Evolve

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 968th out of 1,695 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 57th percentile of all configurations. This is a mid-pack standing that reflects a balanced pairing rather than an extremes-focused one. The combo sits noticeably below the top tier, but it is far from the bottom, occupying a position where the CPU and GPU complement each other without either component becoming a severe bottleneck in most scenarios.

The CPU itself ranks in the 89th percentile against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 35,684. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (35,802, 0.3% faster), the Intel Core i5-14500HX (35,940, 0.7% faster), the Intel Core i7-13700T (35,468, 0.6% slower), and the Intel Core i7-13800H (35,416, 0.8% slower). These deltas are tight, all within a single percentage point, which means the 12700K is in a dense cluster of similar-performing CPUs. The GPU, meanwhile, sits in the 66th percentile with an average score of 23,181, and its nearest rivals are equally close: the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23,321, 0.6% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23,338, 0.7% faster), the Intel Arc B580 (23,021, 0.7% slower), and the AMD Radeon 760M (22,999, 0.8% slower).

What this means for Evolve is that the combo is neither a high-refresh-rate monster nor a 4K powerhouse. The measured FPS data shows it can handle 1080p with ease, but it struggles at 4K Ultra, which we will break down in later sections. The rank of 968 out of 1,695 is a direct reflection of these real-world results: the hardware is capable, but it does not dominate the leaderboard.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 25 MB shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores tell a story of strong multi-threading: it achieves 9,276 in 3DMark's 16-thread test, 9,979 in the max-thread test, and 29,241 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Single-thread performance is also solid, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1,043 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,128.

In Evolve, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 188.7 FPS average, which is a strong indicator that the 12700K can feed the RTX 4060 enough data to keep frame rates high. The 20 threads provide ample headroom for the game's background tasks, though Evolve is an FPS title from 2015 and does not typically scale across all cores. The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the GPU becomes the bottleneck when settings rise.

At 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes. The 42.9 FPS average at 4K High versus 78.8 FPS at 1440p High suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions. The CPU's strong multi-thread scores, such as 34,404 in Passmark multithread and 13,892 in Geekbench multi-core, confirm it has the headroom to handle Evolve's demands without becoming a weak link. The 89th percentile ranking versus all CPUs reinforces this: the 12700K is a capable processor that will not hold back the RTX 4060 in this title.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p Medium delivers 150.2 FPS average, and 1080p High reaches 115.9 FPS. These are the sweet spots for smooth gameplay, whereas 4K Ultra drops to 31.6 FPS average, which is below playable thresholds.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K has an average benchmark score of 35,684, which is 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, 0.7% behind the Intel Core i5-14500HX, 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13700T, and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13800H. All these deltas are within a single percentage point.

Q: Is the GPU the bottleneck at 4K in Evolve?

A: Yes, the measured FPS shows a sharp drop when moving from 1440p to 4K. At High settings, 1440p averages 78.8 FPS while 4K averages 42.9 FPS, a 45% reduction. This indicates the RTX 4060 is the limiting component at 4K.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, Low averages 188.7 FPS while Ultra averages 81.1 FPS. This is a 107.6 FPS difference, showing that Ultra settings roughly halve the frame rate compared to Low.

Q: Does the CPU's multi-thread performance matter for Evolve?

A: The CPU's 20 threads and strong multi-core scores (29,241 in Cinebench R23) provide enough headroom, but the data shows the GPU becomes the main constraint at higher settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU handles the load well, achieving 188.7 FPS.

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

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23,181, which is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti, 0.7% ahead of the Intel Arc B580, and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon 760M.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve covers three resolutions and four settings presets, with a total of 12 distinct data points. Starting at 1080p, the combo performs admirably: Low settings produce an average of 188.7 FPS, Medium drops to 150.2 FPS, High still manages 115.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 81.1 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is entirely playable across all presets, with even Ultra maintaining a frame rate above 80 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain respectable. Low averages 129.9 FPS, Medium hits 102.2 FPS, High achieves 78.8 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52.3 FPS. The 1440p Ultra figure is borderline, but the other presets are smooth. The step from High to Ultra at 1440p is substantial, with a 26.5 FPS drop, which suggests that Ultra settings impose a heavy graphics load.

