Evolve

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti represent a pairing of a high-end 2023 processor with a mid-range 2020 graphics card. In Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, this combination produces a wide range of frame rates that depend heavily on resolution and quality settings. The data indicates a system that can deliver high refresh rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K with maximum visual fidelity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 44,534 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6,287 in single-core, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 18,896.

Given that Evolve was released in 2015, its engine is not designed to utilize the full thread count of a modern 20-core processor. However, the i7-14700K's high single-core performance is critical for maintaining high frame rates, especially in a fast-paced FPS where game logic and physics calculations are often bound to a few threads. The processor's performance percentile of 96 against all CPUs indicates it is in the top tier for handling any CPU-bound scenarios that might arise, even in an older title. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, has an identical average benchmark score, while the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is only 0.5% behind. This top-tier processing power ensures that the GPU, not the CPU, is the limiting factor in most gaming scenarios.

The processor’s 33 MB of shared L3 cache is substantial and helps reduce memory latency, which can be beneficial for game data that is frequently accessed. The memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 adds flexibility, though the benchmark data does not specify which memory type was used for the Evolve tests. The processor's boost clock of 5.60 GHz is a key asset for gaming, as it ensures rapid execution of single-threaded tasks. In this pairing, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data quickly and efficiently, and the benchmark results confirm it is more than capable of doing so.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture and the GA104 chip, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost clock of 1665 MHz, with memory running at 14 Gbps effective. It contains 4,864 shading units, 152 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, delivering a FP32 performance of 16.20 TFLOPS. The card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and has a TDP of 200 W.

In Evolve, the RTX 3060 Ti's performance is the primary determinant of frame rate. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a crucial factor, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p, the card delivers high frame rates, but at 4K Ultra, performance drops to an average of 34.3 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and processing power are saturated by the demands of 4K rendering with high-detail textures. The GPU's percentile rank of 69 against all GPUs places it in the mid-to-upper tier, and its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, is only 0.2% behind in average score.

The boost clock of 1665 MHz is relatively modest for modern standards, but the 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is a strong asset. This bandwidth is likely a key reason why the card can still achieve 57.2 FPS at 4K Medium. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 20,349 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2,626 provide a baseline for its compute capabilities. For an older game like Evolve, the RTX 3060 Ti provides enough raw power to push high refresh rates at 1080p, but its 8 GB VRAM becomes a bottleneck at 4K with higher texture quality settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate for this combo at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 117.8.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p with Ultra settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 57.3 FPS.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 75.4 on Low settings to 34.3 on Ultra, so playable frame rates are only possible on Low or Medium settings.

Q: What is the best performance result recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 195.4 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 70,074, which is effectively tied with the Intel Core i7-14700KF at 70,104 (0% delta).

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth and how does it relate to performance?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is a significant factor in its ability to maintain frame rates at 1440p and 4K resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Evolve with this hardware combination shows a predictable performance curve. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly GPU-bound at higher settings but shows significant headroom at lower settings. The average FPS at 1080p ranges from 195.4 on Low to 85.4 on Ultra, with High at 117.8 and Medium at 156.1. This demonstrates that the RTX 3060 Ti can easily drive high refresh rate monitors at this resolution, even with maximum quality settings.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The average FPS at this resolution is 135 on Low, 104 on Medium, 79.7 on High, and 57.3 on Ultra. The drop from Medium to High is notable, but the system remains playable across all settings. The 1440p results indicate a good balance between visual quality and performance, with High settings providing a smooth experience for most users.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the 8 GB VRAM and the GPU's compute power become evident. The average FPS is 75.4 on Low, 57.2 on Medium, 45.1 on High, and 34.3 on Ultra. The gap between Low and Medium is significant, and the drop to Ultra makes the game nearly unplayable for smooth action. The data suggests that 4K gaming is only viable with reduced settings, and the Ultra preset should be avoided with this GPU.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Evolve, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is ranked 886 out of 1,695 combos. This places it in the middle of the pack, which is a reasonable outcome given the mismatch between the high-end CPU and the mid-range GPU. The data suggests that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU holds the system back from achieving higher rankings.

The combination’s rank reflects the overall performance across all tested settings and resolutions. The CPU's high percentile (96) is offset by the GPU's more modest percentile (69). This means that the system is not limited by the processor, but rather by the graphics card's ability to render frames. In a game like Evolve, which is not particularly demanding by modern standards, the RTX 3060 Ti still represents a bottleneck for the i7-14700K, preventing the combo from climbing higher in the rankings.

The rank of 886 out of 1,695 indicates that there are many combinations that perform better, likely those with more powerful GPUs. It also shows that there are many combinations that perform worse, likely those with older or weaker CPUs. The data confirms that for this specific game, the GPU is the determining factor for overall performance, and the i7-14700K provides ample headroom for future GPU upgrades.