Evolve

The Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 presents a fascinating case study in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The benchmark data reveals a system with immense raw power, yet the performance scaling across resolutions and settings tells a story of a game that is far more demanding than its age suggests, particularly at the highest visual presets. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS to understand where the bottleneck lies and how this combination ranks against 1,695 other tested configs.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation comes from the transition between 1080p and 4K at the Low preset. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves a staggering 372.7 FPS. Dropping to 2560x1440 reduces that to 248.4 FPS, a 33% decrease. Moving further to 3840x2160 yields 143.4 FPS, which is another 42% cut from the 1440p result. This steep, consistent decline as pixel count rises strongly indicates a GPU-bound scenario even at Low settings. The RTX 4090, with its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, is being fed progressively more pixels to render, and the frame rate scales accordingly.

However, the scaling pattern changes dramatically when we look at the Ultra preset. At 1080p Ultra, the system produces 158.9 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 104.6 FPS (a 34% reduction). But the leap to 4K Ultra results in only 60.7 FPS, a 42% reduction from 1440p. While the percentage drops are similar, the absolute frame rates are much lower. This suggests that at Ultra settings, the game's graphical features—likely including heavy use of shaders and post-processing—are placing a massive load on the GPU, making the resolution scaling even more pronounced in absolute terms.

The data implies that at Low settings, the CPU is still capable of feeding frames at a very high rate, but the GPU's rendering workload becomes the limiting factor as resolution climbs. At Ultra settings, the GPU is unequivocally the constraint across all resolutions, as even a 14-core, 20-thread processor like the i5-14600K cannot compensate for the sheer graphical workload. The 4K Ultra result of 60.7 FPS is the clearest indicator, barely maintaining playable frame rates for a title that is nearly a decade old.

How This Combo Ranks

In the aggregate benchmark database for Evolve, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 23rd out of 1,695 tested combos. This places it in the top 1.4% of all configurations, a phenomenal result that underscores the raw capability of both components. The rank is a composite measure, but the measured FPS data suggests it is a top-tier performer for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and a solid 4K contender.

The CPU alone sits in the 93rd percentile against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 49,166. Its nearest rivals in general compute are the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which it edges out by 0.2%, and the Intel Core i5-14600KF, which is 0.4% slower. This indicates the 14600K is at the very top of the performance heap for general processing tasks, a strong foundation for any gaming system. The GPU, meanwhile, is in the 91st percentile against all GPUs, with an average score of 66,473. Its closest rivals in the database are data-center cards like the Tesla T4 and Tesla P40, with deltas of -0.4% and 0.5% respectively, which highlights how dominant the RTX 4090 is in the consumer space.

The rank of 23rd suggests that while this combo is exceptionally fast, there are 22 other pairings that achieve higher aggregate scores in this game. Given the data, those configurations likely pair the RTX 4090 with even stronger CPUs, such as the Core i9 or Ryzen 9 series, which can push frame rates even higher in CPU-bound scenarios, particularly at lower resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.30 GHz provide substantial single-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and physics. The benchmark data shows it excels in single-core tasks, scoring 4,642 in Cinebench R23 single-core. This high single-core throughput is what allows the system to achieve the exceptionally high frame rates seen at 1080p Low (372.7 FPS), where the GPU is less burdened and the CPU must process frames quickly.

The game's performance at lower resolutions and settings reflects the CPU's capability. At 1440p Low, the 248.4 FPS result is still incredibly high, suggesting the CPU is not a limiting factor there either. However, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,881 shows the CPU can also handle heavily threaded workloads, which is useful for modern games that utilize multiple cores for streaming, AI, and physics. The data implies that the 14600K provides more than enough processing power to keep the RTX 4090 fed at all but the most extreme CPU-bound situations, and its 93rd percentile ranking confirms its status as a top-tier gaming processor.

