Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, shows a clear performance hierarchy when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER. The measured data indicates a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the processor providing ample headroom to push frame rates at lower settings. This combination ranks 440th out of 2872 tested combos, placing it in the top 15.3% of all configurations for this game, which reflects a strong overall balance for its target performance class.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression across resolutions reveals a predictable and steep drop-off as pixel count increases, characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the system produces 177 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings reduces the average to 119 FPS, a 32.8% decrease. The jump to 4K at High settings yields 68 FPS, which is a further 42.9% reduction from the 1440p figure and a 61.6% drop from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern demonstrates that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s rendering pipeline is the primary constraint as resolution climbs.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the system achieves 292 FPS at 1080p, 196 FPS at 1440p, and 111 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop is 32.9%, while the 1440p to 4K drop is 43.4%. At Ultra settings, the values are 123 FPS, 82 FPS, and 47 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The percentage losses here are 33.3% and 42.7% for the consecutive steps. The consistent ~33% and ~43% reductions at each resolution step, regardless of the preset, strongly indicate that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors, not the CPU.

The data suggests that for a 60 FPS target, 4K is only viable at Medium settings, where the system hits 86 FPS, with a minimum of 73 FPS. At High and Ultra, the 4K averages of 68 FPS and 47 FPS show the GPU is saturated. The gap between Low and High settings at 4K is 43 FPS, whereas at 1080p this gap is a much larger 115 FPS. This compression of the settings range at higher resolutions further confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck; reducing graphical load has less impact when the pixel throughput is already the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the most efficient experience is achieved at High settings for most resolutions. At 1080p, High delivers 177 FPS, which is a 54 FPS improvement over Ultra’s 123 FPS, while the visual difference between these presets is typically less impactful than the frame rate gain. The data shows a diminishing return at Medium settings, which yields 226 FPS, but the jump from High to Medium only adds 49 FPS, and the lower visual quality may not justify it for a smooth, high-detail experience. For 1440p, High at 119 FPS is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, while Ultra at 82 FPS is still playable but sacrifices the fluidity that the 1440p resolution is meant to provide.

At 4K, the recommendation shifts to Medium settings. The 86 FPS average at Medium is the only preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold comfortably, with a minimum of 73 FPS ensuring consistent frame pacing. High at 4K drops to 68 FPS, which is playable but closer to the edge of the V-sync window, and Ultra at 47 FPS falls below the standard for smooth motion. Low settings are not recommended for any resolution above 1080p, as the frame rate gains (e.g., 196 FPS at 1440p) do not compensate for the severe reduction in visual fidelity, and the system is already capable of high frame rates at more balanced presets.

The sweet spot for this combination is High settings at 1080p or 1440p. This preset provides a robust balance between the GPU’s workload and the output frame rate. For 4K users, Medium is the highest preset that maintains a consistent 60+ FPS experience. The data shows that Ultra settings are only advisable for users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, as it drops below the 60 FPS line at all resolutions except 1080p, where it still remains viable at 123 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. For a game like Evolve, which was released in 2015 and is not known for utilizing high thread counts, the CPU’s single-thread performance and high boost clock are the most relevant factors. The benchmark results for the processor show a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2085 and a multi-core score of 14769. The single-core score, which is in the 89th percentile compared to all CPUs, indicates strong per-thread performance that is crucial for game logic and draw call processing.

The measured FPS data supports the conclusion that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p Low settings, the system reaches 292 FPS, which is a frame rate that would expose any significant CPU limitation. The fact that the system can achieve such high frame rates at lower resolutions, where the GPU load is reduced, demonstrates that the processor can keep up with the game’s simulation and rendering commands. The 14 threads are more than sufficient for Evolve, and the lack of hyper-threading (14 cores/14 threads) does not appear to hinder performance in this title.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory provide a solid foundation for feeding the GPU. The benchmark results show the processor’s average benchmark score is 46062, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030, +0.1%) and Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098, -0.1%). This parity indicates that the Core Ultra 5 235 is a capable mid-range processor that does not introduce any unique constraints in a GPU-bound scenario. The data suggests that the CPU role in this pairing is to provide consistent, high-frequency performance that allows the RTX 4070 SUPER to operate at its full potential, particularly at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER achieves a rank of 440 out of 2872 tested combinations in Evolve. This places the configuration in the top 15.3% of all systems tested, indicating a high-performance pairing. The GPU’s individual benchmark score is 43223, with a percentile rank of 83 against all GPUs. The CPU’s percentile is 89, which is higher than the GPU’s, suggesting that the processor is relatively more powerful in the overall benchmark spectrum than the graphics card.

