Evolve

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a mid-tier experience in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The benchmark data indicates a system that is firmly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, yet capable of high refresh rates at 1080p. This combination ranks in the 74th percentile of tested combos, placing it ahead of roughly three-quarters of the database's configurations for this specific game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 97.5 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High reduces the average to 63.8 FPS, a drop of 33.7 FPS, or approximately 35%. The most severe scaling occurs when stepping up to 3840x2160 High, where the average plummets to 38.8 FPS. This represents a 39% reduction from the 1440p result, clearly demonstrating that the RX 5700 XT is overwhelmed by the 4K pixel count.

The scaling pattern across settings reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 156.3 FPS, but at 4K Low, it only reaches 58.7 FPS. This 62% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K, even at the lowest graphical preset, indicates that the framerate is not being held back by the CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads. The i7-12700K, with its 5.00 GHz boost clock, has ample headroom at these resolutions. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, the GPU is the limiting component, while at 1080p, the system is better balanced, allowing the CPU's capabilities to shine through in higher framerates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank for Evolve is 1261 out of 1695 tested configurations. This places it in the 74th percentile, which is a respectable position but not a top-tier one. The data shows this is a solid mid-pack performer, likely due to the age of the game paired with the modern CPU and the now last-generation GPU. The ranking indicates that while the i7-12700K provides a strong foundation, the RX 5700 XT's performance ceiling limits the overall combination in this title.

This ranking is consistent with the individual component standings. The CPU itself holds an 89th percentile ranking against all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing processor. In contrast, the GPU only achieves a 68th percentile against all GPUs. The combination of a top-decile CPU with a mid-tier GPU naturally results in a combo that is ranked lower than the CPU alone, as the GPU's capabilities constrain the final output. The benchmark results suggest that the system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it is not optimized for 4K, which is reflected in its overall position in the database.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration for Evolve. The GPU's specifications, including its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, provide a 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. This memory configuration is sufficient for the textures and assets in a 2015 title, even at 4K Ultra, though the core compute power is what struggles. The GPU's boost clock of 1905 MHz and game clock of 1755 MHz are the key frequencies, but they are not sufficient to maintain high framerates at the highest resolutions and settings.

The data shows a clear correlation between the GPU's workload and FPS. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 156.3 FPS, but this drops to 67.8 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This 56% reduction in performance is entirely due to the increased graphical load on the GPU. The FP32 performance of 9.754 TFLOPS and the pixel rate of 121.9 GPixel/s are simply not enough to handle the demands of 4K Ultra, which yields a playable but low 26.7 FPS average. The GPU's 7 nm process node and RDNA 1.0 architecture represent an older design, and the benchmark results in Evolve are consistent with a card that was competitive at 1080p and 1440p in its era but is outclassed at 4K by modern standards. The directX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 API support ensures compatibility with the game's rendering requirements, but the raw throughput is the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at performance across three resolutions and four quality settings.

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates strong performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 156.3. This drops to 124.8 on Medium, 97.5 on High, and 67.8 on Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 56% reduction in performance. The 97.5 FPS average on High is a solid result, indicating the system can comfortably drive a 144Hz monitor at this resolution with high-quality visuals.

At 2560x1440, performance remains respectable. The Low setting produces an average of 107.8 FPS, which is still very playable. This decreases to 84.2 FPS on Medium and 63.8 FPS on High. The Ultra setting brings the average down to 42.5 FPS, which is a noticeable step down, suggesting that for smooth 1440p gameplay, users should stick to High settings or lower. The transition from 1080p High to 1440p High results in a 34 FPS reduction, highlighting the increased pixel workload.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The Low setting yields an average of 58.7 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Medium setting drops to 47.9 FPS, and High falls to 38.8 FPS. The Ultra setting produces an average of 26.7 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The difference between 1440p Ultra (42.5 FPS) and 4K Ultra (26.7 FPS) is a 37% drop, showing the extreme cost of 4K rendering on this GPU.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. At High settings, the system achieves 97.5 FPS, and even at Ultra, it maintains 67.8 FPS. This allows for a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience without compromising visual quality.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate that 4K is only viable on Low settings, where it averages 58.7 FPS. At higher settings, the framerate drops significantly, with Ultra yielding only 26.7 FPS. The GPU is the limiting factor, making 4K High or Ultra unsuitable for competitive play.

Q: How does the CPU affect the framerate at 1080p?

A: The i7-12700K, with its high 5.00 GHz boost clock and 12 cores, is not the bottleneck at 1080p. The evidence is the high FPS at Low settings (156.3 FPS) and the gradual decline as settings increase, which points to the GPU being the performance limiter.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU more important for this game's performance?

A: The data clearly shows the GPU plays the dominant role. The scaling from 1080p to 4K results in a drastic FPS drop, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested resolutions.

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

A: At 2560x1440, High settings average 63.8 FPS, while Ultra settings average 42.5 FPS. This is a 33% reduction in performance, suggesting that the visual quality increase from Ultra is not worth the significant framerate cost.

Q: How does this combo's overall ranking compare to its component rankings?

A: The combo ranks 1261st out of 1695 for Evolve, placing it in the 74th percentile. The CPU alone is in the 89th percentile, but the GPU is only in the 68th percentile. The lower GPU ranking pulls the entire combination down in the overall standings.