 FPS (83 vs 35). At 4K, the spread is 27 FPS (47 vs 20). This compression at higher resolutions signals that the GPU is running out of raw throughput — even dropping to Low settings cannot compensate for the sheer pixel count at 4K, where the card barely manages 47 FPS.

Medium settings provide the most consistent frame pacing across resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 and maximum of 110. At 1440p Medium, it averages 64 FPS with a 54-74 range. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 36 FPS with a 31-42 range. The minimum FPS numbers indicate that even at Medium, the GTX 1660 Ti struggles to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K, where dips below 30 FPS are likely.

The 4K Ultra result of 20 FPS is effectively unplayable, and even 4K High at 29 FPS falls below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered the minimum for acceptable gameplay. The data suggests that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with 1440p being playable only at Low or Medium settings. Users targeting 4K should look at a significantly more powerful GPU, as this configuration cannot deliver a smooth experience at that resolution regardless of quality settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F provides substantial processing headroom for Evolve. This 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture runs at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boosts up to 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong: Cinebench R23 multi-core hits 22604, and single-core reaches 3191. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 and max-thread score of 7307 indicate consistent multi-threaded performance.

What matters for Evolve is that the CPU does not become the bottleneck at any tested resolution. The FPS scaling pattern — where performance drops roughly in line with pixel count increases — is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see similar FPS numbers across resolutions, or at least a smaller drop when moving from 1080p to 4K. Instead, the 4K numbers are substantially lower, confirming the GTX 1660 Ti is the constraint.

The CPU's single-thread performance is particularly relevant for an FPS title like Evolve. The Geekbench single-core score of 1996 and Cinebench R20 single-core of 1255 indicate strong per-core throughput. Even in scenes with heavy AI or physics calculations, the i5-13400F should maintain frame rates without stuttering. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps with game data locality, and the dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support provides adequate bandwidth for feeding the GPU.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-13400F sits in a tight cluster. It scores 25292 on average, essentially matching the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% difference) and trailing the Intel Core 5 120 by just 0.3% (25362). The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D is also within 0.3% at 25365, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H is 0.4% ahead at 25201. This means the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo — any of these processors would deliver similar results in Evolve when paired with the same GPU.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the decisive component in this pairing. Built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip at 12 nm, it offers 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock of 1500 MHz boosts to 1770 MHz, and the card has 1536 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Its FP32 performance is 5.437 TFLOPS, which is modest by modern standards.

The 6 GB VRAM capacity is a potential limitation in Evolve at higher settings. The data shows that at 4K, the card delivers 47 FPS at Low but only 29 FPS at High and 20 FPS at Ultra. This steep drop suggests that beyond raw compute limits, memory bandwidth and capacity are being strained. The 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but 4K textures and geometry can exceed what 6 GB can efficiently manage.

The GTX 1660 Ti's benchmark scores confirm its mid-range positioning. Its Passmark G3D score of 12871 places it at the 41st percentile of all GPUs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1061 is modest. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 5827 shows reasonable API support for a DirectX 12 (12_1) capable card. In comparison to its nearest rivals, the GTX 1660 Ti leads the AMD Radeon 540 by 0.7% (7723 vs 7673), the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 by 1.9% (7580), the AMD Radeon R7 250 by 2.2% (7557), and the Intel Arc A310 by 2.3% (7550). These deltas are small, meaning the GPU performs in a similar tier to these older or entry-level cards.

The practical takeaway is that the GTX 1660 Ti is best suited for 1080p gaming. At 1080p High, it achieves 75 FPS, and at Medium it hits 95 FPS. These are smooth, playable numbers. At 1440p, only Low (83 FPS) and Medium (64 FPS) are viable; High drops to 50 FPS and Ultra to 35 FPS. The card's 120 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU make it an efficient choice, but its End-of-life production status means buyers should temper expectations for new AAA titles.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested configurations for Evolve, this combo ranks 3185 out of 3700, placing it in the 86th percentile of tested combos — meaning roughly 86% of configurations tested perform better. This is a below-average result, but the ranking must be interpreted in context. The i5-13400F is a capable modern CPU, but the GTX 1660 Ti is an older, entry-level GPU that anchors the overall performance.

