Evolve

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a firmly mid-pack performance profile for Evolve, ranking 1072nd out of 1695 tested combos. This places the pairing in the lower half of the database, indicating that while the system is entirely playable, it does not represent a top-tier configuration for this title. The combination’s standing is defined by a capable CPU that is clearly ahead of its direct competitors and a GPU that sits in the middle of the pack, creating a system where the graphics card is the primary determinant of overall frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1072 out of 1695 tested configurations places it in the 37th percentile of all systems tested for Evolve. This is a below-average result, suggesting that a significant portion of the user base achieves higher frame rates. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU’s modest standing; the RTX 2070 SUPER sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, while the i7-12700KF excels at the 89th percentile among all CPUs. This discrepancy indicates a bottleneck scenario where the processor’s potential is left untapped by the graphics card’s limits, particularly at higher resolutions. The data suggests that users seeking higher rankings would need to prioritize a GPU upgrade, as the current processor is not the limiting factor in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the defining component in this configuration for Evolve. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is sufficient for the game’s textures at 1080p and 1440p but becomes a constraint at 4K Ultra settings. The GPU’s base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz, combined with 2560 shading units, deliver a raw FP32 performance of 9.062 TFLOPS. In practical terms, this translates to a strong 1080p performer, but the GPU’s 65th percentile ranking among all graphics cards indicates it is outclassed by newer mid-range offerings. Benchmark results show the RTX 2070 SUPER trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile by 2.3% and the NVIDIA RTX A400 by 0.5%, while it leads the AMD Radeon RX 5700 by 2.5%. This places it in a competitive but not dominant position, explaining why frame rates drop significantly when pushing towards 4K.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck for the RTX 2070 SUPER in Evolve?

A: No. The CPU’s benchmark scores are far above what the GPU can utilize. The i7-12700KF scores 28979 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4091 in single-core, placing it at the 89th percentile. The RTX 2070 SUPER sits at the 65th percentile, meaning the GPU is the performance ceiling in most scenarios.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Evolve with this combo?

A: The data shows 1440p High is the sweet spot for visual quality and performance. It delivers 70.9 FPS, which is smooth, while 1080p High provides 104.6 FPS and 4K High only manages 40.7 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 22206 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA RTX A400 (22307), a 0.5% deficit. It is 2.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, but 0.9% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z and 2.5% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5700.

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

A: Technically, yes, but with compromises. At 4K Low, it achieves 68.4 FPS. However, at 4K Ultra, the frame rate collapses to 25.5 FPS, which is not a playable experience. 4K Medium is borderline at 51.1 FPS.

Q: Is the i7-12700KF a strong processor for gaming?

A: Yes, it is excellent. With 12 cores and 20 threads, it scores 9983 in 3DMark Max Threads and 34092 in Passmark Multi-thread. Its 89th percentile ranking shows it outperforms the vast majority of CPUs, including the Intel Core i5-14400 and i9-12900HX.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the components?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF had a launch MSRP of $384. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER had a launch MSRP of 499 USD.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates reveal a predictable scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound, with the GPU having ample headroom. The Low preset delivers 174.4 FPS, which is the highest result recorded. Medium settings drop to 136.9 FPS, High to 104.6 FPS, and Ultra to 71.9 FPS. These figures indicate a very playable experience at all settings for 1080p displays, with even the most demanding preset maintaining a high refresh rate.

Moving to 1440p, the GPU begins to take on more responsibility. The Low preset sees a significant drop to 116.6 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra produce 93.6 FPS, 70.9 FPS, and 50.8 FPS, respectively. Notably, the 1440p High result is very close to the 1080p Ultra result, suggesting that the system’s performance is becoming more consistent as the resolution increases. At 4K, the GPU is fully saturated. The Low preset manages 68.4 FPS, Medium drops to 51.1 FPS, High to 40.7 FPS, and Ultra falls to a nearly unplayable 25.5 FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the GPU bottleneck. From 1080p High (104.6 FPS) to 1440p High (70.9 FPS), there is a 32.2% performance drop. The transition from 1440p High to 4K High (40.7 FPS) results in a further 42.6% decline. This steepening curve indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s memory bandwidth and shading power are insufficient to maintain performance at higher pixel counts.

The scaling is even more pronounced on the Ultra preset. 1080p Ultra delivers 71.9 FPS, but 4K Ultra yields only 25.5 FPS, a 64.5% reduction. The data suggests that the 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely being exhausted at 4K Ultra, forcing texture swapping and causing the dramatic frame rate collapse. In contrast, the Low preset shows a smoother scaling curve, with 174.4 FPS at 1080p dropping to 68.4 FPS at 4K, a 60.8% reduction. This demonstrates that the CPU can still feed the GPU at lower settings, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as the resolution climbs.

Settings Recommendations

For a balanced experience, the High preset at 1440p is the optimal choice. It provides 70.9 FPS, which is smooth for most players, while maintaining a high level of visual fidelity. Stepping down to 1080p High yields 104.6 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual improvements from 1440p are generally worth the frame rate trade-off for this title.

The Medium preset offers a viable alternative for those seeking higher frame rates at 1440p, delivering 93.6 FPS. However, the jump from Medium to High is visually noticeable, and the 22.7 FPS difference is a reasonable price for the improved quality. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p displays, where it achieves a playable 71.9 FPS. At higher resolutions, Ultra should be avoided, as the 4K result of 25.5 FPS is not acceptable for a competitive FPS. The Low preset is strictly for maximizing frame rates, but the visual downgrade is significant.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end processor that provides more than enough computational power for Evolve. Its 12 cores and 20 threads, based on the Alder Lake architecture, deliver exceptional multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its 3DMark Max Threads score of 9983 and Cinebench R23 Multi-core score of 28979. The processor’s single-thread performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 Single-core score of 4091, ensuring that the game’s primary thread is well-fed.

In this specific configuration, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is never starved of data. The benchmark data confirms this, as the system exhibits classic GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking places it well ahead of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-14400 and i9-12900HX, which it outperforms by 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. This headroom means that users could upgrade the GPU in the future without needing to replace the processor, as the i7-12700KF would not become a bottleneck until paired with a significantly more powerful graphics card. The processor’s 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes further ensure it is not a limiting factor in this pairing.