Evolve

The AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H produces a very specific and telling performance profile in Evolve. This is a combination where the GPU is the clear bottleneck at nearly every setting, but the CPU's capabilities still set the ceiling for what's possible. The data reveals a system that can handle the game at lower resolutions and settings, but struggles significantly as the graphical load increases, making it a curious case study in how integrated graphics handle a demanding FPS title from 2015.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and can boost up to 4.60 GHz, which provides a solid foundation for gaming. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11875.5 and a single-core score of 1700, indicate it has ample processing power to handle the physics and game logic of Evolve. Its PassMark single-thread score of 3521 and multithread score of 22422 further corroborate its capability as a strong performer in the CPU-centric aspects of gaming.

When looking at its nearest rivals, the data shows the Core Ultra 5 135H is positioned in a tight competitive cluster. It is essentially on par with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, with a deltaPct of -0.1%. This means that while the 135H is a mobile chip, its overall average benchmark score of 29093 is nearly identical to that desktop-class processor. It also sits comfortably against the Intel Core i5-13500HX, trailing by only -0.6%, and leads the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT by 0.5%. This performance parity suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the Core Ultra 5 135H should not be the limiting factor holding back frame rates in Evolve, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

The CPU's performance percentile of 81 indicates it outpaces the vast majority of processors in the database. With an 18 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support, the processor is well-equipped to feed data to the integrated GPU. However, the key insight is that the CPU's strong showing does not translate into high frame rates in this game. The measured FPS drops dramatically as resolution and settings increase, pointing directly to the integrated graphics as the primary constraint. The CPU is ready, but the GPU cannot keep up.

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

The AMD Radeon 890M is the integrated graphics solution here, based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture and built on a 4 nm process. It features 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Its boost clock is listed at 2900 MHz, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate. A critical aspect of this GPU is its memory configuration: it uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system's RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. This shared memory setup, with its bandwidth described as "System Dependent," often becomes a significant bottleneck in gaming, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access.

The GPU's benchmark scores are modest, with a PassMark G3D score of 8076 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590. Its percentile ranking of 45 places it in the lower half of all GPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the Radeon 890M are telling. It performs almost identically to the AMD Radeon Vega 8 (deltaPct of -0.1%) and is only slightly behind discrete graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (deltaPct of -0.7%) and the GTX 465 (deltaPct of -0.9%). This places the integrated 890M in the same performance tier as older, entry-level discrete GPUs.

In Evolve, this GPU performance cap is evident. The raw compute power is simply insufficient to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings. The GPU's FP32 performance is 5.939 TFLOPS, which is respectable for an iGPU, but the architecture and shared memory bandwidth limit its real-world gaming ability. The data implies that while the 890M is a capable integrated solution for esports titles, it faces a significant challenge with a game like Evolve at higher graphical presets. The GPU is the definitive weak link in this pairing.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of the system's scaling behavior. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS. Dropping to 1440p Low reduces this to 53 FPS, a significant 32.9% decrease. Moving up to 4K Low, the average further plummets to 30 FPS, which is a 43.4% drop from the 1440p figure and a 62% drop from 1080p. This steep decline as resolution increases is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound system. The CPU is capable of maintaining the frame rate, but the GPU's rendering workload becomes too heavy.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 61 at 1080p to 41 at 1440p (a 32.8% drop) and then to 23 at 4K (a 43.9% drop from 1440p). High settings show a similar trend: 48 FPS at 1080p, 32 FPS at 1440p (a 33.3% drop), and 18 FPS at 4K (a 43.8% drop from 1440p). Even at Ultra, the pattern holds, with 33 FPS at 1080p dropping to 22 FPS at 1440p (a 33.3% drop) and then to 13 FPS at 4K (a 40.9% drop from 1440p).

The consistency of the percentage drops between 1080p and 1440p, and then between 1440p and 4K, is a strong signal. The nearly uniform ~33% penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p, and the ~42% penalty for moving from 1440p to 4K, suggests that the performance is scaling almost purely with pixel count. This is a textbook sign of a GPU-limited scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would show a more pronounced drop at 1080p and remain relatively flat at higher resolutions. Instead, the data shows the Radeon 890M's rendering throughput is the limiting factor, with the CPU waiting idly for the GPU to finish its work.

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

The measured frame rate data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and AMD Radeon 890M combination in Evolve is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average FPS of 79.
• Medium: Average FPS of 61, with a minimum of 52 and a maximum of 70.
• High: Average FPS of 48.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 33.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average FPS of 53.
• Medium: Average FPS of 41, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47.
• High: Average FPS of 32.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 22.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average FPS of 30.
• Medium: Average FPS of 23, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27.
• High: Average FPS of 18.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 13.

