Evolve

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 pairing in Evolve presents a study in asymmetric workload distribution. The CPU brings a 20-core, 28-thread configuration based on the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. For a 2015 title like Evolve, this processor offers an extraordinary amount of parallel processing headroom, but the game’s engine is unlikely to scale across all 28 threads. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 189.9 FPS, which suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor at lower graphical loads. The L3 cache is 33 MB shared, which helps maintain consistent frame pacing in scenarios where the game’s simulation logic demands rapid data access. The CPU’s benchmark percentile of 96 versus all processors, combined with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44557, indicates that this chip has far more computational capability than Evolve can realistically utilize. In contrast, the GPU becomes the primary determinant of frame rate as settings and resolution increase, which the measured FPS data confirms through a steep performance gradient.

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 node, featuring 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s boost clock is 2460 MHz, with a base clock of 1830 MHz. For Evolve, which relies heavily on texture streaming for its large monster and environment models, the 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate but not generous. At 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 33.1, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and shading units are saturated. The RTX 4060 has 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s. These specifications explain why the GPU struggles at higher resolutions: the 128-bit memory bus limits data throughput, creating a bottleneck when the engine requests large amounts of texture data. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 19545 and its 66th percentile ranking among all GPUs show it is a mid-range performer. Compared to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, the RTX 4060 trails by 0.6% in average benchmark score, but the data shows the RTX 4060 holds a slight edge in DirectX 11 tests, which are relevant for Evolve’s rendering pipeline.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 189.9 FPS, which drops to 126.3 FPS at 1440p Low, and further to 71.8 FPS at 4K Low. This represents a 62% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that even at minimal graphical load, the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2972, means it can feed frames quickly, but the RTX 4060 cannot sustain the output as pixel count increases. At High settings, the drop is more pronounced: 115.1 FPS at 1080p, 76.6 FPS at 1440p, and 44.2 FPS at 4K, a 62% decrease from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra settings show the steepest decline, with 78.4 FPS at 1080p falling to 33.1 FPS at 4K, a 58% reduction. The consistency of these percentage drops across settings highlights that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The CPU’s role is limited to maintaining a high ceiling, which it does, but the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus create a hard wall that the processor cannot overcome.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo holds a rank of 999 out of 1695 tested combinations in Evolve, placing it in the 59th percentile of all systems evaluated. This middling ranking is notable because the CPU is a top-tier performer, ranking in the 96th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits in the 66th percentile. The disparity between component rankings and the combo’s overall rank suggests that the GPU drags down the system’s performance ceiling. The data shows that the RTX 4060’s nearest rivals include the Intel Arc B580, which has a 0.7% higher average score, and the AMD Radeon 760M, which trails by 0.8%. In practical terms for Evolve, the combo’s 4K Ultra average of 33.1 FPS is below playable thresholds, while 1080p High at 115.1 FPS is smooth. The CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700K, has a deltaPct of 0, meaning they perform identically in synthetic benchmarks, but the 14700KF’s unlocked multiplier allows for overclocking, which could yield marginal gains in CPU-light titles. However, the benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the bottleneck in most scenarios, so CPU overclocking would have minimal impact on Evolve’s frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: At what resolution and settings does this combo achieve 60+ FPS in Evolve?*

A: The combo achieves 60+ FPS at 1080p across all settings, with Low at 189.9 FPS, Medium at 145.2 FPS, High at 115.1 FPS, and Ultra at 78.4 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (126.3 FPS), Medium (96.9 FPS), and High (76.6 FPS) exceed 60 FPS, while Ultra falls to 54 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060’s average benchmark score is 23181, while the AMD Radeon RX 6600M scores 23321, giving the RX 6600M a 0.6% lead. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 23338, 0.7% higher, and the Intel Arc B580 scores 23021, 0.7% lower.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the combo achieves only 33.1 FPS. The CPU’s high single-thread performance (Geekbench score of 2972) is not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the consistent frame rate drops across resolutions that scale with GPU load.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the difference between Low (189.9 FPS) and Ultra (78.4 FPS) is 111.5 FPS, representing a 58.7% reduction in frame rate when moving to the highest quality preset.

Q: How does the i7-14700KF perform relative to the i7-14700K?

A: The i7-14700KF and i7-14700K have identical average benchmark scores, with a deltaPct of 0. The 14700KF has a launch MSRP of $384, but its benchmark performance is indistinguishable from the 14700K in synthetic tests.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 1440p High settings?

A: Yes, at 1440p High settings, the combo achieves 76.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. However, at 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 54 FPS, which may be borderline for some players.

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 twelve scenarios. At 3840x2160 (4K), the average frame rates are: Low at 71.8 FPS, Medium at 55 FPS, High at 44.2 FPS, and Ultra at 33.1 FPS. The transition from Low to Ultra at 4K results in a 38.7 FPS drop, showing that the GPU’s memory bandwidth is severely constrained at this resolution. At 2560x1440 (1440p), the results improve substantially: Low at 126.3 FPS, Medium at 96.9 FPS, High at 76.6 FPS, and Ultra at 54 FPS. The 1440p data shows a more linear scaling, with a 72.3 FPS difference between Low and Ultra. At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo excels: Low at 189.9 FPS, Medium at 145.2 FPS, High at 115.1 FPS, and Ultra at 78.4 FPS. The 1080p results demonstrate that the CPU can push the GPU to its limits, but the RTX 4060’s 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth still create a ceiling at Ultra settings. The data shows that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it exceeds 60 FPS even at Ultra, and 1440p gaming, where it maintains 60+ FPS up to High settings. At 4K, the combo is only playable at Low settings, which is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range positioning relative to its rivals. The measured FPS values are all recorded as average FPS with no minimum or maximum data, so the consistency of frame pacing cannot be assessed, but the averages provide a reliable baseline for expected performance.