Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT combination delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Evolve. The data shows this pairing is positioned in the lower-middle tier of tested configurations, with a combo rank of 2638 out of 3700 in this game. The 14-core Arrow Lake processor provides ample computational headroom, while the RDNA 2 graphics card becomes the primary constraint as resolution increases. Benchmark results indicate that the system is well-balanced for 1080p high-refresh gaming but struggles to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K Ultra settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake-S architecture using a 3 nm process from TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and boosts up to 5.10 GHz, which provides strong single-thread performance for game logic and physics calculations. The processor's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which can be beneficial for frame pacing in fast-paced FPS titles like Evolve. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s via dual-channel DDR5 support ensures that data can flow quickly to the GPU, though the 65 W TDP suggests power efficiency is prioritized over raw throughput.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Core Ultra 5 245 scores 4,648 points in Cinebench R23 single-core and 32,924 points in multi-core, placing it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G with an average score of 49,196 (0.4% higher), the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 at 49,228 (0.5% higher), the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H at 48,698 (0.6% lower), and the Intel Core i5-14600K at 48,618 (0.8% lower). These delta percentages indicate that the Ultra 5 245 is essentially on par with its closest competitors, with performance differences well within noise margins. For Evolve, the CPU's single-threaded capabilities are more relevant than its 14-core count, as the game's core simulation and AI routines typically scale on fewer threads. The PassMark single-thread score of 4,394 confirms that this processor can keep up with the GPU's demands at lower resolutions, where frame rates are highest.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 23 chip fabricated on a 7 nm process from TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base clock runs at 1968 MHz, with a game clock of 2359 MHz and a boost clock of 2589 MHz, which allows it to handle modern game workloads efficiently. The 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines provide a peak FP32 performance of 10.60 TFLOPS, which is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming at medium to high settings.

In the PassMark G3D benchmark, the RX 6600 XT scores 16,461 points, placing it in the 70th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 at 24,277 (0.7% higher), the Intel Arc A350M at 24,647 (0.8% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti at 24,236 (0.8% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER at 24,170 (1.1% higher). These delta percentages show that the RX 6600 XT performs nearly identically to the RTX 2080 SUPER in aggregate benchmarks, despite the latter being a higher-tier card at launch. For Evolve, the 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with high texture quality, memory pressure can become a limiting factor, contributing to the noticeable frame rate drops observed in the measured data. The GPU's 160 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest it is a mid-range solution that balances performance with power draw.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution-dependent scaling that identifies the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 160 FPS, but this drops to 107 FPS at 1440p and 61 FPS at 4K, representing a 33% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and a 43% reduction from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline at higher resolutions indicates that the RX 6600 XT's rasterization throughput is being saturated, while the CPU has enough headroom to feed frames at lower resolutions. At 1080p High, the system delivers 97 FPS, which drops to 65 FPS at 1440p (33% lower) and 37 FPS at 4K (43% lower from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest a uniform GPU-bound scenario rather than a CPU limitation.

The scaling behavior also shows how settings impact the bottleneck. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 67 FPS, which is only 58% of the Low setting's 160 FPS, indicating that the GPU is heavily taxed by the Ultra preset's additional effects and geometry. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 26 FPS, which is unplayable for an FPS title. The data indicates that the CPU's 14 cores and 5.10 GHz boost clock are sufficient to maintain frame rates above 60 FPS at 1080p even with High settings, but the GPU cannot sustain those rates as resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM capacity may also contribute to the 4K performance drop, as the higher resolution textures and buffers exceed the available memory, causing additional overhead. The min FPS data at 1440p Medium (71 FPS) and 1080p Medium (105 FPS) shows that frame pacing remains consistent, further pointing to the GPU as the limiting component rather than any CPU-side stutter.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks 2638 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 71st percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects the GPU's mid-range positioning, as the CPU's high percentile (90th) does not compensate for the graphics card's performance ceiling. The rank indicates that approximately 71% of tested systems deliver better performance in Evolve, which aligns with the RX 6600 XT's 70th percentile among all GPUs. The gap between the CPU's and GPU's percentile rankings suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield a more significant performance improvement than upgrading the processor.

