Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination delivers a fundamentally playable experience in Evolve, but the data reveals a significant performance cliff at higher resolutions and quality presets. The pairing ranks 2228 out of 2872 tested combos, placing it in the lower-mid tier of the database. The measured frames per second across the board indicate that this is a system built for fluid 1080p gaming, with 1440p being viable only after compromising on settings. The 4K results are largely academic, serving as a stress test rather than a practical gaming configuration.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides a clear hierarchy of performance across four presets and three resolutions. The most balanced experience is found at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which yields an average of 114 FPS with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. This preset offers the best compromise between visual fidelity and frame rate stability, ensuring that the action remains smooth even during chaotic monster fights. The High preset at 1080p drops to an average of 89 FPS, which is still fluid but sacrifices the headroom needed for demanding scenes.

For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p produces an average of 147 FPS, making it ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the visual downgrade is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, delivering an average of 76 FPS with a minimum of 65 FPS. This is the highest resolution where the combination maintains a consistent 60+ FPS experience. The High preset at 1440p averages exactly 60 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves no margin for error, as any demanding scene could push it below the threshold.

The data suggests avoiding Ultra settings entirely. At 1080p, Ultra averages 62 FPS, but at 1440p it plummets to 41 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 24 FPS. The Ultra preset appears to be a visual showcase that this hardware cannot sustain. The 3840x2160 resolution should be considered unsupported for practical gaming, as even the Low preset only manages an average of 56 FPS, and the Medium preset drops to 43 FPS with a minimum of 37 FPS. The optimal configuration is 1080p Medium, with 1440p Medium as a viable alternative for users who prefer higher resolution over maximum frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is built on the Arrow Lake-S architecture and manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It features 10 cores and 10 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The processor supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache.

The CPU’s performance profile shows a strong single-thread capability, which is critical for Evolve’s game logic and physics calculations. In Cinebench R23, the processor scores 3655 points in single-core and 25891 points in multi-core. The Passmark single-thread score of 4412 reinforces this strength. The processor’s percentile ranking of 85 against all CPUs indicates it outperforms the vast majority of installed processors, making it a robust foundation for gaming.

However, the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. The performance drop from 1080p Medium (114 FPS) to 1440p Medium (76 FPS) is a 33% reduction, which is a typical GPU-bound scaling pattern. The CPU’s 10 cores and 10 threads are sufficient for Evolve’s threading model, which was designed for the 8-core consoles of its era. The processor’s nearest rivals in overall benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, with delta percentages of 0 and -0.2, respectively, indicating that the Ultra 5 225 is statistically tied with these alternatives. The CPU’s 65 W TDP suggests it runs cool and efficiently, allowing the system to maintain consistent boost clocks during extended gaming sessions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is based on the Navi 23 chip and the RDNA 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process. It features 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The base clock is 1626 MHz, with a game clock of 2044 MHz and a boost clock of 2491 MHz.

The GPU’s memory configuration is the primary constraint in Evolve. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings, but the 128-bit memory bus limits bandwidth. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in frame rate scaling. At 1080p, the GPU delivers 114 FPS on Medium, which is a strong result. The transition to 1440p Medium reduces performance to 76 FPS, and the 4K Medium result of 43 FPS highlights the GPU’s inability to handle the pixel count.

The RX 6600’s benchmark scores place it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score are the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile, with delta percentages of 0 and -0.1, respectively. The GPU’s FP32 performance is 8.928 TFLOPS, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, which is relevant for Evolve’s graphics features. The 132 W TDP is modest, and the dual-slot cooler should handle thermal loads effectively. The GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the textures used at Medium settings, but the Ultra preset likely exceeds the memory capacity, causing the dramatic frame rate drop to 62 FPS at 1080p and 24 FPS at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 2228 out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve. This places the system in the 22nd percentile of all tested configurations, meaning that roughly 78% of tested combos deliver better performance. This ranking is primarily dragged down by the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions, as the CPU is a top-15% performer.

The rank reflects the system’s suitability for 1080p gaming. The data shows that the combo can deliver high frame rates at this resolution, but it falls short of the performance needed for 1440p or 4K gaming. The ranking is consistent with the GPU’s 63rd percentile standing and the CPU’s 85th percentile standing, with the overall combo performance being limited by the weaker component. The system is best suited for users with 1080p monitors who prioritize frame rate over resolution. The 2872 total combos include configurations with significantly more powerful GPUs, which explains the low rank. However, the combo is not a poor performer in absolute terms—it simply occupies a specific performance tier that is well-suited for mainstream 1080p gaming.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Evolve?*

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 114 FPS, while the Low preset averages 147 FPS. The 2560x1440 resolution is playable but requires Medium settings to maintain a 76 FPS average.

Q: Can this system handle Ultra settings?

A: The Ultra preset produces an average of 62 FPS at 1080p, which is technically playable but not ideal. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 41 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 24 FPS, making it unsuitable for these resolutions.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck?

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU scores in the 85th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile. The frame rate scaling between resolutions shows classic GPU-bound behavior, with a 33% drop from 1080p Medium to 1440p Medium.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has an average benchmark score of 36938. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D scores 37018, a delta of -0.2%. These differences are negligible.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 has an average benchmark score of 19036. The NVIDIA Quadro K6000 scores 19030, a delta of 0%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile scores 19049, a delta of -0.1%. The performance is statistically identical.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate on Medium settings?

A: The data provides minimum frame rates for Medium settings only. At 1080p, the minimum is 97 FPS. At 1440p, the minimum is 65 FPS. At 4K, the minimum is 37 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a comprehensive picture of the combo’s performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 56 FPS. The Medium preset averages 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS. The High preset averages 34 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 24 FPS. None of these results are ideal for a smooth gaming experience, as even the Low preset cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 98 FPS. The Medium preset averages 76 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS. The High preset averages 60 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS. The Medium and Low presets are the only viable options at this resolution, with Medium providing a stable experience.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 147 FPS. The Medium preset averages 114 FPS, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. The High preset averages 89 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 62 FPS. This resolution shows the combo’s strengths, with the Medium preset being the sweet spot for balanced performance and visual quality. The High preset remains fluid, but the Ultra preset is the first sign of the GPU struggling with the game’s more demanding settings.

The data indicates a consistent pattern: the combo excels at 1080p, is adequate at 1440p with compromises, and is not suitable for 4K gaming. The 1080p Medium result of 114 FPS is the standout figure, offering a frame rate that exceeds the refresh rate of most standard monitors. The 1440p Medium result of 76 FPS is also respectable, providing a smooth experience for users with 1440p displays. The Ultra preset results across all resolutions show that the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are insufficient for the highest quality settings, leading to frame rates that are either borderline or unplayable.