Evolve

Evolve pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER, and the measured results place this combo at rank 1654 out of 2872 tested combinations. That puts it in the 42nd percentile of all combos in the database—a mid-pack position that reflects a balanced pairing where neither component is a clear bottleneck, but neither is pushing the envelope for this 2015 FPS title. The data shows a combination that can handle Evolve comfortably at most settings, though the demands of 4K Ultra will strain it.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1654 out of 2872 tested combos places it solidly in the middle of the pack. This is not a top-tier setup for Evolve, but the measured FPS numbers suggest it is far from a weak one. The CPU holds an 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs tested, while the GPU sits at a 65th percentile among all GPUs. The gap between those two percentiles is telling: the processor is a stronger component relative to its peers than the graphics card is relative to its own peers.

When you look at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Core Ultra 5 225’s average benchmark score of 36938 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, 0% delta), and slightly ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093, -0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112, -0.5%). Those sub-1% deltas mean the CPU is performing exactly in line with its expected tier. On the GPU side, the RTX 2070 SUPER’s average score of 20282 sits just behind the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, -1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, -1.2%), the Intel Arc B570 (20556, -1.3%), and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, -1.5%). Again, the deltas are small, indicating the GPU is delivering as expected for its class.

In practical terms for Evolve, this rank means the combo lands in the upper-middle range. It will comfortably outpace lower-tier pairings, but it won’t compete with high-end rigs at 4K Ultra. The measured data supports this: at 1080p and 1440p, the combo delivers playable to excellent frame rates, but 4K is where the limits appear. The rank is a reflection of the GPU being the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, which aligns with the GPU’s lower percentile standing relative to the CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock runs at 3.30 GHz and it boosts up to 4.90 GHz. For Evolve, which is a 2015 FPS title, single-thread performance matters, and this CPU delivers it: a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4412 are strong numbers for this class. The CPU’s 85th percentile ranking confirms it is well above average, and the measured game data shows it does not hold back the GPU at lower resolutions.

At 1080p, the CPU’s headroom becomes evident. The combo hits 177 FPS on Low settings and 107 FPS on High, which indicates the processor is feeding the GPU enough data to keep frame rates high. The 10 cores and 10 threads are more than enough for Evolve, a game that was released long before modern multi-core scaling became standard. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB L2 per core provide ample fast memory for game logic, and the dual-channel DDR5 support with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth ensures the CPU isn’t starved for data.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 5 225’s average score of 36938 is statistically identical to the Ryzen 5 5600F, which means in CPU-bound scenarios—like 1080p Low where the GPU is less stressed—you would expect near-identical performance. The delta of 0% against the 5600F is remarkable, and the -0.2% to -0.5% deltas against the other rivals are negligible in real-world gaming. The CPU’s 10 threads, however, give it a slight edge in any background tasks or streaming scenarios, though Evolve’s engine is unlikely to use all of them. The 65W TDP indicates it runs cool and efficient, but the data does not include thermal throttling measurements, so the analysis remains purely performance-based.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is a Turing-architecture GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1605 MHz with a boost of 1770 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. For Evolve, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient at all tested settings, but the measured data shows it becomes the bottleneck at 4K. The GPU’s 65th percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 20282 place it just behind cards like the RTX 3070 Mobile and Intel Arc B570, with deltas ranging from -1% to -1.5% against its nearest rivals.

The performance pattern across resolutions tells the story. At 1080p, the GPU is capable of high frame rates: 177 FPS on Low, 137 FPS on Medium, 107 FPS on High, and 74 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution; the CPU and game engine are likely the constraints at Low settings, but the GPU still handles Ultra with ease. At 1440p, the GPU starts to work harder, with 118 FPS on Low, 92 FPS on Medium, 72 FPS on High, and 50 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is significant—from 118 to 50 FPS—showing the GPU’s load scaling with settings.

