Evolve

# Evolve with Intel Core i9-14900K + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

This combination pairs Intel's flagship 24-core Raptor Lake refresh processor with NVIDIA's entry-level Pascal-era GPU, creating one of the most lopsided pairings in the database. The Core i9-14900K sits in the 95th percentile of all CPUs tested, while the GTX 1050 Ti languishes in the 25th percentile of all GPUs, and benchmark results in Evolve reflect this extreme bottleneck: the GPU becomes the limiting factor at every resolution and settings level, with the CPU's massive compute headroom left largely unused.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake-R architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache, which provides ample capacity for game assets and instruction streams. This processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and its PCIe Gen 5 interface with 16 CPU lanes offers substantial bandwidth for storage and expansion. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 provides a fallback display output, though it is irrelevant for gaming performance when a discrete GPU is installed.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i9-14900K demonstrates exceptional multi-threaded capability with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. Its Geekbench multi-core result of 21697 and single-core result of 2655 further confirm its dominance. PassMark results show a multi-thread score of 58674 and a single-thread score of 4697, with physics performance at 3140 and floating-point math at 152975. The processor's average benchmark score of 79097 places it just 0.3% below the Intel Core i9-14900KF (79371) and 0.6% below the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (79574), while it sits 1.2% behind the AMD EPYC 7413 (80041) and 1.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (77740).

For Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, the CPU's role is minimal because the game's engine was designed for the hardware of its era. The i9-14900K's 24 cores and 32 threads are far beyond what Evolve can utilize, and the game's threading model likely scales only to a fraction of these resources. The high boost clock of 6.00 GHz ensures that any single-threaded engine tasks are handled with enormous headroom, but this does not translate to higher frame rates when the GPU is the bottleneck. The data shows that even at 1080p Low settings, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the average FPS of 62 suggests the processor is nowhere near its limits — the GTX 1050 Ti is already saturated.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is a Pascal-architecture GPU built on Samsung's 14 nm process node, featuring the GP107 chip with 3,300 million transistors on a 132 mm² die. It operates at a base clock of 1291 MHz with a boost clock of 1392 MHz, and its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory runs at 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective) across a 128-bit bus, providing 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation units, with a pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 2.138 TFLOPS, and the card draws 75 W with no external power connectors, requiring only a 250 W suggested PSU.

In GPU benchmarks, the GTX 1050 Ti posts a PassMark G3D score of 6340 and a PassMark G2D score of 651, with DirectX 11 performance at 45 and DirectX 12 at 26. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 10001 and OpenCL score of 18129 indicate modest compute capability. The average benchmark score of 4193 places it 0.6% above the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (4170) and 1% above the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151), while it trails the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (4241) by 1.1% and the AMD Radeon Vega 3 (4268) by 1.8%.

For Evolve, the GTX 1050 Ti is the decisive component. The game's performance scales almost entirely with GPU capability across all measured settings. At 1080p Ultra, the card averages 26 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for a fast-paced FPS. Dropping to 1080p High improves the average to 38 FPS, while 1080p Medium reaches 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 and maximum of 55. Only at 1080p Low does the card exceed 60 FPS, averaging 62 FPS. The 4 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Evolve's textures at 1080p, but the 112.1 GB/s bandwidth and 2.138 TFLOPS compute limit the card's ability to maintain higher frame rates at more demanding settings.

FAQ

Q: Why does the Core i9-14900K not boost performance in Evolve despite its high benchmark scores?

A: The i9-14900K's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and single-core score of 2262.5 indicate massive compute headroom, but Evolve's engine cannot leverage the processor's 24 cores and 32 threads. The measured FPS data shows that performance is capped by the GPU at all settings, with the CPU never becoming the bottleneck.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gameplay with this combo?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 62 FPS, which is the only settings level above the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 48 FPS (minimum 41, maximum 55), High averages 38 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS, so Low is the only preset that provides smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the GTX 1050 Ti compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti's average benchmark score of 4193 is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (4170) and 1% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151), but it is 1.1% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (4241) and 1.8% lower than the AMD Radeon Vega 3 (4268).

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 1440p with acceptable performance?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. Medium averages 32 FPS (minimum 27, maximum 37), High averages 25 FPS, and Ultra averages 17 FPS. Only Low at 1440p approaches playability.

Q: What is the impact of resolution scaling on the measured FPS?

