Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, presents a specific workload profile that separates CPU and GPU demands in unusual ways. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, using only the provided benchmark data to interpret how this combination behaves across resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor built on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its large thread count and high boost capabilities suggest it is designed for heavily parallel workloads, yet the measured frame rates in Evolve indicate that the game does not consistently leverage this raw throughput. The processor’s benchmark scores are substantial—its Cinebench R23 multicore result of 33440.5 and Geekbench multicore of 20767 place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs—but the game’s frame pacing at high resolutions shows that this headroom is often left untapped.

At 1080p, where CPU overhead typically matters most, the data reveals a different story. The Core i7-14700K’s single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4472, is strong enough to avoid bottlenecking even at lower settings. However, the 190 FPS average at 1080p Low is not proportionally higher than the 127 FPS at 1440p Low, suggesting that the CPU’s contribution plateaus as resolution drops. In Evolve, the processor’s role appears to be that of a stable foundation: it ensures that frame times remain consistent, but the game’s engine does not appear to scale with the 28 threads available. The 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache likely help with the game’s asset streaming, but the measured results show that the GPU becomes the primary limiter even at 1080p Ultra, where the average FPS of 80 is still well below the CPU’s theoretical ceiling.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Core i7-14700K’s average benchmark score of 69355 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X’s 69515, a delta of -0.2%. This near-parity in synthetic tests does not translate to a unique advantage in Evolve; instead, the CPU’s high single-thread performance ensures that it never drags down the combo’s results. The 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier indicate that this is a high-end desktop part, but the game’s data shows that its capabilities are largely held in reserve, as the frame rates are dictated more by the graphics card than by the processor’s 5.60 GHz boost clock.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, featuring 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock of 2460 MHz and 3072 shading units provide a raw compute capacity of 15.11 TFLOPS, which is more than sufficient for a title from 2015. The GPU’s benchmark percentile of 61 places it in the mid-range, and its PassMark G3D score of 19545 reflects a card that can handle modern titles at moderate settings, but Evolve’s demands are less about raw throughput and more about memory bandwidth and fill rate.

The measured FPS data shows that the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM is not a limiting factor in this game, as even at 4K Ultra the average FPS is 31, which is more likely constrained by the GPU’s compute units than by memory capacity. The 128-bit memory bus, while narrow by modern standards, provides enough bandwidth for Evolve’s textures, as evidenced by the 115 FPS average at 1080p High. The RTX 4060’s pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are the key specifications here; they dictate how quickly the card can fill the screen at higher resolutions.

At 4K Low, the GPU manages 72 FPS, which is a significant jump from the 44 FPS at 4K High, indicating that the card’s shader and ROP throughput are the primary bottlenecks. The RTX 4060’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon 780M with a delta of 0.3%, are integrated or lower-tier parts, which underscores that this discrete GPU is in a class of its own for this game, but the data shows that it is not a high-end performer. The 115 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU are modest, but the card’s performance in Evolve is solidly mid-range, with the 4K Ultra result of 31 FPS being the only setting where it falls below playable thresholds.

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

The measured FPS values across resolutions reveal a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 190 FPS, but this drops to 127 FPS at 1440p Low, a reduction of 33%, and further to 72 FPS at 4K Low, which is 62% lower than the 1080p result. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component at lower settings, as the CPU’s high single-thread performance cannot compensate for the increased pixel load.

Looking at High settings, the scaling is more moderate but still pronounced: 115 FPS at 1080p, 77 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 33%, and from 1440p to 4K is 43%, showing that the GPU’s fill rate is increasingly taxed. In contrast, the CPU’s role would be more evident if the FPS remained flat across resolutions, but the data does not support that. The 4K Ultra result of 31 FPS is the lowest measured, and it is a 61% drop from the 1080p Ultra result of 80 FPS, further confirming that the RTX 4060’s pixel throughput is the dominant constraint.