At 4K, the GPU’s limitations become clear. The average FPS at 4K High is 41, at Medium it is 52, at Low it is 67, and at Ultra it drops to 28. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is nearly 2.4x, which is a steep penalty. The 8 GB VRAM is not the issue here; rather, the GPU’s raw compute power—9.062 TFLOPS FP32—is insufficient for 4K Ultra in Evolve. The measured data shows that 4K Ultra is only playable at 28 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold most would consider acceptable. The GPU’s 12 nm process and 215W TDP are older technology, but the card still performs admirably at 1080p and 1440p, where it delivers smooth experiences.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 177 FPS, which is extremely fluid and far beyond what a 60Hz or even 144Hz monitor needs. Medium settings drop to 137 FPS average, with a minimum of 116 FPS and a maximum of 157 FPS, indicating consistent frame pacing. High settings yield 107 FPS average, still very smooth. Ultra settings bring the average down to 74 FPS, which is playable but shows the GPU working harder. The 1080p data shows no resolution bottleneck; even Ultra remains above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU’s load. Low settings average 118 FPS, which is excellent for 1440p. Medium settings average 92 FPS, with a minimum of 78 FPS and a maximum of 106 FPS; the 78 FPS minimum is still smooth, but the variance suggests occasional dips. High settings average 72 FPS, which is solid for this resolution. Ultra settings drop to 50 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced FPS action; the 50 FPS average is noticeably lower than the 74 FPS at 1080p Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 68 FPS, a 2.36x reduction.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Low settings average 67 FPS, which is surprisingly playable for 4K, but Medium drops to 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS; the 44 FPS minimum could cause noticeable stutter in intense moments. High settings average 41 FPS, which is borderline playable but not smooth. Ultra settings average 28 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold for acceptable playability. The 4K data shows a steep cliff: Low to Medium is a 15 FPS drop, Medium to High is an 11 FPS drop, and High to Ultra is a 13 FPS drop. The 4K Ultra result of 28 FPS is the only measured result that falls below the 30 FPS playability standard.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Evolve at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, at 1080p and 1440p. At 1080p, all settings except Ultra exceed 60 FPS (Low: 177, Medium: 137, High: 107, Ultra: 74). At 1440p, Low (118 FPS), Medium (92 FPS), and High (72 FPS) all exceed 60 FPS, but Ultra drops to 50 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings (67 FPS) exceed 60 FPS.

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

A: The Core Ultra 5 225’s average benchmark score of 36938 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, 0% delta). It is slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093, -0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112, -0.5%). All deltas are under 1%, meaning performance is nearly identical.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The measured data shows 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the combo averages 72 FPS, which is smooth, while 1440p Ultra drops to 50 FPS. At 1080p, the combo delivers 107 FPS on High, but the CPU may be less utilized. At 4K, only Low settings (67 FPS) are truly playable, with High (41 FPS) and Ultra (28 FPS) being too slow for competitive play.

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

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER’s average score of 20282 is just behind the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (20480, -1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, -1.2%), the Intel Arc B570 (20556, -1.3%), and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, -1.5%). The deltas are small, indicating the GPU performs as expected for its tier.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM enough for Evolve?

A: The measured data indicates yes. At all tested settings and resolutions, including 4K Ultra, the GPU delivered playable or near-playable frame rates without any indication of VRAM-related stutter or crashes. The 8 GB GDDR6 memory is sufficient for Evolve’s demands.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 67 FPS. Medium settings drop to 52 FPS, High to 41 FPS, and Ultra to 28 FPS. The 28 FPS at Ultra is below the 30 FPS threshold for acceptable playability, so 4K is only recommended for Low or Medium settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for the best experience. At 1080p, Ultra settings are the best choice because they deliver 74 FPS average, which is above 60 FPS and provides the full visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The 74 FPS is well within the range of high refresh rate monitors, and the game will look its best. If you prefer maximum frame rates, Low settings at 177 FPS are overkill for most displays, but Medium at 137 FPS is a good balance.

At 1440p, High settings are the recommended preset. The 72 FPS average is smooth and the visual quality is close to Ultra, which only delivers 50 FPS. The 50 FPS at Ultra is noticeably less fluid, so High offers the best trade-off between visuals and performance. Medium settings at 92 FPS are also viable if you prefer higher frame rates, but High provides a better visual experience without dropping below 60 FPS.

At 4K, the recommendation is Low settings, which delivers 67 FPS. Medium settings at 52 FPS are playable, but the 44 FPS minimum could cause noticeable stutter in busy scenes. High settings at 41 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 28 FPS is not recommended for anything beyond screenshots. If you own a 4K monitor, the data suggests sticking with Low settings for a fluid experience, or dropping to 1440p for higher visual fidelity.

For the overall best experience, the data points to 1080p Ultra as the highest quality preset that still maintains a 60+ FPS average (74 FPS). This gives you the full visual experience without compromising gameplay smoothness. At 1440p, High is the best choice, as it delivers 72 FPS and retains most of the visual quality. The combo is not suited for 4K Ultra, where the 28 FPS result falls below playable thresholds, but it is capable of handling Evolve well at lower resolutions and settings.