Evolve

The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination delivers a playable but demanding experience in Evolve, with performance that scales steeply with both resolution and graphics presets. The data indicates a system that is firmly GPU-limited at higher settings, while the CPU provides ample headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck even at lower resolutions. This pairing ranks in the lower-middle tier of tested configurations, making it suitable for 1080p high-refresh play but requiring compromises for 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 162.1 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 109 FPS, a reduction of 53.1 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls to 60 FPS, which is exactly half of the 1080p Low score. This steep decline is characteristic of a system where the graphics card is the primary limiting factor; as the pixel count increases, the render workload expands faster than the CPU's ability to feed the GPU.

The scaling behavior changes significantly when moving through the settings presets. At 1080p, the difference between Low (162.1 FPS) and Ultra (67.9 FPS) is a substantial 94.2 FPS drop, showing that the RTX 2060 SUPER is heavily taxed by the Ultra preset's effects. At 1440p, the gap between Low (109 FPS) and Ultra (44.4 FPS) narrows to a 64.6 FPS difference, while at 4K it shrinks to just 32.3 FPS (60 FPS Low vs. 27.7 FPS Ultra). This convergence indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even reducing settings from Ultra to Low cannot restore high frame rates, confirming that resolution is the dominant performance variable.

Notably, the transition from 1080p to 1440p at High settings (from 97.4 FPS to 63.1 FPS) represents a 35% performance loss, while the 1440p to 4K transition at High (63.1 FPS to 37.4 FPS) results in a 41% loss. These percentages are consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where the 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being fully utilized. The data suggests that users targeting 4K should expect sub-60 FPS averages on all presets, with only the Low preset (60 FPS) reaching the bare minimum for smooth gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong multi-threaded performance: a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21279 and a Passmark multithread score of 25032. However, in Evolve, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU. The fact that 1080p Low (162.1 FPS) is more than double the 4K Ultra score (27.7 FPS) indicates that the processor is not the bottleneck even at the lowest resolution.

The CPU's single-thread performance, measured at 960 in 3DMark single-thread and 3634 in Passmark single-thread, is more than adequate for a 2015-era FPS title. The game's engine likely utilizes only a fraction of the 16 available threads, but the i5-13400F's high boost clock ensures it can maintain high frame rates without stuttering. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 162.1 FPS, which is a strong indicator that the CPU can push well beyond 144 FPS if the GPU were capable. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide fast access to game data, further reducing any potential CPU-side delays.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i5-13400F scores an average benchmark of 25236, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H and 0.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D. This puts the CPU in the 82nd percentile of all processors, indicating strong headroom. In practical terms for Evolve, the CPU's performance is unlikely to be the limiting factor at any resolution or preset combination tested, as the frame rate consistently scales with GPU load rather than CPU load.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1168 out of 1695 total combos for Evolve. This places it in the 31st percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly two-thirds of configurations outperform it. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-tier status (63rd percentile of all GPUs) combined with the CPU's high-tier status (82nd percentile of all CPUs). The asymmetric pairing means the RTX 2060 SUPER is the clear performance limiter, dragging the overall combo rank below what the CPU alone could achieve.

The GPU's average benchmark score of 19774 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706, deltaPct 0.3%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (19680, deltaPct 0.5%). This suggests that in Evolve, the RTX 2060 SUPER performs at a level comparable to the RTX 2070, with only a 0.5% difference in average scores. However, the combo ranking of 1168 indicates that many other GPU models paired with various CPUs achieve higher frame rates in this specific title. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver competitive frame rates, but falls behind in higher-resolution scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers a full range of playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 162.1 FPS, providing an exceptionally smooth experience ideal for competitive play. Medium averages 127 FPS, High averages 97.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 67.9 FPS. All 1080p presets exceed 60 FPS, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance becomes more variable. Low still delivers a very playable 109 FPS, while Medium manages 85.3 FPS. High drops to 63.1 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, and Ultra falls to 44.4 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The 1440p data shows that users must choose between High settings at 63.1 FPS or Medium at 85.3 FPS, with the former requiring some compromise on visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2060 SUPER struggles significantly. Only the Low preset achieves 60 FPS, while Medium averages 49.7 FPS, High drops to 37.4 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 27.7 FPS. The 4K results indicate that this resolution is only viable with the Low preset, and even then, the 60 FPS average is barely achieved. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant settings reductions and does not provide a consistent high-refresh experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip, featuring 2176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a critical resource for high-resolution textures. The GPU's clock speeds are 1470 MHz base and 1650 MHz boost, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

The GPU's role in Evolve is clearly dominant, as evidenced by the FPS scaling data. The benchmark scores show a Passmark G3D score of 16462 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with a deltaPct of 0.5%, meaning the 2060 SUPER is nearly identical in performance to the 2070. This close margin explains why the combo can achieve playable frame rates at 1080p High (97.4 FPS) but falls short at 4K Ultra (27.7 FPS).

The GPU's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 105.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are sufficient for 1080p gaming but become the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The 12 nm process node and 175 W TDP indicate a power-hungry design, but the performance data shows that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck when moving from 1440p to 4K. The RT and tensor cores (34 and 272 respectively) provide future-proofing for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) titles, but Evolve does not appear to leverage these features based on the measured FPS.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the most suitable resolution, with all presets (Low 162.1 FPS, Medium 127 FPS, High 97.4 FPS, Ultra 67.9 FPS) exceeding 60 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (109 FPS) and Medium (85.3 FPS) provide smooth gameplay, while at 4K, only Low (60 FPS) reaches the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to the RTX 2070?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 2070's score of 19680. This indicates nearly identical performance, with the 2060 SUPER being marginally faster in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The i5-13400F has a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21279 and a single-thread score of 3004, placing it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The fact that 1080p Low achieves 162.1 FPS while 4K Ultra only reaches 27.7 FPS confirms the GPU is the limiting component.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only with the Low preset, which averages 60 FPS. Medium averages 49.7 FPS, High 37.4 FPS, and Ultra 27.7 FPS, all of which are below the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1168 out of 1695 total combinations for Evolve, placing it in the lower-middle tier. This is consistent with the GPU's 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and is it sufficient?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The data does not indicate VRAM limitations, as the FPS drops are consistent with compute-bound performance rather than memory capacity issues.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is the recommended starting point. It delivers 127 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold and provides headroom for demanding scenes. Users seeking maximum visual fidelity can use the High preset at 1080p (97.4 FPS) without sacrificing smoothness. The Ultra preset at 1080p (67.9 FPS) is viable for users who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but it approaches the edge of the 60 FPS comfort zone.

At 1440p, the Medium preset (85.3 FPS) is the best choice, offering a significant improvement over High (63.1 FPS) with only a modest visual compromise. The High preset is acceptable for users who prefer higher detail, but the 63.1 FPS average leaves little margin for frame rate drops. The Low preset at 1440p (109 FPS) is recommended for competitive play or high-refresh monitors, as it provides the smoothest experience at this resolution.

At 4K, the only viable option is the Low preset (60 FPS). The Medium preset (49.7 FPS) and High preset (37.4 FPS) both fall below the 60 FPS standard, making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay. Users with 4K displays should either reduce resolution to 1440p or accept the Low preset to maintain playable frame rates. The data clearly shows that the Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution above 1080p, as it produces sub-45 FPS averages at both 1440p (44.4 FPS) and 4K (27.7 FPS).