Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, presents an interesting performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i9-14900K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. The benchmark data reveals a system where the graphics card is the primary limiting factor, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, setting recommendations, and the specific roles the CPU and GPU play in this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and dramatic decline as resolution increases, which strongly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the bottleneck in this system. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 123 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops the average to 83 FPS, a reduction of 40 FPS. The trend continues at 4K, where the average falls to 47 FPS. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario; the workload on the graphics card increases exponentially with pixel count, while the CPU's role remains relatively static.

The data further confirms this when looking at the High preset. At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 75. This drops to 50 FPS at 2560x1440, and then to just 29 FPS at 3840x2160. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is roughly 33%, and from 1440p to 4K it is a further 42%. This severe performance degradation at higher resolutions is a hallmark of a GPU that is running out of processing power, not a CPU limitation. A powerful processor like the Intel Core i9-14900K would not cause such a steep cliff in performance based on resolution alone.

The most demanding test, the Ultra preset, shows just how much the GTX 1660 Ti struggles at high pixel counts. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 20, which is essentially unplayable. Even at 1440p Ultra, the average is only 35 FPS. While the 1080p Ultra result of 52 FPS is playable, it is far from the high refresh rates that the CPU could potentially support in less demanding titles. The data indicates that to leverage the full potential of the i9-14900K in this game, the resolution must be kept at 1080p, where the frame rates are high enough to be CPU-bound in some scenarios.

Furthermore, the scaling between settings at a fixed resolution reinforces the GPU bottleneck. At 4K, the difference between Low (47 FPS) and Ultra (20 FPS) is a massive 27 FPS. This demonstrates that the GPU is the primary component dictating performance; as graphical fidelity increases, the GPU's work increases, and the frame rate suffers proportionally. The CPU, with its high core count and clock speeds, is not the limiting factor in these scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a standard 1080p display, the High preset at 75 FPS offers a strong balance between visual quality and smooth gameplay. The Medium preset provides a higher average of 95 FPS, which is beneficial for fast-paced FPS action, and it comes with a measured minimum of 81 FPS, ensuring a consistently fluid experience. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS is playable but sacrifices the high frame rate advantage provided by the CPU.

At 1440p, the choices become more constrained. The Low preset at 83 FPS is the only setting that consistently delivers frame rates above 60 FPS. The High preset at 50 FPS is a compromise, offering better visuals but with a noticeable drop in smoothness. The Ultra preset at 35 FPS is not recommended for competitive play, as the frame rate dips into a range that can feel sluggish. Medium at 64 FPS is a viable middle ground, providing acceptable smoothness with better fidelity than Low.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that this combination is not suitable for demanding presets. The Low setting at 47 FPS is the only one that approaches playability, but it will not provide a consistent 60 FPS experience. The Medium preset at 36 FPS, with a minimum of 31 FPS, and the High preset at 29 FPS are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The Ultra preset at 20 FPS is effectively unplayable. The benchmark results indicate that users should stick to 1080p or 1440p with this GPU to get a satisfactory experience.

The best "experience per the measured rows" is arguably the Medium preset at 1080p. It provides a high average FPS (95) with a solid minimum (81), which is ideal for a shooter. It also offers a significant visual upgrade over the Low preset. The High preset is a good alternative for those who prioritize image quality over a few extra frames per second, but Medium delivers the best combination of performance and visual fidelity for a smooth and responsive feel.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the maximum average frame rate achieved is 47 FPS on the Low preset. The Medium, High, and Ultra presets yield averages of 36, 29, and 20 FPS, respectively. These results are below the standard 60 FPS target, indicating that a playable experience at 4K is not consistently achievable with this configuration.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve high frame rates?

A: The benchmark results show that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves high frame rates. The Low preset reaches 123 FPS, Medium hits 95 FPS, and High is at 75 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (83 FPS) and Medium preset (64 FPS) stay above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 52 FPS, while the High preset averages 75 FPS. This represents a significant performance cost of 23 FPS for the highest graphical settings. The Medium preset offers an even higher 95 FPS average, making it a more performance-friendly alternative.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K holding back the GTX 1660 Ti in this game?

A: The data suggests the opposite. The frame rates scale heavily with resolution and graphical settings, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The i9-14900K, with its high performance benchmarks, is unlikely to be the limiting factor, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU's workload is most demanding.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Low presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 50 FPS, while the Low preset averages 83 FPS. This is a 33 FPS difference, showing that dropping from High to Low can substantially improve the frame rate, potentially making the game feel much smoother.

Q: Based on the data, what is the most demanding setting configuration tested?