At 4K, the picture changes dramatically. Low averages 73.8 FPS, Medium drops to 53.5 FPS, High falls to 42.9 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 31.6 FPS. The 4K results show that the RTX 4060's 8 GB of memory and 128-bit bus are insufficient for high-end 4K gaming in this title. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 42.2 FPS, and even Low settings at 4K are barely above the 60 FPS threshold.

The data reveals a pattern: the combo scales well from Low to High at 1080p and 1440p, but Ultra settings at any resolution cause disproportionate frame rate losses. At 1080p, the Ultra preset is 30% slower than High, and at 1440p, it is 34% slower. This suggests that Evolve's Ultra preset includes effects that are particularly taxing on the RTX 4060's 15.11 TFLOPS of compute power.

Resolution Scaling

Resolution scaling in Evolve shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the FPS drops consistently, but the rate of decline varies by settings preset. Looking at High settings, 1080p averages 115.9 FPS, 1440p averages 78.8 FPS (a 32% drop), and 4K averages 42.9 FPS (a 45% drop from 1440p). The total reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 63%.

For Low settings, the scaling is steeper in absolute terms. 1080p averages 188.7 FPS, 1440p drops to 129.9 FPS (a 31% reduction), and 4K falls to 73.8 FPS (a 43% reduction from 1440p). The absolute FPS loss from 1080p to 4K at Low is 114.9 FPS, which is larger than at High settings, but the percentage loss is similar.

At Medium settings, 1080p averages 150.2 FPS, 1440p averages 102.2 FPS (a 32% drop), and 4K averages 53.5 FPS (a 48% drop from 1440p). This shows a slightly larger percentage drop at the 4K step compared to Low and High settings. Ultra settings follow a similar pattern: 1080p averages 81.1 FPS, 1440p averages 52.3 FPS (a 35% drop), and 4K averages 31.6 FPS (a 40% drop from 1440p).

The limiting component becomes apparent when comparing these scaling patterns. The CPU's benchmark scores suggest it can handle the load, but the GPU's 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 8 GB capacity are likely the constraints at 4K. The data shows that the FPS drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper than from 1080p to 1440p across all settings, which points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the combo is CPU-bound in the sense that the GPU has headroom, but as resolution climbs, the GPU's limitations surface.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1080p, the High preset at 115.9 FPS average is the optimal choice: it delivers smooth gameplay while maintaining visual quality. Ultra at 81.1 FPS is also viable, but the 30% FPS loss compared to High may not justify the visual gains, especially since the game is an FPS where responsiveness matters.

At 1440p, Medium settings at 102.2 FPS provide the best balance. High drops to 78.8 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium offers a 30% improvement in frame rate with a modest visual sacrifice. Ultra at 52.3 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended for a competitive FPS. Low at 129.9 FPS is smooth but sacrifices too much visual fidelity for most users.

For 4K, the data indicates that this combo is not suited for high-quality gaming. The Medium preset at 53.5 FPS is the highest playable option, but it falls short of 60 FPS. Low at 73.8 FPS is the only preset that exceeds 60 FPS at 4K, but it requires significant visual compromises. High at 42.9 FPS and Ultra at 31.6 FPS are both too low for a smooth experience. Users targeting 4K should consider lowering the resolution or accepting Low settings.

The overall recommendation is to play at 1080p High for the best combination of frame rate and visual quality, or 1440p Medium if higher resolution is preferred. At 4K, the combo is best used with Low settings if 60 FPS is a hard requirement, or Medium if a slightly lower frame rate is acceptable. The data does not support Ultra settings at any resolution for a consistently smooth experience, as even 1080p Ultra shows a significant FPS penalty.