Compared to the nearest rival GPUs, the RX 6600 XT's average benchmark score of 24,442 is nearly identical to the RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170) and GTX 1630 (24,277), which means the combo rank is not drastically different from what those cards would achieve with the same CPU. However, the data shows that the Ultra 5 245's CPU performance is on par with the Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and Ryzen 9 7900, so the ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's capabilities. In practical terms, this combo is positioned for 1080p gaming at high refresh rates, with the ability to handle 1440p at reduced settings, but it falls short of the performance needed for 4K gaming at playable frame rates in Evolve.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured frame rate data provides a comprehensive picture of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates: 160 FPS on Low settings, 124 FPS on Medium (with min/max of 105/143), 97 FPS on High, and 67 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that the CPU and GPU combination can easily handle 1080p gaming, with even the Ultra preset staying above the 60 FPS threshold. The 67 FPS on Ultra versus 160 FPS on Low represents a 58% performance hit from the highest quality preset, which is a typical trade-off for games with demanding post-processing effects.

At 2560x1440, the system shows a noticeable performance drop: 107 FPS on Low, 83 FPS on Medium (with min/max of 71/96), 65 FPS on High, and 45 FPS on Ultra. The High preset remains playable at 65 FPS, but the Ultra preset dips below 60 FPS, making it less suitable for competitive play. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings is roughly 33% across all presets, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor. At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain smooth gameplay: 61 FPS on Low, 47 FPS on Medium (with min/max of 40/54), 37 FPS on High, and 26 FPS on Ultra. Only the Low preset manages to stay above 60 FPS at 4K, while the Ultra preset becomes unplayable at 26 FPS. These numbers highlight the GPU's limitations at 4K, where even medium settings cannot sustain a consistent 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance with 124 FPS average and a minimum of 105 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 97 FPS still provides an excellent experience, but the Medium preset's higher minimum frame rate (105 vs. 97 average) ensures more consistent performance during intense action sequences. The Ultra preset at 67 FPS is also playable but leaves little headroom for frame drops in chaotic scenes.

At 1440p, the High preset at 65 FPS is the recommended choice, as it stays above 60 FPS while providing better visual quality than Medium at 83 FPS. The Medium preset offers a safer margin at 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, which is preferable for players who prioritize frame rate stability over visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is not recommended for competitive play, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may introduce input lag. At 4K, the Low preset at 61 FPS is the only option that maintains playable frame rates, but it sacrifices significant visual quality. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is borderline playable, but the minimum of 40 FPS indicates occasional stutters. Players seeking 4K performance should consider lower resolutions or accept reduced settings, as the Ultra preset at 26 FPS is not viable for an FPS title.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum frame rate this combo achieves in Evolve?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 160 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At 1440p Low, it achieves 107 FPS, and at 4K Low, it drops to 61 FPS.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: At 4K, only the Low preset maintains an average above 60 FPS at 61 FPS. Medium drops to 47 FPS, High to 37 FPS, and Ultra to 26 FPS, making higher settings unplayable.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48,995, which is 0.4% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49,196) and 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49,228), but 0.6% higher than the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and 0.8% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K.

Q: What is the GPU's benchmark percentile and how does it affect gaming?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT ranks in the 70th percentile among all GPUs, with a PassMark G3D score of 16,461. This places it in the mid-range tier, which explains why it handles 1080p well but struggles at 4K.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in Evolve?

A: The combination ranks 2638 out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the 71st percentile. This indicates that most other tested systems deliver better performance in Evolve.

Q: Which settings provide the best frame rate stability at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p offers an average of 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, providing the most stable experience. The High preset averages 65 FPS but may dip below 60 FPS in demanding scenes.