Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS, presents an interesting case study in how a modern high-end CPU and GPU pairing behaves when scaling resolutions and settings. The measured data for the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination reveals a component dynamic that shifts decisively as the rendering load increases. This analysis examines the FPS figures across three resolutions and four quality presets, interpreting what the numbers indicate about the limiting factor in this system.

Resolution Scaling

The progression from 1080p to 4K shows a pronounced and predictable drop in frame rates, but the magnitude of that drop tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 158 FPS at 1920x1080 to 106 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 52 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160, the average drops to 60 FPS, which is a 46 FPS decline from the 1440p result and a total 98 FPS loss from the 1080p baseline. This steep, near-linear decline with each resolution step is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario at higher pixel counts.

The data suggests that at 1080p, the system is not fully utilizing the graphics card's potential. The 158 FPS at High settings is high, but the jump to 261 FPS at Low settings at the same resolution indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames when the graphical load is light. As the resolution increases to 1440p and then 4K, the GPU's workload expands significantly, and the frame rate becomes increasingly constrained by the RTX 3080 Ti's rendering throughput. The 4K High result of 60 FPS is a critical threshold, suggesting that this resolution is where the GPU's capabilities are being taxed to their limit with these settings.

The scaling from Medium to Ultra at 4K reinforces this analysis. The 4K Medium average of 77 FPS drops to 42 FPS at Ultra. This 35 FPS difference is a larger absolute gap than the 27 FPS difference seen between Medium and Ultra at 1440p (135 FPS to 74 FPS). This widening gap at higher resolutions and settings is consistent with the GPU becoming the primary performance limiter, as its compute and memory resources are saturated by the increased pixel count and visual fidelity. The 1080p Ultra result of 110 FPS, while lower than the High preset, still shows a large headroom, implying that the CPU is still a significant factor at this lower resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. These figures position it as a high-performance desktop part, and the data from Evolve suggests it is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU at lower resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's role is paramount. The difference between the Low preset's 261 FPS and the Ultra preset's 110 FPS is substantial. This spread is not solely due to GPU load; it reflects the CPU's ability to process the game's logic and draw calls. The very high frame rates at Low settings indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor, and the system is able to deliver frames as fast as the GPU can render them. The fact that the 1080p High setting yields 158 FPS, while 1440p High yields 106 FPS, further shows that the CPU has significant headroom, as the performance drop is more attributable to the GPU's increased workload.

However, the CPU's influence wanes as the resolution climbs. At 4K, the frame rates across all settings (60, 77, 99, and 42 FPS for High, Medium, Low, and Ultra, respectively) are considerably lower than at 1080p. This suggests that the CPU is no longer the primary constraint. The 14 cores and 20 threads, which help achieve that high 24491 multi-core score, are not being fully stressed in this scenario. Instead, the game's performance is dictated by the GPU's ability to fill the millions of pixels at 3840x2160. The processor's high single-core performance (2064 in Cinebench R23) still ensures smooth frame pacing, but it is not the component that dictates the final average FPS at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 135, with a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to the 1080p Ultra performance?

A: The 4K Ultra preset delivers an average of 42 FPS, which is significantly lower than the 110 FPS average seen at 1080p Ultra. This represents a 68 FPS drop when moving from Full HD to 4K at the highest quality settings.

Q: At which resolution and setting does the system achieve its highest average frame rate?

A: The highest average frame rate in the measured data is 261 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the frame rate more stable at 1440p Medium or 4K Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium setting shows a minimum of 115 FPS and a maximum of 156 FPS, a 41 FPS range. The 4K Medium setting has a minimum of 66 FPS and a maximum of 89 FPS, a 23 FPS range. While the 1440p average is much higher, the 4K result has a narrower absolute range.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the Low and High presets at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves an average of 99 FPS, while the High preset achieves 60 FPS. This is a 39 FPS difference.

Q: How does the system's rank in this game compare to its overall performance?

