Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 combination ranks in the lower half of tested configurations for Evolve, landing at position 2228 out of 2872 combos. This places the pairing in the 22nd percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it can play the game, it does so with significant compromises at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a system that is clearly capable at 1080p but struggles to maintain fluid frame rates as graphical demands escalate, with the GPU emerging as the primary bottleneck in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 2228 out of 2872 tested pairings places it firmly in the lower third of all configurations evaluated for Evolve. This is a modest result, reflecting a hardware pairing that prioritizes mainstream performance over high-end capabilities. The rank suggests that approximately 78% of tested combos deliver better average frame rates, which is a substantial gap. However, the positioning is not catastrophic; it indicates a system that can handle the game at reduced settings, particularly at 1080p, where the average frame rates are respectable.

When dissecting the components individually, the CPU’s percentile of 90 against all processors shows it is a strong performer, while the GPU’s percentile of 63 against all graphics cards is more moderate. This discrepancy highlights a fundamental imbalance: the processor is capable of feeding the graphics card far more data than the GPU can process at higher resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that the combo’s overall rank is dragged down by the GPU’s limitations, especially at 1440p and 4K, where the frame rates drop below the 60 FPS threshold that many users consider the baseline for smooth gameplay.

The deltaPct values for the GPU’s nearest rivals show it is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (0% difference) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (-0.1%), while being 0.4% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation. This tight clustering suggests the RX 6600 is a known quantity, and its performance in Evolve is predictable. The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (-0.4%) and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (-0.5%), are all within 0.8% of the Core Ultra 5 245’s average score, confirming that the processor is not the limiting factor in this pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 brings 14 cores and 14 threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. This configuration is more than sufficient for Evolve, a game that is not known for heavy multi-threading demands. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth ensure that data delivery to the GPU is not a constraint. The processor’s benchmarks reinforce this assessment: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648 place it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, demonstrating strong computational headroom that the game rarely exploits.

In the context of Evolve, the CPU’s role is to maintain a consistent frame pacing and avoid bottlenecking the GPU at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 147 FPS, which is a clear indication that the CPU is not holding back performance. Even at 1080p Ultra, where the frame rate drops to 62 FPS, the CPU is still likely idling, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The passmark single-thread score of 4394 and the physics score of 2569 further confirm that the processor can handle the game’s logic and AI calculations without breaking a sweat.

The CPU’s nearest rival comparisons show it is essentially performance-equivalent to the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (-0.5%) and the Intel Core i5-14600K (0.8%), which are both highly capable gaming processors. This means that swapping the Core Ultra 5 245 for a different high-end CPU would yield negligible gains in Evolve, as the GPU would still be the bottleneck. The 14 cores and 14 threads are more than the game requires, so the CPU’s contribution to the combo’s overall rank is minimal. The data suggests that the processor is a silent partner, providing a stable platform but not influencing the frame rates in any meaningful way.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the critical component in this pairing, and its specifications dictate the combo’s performance envelope. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, the GPU offers 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is adequate for 1080p gaming but becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz, built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with 1792 shading units, provide a raw compute capability of 8.928 TFLOPS. This is a mid-range specification that places the GPU at the 63rd percentile of all graphics cards, squarely in the middle of the pack.

In Evolve, the GPU’s performance is the deciding factor in the combo’s rank. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Low, the GPU delivers 147 FPS, but this drops to 89 FPS at High and 62 FPS at Ultra. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p represents a 58% reduction in frame rate, which is a significant hit that reflects the GPU’s limited memory bandwidth and shading power. The GPU’s nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (-0.1%), show that the RX 6600 is a known performer, and its limitations in Evolve are consistent with its overall benchmark scores.

The GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for Evolve’s textures at 1080p, but the data suggests that at 1440p and 4K, the memory capacity and bandwidth become strained. The frame rate drops from 147 FPS at 1080p Low to 98 FPS at 1440p Low, a 33% reduction, which is more severe than the pixel count increase alone would suggest. This indicates that the GPU is not just resolution-limited but also fill-rate limited. The GPU’s 64 ROPs and 112 TMUs provide a pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 279.0 GTexel/s, which are modest figures that struggle to keep up with the demands of higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four quality settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results: 147 FPS at Low, 114 FPS at Medium, 89 FPS at High, and 62 FPS at Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS, indicating some frame pacing variance but overall smooth gameplay. The 1080p results are playable across all settings, with even Ultra maintaining a frame rate above 60 FPS, which is the threshold for most users.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low setting yields 98 FPS, Medium delivers 76 FPS (with a range of 65 to 88 FPS), High drops to 60 FPS, and Ultra falls to 41 FPS. The 60 FPS at High is exactly at the threshold, but the 41 FPS at Ultra is noticeably less smooth. The data shows that 1440p is the resolution where the combo’s limitations become apparent, with only Low and Medium settings providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The 1440p Medium range of 65 to 88 FPS suggests that the frame rate is not entirely stable, which could be noticeable in fast-paced FPS action.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low setting yields 56 FPS, Medium drops to 43 FPS (with a range of 37 to 50 FPS), High falls to 34 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 24 FPS. None of the 4K settings achieve 60 FPS, and even Low is below the smoothness threshold. The 4K Medium minimum of 37 FPS is particularly low, indicating significant stuttering potential. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in Evolve, as even the lowest settings cannot provide a consistently smooth experience.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling analysis reveals a GPU-bound system. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops from 147 FPS to 98 FPS, a 33% reduction. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, the frame rate drops from 98 FPS to 56 FPS, a 43% reduction. These percentage drops are much larger than the corresponding pixel count increases (78% more pixels from 1080p to 1440p, and 125% more from 1440p to 4K), which indicates that the GPU is not scaling linearly with resolution. This is a classic sign of a GPU that is running out of memory bandwidth and shading power at higher resolutions.

The scaling pattern at Medium settings is similar but slightly less severe: 114 FPS at 1080p, 76 FPS at 1440p (33% drop), and 43 FPS at 4K (43% drop). The fact that the percentage drops are nearly identical across Low and Medium settings suggests that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck, regardless of the quality preset. The CPU’s high percentile and strong benchmark scores confirm that it is not the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops are entirely attributable to the GPU’s inability to process more pixels.

The data suggests that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates at all settings. At 1440p, it is playable at Low and Medium, but High and Ultra require compromises. At 4K, the combo is not recommended, as even Low settings fail to reach 60 FPS. The limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, as evidenced by the CPU’s 90th percentile ranking versus the GPU’s 63rd percentile. The CPU has significant headroom to spare, while the GPU is fully saturated at resolutions above 1080p.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p the combo achieves 147 FPS at Low, 114 FPS at Medium, 89 FPS at High, and 62 FPS at Ultra. All settings at 1080p exceed the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience.

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the optimal resolution, as all settings maintain at least 62 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low (98 FPS) and Medium (76 FPS) exceed 60 FPS, while High (60 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) fall below.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 90th percentile of all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 63rd percentile. The frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K are much steeper than pixel count increases, indicating GPU saturation.

Q: How does the RX 6600 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RX 6600 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (-0.1% delta), while being 0.4% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation. This means performance is consistent with other mid-range GPUs.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the combo achieves only 56 FPS at Low, 43 FPS at Medium, 34 FPS at High, and 24 FPS at Ultra. None of the 4K settings reach 60 FPS, and even Low is below the smoothness threshold.

Q: What are the frame rate ranges at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the range is 97 to 131 FPS with an average of 114. At 1440p Medium, the range is 65 to 88 FPS with an average of 76. At 4K Medium, the range is 37 to 50 FPS with an average of 43. The variance increases with resolution, suggesting less stable frame pacing at higher pixel counts.