The data shows that this combo is not limited by a weak link. The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4364P, has a similar average score of 45970 (+0.2%), and the GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB, has a score of 43262 (-0.1%). These negligible differences in component-level benchmarks mean that the combo’s ranking is primarily determined by how well the two parts work together in this specific game. The rank of 440 suggests that there are many other configurations that perform better, but this is expected given the wide range of high-end components that can be paired.

Within the context of the game’s release era, this combo is significantly overqualified for a 2015 title. The measured FPS at 1080p, even at Ultra settings, reaches 123 FPS, which is far above the typical 60 FPS target for that period. The combo’s rank reflects that it is a modern, high-end setup that excels at older games, but it is not in the top tier of all-time tested combos because newer titles and more powerful hardware (e.g., RTX 4090 Mobile, which is a rival with a score of 43667) push the limits further. The ranking confirms the system’s consistency, as it performs well across all settings without any major dips.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured FPS. The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Evolve’s textures and assets, even at 4K, where the game’s age means it does not require the latest high-capacity VRAM. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1980 MHz are high for the Ada Lovelace architecture, contributing to its strong compute performance.

The GPU’s compute capabilities, including 7168 shading units and a FP32 performance of 35.48 TFLOPS, are the primary drivers of the frame rates seen in the data. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4627 and the Passmark G3D score of 29995 indicate robust raw performance. The data shows that the GPU’s performance is the main variable in the FPS scaling. For example, at 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra is 64 FPS (111 to 47), which is a direct result of the GPU’s workload increasing with more complex shaders and effects.

The RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB VRAM is ample for this game, as Evolve does not have a reputation for excessive memory usage. The GPU’s pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s are the key metrics that determine performance at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the GPU is not memory-constrained at any of the tested settings, as the FPS drops are consistent with compute and fill-rate limits rather than a sudden VRAM overflow. The GPU’s role here is to provide a high frame rate ceiling at lower resolutions and a playable experience at 4K, which it achieves through its balanced memory bandwidth and compute resources.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers a range of performance depending on the preset. Low settings produce an average of 292 FPS, Medium produces 226 FPS with a minimum of 192 and maximum of 260, High produces 177 FPS, and Ultra produces 123 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 169 FPS, showing a wide range of GPU headroom at this resolution. The Medium preset’s minimum frame rate of 192 FPS is higher than the High preset’s average, indicating that the settings have a significant impact on the GPU’s rendering load.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are lower but still high. Low settings average 196 FPS, Medium averages 152 FPS with a minimum of 129 and maximum of 174, High averages 119 FPS, and Ultra averages 82 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 114 FPS, demonstrating the increased GPU load at this resolution. The Medium preset’s minimum of 129 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops to more moderate levels. Low settings average 111 FPS, Medium averages 86 FPS with a minimum of 73 and maximum of 99, High averages 68 FPS, and Ultra averages 47 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 64 FPS, which is the smallest of the three resolutions. The Ultra preset at 47 FPS is the only setting that falls below the 60 FPS target, while the High preset at 68 FPS is the lowest playable high-detail option. The Medium preset’s minimum of 73 FPS provides the safest margin for consistent performance at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Evolve with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p at High settings offers the best balance, delivering 119 FPS average. This resolution provides a significant visual upgrade over 1080p while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, Medium settings is the highest preset that consistently stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 86 FPS and a minimum of 73 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K with maximum settings?

A: The data shows that at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS is 47, which is below the standard 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. While it is technically playable, the frame rate is not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. For a better 4K experience, High settings at 68 FPS or Medium settings at 86 FPS are more suitable.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 (46030) and 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4364P (45970). It is 0.1% behind the Intel Core i9-13900HX (46098). This indicates the CPU is a well-balanced performer with no significant advantage or disadvantage over its peers.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rate drops consistently by approximately 33% from 1080p to 1440p and 43% from 1440p to 4K, regardless of the settings preset. This consistent scaling pattern is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The CPU is able to push frame rates to 292 FPS at 1080p Low, showing it is not a constraint.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 4070 SUPER and its closest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 43223. It is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (43262) and 0.2% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (43301). It is also 1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (43667). The performance differences are minimal, placing it in the same performance class as these cards.

Q: What is the expected frame rate at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 119 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a very smooth experience for a 1440p monitor, especially for a game from 2015. This frame rate is high enough to take advantage of higher refresh rate displays, providing a responsive and fluid gaming experience.