Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS title, shows distinct performance characteristics when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a component balance that shifts predictably as graphical load increases. This analysis breaks down the benchmark data to clarify where the bottleneck lies and what users can expect from this specific hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K demonstrates a clear and consistent decline across all settings, but the magnitude of the drop varies significantly. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 140 at 1920x1080 to 94 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 46 frames, and then further to 53 at 3840x2160. This represents a 62% decrease from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The pattern at High settings shows a similar trajectory: 85 FPS at 1080p, 57 FPS at 1440p, and 32 FPS at 4K, which is a 62% drop as well. Medium settings follow the same trend, with 108 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K, a 62% reduction from the lowest to highest resolution.

The scaling behavior indicates that resolution is a major limiting factor for this combo. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is substantial, but the jump to 4K is even more punishing, with average frame rates dropping below playable thresholds at most settings. For instance, at 2560x1440 with High settings, the average is 57 FPS, which is still smooth for many users. However, at 3840x2160 with High settings, the average plummets to 32 FPS, suggesting that 4K is not a viable target for this hardware in Evolve. The data points to the GPU as the primary constraint at higher resolutions, as the CPU has more headroom to work with when the pixel count increases. The frame rate drops are not linear; they accelerate as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario where the render target size directly impacts pixel throughput.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile is the central component driving these results, and its specifications align with the observed scaling. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 384.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for Evolve's textures and assets at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results suggest that the memory bandwidth and capacity are stretched thin. The core clocks are set at a base of 1020 MHz with a boost of 1500 MHz, which is relatively modest for a modern mobile GPU. The shading units number 2560, with 80 texture mapping units and 32 raster output pipelines. These specifications produce a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, which translates to the frame rates seen in the benchmark data.

The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, placing it in a mid-range segment. In Evolve, this translates to solid 1080p performance, with an average of 108 FPS at Medium settings and 85 FPS at High. The GPU's 50 W TDP is a key factor, as it limits sustained clock speeds under load, but the benchmark results show that it can maintain playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings. At 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent, with average FPS dropping to 41 at Medium and 32 at High. The 8 GB VRAM is likely a contributing factor at 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS falls to 22, indicating that the combination of high resolution and maximum detail exceeds the GPU's capabilities. The GPU's percentile ranking of 83 among all GPUs suggests it outperforms the majority of its peers, but the measured results in Evolve show that it is not a high-end part capable of 4K gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX serves as the processing backbone, and its characteristics suggest it is not the limiting factor in most Evolve scenarios. The CPU has 14 cores and 14 threads, which is an unusual configuration that omits hyperthreading. This setup provides strong multi-threaded performance for modern titles but may not be fully utilized by a 2015 game like Evolve. The base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, allowing for significant single-thread performance when needed. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. This large L3 cache helps with data locality, which can benefit game performance.

The CPU's benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34731 and a single-core score of 4903. The PassMark multithread score is 40849, and the single-thread score is 4683. These numbers place the CPU in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, indicating it is a high-performing part. In Evolve, the CPU's role is evident in the frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 140, which is a high number that suggests the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently. However, at 2560x1440 with Low settings, the FPS drops to 94, and at 4K with Low settings, it falls to 53. This indicates that the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution increases, while the CPU maintains sufficient headroom. The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 8124P with an average score of 52121 and a delta of -0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with a score of 51947 and a delta of 0.2%. These comparisons show that the Ultra 5 235HX is competitive with high-end desktop parts from previous generations, reinforcing its capability in gaming workloads.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: The average frame rate is 85 FPS, which is a smooth experience for most players.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution with Medium settings?

A: The average frame rate is 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, indicating marginal playability.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 2560x1440?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary constraint, as the average FPS drops from 94 at Low settings to 39 at Ultra settings, a clear indication of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 140, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Does the CPU's 14-core configuration provide an advantage in Evolve?

A: The CPU's high single-thread score of 4903 in Cinebench R23 suggests strong performance, but the game's 2015 release date likely does not fully utilize all 14 cores, making the GPU more critical for frame rates.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 2960 out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers an average of 85 FPS, which is suitable for most gaming scenarios. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 108 FPS, with a minimum of 92 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. For players prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p provides 140 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 59 FPS, which is still playable but may not be worth the visual trade-off given the lower average.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the best balance, with an average of 73 FPS and a minimum of 62 FPS. The High preset at 57 FPS is also viable, but the lower minimum frame rate could cause occasional stutters. The Low preset at 94 FPS is ideal for high refresh rate monitors, while the Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended due to the sub-60 FPS average. At 3840x2160, no preset achieves a consistently smooth experience. The Low preset at 53 FPS is the only option that comes close to playable, while the Medium preset at 41 FPS and High at 32 FPS are below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 22 FPS is not viable for gameplay. The data shows that the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p provides the best overall experience, balancing visual quality with frame rate stability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low settings yield an average FPS of 140, the Medium settings produce 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 and a maximum of 124, the High settings result in 85 FPS, and the Ultra settings drop to 59 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression, with each step up in settings reducing performance by roughly 20-25%.

At 2560x1440, the Low settings average 94 FPS, the Medium settings average 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 83, the High settings average 57 FPS, and the Ultra settings average 39 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent performance hit across all settings, with the average FPS dropping by approximately 33-35% depending on the preset. At 3840x2160, the Low settings average 53 FPS, the Medium settings average 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47, the High settings average 32 FPS, and the Ultra settings average 22 FPS. The 4K results highlight the GPU's limitations, as the frame rates fall below 60 FPS at every setting, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable.

The data also shows that the Medium settings consistently provide the most stable frame times, as evidenced by the minimum and maximum values at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the range from 92 to 124 FPS is narrow, indicating consistent performance. At 1440p Medium, the range from 62 to 83 FPS is similarly tight. At 4K Medium, the range from 35 to 47 FPS is wider relative to the average, suggesting more variability in frame pacing. This pattern reinforces the recommendation for Medium settings as the sweet spot for this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile combination ranks 2960 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 20th percentile of all tested configurations. This ranking indicates that while the combo is capable of running the game, it is not among the top performers. The GPU's percentile ranking of 83 among all GPUs and the CPU's percentile ranking of 91 among all CPUs suggest that both components are above average individually, but their combined performance in Evolve is hampered by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions.

The ranking is likely influenced by the fact that Evolve is a 2015 title with graphics demands that have been surpassed by more modern games. The RTX 5050 Mobile, with its 8 GB of VRAM and 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, is a mid-range part that excels at 1080p but struggles at 4K. The CPU, on the other hand, is a high-end mobile processor that provides ample headroom for gaming, as evidenced by the high frame rates at lower resolutions. The combination of a strong CPU and a mid-range GPU means that the system is often GPU-bound, which is typical for gaming laptops. The 2960 ranking out of 3700 combos reflects this balance, with the system performing well at 1080p and 1440p but falling behind at 4K compared to combos with higher-end GPUs. The data indicates that users with this combo should target 1080p or 1440p for the best experience, as the system's ranking is significantly better at those resolutions than at 4K.