This data shows a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, the system is capable of playable frame rates, with Low settings providing a very smooth 79 FPS average. Even Medium settings at 61 FPS are quite playable. However, the jump to High and Ultra at 1080p shows a significant cost, with frame rates dropping to 48 and 33 FPS respectively. This indicates that the GPU's fill rate and shader complexity are being heavily taxed by the higher presets.

At 1440p, the system begins to struggle. Only Low settings maintain an average above 50 FPS. Medium dips slightly below the 60 FPS threshold, and High and Ultra are firmly in the 20-30 FPS range, which is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. At 4K, the system is effectively overwhelmed. All settings produce average frame rates below 30 FPS, with the Ultra preset yielding a mere 13 FPS average. This makes 4K gaming with this combo impractical for a competitive or smooth experience.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for playing Evolve with this hardware?*

A: The data suggests 1920x1080 is the most viable resolution. At 1080p, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS on Low and 61 FPS on Medium, which are both playable. Higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K result in significantly lower average frame rates across all settings.

*Q: Can this system handle Evolve at 4K resolution?*

A: Not effectively. At 4K, the highest average FPS recorded is 30 on Low settings. The High and Ultra presets drop to 18 FPS and 13 FPS, respectively, which are not smooth enough for a fast-paced game like Evolve.

Q: How does the Radeon 890M compare to other GPUs in its performance class?

A: Its PassMark G3D score of 8076 places it near the AMD Radeon Vega 8, with a deltaPct of -0.1%. It is also within a 1% performance difference of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 and GTX 465, indicating it performs similarly to those older discrete cards.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this configuration?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The frame rates scale heavily with resolution and graphical settings, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited system. The CPU's performance, which is on par with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, is more than sufficient to handle the game's logic.

Q: What causes the significant frame rate drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p?

A: The data shows a consistent drop of approximately 33% in average FPS when switching from 1080p to 1440p across all settings. This near-linear scaling with pixel count strongly suggests that the integrated GPU's rendering capabilities, particularly its fill rate and memory bandwidth, are being saturated.

Q: Is the "Ultra" setting playable at any resolution?

A: The Ultra setting is only playable at 1080p, where it averages 33 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 22 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 13 FPS, rendering it unplayable at those higher resolutions due to low frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination is achieved at 1080p. For players seeking the smoothest experience, the Low preset is the clear choice, delivering an average of 79 FPS. This provides a significant margin above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring consistent performance in intense combat scenarios. If visual fidelity is a priority, the Medium preset is a strong alternative, with an average of 61 FPS and a minimum of 52 FPS. This maintains playability while offering a noticeable improvement in graphics quality over Low.

Moving to the High preset at 1080p yields an average of 48 FPS, which may be acceptable for some players but introduces a higher risk of noticeable frame drops. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with its 33 FPS average, is not recommended for a competitive FPS, as the low frame rate can hinder gameplay responsiveness. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only setting that offers a consistently playable average frame rate of 53 FPS. All other settings at this resolution fall below the 50 FPS mark, making them less than ideal. 4K resolution is not recommended for this game with this hardware, as even the Low preset only achieves an average of 30 FPS.

Therefore, the best balance of performance and visual quality is the Medium preset at 1080p. It provides a frame rate that is close to the 60 FPS target while offering a more detailed visual experience than the Low preset. For players who prioritize frame rate above all else, the Low preset at 1080p is the recommended choice.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations for Evolve, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and AMD Radeon 890M ranks at 2711 out of 2872 total combinations. This places it in the bottom 5.6% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a below-average performer for this specific game. This low ranking is a direct reflection of the integrated GPU's limitations, which we have identified as the primary bottleneck in this setup.

The rank is particularly telling when considering the CPU's individual performance. The Core Ultra 5 135H sits at the 81st percentile among all CPUs, showing it is a strong processor. However, when paired with the Radeon 890M, which is at the 45th percentile among GPUs, the combined result is a system that struggles to run Evolve at higher settings. This illustrates that a powerful CPU cannot compensate for a weak GPU in a graphically demanding title. The data shows that the performance of the whole system is dictated by its weakest link, and in this case, that is the integrated Radeon 890M. This rank serves as a cautionary data point for anyone considering this hardware configuration for gaming, particularly for a game like Evolve that pushes graphical boundaries.