A: The data shows a consistent drop as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 62 at 1080p to 42 at 1440p and 24 at 2160p. At High settings, it goes from 38 at 1080p to 25 at 1440p and 14 at 2160p. The GPU's 112.1 GB/s bandwidth and 4 GB VRAM become increasingly insufficient at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the Core i9-14900K's performance in line with its closest rivals?

A: Yes, the i9-14900K's average benchmark score of 79097 is within 1.2% of its nearest rivals. It is 0.3% below the i9-14900KF (79371), 0.6% below the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus (79574), and 1.2% below the AMD EPYC 7413 (80041), while being 1.7% above the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (77740).

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of settings presets for this combination. At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the only configuration that achieves an average above 60 FPS, with a measured 62 FPS. This is the recommended setting for any gameplay where responsiveness matters, as the minimum FPS is not reported but the average is comfortably above the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 and maximum of 55, which is playable for a slower-paced experience but risks drops below 45 FPS during intense combat sequences. The High preset at 38 FPS and Ultra at 26 FPS are not recommended for competitive play, as both fall well below the smoothness threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is sufficient for casual play but not for fast-paced encounters. The Medium preset at 32 FPS (minimum 27, maximum 37) is borderline, and High at 25 FPS or Ultra at 17 FPS are not viable. At 3840x2160, all presets are effectively unplayable, with Low averaging 24 FPS, Medium at 18 FPS (minimum 16, maximum 21), High at 14 FPS, and Ultra at 10 FPS.

The data suggests that the optimal experience for this combo is 1080p Low, where the average of 62 FPS provides the best balance of fluidity and visual fidelity. If visual quality is prioritized over frame rate, 1080p Medium at 48 FPS is the next best option, but the 41 FPS minimum may cause noticeable stutter in crowded scenes. For users with 1440p monitors, dropping to Low settings is necessary to maintain a playable frame rate, though the visual compromise is significant.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks 3644 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the bottom 1.5% of all configurations. This ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GTX 1050 Ti, which sits in the 25th percentile of all GPUs and has an average benchmark score of 4193. The i9-14900K, by contrast, is in the 95th percentile of all CPUs and has an average benchmark score of 79097, making it one of the most powerful processors available. The extreme mismatch between CPU and GPU capability means the combo's ranking is dictated by the GPU's performance ceiling.

The data shows that the combo's rank of 3644 is consistent with the GPU's position relative to its peers. The GTX 1050 Ti's nearest rivals — the AMD Radeon R5 M330, NVIDIA Quadro K2100M, NVIDIA Quadro K3000M, and AMD Radeon Vega 3 — are all low-end or mobile parts, and the deltaPct values of 0.6% to 1.8% indicate that these GPUs are clustered tightly in performance. This cluster of GPUs represents the bottom tier of the database, and the combo's rank reflects that placement.

The i9-14900K's inclusion in this combo does nothing to improve the ranking, as Evolve's measured FPS is GPU-bound at every resolution and settings level. The processor's 24 cores, 6.00 GHz boost clock, and 36 MB of L3 cache are entirely wasted in this configuration, as the game cannot utilize them to overcome the GPU's limitations. The rank of 3644 out of 3700 is a clear indication that this pairing is not recommended for Evolve, or any modern game, as the GPU is simply too underpowered to deliver acceptable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 62 FPS, which is the only settings level that reaches or exceeds 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 and maximum of 55, providing a playable but not ideal experience. The High preset averages 38 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 26 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline of roughly 12-14 FPS per settings tier, indicating that each preset level imposes a significant additional load on the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops considerably. The Low preset averages 42 FPS, which is playable for casual sessions but insufficient for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and maximum of 37, which is borderline. The High preset averages 25 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 17 FPS, both of which are below playable levels. The resolution increase from 1080p to 1440p reduces the average FPS by approximately 20-32% across all settings, with the Low preset showing the smallest relative drop.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates at any setting. The Low preset averages 24 FPS, the Medium preset averages 18 FPS (with a minimum of 16 and maximum of 21), the High preset averages 14 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 10 FPS. None of these results are playable for an FPS title, and the data indicates that the GTX 1050 Ti's 4 GB VRAM and 112.1 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering in Evolve. The 2160p results show a compression of the settings range, with only a 14 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, compared to a 36 FPS difference at 1080p, suggesting that the GPU is completely saturated at this resolution regardless of settings.