Evolve

# Evolve — Intel Core i7-14700F + AMD Radeon RX 6600

This pairing combines a 20-core, 28-thread Intel Core i7-14700F with an 8 GB AMD Radeon RX 6600, targeting a 2015-era FPS title. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, yet capable of delivering strong 1080p performance. The Intel processor, with a 2.10 GHz base and 5.40 GHz boost clock, sits in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, while the Radeon RX 6600, with base and boost clocks of 1626 MHz and 2491 MHz respectively, ranks in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs. This asymmetry in relative performance strongly influences how the system behaves across the measured resolution and settings matrix.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a Raptor Lake-R architecture part built on Intel's 10 nm process, featuring 20 cores and 28 threads. Its L3 cache is 33 MB shared, with 2 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core. The processor's boost clock of 5.40 GHz is the key figure for gaming performance, as Evolve's gameplay logic, AI, and physics threads benefit from high single-thread throughput. In synthetic testing, the chip achieves a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958 and a multi-core score of 35122, indicating substantial headroom for both lightly-threaded game logic and background tasks.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 91 versus all CPUs places it well above the median, and its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X at a delta of 0.6% and the Intel Xeon 6505P at -0.2%. This puts the i7-14700F in elite company for a desktop gaming processor. For a title like Evolve, released in 2015 with a typical FPS workload, the CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor at most settings. The processor's 20 cores and 28 threads provide massive parallel throughput, evidenced by a Passmark multithread score of 41317 and a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 14751.

The measured FPS data supports the conclusion that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 147 FPS average, and even at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 24 FPS — a pattern that tracks GPU load rather than CPU capability. The i7-14700F's single-thread performance, demonstrated by a Geekbench single-core score of 2429 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4257, ensures that Evolve's game simulation threads are fed without stalling. In a game where frame pacing matters for multiplayer consistency, the processor's 5.40 GHz boost clock provides the low-latency responsiveness needed, while the 28 threads handle any streaming or recording overhead without impacting gameplay.

The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel memory bus, provides flexibility, though the benchmark data does not specify which memory type was used in testing. The processor's 65 W TDP is notably efficient for a 20-core part, and its socket is Intel Socket 1700. With a launch MSRP of $359, the CPU represents a high-end desktop part, but the benchmark results show that in this Evolve configuration, its role is to stay out of the GPU's way. The data confirms this: at 1080p Low, the system hits 147 FPS, which is near the practical limit for many displays, and the CPU's percentile rank of 91 suggests it can sustain such frame rates without becoming the constraint.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is a Navi 23 chip built on RDNA 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 7 nm process, with 11,060 million transistors on a 237 mm² die. Its memory configuration is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz are the clocks that matter for sustained gaming performance. In synthetic benchmarks, the GPU scores 15096 in Passmark G3D and 1492 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs.

The nearest rivals to the RX 6600 in average benchmark score include the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 at a 0% delta, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile at -0.1%, and the NVIDIA Tesla K20m at -0.3%. This places the RX 6600 in a competitive mid-range tier, but for Evolve, which released in 2015, the GPU's raw performance is more than adequate at 1080p. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures at all settings, and the 224.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming at 4K does not cause severe hitches, though the data shows frame rates drop significantly at that resolution.

The GPU's shading units (1792), texture mapping units (112), and render output units (64) provide a baseline for its throughput. The pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 279.0 GTexel/s indicate that at 1080p, the GPU has ample fill rate for Evolve's effects. The measured FPS at 1920x1080 Ultra is 62 FPS average, which is respectable, but the jump to 4K Ultra at 24 FPS shows the GPU's limits. The 128-bit memory bus, while narrow compared to higher-tier cards, is mitigated by the 14 Gbps effective memory speed, but at 4K, the bandwidth becomes a limiting factor.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4 API compatibility ensure modern rendering paths are available, though Evolve's 2015 release likely uses older APIs. The RDNA 2.0 architecture includes 28 ray tracing cores, but these are not relevant for Evolve's non-RT workload. The GPU's TDP of 132 W and suggested PSU of 300 W indicate a power-efficient design, and its dual-slot form factor with a 190 mm length makes it a versatile fit. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides sufficient bandwidth for the GPU's memory needs, though the card is end-of-life in production status as of the data.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear resolution scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system averages 147 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Low drops this to 98 FPS, a 33% reduction, and at 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 56 FPS, another 43% drop. This scaling is consistent with GPU-bound performance, where the number of pixels rendered increases quadratically, and the RX 6600's fill rate and bandwidth are strained.