A: The most demanding configuration in the measured data is the 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra preset, which results in an average frame rate of only 20 FPS. This is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080

• Ultra: The average FPS is 52. This is the most demanding setting at this resolution and shows a significant performance drop from the High preset.
• High: The average FPS is 75. This setting provides a playable experience with a good balance between visuals and performance.
• Medium: The average FPS is 95, with a minimum measured at 81 FPS and a maximum at 110 FPS. This is the highest performing preset that offers a substantial visual upgrade over Low.
• Low: The average FPS is 123. This is the fastest configuration measured, indicating that the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates when the GPU load is low.

2560x1440

• Ultra: The average FPS drops to 35. This setting is not ideal for smooth gameplay, as the frame rate is below the 60 FPS target.
• High: The average FPS is 50. This provides a noticeable step down in performance from 1080p, making it a compromise for higher resolution.
• Medium: The average FPS is 64, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS. This is the most viable option for 1440p, offering a decent frame rate.
• Low: The average FPS is 83. This is the only setting at 1440p that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

3840x2160

• Ultra: The average FPS is 20. This is the lowest performance point measured and is not playable.
• High: The average FPS is 29. The frame rate is too low for a smooth experience.
• Medium: The average FPS is 36, with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS. This is still below the playable threshold.
• Low: The average FPS is 47. This is the best result at 4K, but it still does not reach a consistent 60 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for Evolve, this specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is ranked 3185 out of 3700 tested combos. This places it in the lower 14th percentile of all systems tested for this game. This low ranking is a direct reflection of the GTX 1660 Ti's performance relative to other modern graphics cards, which are often paired with high-end CPUs.

The CPU itself is a top-tier part, with an average benchmark score of 79097 and a percentile rank of 95 among all CPUs. The GPU, however, has an average benchmark score of 7723 and a percentile rank of only 41 among all GPUs. This massive disparity in relative performance between the two components explains the overall combo's low ranking. The system is essentially a high-performance CPU paired with a mid-range to low-end GPU, and in a graphics-intensive game like Evolve, the GPU's capabilities are the determining factor for the final ranking.

The nearest rivals for the CPU, such as the Intel Core i9-14900KF with a delta of -0.3%, have nearly identical performance. The GPU's nearest rivals, like the AMD Radeon 540 with a delta of 0.7%, also have very similar benchmark scores. This indicates that the combo's ranking is consistent with the sum of its parts. The high-ranking CPU cannot compensate for the low-ranking GPU in a game that is heavily reliant on graphics processing power. The combo rank data suggests that users should expect performance consistent with the GTX 1660 Ti, not the i9-14900K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a flagship 24-core, 32-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5. In the context of Evolve, this CPU provides a massive amount of headroom. The measured FPS data shows that at lower resolutions and settings, the frame rates are high, indicating the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU with data.

However, the game's performance is ultimately limited by the GPU. The data shows that as resolution and settings increase, the frame rate drops, which is a sign of the GPU becoming the bottleneck. The CPU's role is to handle the game's logic, physics, and draw calls. Given its high Passmark single-thread score of 4697 and multi-thread score of 58674, it is highly unlikely that the i9-14900K is a limiting factor in this title. The high frame rates at 1080p Low (123 FPS) suggest that the CPU can handle even the most demanding scenarios in this older game with ease.

The i9-14900K's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and support for high-speed memory are also beneficial for gaming, but in this specific case, they do not translate to higher frame rates because the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU is essentially waiting for the GPU to finish its work. The benchmark results indicate that this CPU is far more powerful than what Evolve requires, and its performance is not the reason for the lower frame rates seen at higher resolutions. Its processing power is effectively held in reserve, unable to be fully utilized due to the graphics card's limitations.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration. Based on the Turing architecture, it has 1536 shading units, a base clock of 1500 MHz, and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. It is equipped with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. With a Passmark G3D score of 12871 and a percentile rank of 41, it is a solid mid-range card, but it is clearly outclassed by the CPU it is paired with.

The GPU's role is to render the graphics, and the data shows that it struggles to maintain high frame rates as the workload increases. At 4K, even the Low preset only produces 47 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 20 FPS. This is a clear indication that the GPU's processing power and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of high-resolution rendering. Its 6 GB of VRAM may also be a limiting factor at higher resolutions and texture settings, potentially causing performance dips or texture thrashing.

The GPU's benchmarks, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1061, place it in the lower half of all GPUs. The nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon 540 with a delta of 0.7%, have nearly identical performance, confirming its mid-range status. In Evolve, the GPU is the bottleneck at all but the lowest settings and resolutions. The data strongly suggests that to improve performance, the GPU would need to be upgraded. The CPU is not the issue; the GTX 1660 Ti simply cannot render the game fast enough to keep up with the i9-14900K's processing power.