Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS built on the CryEngine, presents an interesting stress test for the combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti. The data shows a system where the legacy Pascal GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the modern 14th Gen CPU provides ample headroom to push frame rates at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, interpreting the data to explain where the limits of this pairing lie.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic resolution scaling curve, with the most significant performance drop occurring between 1440p and 4K. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves an average of 110 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average falls to 74 FPS, a reduction of 36 FPS. The most dramatic shift happens when jumping to 4K High, where the average plummets to 42 FPS, a further drop of 32 FPS from the 1440p result. This steep decline at 4K strongly indicates that the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the limiting factor, as the pixel fill rate and memory bandwidth demands at 3840x2160 outstrip the card's capabilities.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 140 at 1080p to 94 at 1440p, then falls to 54 at 4K. At Low settings, the frame rate goes from 181 at 1080p to 121 at 1440p, and finally 69 at 4K. This consistent scaling suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution; if it were, the frame rates at 1080p would be more compressed, and the drop to higher resolutions would be less uniform. The data points to a GPU-bound scenario across the board, with the constraint becoming more severe as the resolution increases.

The delta between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is a stark 40 FPS (69 vs. 29), which is a much larger gap than the 105 FPS difference at 1080p (181 vs. 76). This widening gap at higher resolutions is a hallmark of a GPU that is saturated. At 1080p, the GPU can still partially keep up with the increased load from higher settings, but at 4K, the sheer volume of pixels means that every additional graphical effect has a disproportionate impact on performance. The benchmark results indicate that 4K Ultra is not a playable target for this combo, while 4K Low is only marginally playable.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing, and its 11 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 352-bit bus with 484.4 GB/s of bandwidth is the key to its performance profile. While 11 GB of VRAM is a generous amount, even by modern standards, the data suggests that capacity is not the primary issue in Evolve; rather, it is the raw processing power of the GP102 chip. The card's base clock of 1481 MHz and boost clock of 1582 MHz, combined with 3584 shading units, provides a solid foundation, but it is clearly insufficient for 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 29.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks shows it sits in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15548. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, which has a score of 15290, a deltaPct of 1.7%. This indicates that the GTX 1080 Ti is slightly ahead of a much newer card in raw compute, but its lack of modern features and architectural efficiencies is apparent in newer titles. In Evolve, a game from 2015, the 1080 Ti's raw power is still formidable, but the resolution scaling data shows it is not a 4K-capable card for this title at higher settings.

The 250 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for a high-end card from its era. The card's 11.34 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the raw calculation engine, and it is this figure that is likely being taxed at 4K. The fact that the 1080 Ti has a 58th percentile ranking against all GPUs, while the CPU has an 83rd percentile ranking, further reinforces that the GPU is the weaker link in this specific configuration for high-resolution gaming. The data shows a clear ceiling imposed by the GPU, particularly at 4K.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti the bottleneck in Evolve at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the data indicates a mix, but the CPU is less of a constraint than the GPU. At Low settings, the combo hits 181 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed frames quickly. However, the drop to 76 FPS at Ultra settings shows the GPU is still the primary limiter, as the CPU's performance is consistent.

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

A: The benchmark results show that 4K is a challenge for this pairing. At 4K High settings, the average FPS is 42, and at Ultra it drops to 29. Only at Low settings (69 FPS) does it approach a consistently playable level. The GPU is clearly the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The GTX 1080 Ti has an average benchmark score of 15548, placing it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. It is 1.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (score 15290) and 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M380 (score 15521), based on the deltaPct values.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high refresh rate experience?

A: For a smooth experience above 100 FPS, 1080p is the only viable option. At 1080p High, the average is 110 FPS, and at Medium it rises to 140 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 74 FPS on High, which may be acceptable for a 60 Hz monitor but not for high refresh rate displays.

Q: How significant is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings?

