Evolve

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Evolve, though 4K Ultra remains out of reach. The data shows this combination ranks 2604 out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the 70th percentile of all systems tested for this title. The pairing leverages a strong 16-core CPU with a mid-range GPU, resulting in playable frame rates at most settings, with clear bottlenecks emerging at 4K Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: The strongest results are at 1920x1080, where the average FPS ranges from 68 at Ultra to 160 at Low. At 2560x1440, the combo remains solid with scores from 45 to 107 FPS, while 3840x2160 is only viable at Low and Medium settings.

Q: How does the i7-13700K compare to its closest rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 46881. It is 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (46971) and 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022), but 0.5% ahead of both the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile among all graphics cards?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER sits in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile, which is 0.4% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700, which is 0.5% faster.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU provides ample headroom. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 160 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU well. The GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, where frame rates drop significantly.

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

A: Only at lower settings. At 3840x2160, the combo averages 61 FPS on Low and 47 FPS on Medium. High drops to 37 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS, which is not smooth.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded capability in synthetic tests?

A: The i7-13700K scores 30745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 16292 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. In 3DMark's 16-thread test, it scores 10717, while the max-thread score reaches 12412.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip. It operates at a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Evolve’s textures at most settings, though the 4K Ultra preset appears to tax it heavily.

The GPU's raw compute power is rated at 7.181 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. It has 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The card also includes 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, though these are not heavily utilized in a 2015 FPS title like Evolve. The pixel rate is 105.6 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 224.4 GTexel/s, which directly influences how well the card can fill the screen at high resolutions.

In Evolve, the GPU's performance is the primary driver of frame rates at higher resolutions. The measured data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 160 at Low to 68 at Ultra. Stepping up to 2560x1440, the range drops to 107 at Low and 45 at Ultra. At 3840x2160, the card struggles to maintain playable rates above Medium, with only 26 FPS at Ultra. This indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, while at 1080p, the CPU has enough power to keep the GPU well-fed.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's percentile rank of 62 places it in the mid-range tier. Its average benchmark score of 18093 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the RTX 3060 Mobile, which scores 18159. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 and AMD Radeon RX 460 are also within 1.5% of its performance. For a game like Evolve, which is not particularly demanding by modern standards, this GPU is sufficient for high-refresh-rate 1080p and decent 1440p gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination ranks 2604 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve. This places it in the 70th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms roughly 70% of the other CPU-GPU pairings in the database. The rank reflects a balanced pairing where the CPU is significantly stronger than the GPU in absolute terms.

The CPU is a top-tier processor, sitting in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46881. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, which are only 0.2% and 0.3% faster, respectively. The GPU, however, is in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs, creating a notable performance gap between the two components.

This gap is evident in the measured FPS results. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 160 FPS, which is high but not exceptional for a CPU of this caliber. The GPU limits the system from reaching higher frame rates that the CPU could theoretically support. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 26 FPS, clearly showing the GPU is the bottleneck in demanding scenarios. Despite this imbalance, the overall rank of 2604 suggests the pairing is effective for Evolve’s requirements, which are modest given the game’s 2015 release date.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels.

1920x1080: At this resolution, the combo excels. Low settings produce an average of 160 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings yield 124 FPS with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 143, ensuring smooth gameplay. High settings drop to 97 FPS, still well above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings bring the average down to 68 FPS, which is playable but requires a variable refresh rate display to avoid tearing.

2560x1440: The performance remains strong at 1440p. Low settings average 107 FPS, while Medium delivers 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 and a maximum of 96. High settings maintain a solid 65 FPS. Ultra settings, however, see a significant drop to 45 FPS, which may feel less smooth during intense combat sequences. The system is best suited for High settings or below at this resolution.

3840x2160: 4K is the weakest area for this combo. Low settings average 61 FPS, which is just at the edge of playability. Medium settings drop to 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 55, providing a somewhat inconsistent experience. High settings fall to 37 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 26 FPS, making them unsuitable for competitive or smooth gameplay. The GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra.

The progression of scores shows that the GPU scales predictably with resolution and settings. The delta between Low and Ultra is substantial: 92 FPS at 1080p, 62 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the GPU is more stressed at higher resolutions, while the CPU maintains consistent performance across all settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a Raptor Lake-S architecture processor with 16 cores and 24 threads. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it features a 30 MB shared L3 cache. This high core count and clock speed provide substantial compute power for Evolve’s game logic and physics.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance. It scores 30745 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 16292 in Cinebench R20 multi-core. In 3DMark, it achieves 10717 in the 16-thread test and 12412 in the max-thread test. Single-threaded performance is also solid, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2116.

For Evolve, which is primarily GPU-bound at higher settings, the CPU’s role is to ensure stable frame pacing and avoid bottlenecks. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 160 FPS, suggesting the CPU can handle the game’s simulation without limiting the GPU. The CPU’s 89th percentile ranking confirms its capability, though it is overkill for this particular game.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, which are within 0.5% of its average score. The Intel Xeon w3-2535 also matches its performance closely. This level of CPU performance is more than sufficient for Evolve, ensuring that the GPU is the limiting factor in most scenarios. Players can expect consistent frame times, even when multiple monsters and effects are on screen.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends on the display resolution and refresh rate.

For 1080p monitors: The High preset at 97 FPS offers an excellent balance between visual quality and smoothness. If the display supports 144 Hz or higher, the Medium preset at 124 FPS is recommended, as it provides a significant frame rate boost with minimal visual difference. The Ultra preset at 68 FPS is also viable for those who prioritize graphics over frame rate, but it may not be ideal for fast-paced action. Low settings at 160 FPS are only necessary for competitive play.

For 1440p monitors: The High preset at 65 FPS is the sweet spot, providing good visuals while staying above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 83 FPS is a better choice for smoother gameplay, especially if the monitor has a 100 Hz or higher refresh rate. The Low preset at 107 FPS is recommended for players who value performance over visuals. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive; it is best avoided for serious gaming sessions.

For 4K displays: The Low preset at 61 FPS is the only setting that delivers a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is playable but may exhibit frame drops in intense scenes. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they fall below 40 FPS, which can cause noticeable stutter. Players with 4K displays should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

Overall, the Medium preset provides the best balance across all resolutions. At 1080p, it offers 124 FPS; at 1440p, it delivers 83 FPS; and at 4K, it maintains 47 FPS. This preset allows the system to leverage the CPU’s power while keeping the GPU within its comfort zone. For those with high-refresh-rate 1080p monitors, the Low preset unlocks the full potential of the combo, reaching 160 FPS.