The combo's ranking is driven almost entirely by the GPU. Given that the CPU ranks at the 77th percentile of all CPUs (above average), while the GPU sits at the 41st percentile (below average), the pairing is imbalanced. In Evolve, which appears to be GPU-bound based on the resolution scaling data, the weak link drags the overall ranking down.

For builders considering this combo, the ranking suggests it is not ideal for Evolve specifically. However, the data also shows that at 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 95 FPS, which is competitive with many higher-ranked configurations. The rank of 3185 reflects performance across all settings and resolutions, including the unplayable 4K Ultra result. If a user targets 1080p, the effective experience is much better than the raw rank implies.

The gap between this combo and higher-ranked ones is likely substantial, but the data does not provide scores for other combos. What is clear is that the GTX 1660 Ti is the limiting factor — upgrading to a more powerful GPU would significantly improve the rank, while upgrading the CPU would yield minimal gains in Evolve since the GPU is already the bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Evolve?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 95 FPS with a minimum of 81 FPS, which is smooth. At 1440p, even Medium drops to 64 FPS, and at 4K, all settings fall below 50 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: Technically yes, but not well. At 4K Low, it averages 47 FPS, and at Medium it drops to 36 FPS with a minimum of 31. High (29 FPS) and Ultra (20 FPS) are below playable thresholds. Users should stick to 1080p or 1440p.

Q: How does the GTX 1660 Ti compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 Ti has an average benchmark score of 7723. It is 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon 540 (7673), 1.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (7580), 2.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 250 (7557), and 2.3% ahead of the Intel Arc A310 (7550). These are all very close scores.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this combo?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the bottleneck. FPS drops by roughly 50% when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings, which is characteristic of GPU limitation. The CPU scores are strong enough that it is not the constraint at any resolution.

Q: What settings are recommended for 1440p?

A: For 1440p, Low settings (83 FPS) or Medium settings (64 FPS, 54-74 range) are viable. High drops to 50 FPS and Ultra to 35 FPS, which may be acceptable but are less consistent. Medium offers the best balance of quality and performance.

Q: How does the i5-13400F perform relative to its rivals?

A: The i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25292. It matches the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta), trails the Intel Core 5 120 (25362, -0.3%) and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365, -0.3%), and leads the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25201, 0.4%). All are within 0.4% of each other.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, Medium settings provide the best experience, delivering 95 FPS average with a tight 81-110 range. This keeps the frame rate well above 60 FPS while offering better visual quality than Low. High settings at 75 FPS are also viable, but the drop to 52 FPS at Ultra suggests diminishing returns — the visual improvement from Medium to Ultra does not justify a 45% performance loss.

For users with 1440p monitors, Medium is the recommended preset, yielding 64 FPS average with a 54-74 range. This is near the 60 FPS target and maintains reasonable stability. Low settings push to 83 FPS but sacrifice visual fidelity. High (50 FPS) and Ultra (35 FPS) fall below the smoothness threshold for most players, especially in a fast-paced FPS where frame dips are noticeable.

At 4K, none of the settings provide an ideal experience. Low settings at 47 FPS are the only playable option, but even this is marginal. Medium drops to 36 FPS with a 31-42 range, which will feel stuttery. High (29 FPS) and Ultra (20 FPS) are not recommended for serious play. Users with 4K displays should either lower the resolution to 1440p or accept a significant compromise in quality.

Overall, the data points to 1080p Medium as the sweet spot for this combo. It delivers the best balance of frame rate, stability, and visual quality. At 1440p, Medium is acceptable but requires some tolerance for occasional dips below 60 FPS. For the smoothest experience, 1080p Low (123 FPS) is available, but Medium offers enough headroom to avoid CPU or GPU hiccups during intense scenes.