The 24 MB of shared L3 cache is another factor that aids in gaming performance, as it reduces the latency for frequently accessed data. The CPU's support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory also offers flexibility, though the benchmark data does not specify which memory type was used. Overall, the data suggests the CPU's role in this combo is to provide a high-performance foundation that prevents any significant bottleneck for the GPU, except perhaps in specific high-FPS, low-detail scenarios.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Evolve?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 372.7, which is achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Evolve?*

A: Yes, at 3840x2160, the combo achieves 84.3 FPS on High and 60.7 FPS on Ultra, indicating that 4K is playable, though Ultra settings will push the GPU to its limits.

Q: How does the CPU's single-core performance compare to its multi-core performance?

A: The data shows a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,642 and a multi-core score of 32,881, indicating that while it has excellent single-thread speed, its multi-threaded capability is over 7 times higher.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 248.4 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 104.6 FPS, a difference of 143.8 FPS.

*Q: Is this combo ranked in the top 1% of tested systems for Evolve?*

A: Yes, it ranks 23rd out of 1,695 tested combos, which places it in the top 1.4% of all configurations.

Q: What is the performance delta between this CPU and its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score that is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed heavyweight in this pairing. Its performance is defined by its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This immense memory bandwidth is crucial for high-resolution textures and complex scenes, which are common in a game like Evolve with its detailed alien environments. The GPU's 16,384 shading units and boost clock of 2520 MHz deliver a massive 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power, making it a monster for rasterized rendering.

The benchmark results show that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and quality settings. The drop from 1080p Ultra (158.9 FPS) to 4K Ultra (60.7 FPS) is a 62% reduction, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's workload quadrupling in pixel count while the settings remain constant. The 91st percentile ranking against all GPUs confirms its elite status, but the specific measured FPS in Evolve demonstrate that even this flagship can be brought to its knees by the game's Ultra preset at 4K.

The GPU's 450 W TDP and triple-slot cooler are evidence of the power required to sustain such performance. The data suggests that for gamers targeting 1440p, the RTX 4090 provides a flawless experience, easily exceeding 100 FPS on Ultra. For 4K, it offers a high-quality experience, but users will need to accept frame rates in the 60-85 FPS range depending on the preset, as the card's raw power is being fully utilized.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the High preset at 226 FPS is the best choice for high-refresh-rate monitors (144Hz+), as it offers a massive frame rate advantage over Ultra (158.9 FPS) with likely minimal visual difference. The Medium preset at 286.8 FPS is also an option for those with 240Hz+ displays.

At 1440p, the High preset (153.7 FPS) is the sweet spot for most high-refresh-rate displays, providing a fluid experience that is over 40% faster than Ultra (104.6 FPS). For users with 144Hz monitors, High or even Ultra (104.6 FPS) will be sufficient, but High is recommended for a more comfortable margin above the refresh rate.

For 4K, the High preset at 84.3 FPS is the recommended choice for a smooth experience, as it is a 39% improvement over Ultra (60.7 FPS) while still delivering a visually rich image. The Ultra preset is only for those who prioritize absolute graphical fidelity over frame rate, as the 60.7 FPS result is the minimum for a playable experience. The Low preset at 4K (143.4 FPS) is not recommended, as it sacrifices too much visual quality for frame rates that exceed the capabilities of most 4K displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for each resolution and settings combination:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS |

|:--- |:--- |:--- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 372.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 286.8 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 226.0 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 158.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 248.4 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 194.6 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 153.7 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 104.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 143.4 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 108.4 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 84.3 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 60.7 |

The data reveals a consistent hierarchy: performance scales inversely with both resolution and graphical fidelity. The largest single jump in performance is from High to Low settings at 1080p, where FPS increases from 226 to 372.7, a 65% gain. At 4K, the jump from Ultra to Low is even more significant in relative terms, going from 60.7 to 143.4 FPS, a 136% improvement. This demonstrates that while the RTX 4090 is incredibly powerful, the Evolve engine's Ultra preset imposes a heavy cost that can be mitigated by dialing back to High or Medium for substantial frame rate gains.