Evolve

The Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers a dominant performance profile in Evolve, ranking in the top quartile of all tested configurations. The data places this combo at rank 284 out of 1695 tested combinations, a result that underscores its ability to handle the game’s demands with substantial headroom, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU’s high core count becomes a decisive factor. While this pairing does not top the charts, its position within the top 17% of all combos indicates a robust, high-end experience that will not leave players wanting for frame rate in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data positions this pairing at rank 284 out of 1695 tested combos in Evolve. This percentile placement is strong, reflecting a system that is firmly in the upper echelon of gaming performance. The ranking is a product of both components’ abilities: the CPU’s multi-threaded throughput ensures the game’s logic and physics are handled without bottleneck, while the GPU’s raw rendering power translates that into high frame rates. The result is a balanced platform that consistently delivers frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold across nearly all settings, with only the most demanding 4K Ultra preset dipping below it. This rank implies that the combination outperforms the vast majority of systems tested, making it a top-tier choice for high-refresh-rate displays at 1440p and a capable 4K performer.

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. Its core configuration is a key asset in Evolve, a game that can utilize multiple threads for AI, physics, and game logic. The CPU’s base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz allow for rapid single-thread responsiveness, which is crucial for maintaining consistent frame pacing. Benchmark results show the CPU’s multi-core strength is substantial, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44534 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 18896. This places the processor in the 96th percentile of all CPUs tested, indicating that it will rarely be the limiting factor. In the context of Evolve, this means the CPU can feed the GPU with data quickly and efficiently, preventing stalls and ensuring that the frame rate is dictated by the graphics card rather than the processor, especially at 1080p where the GPU is under less strain.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz and its 7168 shading units are the primary drivers of raw visual throughput. With a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 and a Passmark G3D score of 29995, the card demonstrates solid compute capability. The GPU sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a strong performer but not at the absolute top of the range. In Evolve, the 12 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient for high-resolution textures and complex scenes, ensuring that memory capacity is not a bottleneck at 4K. The card’s FP32 performance of 35.48 TFLOPS provides ample headroom for the game’s rendering demands, allowing for high detail settings at 1440p with ease and playable frame rates at 4K, as evidenced by the measured data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo is extremely powerful: Low settings produce an average of 293.4 FPS, Medium yields 227.4 FPS, High reaches 180 FPS, and Ultra still maintains a high 124.9 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-bound at lower settings, but even at Ultra, the frame rate is well above what most monitors can display.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results remain impressive. Low settings average 195.8 FPS, Medium 153.5 FPS, High 120.3 FPS, and Ultra 83.2 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable, but the system remains highly playable, with even the Ultra preset staying above 60 FPS. This resolution is the sweet spot for this pairing, offering a great balance between visual fidelity and high refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the load shifts decisively to the GPU. Low settings still deliver a fast 112 FPS, Medium drops to 86.7 FPS, and High produces 65.9 FPS. However, Ultra settings bring the system to its knees, with an average of just 44.7 FPS. This is the only configuration tested that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, signaling that the GPU is the limiting factor at this extreme setting.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the shift in bottleneck from CPU to GPU. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 168.5 FPS (from 293.4 down to 124.9), showing that the CPU can push very high frame rates but is constrained by the GPU’s rendering limits as settings increase. The transition to 1440p shows a more significant drop, with Low settings falling by 97.6 FPS to 195.8, and Ultra falling by 41.7 FPS to 83.2. This indicates the GPU is beginning to take on a more significant role.

The jump to 4K is where the GPU’s limits are fully exposed. Low settings at 4K (112 FPS) represent only a 38.2% drop from 1080p Low (293.4 FPS), but the more demanding presets suffer larger absolute losses. The most telling data point is the Ultra preset: from 1080p (124.9 FPS) to 4K (44.7 FPS), there is a 64.2% reduction in performance. This pattern confirms that while the CPU is more than capable at lower resolutions, the RTX 4070 SUPER’s rendering throughput is the primary limiting factor at 4K Ultra. For players targeting 4K, the data suggests that High settings (65.9 FPS) are the realistic ceiling for a smooth experience, while 1440p offers the best opportunity to leverage the CPU’s strength for very high frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, the Ultra preset is recommended. At 1080p, Ultra delivers 124.9 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth and provides the full visual experience without compromising frame rate. At 1440p, Ultra’s 83.2 FPS is still above the 60 FPS standard and offers a significant visual upgrade over High settings, making it the best choice for players with 144Hz displays who want both quality and speed.

For 4K gaming, the data indicates that High settings (65.9 FPS) are the recommended choice. This preset provides a playable frame rate that is just above the 60 FPS target while delivering much better visual fidelity than Medium (86.7 FPS). The Ultra preset at 4K (44.7 FPS) is not recommended for competitive play or smooth gameplay, as the frame rate drops below playable thresholds. Players who prioritize frame rate over visuals at 4K could opt for Medium settings to gain a significant boost to 86.7 FPS, but High offers the best compromise between image quality and performance. For those with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors, the Low preset (112 FPS) is the only viable path to triple-digit frame rates, but it sacrifices the game’s visual richness.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 4K with high settings?*

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 65.9 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Ultra preset at 2560x1440 delivers 83.2 FPS, which is the highest visual quality while maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K on Ultra settings?

A: The frame rate drops from 124.9 FPS at 1920x1080 to 44.7 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 80.2 FPS, which represents a 64.2% decrease in performance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the high frame rates (293.4 FPS on Low) suggest the CPU is capable of very high output, but the significant drop to 124.9 FPS on Ultra indicates the GPU becomes the primary constraint as settings increase.

Q: Does the combo support high refresh rates at 1440p?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440, even the Ultra preset produces 83.2 FPS, and Medium settings reach 153.5 FPS, making it suitable for 144Hz monitors.

Q: What is the minimum FPS observed in the test data?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 44.7 at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is the only configuration tested that falls below the 60 FPS playability standard.