Evolve

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is a desktop combination built around a 14-core, 20-thread Raptor Lake Refresh processor and a Navi 44-based graphics card from the Radeon RX 9000 series. For a 2015 FPS title like Evolve, this pairing produces a wide spread of frame rates depending on resolution and settings, ranging from a playable 41 FPS at 4K High to a very fluid 176 FPS at 1080p Low. The benchmark data shows a system that is clearly capable of high-refresh 1080p gaming, remains smooth at 1440p with adjusted settings, and only begins to struggle when pushed to 4K Ultra, where the GPU becomes the primary constraint. This analysis interprets those measured results, placing the combo in context against other tested configurations and explaining what the numbers reveal about the CPU and GPU balance.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core processor with 20 threads, built on the Raptor Lake architecture using a 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz, boosting up to 5.30 GHz, and it carries 24 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 2 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. This is a desktop-class chip with an unlocked multiplier, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel bus. The processor’s raw compute capabilities are substantial, as evidenced by its benchmark scores: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064, a Geekbench multi-core score of 16673 and single-core score of 2491, and a Passmark multithread score of 38682 with a single-thread score of 4270. The CPU sits in the 90th percentile against all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 48618.

In the context of Evolve, a game released in early 2015, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. The 14600K’s high boost clock of 5.30 GHz and strong single-thread performance—Cinebench R15 single-core of 297 and Passmark single-thread of 4270—are particularly relevant, as older FPS titles often rely heavily on a few fast cores. However, the measured FPS data for this combo indicates that at higher resolutions and settings, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 176, which suggests the CPU is not bottlenecking at that level, allowing the GPU to run freely. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 28 FPS, a figure that points squarely at the graphics card’s inability to process the increased pixel load, not at the processor. The CPU’s multi-core capability—20 threads and a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 13709—ensures that any background tasks or game engine threads are handled without introducing frame pacing issues, even when the GPU is saturated.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the 14600K performs within a tight band. The Intel Xeon Gold 5318H has an average score of 48698, which is 0.2% higher, while the AMD EPYC 4345P scores 48470, 0.3% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX sits 0.7% behind at 48287, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% behind at 48995. These deltas are negligible in gaming scenarios, meaning the 14600K’s CPU performance is essentially on par with those alternatives. The data shows that for Evolve, the CPU is rarely the deciding factor; instead, the RX 9060’s capabilities dictate the experience, particularly as resolution and settings increase. The processor’s 125 W TDP and integrated UHD Graphics 770 are secondary details, as the discrete GPU handles all rendering.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Evolve with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with an average of 176 FPS at Low settings and 107 FPS at High settings. At 2560x1440, the combo still delivers smooth play, with 118 FPS at Low and 72 FPS at High. The 4K resolution is the weakest, with a High setting average of 41 FPS.

Q: How does the RX 9060’s performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, placing it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (1% lower), the AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 (1% lower), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679 (2.1% lower).

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K a bottleneck for the RX 9060 in Evolve?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower settings. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 176, which is a high frame rate indicative of a balanced system. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 28 FPS, and this is attributed to GPU limitations rather than CPU constraints, as the processor’s single-thread and multi-thread scores are strong.

Q: What settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: For a 60 FPS target, the Medium preset is the most consistent. At 1080p Medium, the average is 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 92 FPS with a minimum of 78 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS, which falls below a strict 60 FPS target but remains playable.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested CPU-GPU combinations in Evolve?

A: The combo ranks 1664 out of 2872 tested combinations. This places it in the upper-middle portion of the ranking, indicating that while it is not a top-tier configuration, it outperforms a majority of the tested combos. The ranking reflects the balance between the 14600K’s strong CPU scores and the RX 9060’s mid-range GPU performance.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 118 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 50 FPS. This represents a drop of 68 FPS, or roughly 58% lower performance when moving from Low to Ultra, illustrating the heavy impact of higher graphics settings on the GPU.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings preset delivers the best experience for this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 176 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh monitors, but the visual quality may be lacking for a game like Evolve. The High preset at 1080p averages 107 FPS, which is still very smooth and offers significantly better visuals. The Medium preset at 1080p sits between them at 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS, ensuring no noticeable stutters. For most players, the High preset at 1080p is the sweet spot, as it balances a high frame rate with better graphical fidelity, and the 107 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the High preset averages 72 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 92 FPS with a minimum of 78 FPS, making it the recommended choice for this resolution. It provides a solid frame rate that remains above 60 FPS even in demanding scenes, while offering a good balance of visual quality. The Low preset at 1440p averages 118 FPS, but the reduction in settings may be unnecessary given the Medium preset’s performance. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 50 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS, which is borderline for playability. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Low preset averages 67 FPS, but the Low preset sacrifices too much visual detail for a marginal improvement over Medium. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 28 FPS, which is not playable in a fast-paced FPS. For 4K, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, but it does so with significant visual compromises. The Medium preset is the best balance, offering an average of 52 FPS that may be acceptable for less demanding gameplay, but players seeking a locked 60 FPS should consider 1440p instead.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU-GPU combinations for Evolve, this pair of Intel Core i5-14600K and AMD Radeon RX 9060 holds a rank of 1664 out of 2872 total combos. This places it in the 58th percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms a majority of the tested systems but is not among the top performers. The ranking reflects the CPU’s strong position—the 14600K is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 48618—but the GPU’s more modest standing, as the RX 9060 is in the 59th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 16014. The combination of a high-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it does not reach the frame rates of combos featuring higher-end graphics cards.