At Medium settings, the pattern continues: 1080p yields 114 FPS, 1440p yields 76 FPS (a 33% drop), and 4K yields 43 FPS (a 43% drop from 1440p). The High preset shows 89 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p (a 33% drop), and 34 FPS at 4K (a 43% drop). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings — approximately 33% from 1080p to 1440p and 43% from 1440p to 4K — indicates that the GPU's pixel throughput is the limiting factor, not the CPU or memory bandwidth.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 62 FPS at 1080p, 41 FPS at 1440p (a 34% drop), and 24 FPS at 4K (a 41% drop). The fact that the CPU's performance does not change with resolution, while the GPU's workload increases, confirms that the i7-14700F has ample headroom. At 1080p Low, the 147 FPS figure approaches the CPU's limit for frame generation, but at higher resolutions, the GPU is clearly the constraint. The data shows that even at 4K Low, the system only manages 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, while 1080p Ultra achieves 62 FPS, just above that threshold.

This resolution scaling also highlights the GPU's memory bandwidth limitation. The 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, while adequate for 1080p, becomes a bottleneck at 4K where the memory subsystem must feed more pixels and textures. The 8 GB VRAM is not exhausted by Evolve's requirements, but the 128-bit bus width restricts data throughput. The benchmark results indicate that for a 4K experience, this configuration would require lower settings or a more powerful GPU, while 1440p offers a balanced experience at Medium to High settings.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 as the optimal resolution, with 147 FPS at Low settings and 89 FPS at High settings. At 2560x1440, the High preset drops to 60 FPS, which is still playable, but 4K High yields only 34 FPS, making 1080p the clear choice for consistent performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620, which is 0.2% lower than the Intel Xeon 6505P (53701), 0.3% higher than the Intel Xeon Phi 7290 (53469), 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (53288), and 0.8% higher than the AMD EPYC 7313P (53206). This places it in a tight competitive cluster.

Q: What is the GPU's relative performance against its nearest rivals?

A: The RX 6600's average benchmark score is 19036, which is exactly 0% different from the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030), 0.1% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049), 0.3% lower than the NVIDIA Tesla K20m (19089), and 0.4% higher than the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation (18954).

Q: Can this system handle Evolve at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 24, which is below playable thresholds. Even at 4K Low, the system only reaches 56 FPS. The GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, and the data suggests 1080p or 1440p are more appropriate for this configuration.

Q: How does the GPU's memory bandwidth affect performance in Evolve?

A: The RX 6600 has 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth from its 8 GB GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. The resolution scaling data shows that frame rates drop consistently by about 33% from 1080p to 1440p and another 43% to 4K, indicating that bandwidth is a constraint at higher resolutions, though not at 1080p.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance compared to its multi-thread performance?