A: The difference is substantial and grows with resolution. At 1080p, the gap is 105 FPS (181 vs. 76). At 4K, the gap is 40 FPS (69 vs. 29). This shows that the GPU's performance headroom is more limited at higher resolutions, making settings adjustments more impactful.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (score 32233) and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i9-11900 (score 32226), according to the deltaPct values.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo is most capable. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 181 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 140 FPS, with a minimum of 119 and a maximum of 161. High settings yield an average of 110 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still manages an average of 76 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably. Low settings produce an average of 121 FPS. Medium settings result in an average of 94 FPS, with a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 108. High settings average 74 FPS. Ultra settings fall to an average of 51 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations are fully exposed. Low settings yield an average of 69 FPS. Medium settings drop to an average of 54 FPS, with a minimum of 45 and a maximum of 62. High settings average 42 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of only 29 FPS.

This data shows a clear hierarchy: 1080p is the sweet spot for high refresh rates, 1440p is viable for 60 FPS on Medium or High, and 4K is only playable on Low settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti ranks 2088th out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the lower half of all configurations, which is expected given the age of the GPU. The ranking is a reflection of the overall performance ceiling, which is heavily influenced by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

Compared to the CPU and GPU's individual percentile ranks (83rd and 58th, respectively), the combo's rank of 2088/3700 (approximately the 56th percentile) is lower than the CPU's rank but slightly higher than the GPU's. This suggests that the GPU is dragging the combo's overall score down, as its individual performance is below the CPU's. The data indicates that a more modern GPU with a similar CPU would likely rank significantly higher, but the GTX 1080 Ti's raw compute is still sufficient for a mid-pack position in this older title.

The combo's rank reflects the data that shows it is a capable 1080p machine, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K. It outperforms many older or lower-end combinations, but it is far from the top of the chart. The benchmark results clearly show that the GTX 1080 Ti is the limiting factor, and any user looking to improve this combo's ranking would need to focus on a GPU upgrade.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For a 1920x1080 display, the data shows that High settings provide an excellent balance, with an average of 110 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and approaches high refresh rate territory. For users with a 144 Hz monitor, Medium settings at 140 FPS are a better choice, offering a significant boost without a massive visual penalty. Ultra settings are still playable at 76 FPS, but the visual upgrade over High may not be worth the 34 FPS loss.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation is High settings, which produce an average of 74 FPS. This is suitable for a 60 Hz monitor. Medium settings at 94 FPS would be better for a 75-100 Hz display, while Ultra at 51 FPS may introduce noticeable stutter on some displays. Low settings at 121 FPS are an option for competitive play but sacrifice significant visual quality.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests that only Low settings are viable, with an average of 69 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, but the visual quality will be heavily compromised. Medium settings at 54 FPS are playable but may feel less smooth. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they fall below 45 FPS.

The overall recommendation is to target 1080p High for the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, or 1080p Medium for a higher frame rate. The data shows that pushing to 1440p or 4K requires a significant compromise in settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a modern 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. With a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, it offers substantial single-thread and multi-thread performance. Its benchmark scores are impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055. In the database, it ranks in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32279, placing it slightly ahead of the Intel Core i9-11900.

The CPU's role in Evolve is to feed the GPU with draw calls and process game logic. The data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where the CPU would be most stressed, it can deliver 181 FPS. This indicates that the i5-14400F is not a bottleneck in this game. The drop in performance from 1080p to 4K is almost entirely due to GPU load, as the CPU's frame delivery rate remains constant. The high boost clock and modern architecture ensure that Evolve's single-threaded tasks are handled with ease.

The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache are more than sufficient for this game's data requirements. While the CPU has a 65 W TDP, its performance is not thermally constrained in typical gaming scenarios. The combination of a strong CPU and an older GPU means that the system's performance is consistently GPU-bound, which is a good position to be in for a 1080p gaming rig. The data supports that upgrading the GPU would yield the most significant performance gains, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a more powerful graphics card.