Evolve

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is a high-end combination that delivers strong results in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and solid 1440p performance, though 4K Ultra demands careful settings management. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to show exactly where this combo excels and where it hits its limits.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For a title like Evolve, which launched in 2015, the CPU’s single-thread performance is often more critical than raw core counts. The benchmark data supports this: the 3DMark single-thread score is 1136, while the max-thread score reaches 12412. This indicates a strong balance, but the high boost clock is what ensures the CPU never becomes a bottleneck in less demanding scenes.

The 13700K’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help keep data feeding the GPU without stutter. In practice, the CPU’s role in Evolve is to maintain a stable frame delivery, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 241.9 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding frames far beyond typical 144Hz monitors. The processor’s percentile ranking against all CPUs is 93, placing it in the top tier. Compared to its nearest rivals, it sits nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-13700KF with a deltaPct of -0.1%, and it is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i9-12900F. This means the 13700K is not leaving performance on the table; it is effectively matched with the best desktop options for threading.

In Evolve, the 16 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient. The game likely uses a handful of threads for gameplay logic and AI, so the 13700K’s high single-core boost is the primary driver. The data shows that moving from 1080p to 1440p on High settings only drops the average FPS from 150.7 to 100.5, a 33% reduction, which is more attributable to GPU load than CPU limitations. The CPU’s 3DMark 2-thread score of 2262 and 4-thread score of 4469 indicate that even lightly threaded workloads are handled efficiently, ensuring that the GPU is never starved for draw calls.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a Navi 21 chip manufactured on a 7 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s game clock is 2015 MHz with a boost clock of 2250 MHz, and it has 4608 shading units. For Evolve, the 16 GB VRAM is generous, but the game’s release date suggests it will not tax memory capacity heavily. Instead, the GPU’s raw compute power, rated at 20.74 TFLOPS FP32, is what drives frame rates.

The RX 6800 XT’s performance in this title is strong but not without limits. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 241.9 FPS, showing that the GPU has immense headroom at lower settings. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 37.1, which is likely a result of the GPU being pushed to its limits with shader and texture work. The GPU’s percentile ranking against all GPUs is 87, and it competes closely with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, which it trails by 2.6% in average benchmark score. This places the RX 6800 XT as a strong performer for its generation, but Evolve’s Ultra preset at 4K appears to be a heavy load.

The 128 ROPs and 288 TMUs help with fill-rate-heavy scenes, which matters for a game with environmental effects. The GPU’s 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient for 1440p and even 4K at medium settings. At 1440p Medium, the combo achieves 126 FPS, which is a comfortable experience. The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra, as the CPU’s headroom is not the limiting factor there. The GPU’s boost clock of 2250 MHz allows it to sustain high utilization, but the 37.1 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the game’s Ultra preset includes effects that the RDNA 2 architecture handles with less efficiency compared to newer designs.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data illustrates a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 241.9 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 163.5, a 32% reduction. At 4K Low, it falls further to 94.3 FPS, which is a 61% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep drop indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases, because the CPU’s workload does not scale as aggressively with resolution.

Looking at High settings, the trend continues. At 1080p High, the average is 150.7 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 100.5 FPS (33% lower), and at 4K High, it reaches 55 FPS (63% lower). The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling: a 45% drop in FPS. This is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, as the pixel count doubles but the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are saturated. The CPU’s role here is minimal; even at 4K High, the 13700K is likely idle waiting for the GPU to finish rendering.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the combo hits 104.1 FPS, which is still playable. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 69.4 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 37.1 FPS. The gap between 1440p Ultra and 4K Ultra is a 47% loss, which is the largest relative drop in the dataset. This confirms that the RX 6800 XT is the primary bottleneck at high resolutions and settings, while the 13700K has ample headroom. The data suggests that for 4K gaming, the user must lower settings to maintain smooth frame rates, as the GPU cannot sustain 60 FPS at Ultra.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-13700K and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ranks 595 out of 1695 tested combos in Evolve. This places it in the top 35% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing but not a top-tier result. The rank indicates that while the components are individually powerful, the combination does not push into the upper echelon of performance, likely due to the GPU’s limitations at 4K Ultra.

The combo’s position suggests that there are 594 other pairings that achieve higher average FPS across the tested settings. This is not surprising given that the RX 6800 XT is an end-of-life product, and newer GPUs may offer better performance in this specific title. However, the rank is still respectable when considering the entire range of hardware tested. The CPU’s high percentile ranking (93) means it is unlikely to be the reason for the combo’s mid-tier rank; rather, the GPU’s performance at 4K Ultra drags down the overall average. At 1080p and 1440p, this combo would likely rank much higher, but the inclusion of 4K results pulls the aggregate down.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the Intel Core i7-13700KF, show a deltaPct of -0.1%, meaning the 13700K is essentially identical in performance. For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is 2.6% faster on average, which could explain why combos with that GPU might rank higher. The data shows that the 13700K and RX 6800 XT work well together, but the overall rank is a reflection of the GPU’s mid-high tier standing rather than a pairing issue.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. With Low settings, the average FPS is 241.9, which is exceptionally high and suited for competitive play. Medium settings yield 186.7 FPS, still far above standard 144Hz displays. High settings drop to 150.7 FPS, which remains smooth for most monitors. Ultra settings at 1080p produce 104.1 FPS, which is a solid experience for a 2015 title, offering high visual quality without sacrificing playability.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings produce 163.5 FPS, which is still excellent and allows for high refresh rates. Medium settings drop to 126 FPS, which is a comfortable level for 144Hz monitors. High settings hit 100.5 FPS, which is just at the threshold for smooth 100Hz gaming. Ultra settings at 1440p yield 69.4 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS action, as it approaches the 60 FPS boundary.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to struggle with higher settings. Low settings achieve 94.3 FPS, which is respectable for 4K and provides a smooth experience. Medium settings drop to 69.7 FPS, which is acceptable for casual play. High settings fall to 55 FPS, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target and may feel less responsive. Ultra settings at 4K produce 37.1 FPS, which is not recommended for any serious gaming due to the significant frame pacing issues that can arise at such low frame rates.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

For the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, the data suggests that the Medium preset at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo. At 2560x1440 Medium, the combo achieves 126 FPS, which is smooth and responsive, while still providing a decent visual upgrade over Low settings. This is the recommended setting for most users who want a high refresh rate experience without compromising too much on graphics quality.

If the user prioritizes maximum visual quality and has a 1440p monitor, the High preset at 1440p is a viable choice, yielding 100.5 FPS. This is still above 100 FPS and offers a richer visual presentation. For those with 1080p monitors, the High preset at 1920x1080 (150.7 FPS) is an excellent option, providing high detail with plenty of headroom. The Ultra preset at 1080p (104.1 FPS) is also acceptable if the user prefers maximum settings, but the difference between High and Ultra may not justify the 46 FPS drop.

For 4K users, the Low preset at 3840x2160 is the only recommended option, achieving 94.3 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K (69.7 FPS) is borderline but could be used if the user is willing to accept occasional drops. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended, as the 55 FPS and 37.1 FPS averages are likely to cause noticeable stutter in a fast-paced FPS game. The data clearly indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant compromises to maintain playable frame rates.