Evolve

Evolve pairs an Intel Core i5-9400 with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, a combination that delivers a wide range of frame rates depending on resolution and settings. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, solid performance at 1440p, and playable frame rates at 4K, with the balance of work shifting between the CPU and GPU as resolution increases. Benchmark results indicate that this combo ranks in the 600th position out of 1695 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems for this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It has a 9 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This processor's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125, place it at the 50th percentile among all CPUs tested. In Evolve, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p, where the frame rate ceiling is determined by how quickly the processor can feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic.

The data confirms this by showing a smaller gap between settings at 1080p compared to higher resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 104.7 on Ultra to 211.5 on Low, a delta of 106.8 FPS. This wide spread indicates that at lower resolutions, the GPU is not the limiting factor; instead, the CPU's processing power dictates how many frames can be rendered. The i5-9400's six physical cores without hyper-threading are sufficient to maintain high frame rates, as evidenced by the 211.5 FPS result on Low settings, but the data also shows that as settings increase, the workload on the CPU grows, pulling the average down to 152.0 FPS on High and 104.7 FPS on Ultra.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i5-9400 performs nearly identically to the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, with a deltaPct of 0.2% and 0.2% respectively. It is 0.4% faster than the Intel Xeon E-2134 and 0.6% slower than the Intel Core i7-8809G. In practical terms, these differences are negligible, meaning the i5-9400's CPU-bound performance in Evolve is representative of a broad cluster of mid-range processors. The processor's 65 W TDP and end-of-life production status indicate it is an older design, but the benchmark results show it still holds its own in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ampere architecture, featuring 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s. Its memory clock runs at 1188 MHz, with an effective speed of 19 Gbps. The GPU has a base clock of 1440 MHz and a boost clock of 1710 MHz, with 8704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. This hardware configuration produces a Passmark G3D score of 25086 and places the card at the 80th percentile among all GPUs, indicating strong overall performance.

In Evolve, the GPU's dominance becomes clear as resolution increases. At 4K (3840x2160), the frame rates are heavily influenced by the GPU's ability to fill pixels and process shaders. The RTX 3080 maintains a 56.3 FPS average on High settings and 73.0 FPS on Medium, but it drops to 39.7 FPS on Ultra. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s is likely a key factor in maintaining consistent performance at higher resolutions, where texture streaming and memory access patterns become more demanding. The card's 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for Evolve's settings at this resolution, as the data does not show a catastrophic drop in performance indicative of memory overflow.

The RTX 3080's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro Duo, which scores 0.2% higher, and the AMD Radeon 880M, which scores 0.4% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is 0.9% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile is 1.0% faster. These deltas are small, suggesting that the RTX 3080's performance in Evolve is consistent with other high-end graphics solutions of its generation. The GPU's 320 W TDP and suggested 700 W power supply indicate it is a power-hungry component, but the benchmark results justify its inclusion in this combo for demanding titles like Evolve.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K, demonstrating how the bottleneck shifts from the CPU to the GPU. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 211.5 FPS on Low, 195.3 FPS on Medium, 152.0 FPS on High, and 104.7 FPS on Ultra. Moving to 2560x1440, these figures drop to 165.5 FPS on Low, 132.0 FPS on Medium, 99.3 FPS on High, and 73.0 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall further to 95.1 FPS on Low, 73.0 FPS on Medium, 56.3 FPS on High, and 39.7 FPS on Ultra.

The percentage drops between 1080p and 4K are substantial and reveal the limiting component. For Low settings, the drop from 211.5 FPS to 95.1 FPS represents a 55% reduction in frame rate. For Ultra settings, the drop from 104.7 FPS to 39.7 FPS is a 62% reduction. This pattern indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the RTX 3080's resources are stretched to render the higher pixel count. Conversely, the smaller relative drops at lower settings, such as the 165.5 FPS to 95.1 FPS reduction on Low, still show GPU influence, but the absolute frame rates remain high enough to suggest the CPU is keeping up.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 106.8 FPS (211.5 vs. 104.7). At 4K, this gap narrows to 55.4 FPS (95.1 vs. 39.7). This suggests that at higher resolutions, the GPU's work dominates, and the CPU's ability to process lower settings becomes less relevant. For a player targeting 4K, the data recommends High settings (56.3 FPS) as the most balanced option, while for 1440p, High (99.3 FPS) or Medium (132.0 FPS) provide a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Evolve, the Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 holds a rank of 600 out of 1695 combos. This places it in the 64th percentile of all tested systems, indicating that it outperforms the majority of combinations but does not reach the top tier. The combo's rank is a result of the CPU's mid-range standing (50th percentile) combined with the GPU's high-end standing (80th percentile). The i5-9400's performance is not the primary driver of the combo's rank; rather, the RTX 3080's robust capabilities push the system above average.