The combo’s rank can be interpreted through the lens of the measured FPS data. At 1080p High, the 107 FPS average is respectable, but configurations with more powerful GPUs would likely achieve significantly higher numbers. The RX 9060’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 3060 Ti with a 0.7% higher average score, would produce similar or slightly better frame rates in Evolve. The gap between this combo and top-ranked systems is primarily due to the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions and settings, as evidenced by the 28 FPS average at 4K Ultra. The CPU, with its 5.30 GHz boost clock and 20 threads, is not the limiting factor; rather, the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth constrain performance in demanding scenarios.

The data shows that this combo ranks higher than the majority of tested combinations, which is a positive sign for users with 1080p or 1440p monitors. However, for those targeting 4K gaming, the rank would be lower due to the GPU’s inability to maintain high frame rates. The combination’s overall rank of 1664 suggests that it is a competent mid-range pairing, but not one that excels in the most graphically intensive situations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend in how this combo scales across resolutions. At 1080p High, the average FPS is 107. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 72 FPS, a reduction of 35 FPS or roughly 33%. Further scaling to 4K High results in an average of 41 FPS, which is a 66 FPS drop from 1080p, or about 62% lower performance. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound system, where the increased pixel count at higher resolutions directly impacts the frame rate. The 1080p to 1440p transition shows a meaningful but manageable decline, while the 1440p to 4K transition is more severe, indicating that the RX 9060’s compute resources are stretched thin at 4K.

Looking at the Low settings, the scaling is similar but with higher absolute numbers. At 1080p Low, the average is 176 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 118 FPS, a 58 FPS decrease. At 4K Low, the average is 67 FPS, which is a 109 FPS drop from 1080p. The percentage decline from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is about 62%, identical to the High settings, which suggests that the resolution scaling is consistent regardless of settings. This uniformity indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU’s performance does not change with resolution, and the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel workload.

The Medium settings, which have min and max FPS data, provide additional insight. At 1080p Medium, the average is 137 FPS with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 92 FPS with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. The fact that the minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 44 FPS, below the 60 FPS target, reinforces that the GPU cannot sustain smooth frame rates at that resolution. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings shows a 62% drop in average FPS, again pointing to the GPU as the bottleneck.

The conclusion from this data is that the RX 9060 is the limiting component in this combo for Evolve. The CPU’s strong single-thread and multi-thread performance ensures that it is not a constraint, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low. As resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows, and the frame rates decline correspondingly. The system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve high frame rates, but 4K gaming is only viable at Low settings, and even then, the 67 FPS average is not ideal for competitive play.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of this combo’s performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 176 FPS, the highest of any configuration. The Medium preset averages 137 FPS, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, indicating a stable experience. The High preset averages 107 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 74 FPS. All 1080p settings deliver frame rates above 60 FPS, making this resolution the most versatile for the combo.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 118 FPS, which is still very smooth. The Medium preset averages 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 105 FPS, ensuring that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 60 FPS. The High preset averages 72 FPS, which is playable but may show minor dips in intense action. The Ultra preset averages 50 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for a consistent experience. The 1440p data shows that Medium is the optimal setting for this resolution, offering a good balance of performance and visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 67 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS, indicating that frame rates can dip noticeably during gameplay. The High preset averages 41 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 28 FPS, both of which are not suitable for a smooth FPS experience. The 4K data highlights the GPU’s limitations, as the frame rates drop sharply compared to 1440p and 1080p. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is substantial—39 FPS—demonstrating the significant impact of graphics settings on the GPU’s performance.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset provides the most consistent frame rates, with the minimum and maximum values showing less variance than other settings. For example, at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 116 FPS and the maximum is 157 FPS, a spread of 41 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the spread is 27 FPS, and at 4K Medium, the spread is 16 FPS. This consistency is valuable for gameplay, as it reduces the likelihood of noticeable stutters. The data also shows that the Ultra preset is the most demanding, with the largest drops in performance relative to High settings. At 1080p, Ultra averages 74 FPS compared to High’s 107 FPS, a 33 FPS difference. At 1440p, the difference is 22 FPS, and at 4K, it is 13 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset offers diminishing returns in visual quality for a significant performance cost, and the High or Medium presets are better choices for most players.