This scaling behavior suggests that Evolve is not CPU-intensive at high resolutions, as the Core i7-14700K’s capabilities are not fully utilized. The fact that the 1080p Low result of 190 FPS is the highest in the dataset, yet still not limited by the CPU, implies that the processor has headroom even at the lowest settings. For the user, this means that lowering resolution will yield diminishing returns, as the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck, while the CPU remains idle in terms of frame generation.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is ranked 2003 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 54th percentile. This mid-pack ranking is surprising given the CPU’s top-tier status, but it reflects the GPU’s mid-range position. The data indicates that this combo is not optimized for the game’s specific demands, as the CPU’s high benchmark scores do not translate into a high ranking when paired with a mid-range GPU.

In comparison to other tested combos, this pairing sits just above the median, meaning that many systems with lower-end CPUs but higher-end GPUs likely outperform it. The rank of 2003 suggests that the RTX 4060 holds back the Core i7-14700K, as the CPU’s 94th percentile performance is not enough to overcome the GPU’s 61st percentile. For a game like Evolve, which appears to be GPU-bound at most settings, the ranking is more indicative of the graphics card’s performance than the processor’s. The combo’s position in the lower half of the pack is a clear signal that the RTX 4060 is the limiting factor, and that users seeking higher rankings would need to pair the i7-14700K with a more powerful GPU.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 190 FPS, Medium produces 147 FPS with a minimum of 125 and maximum of 169, High achieves 115 FPS, and Ultra drops to 80 FPS. These numbers show that the RTX 4060 can handle 1080p easily, with even Ultra settings maintaining a smooth 80 FPS average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings deliver 127 FPS, Medium drops to 99 FPS with a range of 84 to 114, High produces 77 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The 1440p results are still playable, but the drop from 1080p is noticeable, especially at Ultra where the 54 FPS average is 32% lower than the 1080p Ultra result.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly stressed. Low settings yield 72 FPS, Medium produces 56 FPS with a minimum of 48 and maximum of 65, High drops to 44 FPS, and Ultra falls to 31 FPS. The 4K results show that the RTX 4060 is not suited for high settings at this resolution, as even Medium struggles to maintain 60 FPS. The min FPS values for Medium settings at all resolutions—125 at 1080p, 84 at 1440p, and 48 at 4K—provide a measure of consistency, with the 4K Medium result being the only one that risks noticeable stutter.

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

For users targeting a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data indicates that 1080p Ultra is the best choice, as it delivers an average of 80 FPS with no reported minimums below that threshold. This setting provides the highest visual quality while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. At 1440p, High settings are the most balanced, offering 77 FPS average, which is slightly above the 60 FPS target, but the Ultra preset at 54 FPS is close enough that some users might prefer it for enhanced visuals, though it risks dipping below 60 FPS.

For 4K, the recommendation is more constrained. Medium settings at 4K yield 56 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target, but the minimum of 48 FPS suggests that the experience may not be consistently smooth. Low settings at 4K provide 72 FPS, which is above the target, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. Given the data, the best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Ultra, as it offers the highest settings with a frame rate that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by a significant margin. For users who prioritize resolution over settings, 1440p High is the sweet spot, as it maintains 77 FPS while still offering good visual fidelity. The 4K Medium result is the only option that comes close to 60 FPS, but the 48 FPS minimum makes it a less reliable choice.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data (format: Q: ... A: ...)

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Evolve?

A: The highest average FPS is 190, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Does this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K with any settings?

A: No, the data shows that at 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 72 at Low settings, but Medium settings drop to 56 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 44 and 31 FPS respectively, so 60 FPS is not consistently maintained at 4K.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-thread performance compare to its multicore performance?

A: The Core i7-14700K scores 2160 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 33440.5 in multicore, indicating that its multicore performance is over 15 times higher, but the game’s frame rates suggest that this multicore headroom is not fully utilized.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested combos in Evolve?

A: The combo is ranked 2003 out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the 54th percentile.

Q: Which resolution and settings combination offers the best balance of FPS and visual quality?

A: The 1920x1080 Ultra setting provides an average of 80 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, making it the best balance of high visual quality and smooth performance.

Q: Is the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM a limiting factor in Evolve?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, the 8 GB VRAM does not appear to be a limiting factor, as the frame rates decline more steeply with resolution increases, indicating that compute and fill rate are the primary constraints rather than memory capacity.