A: The i7-14700F achieves a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958 and a multi-core score of 35122, a ratio of about 7:1. Similarly, Geekbench scores are 2429 single-core and 19620 multi-core. This indicates strong single-thread capability for gaming, while multi-thread performance is exceptional for content creation.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS across settings are: Low 147 FPS, Medium 114 FPS (with min 97 and max 131), High 89 FPS, and Ultra 62 FPS. The Medium preset provides the only min/max data at this resolution, showing a 34 FPS spread between minimum and maximum frame rates, indicating some frame time variance but generally stable performance.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low 98 FPS, Medium 76 FPS (with min 65 and max 88), High 60 FPS, and Ultra 41 FPS. The Medium preset again shows a 23 FPS spread between min and max, which is narrower than at 1080p, suggesting that at higher resolution, the GPU's workload is more consistent. The drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 57 FPS, from 98 to 41.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the averages are: Low 56 FPS, Medium 43 FPS (with min 37 and max 50), High 34 FPS, and Ultra 24 FPS. The Medium preset shows a 13 FPS spread, the tightest of all resolutions, which indicates that at 4K, the GPU is consistently saturated and frame times are more uniform. The step from Medium to High at 4K results in a 9 FPS drop, while the step from High to Ultra results in a 10 FPS drop, showing diminishing returns at the highest settings.

The data reveals that the performance gap between Low and Ultra settings narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (147 FPS) and Ultra (62 FPS) is 85 FPS, or 137% higher at Low. At 1440p, the gap is 57 FPS (98 vs 41), and at 4K, the gap is 32 FPS (56 vs 24). This pattern indicates that at lower resolutions, settings have a larger relative impact on FPS, while at 4K, the GPU's raw pixel throughput dominates and settings adjustments have less effect.

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

For a 60 FPS target, the data shows the following viable options: at 1920x1080, all settings exceed 60 FPS, with Low at 147, Medium at 114, High at 89, and Ultra at 62. The Ultra preset at 1080p is the highest quality setting that still maintains a 60+ FPS average, making it the best choice for players with 60 Hz displays who want maximum visual fidelity. For 1440p, only Low (98 FPS) and Medium (76 FPS) surpass 60 FPS, with High exactly at 60 FPS and Ultra at 41 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p offers a balanced experience with a 76 FPS average and a min of 65 FPS, ensuring no drops below 60.

At 4K, no settings preset achieves 60 FPS, with Low at 56 FPS being the closest. This makes 4K viable only for players who accept frame rates in the 24-56 FPS range, with Medium at 43 FPS being the highest quality option that stays above 30 FPS. For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 Ultra preset at 62 FPS is recommended, as it provides the highest visual quality while maintaining smooth gameplay. Alternatively, the 2560x1440 Medium preset at 76 FPS offers higher resolution with a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, though the min FPS of 65 indicates occasional dips.

The data suggests that the 1080p High preset at 89 FPS provides a robust margin for variable refresh rate displays, while the 1440p High preset at exactly 60 FPS is borderline — any scene complexity increase could drop it below 60. Players prioritizing frame rate consistency should choose the 1080p Medium preset (114 FPS, min 97) which never falls below 97 FPS, or the 1440p Medium preset (76 FPS, min 65). For competitive play, the 1080p Low preset at 147 FPS offers the highest frame rate, which minimizes input latency, though the visual quality trade-off is significant.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of Intel Core i7-14700F and AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 2877 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 22nd percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range position relative to the entire pool of tested hardware, despite the CPU's high percentile rank of 91 among all CPUs. The disparity between the CPU's strong ranking and the overall combo's lower rank underscores that the GPU is the determining factor for this game's performance.

The combo rank of 2877 indicates that 823 other combinations perform worse, while 2876 perform better. This places the system in the lower half of all tested configurations, which is consistent with the RX 6600's 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs — a mid-range part that is outclassed by many higher-end GPUs in the test pool. The CPU's high ranking does not compensate for the GPU's limitations in Evolve, as the game is clearly GPU-bound based on the resolution scaling data.

In context, this combo outperforms configurations with weaker GPUs but is outperformed by those with more powerful graphics cards. The data shows that the system can handle 1080p gaming well, but for 1440p or 4K, it falls behind many other combos in the database. The rank of 2877 out of 3700 suggests that for a user seeking high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming, this combo is adequate, but for higher resolutions or maximum settings, other combinations would yield better results. The CPU's headroom means that upgrading the GPU in the future would likely improve the combo's rank significantly without requiring a CPU change.