Evolve

The Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B370 combination delivers playable but limited performance in Evolve, with the data clearly showing a system constrained by its graphics solution. This pairing ranks near the bottom of the database, and the benchmark results indicate that while the CPU has enough headroom for this 2015 title, the GPU is the decisive bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions and quality settings.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features a cache hierarchy of 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The processor uses the Intel Socket 1151 interface and includes integrated UHD 630 graphics, though the Arc B370 is the active rendering device in this configuration.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-9400 scores 6629 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 935 points in single-core. Its Geekbench results are 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core. These scores place the CPU at the 47th percentile among all tested processors. The nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, which scores 2259 on average (a delta of -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2248 (delta of 0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 2246 (delta of 0.4%), and the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2264 (delta of -0.4%). The i5-9400's average benchmark score is 2254, putting it squarely in a cluster of mid-range desktop and mobile parts.

For Evolve, a game released in February 2015, the i5-9400's six physical cores are more than adequate. The game was designed for the quad-core era, and this processor's 6-core configuration ensures that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor. The measured FPS data supports this interpretation: the same CPU paired with a stronger GPU would likely see significantly higher frame rates. The CPU's boost clock of 4.10 GHz provides sufficient single-thread performance for the game's logic and AI, while the 6 threads handle background tasks without contention. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 80 FPS, which is the highest measured result, and this is where the CPU's contribution is most apparent—it can feed the GPU enough data to reach that level, but the GPU cannot push further.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2639 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve. That places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations in the database. The rank reflects the overall average FPS across all tested resolutions and settings, and it is a direct consequence of the Arc B370's extremely low performance percentile—the GPU sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1186, delta -0.2%), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, delta -0.5%), the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (score 1192, delta -0.7%), and the AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1168, delta 1.4%). These are all legacy or low-end parts from a different era, which underscores how far behind the Arc B370 is in raw graphics compute. The combo rank of 2639 is not an anomaly or a driver issue; it is a consistent reflection of hardware capability. For context, a combo ranked around 2872 would be the absolute worst in the database, so this pairing is close to the bottom but not the worst.

The practical implication is that gamers pairing these components will be in the lowest tier of performance. The rank suggests that most other combinations, even those with older CPUs, outperform this setup because the GPU is so weak. The i5-9400's percentile of 47 is mid-pack, but the GPU's 5th percentile drags the entire combo down. This is a classic case of a severe bottleneck where the graphics solution cannot keep pace with the CPU's capabilities.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear and steep drop as resolution increases, which is a textbook sign of a GPU-limited system. At 1080p High settings, the average FPS is 49. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 33 FPS, and at 4K High it falls to 19 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is roughly 61% (from 49 to 19 FPS). At Low settings, the drop is even more dramatic: 80 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p, and 31 FPS at 4K—a 61% reduction from 1080p to 4K as well.

For Medium settings, the progression is 62 FPS at 1080p, 42 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. At Ultra settings, the numbers are 34 FPS at 1080p, 23 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern is that each resolution step up (1080p to 1440p, 1440p to 4K) costs roughly 35-40% of the frame rate. This is a linear scaling behavior that indicates the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions because the CPU work per frame stays constant; the fact that FPS drops proportionally with pixel count proves the Arc B370 is saturated.

The data also shows that the game is not playable at 4K in any setting, with the highest 4K result being 31 FPS at Low. Even at 1440p, only the Low setting achieves over 50 FPS, and High and Ultra settings hover in the 23-33 FPS range. The 1080p resolution is the only viable option for reasonable frame rates, and even there, Ultra settings drop to 34 FPS. This resolution scaling strongly suggests that any attempt to improve performance should focus on the GPU, as the i5-9400 has ample headroom.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 80 FPS on Low settings, 62 FPS on Medium, 49 FPS on High, and 34 FPS on Ultra. The Medium setting has documented minimum and maximum values of 53 and 72 FPS, respectively, showing some frame pacing variance. The 1080p Low result of 80 FPS is the highest frame rate recorded in any configuration, and it is the only setting that approaches the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider acceptable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings produce 54 FPS, Medium produces 42 FPS (with min/max of 35 and 48), High produces 33 FPS, and Ultra produces 23 FPS. None of these results are ideal for competitive play, but the Low setting is the only one that remains above 50 FPS. The Medium setting at 1440p is borderline playable with 42 FPS average, but the minimum of 35 FPS indicates occasional stutters.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings yield 31 FPS, Medium yields 24 FPS (with min/max of 20 and 27), High yields 19 FPS, and Ultra yields 13 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 13 FPS is the lowest measured value in the entire data set. These numbers confirm that 4K is not a realistic target for this combination, regardless of the quality settings selected. The data suggests a practical sweet spot of 1080p Medium or High for a playable experience, with 1080p Low being the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Panther Lake chip, using the Xe3-LPG architecture on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster operation units, along with 10 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS, with FP16 at 12.29 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). The TDP is 25 W, and it uses system shared memory with bandwidth that is system dependent.

The Arc B370's memory configuration is a critical weakness. It has no dedicated VRAM; instead, it uses system shared memory, which means the GPU must contend with the CPU for memory bandwidth. The i5-9400's 42.7 GB/s dual-channel bandwidth is the ceiling for the GPU, and this is far below what a dedicated graphics card would offer. The "System Shared" memory size and type, combined with the "System Dependent" bandwidth, means that performance is heavily reliant on the rest of the system's memory configuration. For a game like Evolve, which was released when 2-4 GB of VRAM was standard, the shared memory approach creates latency and bandwidth penalties that directly impact frame rates.

The GPU's benchmark scores are abysmal. It scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which places it at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, both of which are over a decade old. The Arc B370's performance is numerically close to those legacy parts, with deltas of -0.2% and -0.5% respectively. This means that in terms of raw GPU compute, the Arc B370 is roughly equivalent to graphics cards from 2009-2010, which is why the Evolve results are so poor. The boost clock of 2400 MHz is high, but the low shading unit count and shared memory cripple its real-world output.

The GPU's role in the measured FPS is dominant. The CPU is capable of delivering far more than 80 FPS in Evolve, but the GPU cannot render frames fast enough. The fact that 1080p Low yields 80 FPS while 1080p Ultra yields 34 FPS shows that the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are the limiting factors. The ray tracing cores and 12 Ultimate API support are irrelevant for this game, as Evolve predates those features. The 25 W TDP and integrated form factor mean this is not a gaming-oriented part, and the benchmark results reflect that reality.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p Low produces 80 FPS average, which is the highest result. For better visuals, 1080p Medium averages 62 FPS (min 53, max 72), and 1080p High averages 49 FPS. 1440p and 4K are not recommended for playable frame rates.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The i5-9400 ranks at the 47th percentile among CPUs, while the Arc B370 ranks at the 5th percentile among GPUs. The FPS drops of roughly 61% from 1080p to 4K at both High and Low settings prove the GPU is saturated, not the CPU.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is 0.2% below the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186), 0.5% below the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190), 0.7% below the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192), and 1.4% above the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168).

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in the database for Evolve?

A: This combination ranks 2639 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve. That places it in the bottom 8% of all configurations, consistent with the GPU's extremely low 5th percentile performance.

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

A: No. The highest 4K result is 31 FPS at Low settings. Medium produces 24 FPS (min 20, max 27), High produces 19 FPS, and Ultra produces 13 FPS. All of these are below playable thresholds.

Q: What memory characteristics affect the GPU's performance?

A: The Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." In this system, the i5-9400 provides 42.7 GB/s of dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth, which is the absolute ceiling for GPU memory access. This shared configuration is a major factor in the low frame rates.