Evolve

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti presents a compelling, if lopsided, pairing for Evolve. The data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary engine for graphical fidelity, but the 1080p results suggest the six-core CPU is capable of keeping pace without becoming a significant bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 157.7 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 108.6 FPS, a reduction of approximately 31%. At 4K, the average falls further to 63.2 FPS, which is about 42% lower than the 1440p result and 60% lower than the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load is scaling heavily with pixel count, which is typical for a game like Evolve.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. With High settings, the averages are 99.6 FPS at 1080p, 63.3 FPS at 1440p, and 38.6 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is substantial, while the 4K results show the RTX 3060 Ti struggling to maintain a smooth experience. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with averages of 67.9 FPS at 1080p, 45.1 FPS at 1440p, and just 28.5 FPS at 4K.

This scaling behavior tells a clear story about the limiting component. The RTX 3060 Ti is the clear bottleneck at 4K, where even the Low preset cannot break past 63.2 FPS. However, the relatively small drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (157.7 to 108.6 FPS) suggests that the CPU is starting to influence performance at lower resolutions. The data indicates the i5-9400 can feed the GPU adequately at 1080p, but the GPU's raw throughput is the determining factor for high-refresh-rate play in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark database places this specific CPU-GPU combination at rank 1175 out of 1695 tested combos for Evolve. This places the pairing in the lower-middle tier of all possible configurations, which might seem surprising given the GPU's capabilities. However, this ranking is a function of the entire system, and the i5-9400 is a mid-range processor that holds the combo back from higher positions.

The CPU itself sits at the 50th percentile against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 2305. Its nearest rivals show how tight the competition is. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2300, a delta of 0.2%, and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 scores 2299, also a 0.2% delta. The Intel Xeon E-2134 is only 0.4% ahead at 2295. Interestingly, the Intel Core i7-8809G scores 2319, which is 0.6% higher. These marginal differences mean the i5-9400 is essentially in a dead heat with several other processors, and any ranking improvement would require a more powerful CPU.

The GPU, on the other hand, is a much stronger performer. It sits at the 69th percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25120. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6700M (25180, -0.2%), the AMD Radeon RX 6600 (25235, -0.5%), the AMD Radeon 890M (25246, -0.5%), and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (25287, -0.7%). The RTX 3060 Ti is slightly behind all of these, but the deltas are all under 1%, indicating that these cards are effectively in the same performance class. This suggests that the GPU is not the reason for the low combo rank; the CPU's mid-pack standing is the primary drag.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 4K smoothly?

A: Only at Low settings, where it achieves an average of 63.2 FPS. At Medium, the average drops to 48.6 FPS, and at High it falls to 38.6 FPS. The Ultra preset is not playable, with an average of 28.5 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate monitors?

A: The 1080p Low preset yields the highest average at 157.7 FPS. For a 144Hz monitor, the Medium preset at 1080p (126.6 FPS) and the Low preset at 1440p (108.6 FPS) are also viable options.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, and 0.4% faster than the Intel Xeon E-2134. It is 0.6% slower than the Intel Core i7-8809G.

Q: Is the RTX 3060 Ti a strong GPU relative to other tested cards?

A: Yes. It ranks at the 69th percentile among all GPUs. Its performance is within 0.7% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 6600 and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP.

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

A: The Low preset averages 108.6 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 45.1 FPS. This represents a performance drop of over 58% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the game rely more on the CPU or GPU in this configuration?

A: At 4K, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, as even Low settings cannot exceed 63.2 FPS. At 1080p, the CPU appears sufficient, but the GPU's power is still the primary driver of frame rates, given the significant scaling between settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

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

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset is the fastest at 157.7 FPS, followed by Medium at 126.6 FPS, High at 99.6 FPS, and Ultra at 67.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 57% reduction in average FPS, which is a significant cost for the highest visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the averages are more moderate. Low settings produce 108.6 FPS, which is still suitable for most displays. Medium settings yield 81.3 FPS, High settings produce 63.3 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 45.1 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is notable, suggesting that the High preset introduces a substantial increase in rendering complexity.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3060 Ti begins to show its limitations. The Low preset is the only one that remains above 60 FPS, with an average of 63.2 FPS. Medium settings produce 48.6 FPS, High settings drop to 38.6 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 28.5 FPS. These results indicate that 4K gaming on this combo requires significant compromises in visual fidelity to maintain playable frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the dominant component in this pairing. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is likely sufficient for Evolve's textures and assets, as the game is from 2015 and does not have the massive VRAM demands of modern titles. The GPU's clock speeds are a base of 1410 MHz and a boost of 1665 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz or 14 Gbps effective.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are substantial. It has 4864 shading units, 152 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. The FP32 performance is 16.20 TFLOPS, and the texture rate is 253.1 GTexel/s. These specifications explain the strong performance at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU can flex its muscle. The 4K results, however, show that even this level of compute power is not enough to overcome the sheer pixel count at the highest resolution.

The GPU's performance relative to its rivals is tight. It is 0.2% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6700M and 0.5% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6600. It is 0.5% slower than the AMD Radeon 890M and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP. These tiny margins suggest that swapping to any of these cards would yield almost identical frame rates in this game. The GPU's 69th percentile ranking confirms it is a solid mid-to-high-end part, but it is not a top-tier performer.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot. It delivers an average of 81.3 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, while still providing a significant upgrade over Low settings. The High preset at 1440p drops to 63.3 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS action. The data shows that the jump from Medium to High costs roughly 18 FPS at this resolution, which is a steep price for the visual improvements.

If you prioritize a high refresh rate experience, the 1080p Medium preset is the best choice. It averages 126.6 FPS, which will take full advantage of a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor. The Low preset at 1080p is faster at 157.7 FPS, but the visual quality is likely too compromised for most users. The High preset at 1080p (99.6 FPS) is a good alternative for those who prefer quality over raw speed.

For 4K, the only viable option is the Low preset, which averages 63.2 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold and will be playable, but it requires sacrificing most graphical features. The Medium preset at 4K (48.6 FPS) and High preset (38.6 FPS) are not recommended for a fluid experience, and the Ultra preset (28.5 FPS) is effectively unplayable. The Ultra preset, regardless of resolution, appears to be too demanding for this hardware, with the 1440p average of 45.1 FPS being the only Ultra result that is close to playable.