Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers a fascinating performance profile in Evolve, one that is dictated almost entirely by resolution. At 1080p, the combination produces frame rates that are so high they outstrip the practical needs of any display, while at 4K Ultra, it finally encounters a scenario that brings the system to its knees. The data indicates a system that is massively overqualified for high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, but which still manages to deliver a playable, albeit demanding, 4K experience. The bottleneck shifts decisively from the CPU to the GPU as resolution increases, and the benchmark results show exactly where the balance of power lies.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and clearly illustrates the transition from a CPU-bound to a GPU-bound state. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 225 FPS at 1920x1080 to 151 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 74 FPS. Moving to 3840x2160, the average plunges to 86 FPS, which is a 139 FPS drop from the 1080p figure. This represents a 61.8% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a clear sign that the RTX 4090 is being tasked with an exponentially heavier workload as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is even more dramatic at the Ultra preset. The system produces 156 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 105 FPS at 1440p, and finally hits a hard wall at 60 FPS on a 4K display. This 60 FPS average is a perfect illustration of the GPU reaching its limit; the 4K Ultra workload is so heavy that it effectively halves the performance seen at 1440p Ultra. In contrast, the Low preset shows a much wider gap, with 371 FPS at 1080p dropping to 248 FPS at 1440p and then 141 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K Low average of 141 FPS is still significantly higher than the 4K Ultra average of 60 FPS shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, not the CPU.

The data suggests that the Core Ultra 5 225 has ample headroom at 1080p and 1440p, allowing the RTX 4090 to stretch its legs. At 1080p Low, the 371 FPS result indicates a scenario where the CPU is likely the primary constraint, as the GPU is capable of far more. However, by the time the resolution reaches 4K, the sheer pixel-pushing demands on the RTX 4090 become the dominant factor. The 60 FPS average at 4K Ultra is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU is waiting on the graphics card to finish its frame. The scaling from High to Medium at 4K (86 to 110 FPS) further confirms this, showing that even reducing settings yields a proportional gain that is typical of a GPU-limited workload.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Evolve, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves an impressive rank of 81 out of 2872 combos. This places the system in the top 2.8% of all configurations tested, evidence of the raw power of the RTX 4090. The ranking is a clear indication that, despite the CPU being a mid-range part, the GPU’s dominance ensures the combination is a top-tier performer for this title.

This high rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU. The RTX 4090 sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 225 is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. When combined, their synergy results in a placement that is better than either component's individual percentile, showcasing that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck in this specific game. The results show that for a game like Evolve, the graphics card is the single most important factor in determining overall performance, and the 4090’s sheer muscle propels this combo to a top-tier finish. The combo’s rank of 81 is a strong statement; it outperforms the vast majority of other pairings, including those with more powerful CPUs, purely because the GPU is doing the heavy lifting in most scenarios.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo achieves in Evolve?*

A: The highest average frame rate is 371 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset, the combo produces an average of 60 FPS, which is the lowest measured average in the data set.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the data suggests the CPU becomes the limiting factor, particularly at Low settings where the average frame rate of 371 FPS is likely constrained by the Core Ultra 5 225's processing power rather than the RTX 4090's rendering capability.

Q: What is the performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields an average of 193 FPS, while the High preset yields an average of 151 FPS. This is a 42 FPS difference in favor of the Medium settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank compared to all other tested systems?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 81st out of 2872 tested combos in Evolve.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB of memory appear to be a limiting factor?

A: The data shows no indication that memory capacity is a limiting factor. The performance scaling follows a predictable pattern based on resolution and settings, with no anomalies that would suggest a memory bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a complete picture of the combo's capabilities across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset leads with an average of 371 FPS, followed by Medium at 287 FPS (with a min of 244 and max of 330), High at 225 FPS, and Ultra at 156 FPS. These numbers confirm that for 1080p gaming, this combination is overkill, capable of driving even the highest refresh rate monitors with ease.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains extremely high but shows the expected drop. The Low preset averages 248 FPS, while Medium produces 193 FPS (min 164, max 221). The High preset delivers a very smooth 151 FPS, and the Ultra preset still manages a highly playable 105 FPS. The 1440p results show that this combo is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, as even the most demanding Ultra preset clears the 100 FPS mark.

At 4K, the performance becomes more stratified. The Low preset averages 141 FPS, which is still very fast. The Medium preset produces 110 FPS (min 93, max 126), a very solid result. The High preset drops to 86 FPS, which is still smooth for most players. The Ultra preset, however, brings the system to its knees with an average of exactly 60 FPS. This is the only configuration in the data set that dips to the 60 FPS mark, indicating that 4K Ultra is the definitive stress test for this hardware combination. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K is a 50 FPS difference, highlighting the significant cost of the Ultra preset's additional graphical effects.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, plays a supporting role in this configuration. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide sufficient processing power to feed the RTX 4090 at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as frame rates exceed 300 FPS in some settings, which is a workload that can tax a processor. However, the CPU's performance is more than adequate for the task, as it never prevents the GPU from achieving high frame rates in any other scenario.

The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a single-core Cinebench R23 score of 3655 and a multi-core score of 25891, demonstrate strong per-core performance and solid multi-threaded capability. In Evolve, a fast single-core performance is often more critical than having many cores, and the Ultra 5 225's boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures it can handle the game's primary thread without issue. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1440p or 4K, as the frame rates are clearly dictated by the GPU's rendering capabilities. The fact that the 1080p Low setting (371 FPS) is significantly higher than the 1080p Ultra setting (156 FPS) suggests that the CPU can keep up with the GPU when the graphical load is light, but the GPU is still the dominant force in determining overall performance. The Core Ultra 5 225 is a capable partner, but the RTX 4090 is the clear star of this show.

Settings Recommendations

For players with a high refresh rate 1080p or 1440p monitor, the Ultra preset is the clear choice. At 1440p, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 105 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay and is ideal for a 100Hz+ display. At 1080p, the Ultra preset's 156 FPS average is equally impressive. The data shows that this combo has enough performance headroom to run at maximum settings at these resolutions without sacrificing fluidity.

For 4K gaming, the choice of settings depends on the user's preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate. The Medium preset, with an average of 110 FPS, offers an excellent balance, providing a high frame rate that is significantly smoother than the High preset's 86 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only option that drops to a 60 FPS average, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive play. Given the 50 FPS gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K, the Medium preset provides the best overall experience for high-refresh-rate 4K displays, while the High preset is a good middle ground for those who want more visual features but can tolerate a lower frame rate. The Low preset at 4K, with its 141 FPS average, is an option for players who prioritize frame rate above all else, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. Ultimately, the Medium preset at 4K offers the best combination of performance and visual fidelity based on the measured data.