The ranking suggests that while the GPU is capable of producing high frame rates, the CPU occasionally holds it back, particularly at 1080p where the processor's limits are more visible. The data shows that the combo is not among the top performers, since 599 other combinations achieve higher frame rates, likely featuring newer or higher-tier CPUs. However, the rank also indicates that this combo is far from the bottom, as 1095 combinations perform worse. For a game like Evolve, this rank translates to a playable experience across most settings, with the sweet spot being 1440p with High or Medium settings, where the frame rates remain well above 60 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: The data suggests 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution, as it delivers 99.3 FPS on High settings and 132.0 FPS on Medium, providing a balance between visual fidelity and smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 performs within 0.6% of its closest rivals, including the Intel Core i3-10305, Intel Core i3-1125G4, Intel Xeon E-2134, and Intel Core i7-8809G, based on average benchmark scores.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the combo achieves 56.3 FPS on High and 39.7 FPS on Ultra, meaning it is playable on High but not ideal for Ultra settings.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 211.5 on Low to 104.7 on Ultra, a difference of 106.8 FPS, indicating the CPU's influence at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 3080 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 3080 is within 1% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon Pro Duo, AMD Radeon 880M, AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile, based on average benchmark scores.

Q: Is the i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 3080?

A: At 1080p, the CPU limits frame rates, as shown by the 211.5 FPS on Low settings, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with frame rates dropping to 56.3 FPS on High.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers an average of 211.5 FPS on Low, 195.3 FPS on Medium, 152.0 FPS on High, and 104.7 FPS on Ultra. These figures indicate that the system is well-suited for high refresh rate monitors at 1080p, with even Ultra settings exceeding 100 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a clear step down. The average FPS is 165.5 on Low, 132.0 on Medium, 99.3 on High, and 73.0 on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is most pronounced on High settings, where the frame rate falls by 52.7 FPS (152.0 to 99.3), demonstrating the increased GPU load. Medium settings at 1440p still provide a smooth experience above 120 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates become more modest. The average FPS is 95.1 on Low, 73.0 on Medium, 56.3 on High, and 39.7 on Ultra. The data shows that 4K Ultra is the only configuration that drops below 40 FPS, making it the most demanding scenario. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a steady decline, with the gap between Medium and High being the largest at 16.7 FPS. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown highlights the combo's versatility, but it clearly favors lower resolutions for competitive frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, but the data recommends High settings (152.0 FPS) as the best balance between visual quality and performance. Ultra settings (104.7 FPS) are also viable for players prioritizing image quality, while Low (211.5 FPS) and Medium (195.3 FPS) are excessive for most displays.

For 2560x1440, the data points to High settings (99.3 FPS) as the recommended choice, as it maintains a frame rate close to 100 FPS while offering improved visuals over Medium. Medium settings (132.0 FPS) are ideal for players with 144 Hz monitors, as they provide a smoother experience with a slight reduction in fidelity. Ultra settings (73.0 FPS) are acceptable for slower-paced gameplay but may feel less responsive in fast action sequences.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests High settings (56.3 FPS) as the best experience, as it is the highest preset that stays above 50 FPS. Medium settings (73.0 FPS) offer a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS, making them a strong alternative for players who prioritize fluidity over detail. Low settings (95.1 FPS) are the only way to achieve near-100 FPS at 4K, but the graphical sacrifices are substantial. Ultra settings (39.7 FPS) are not recommended due to the sub-40 FPS average, which can lead to a stuttering experience. The data ultimately shows that the combo performs best at 1440p with High or Medium settings, balancing the CPU and GPU workloads effectively.