A: The combo is ranked 960 out of 3700 tested combinations in Evolve. This places it in the top 26% of all tested systems for this specific title.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of 3700 tested combinations for Evolve, this pairing of Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti holds the 960th position. This rank is a strong indicator of its overall capability in this title, placing it in the upper quartile of all systems tested. The ranking is a holistic measure that considers all the measured FPS data points across different resolutions and settings.

The rank of 960 suggests that while this is a very capable system, there are many other combinations that deliver higher frame rates in Evolve. This is expected, as the RTX 3080 Ti, while still a powerful card (83rd percentile among all GPUs), is not the absolute fastest available. The CPU, however, is in the 90th percentile, showing it is a top-tier performer that is not holding the system back. The discrepancy between the CPU's higher percentile and the combo's overall rank suggests that the GPU is the more limiting factor in this specific game. The data shows that the CPU can push very high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU's performance ceiling at 4K is what ultimately determines the system's standing.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a high-end Ampere architecture card, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. Its boost clock is 1665 MHz, and it has a substantial 10240 shading units. These specifications make it a formidable GPU, and its Passmark G3D score of 26896 reflects that, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs.

In the context of Evolve, the GPU's role is clearly defined by the resolution scaling. At 1080p, the GPU is not the primary constraint, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at Ultra settings (110 FPS). The card has enough raw power to handle the game's demands at this resolution with ease. However, its 12 GB of VRAM and high bandwidth become increasingly important as the resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU is pushed much harder. The 4K Ultra average of 42 FPS is a clear sign that the card is reaching its limits with the most demanding settings. The 4K High average of 60 FPS, while playable, shows the card is working at a high load.

The GPU's performance ceiling is the defining factor for the 4K experience. The large memory bandwidth is likely crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and geometry at 3840x2160. The 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is what allows the card to process the complex pixel shaders, but the data shows it is not enough to maintain high frame rates at the Ultra preset. The measured results indicate that for a smooth 4K experience, the user would need to select lower settings, as the card's performance drops below the 60 FPS target at the High preset and falls further to 42 FPS at Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear matrix of performance across all tested configurations.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers high frame rates across the board. The Low preset achieves an average of 261 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 202 FPS, with a minimum of 172 and a maximum of 232 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 158 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still produces a very playable average of 110 FPS. This resolution shows the CPU's strength, as even the most demanding preset is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 175 FPS. The Medium preset averages 135 FPS, with a minimum of 115 and a maximum of 156 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 106 FPS. The Ultra preset, while lower, still delivers a solid 74 FPS average. This resolution represents a good balance between visual quality and performance for this combo.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. The Low preset averages 99 FPS. The Medium preset averages 77 FPS, with a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 89 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 60 FPS exactly, which is right at the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and the system averages only 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may not be ideal for fast-paced action.

Settings Recommendations

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

For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation. The average of 110 FPS is far above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a highly responsive experience. The CPU and GPU have ample headroom, so there is little reason to compromise on visual fidelity. Even the most demanding setting delivers a smooth and fluid frame rate.

For 2560x1440, the High preset, with an average of 106 FPS, is an excellent choice. It provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium and still maintains a frame rate well above 100 FPS. The Ultra preset is also viable, with a 74 FPS average, offering the best image quality while staying above the 60 FPS target. The choice between High and Ultra here is a matter of preference for visual fidelity versus a higher frame rate buffer.

For 3840x2160, the recommendations are more nuanced. The High preset delivers an average of 60 FPS, which is the minimum for a consistently smooth experience. This is the highest setting that achieves a 60 FPS average. The Medium preset, with an average of 77 FPS, offers a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS and is the recommended choice for a mix of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset, averaging 42 FPS, is not recommended for typical play, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in noticeable stutter in a fast-paced FPS. The Low preset, at 99 FPS, is an option for competitive play where frame rate is prioritized over visuals, but the Medium setting provides a better balance.