Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 asymmetric FPS, is a demanding title for modern hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 produces a specific performance profile that is best suited to 1440p gaming. The benchmark data indicates that this pairing ranks in the 1720th position out of 3700 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all system configurations. This ranking, combined with the measured frame rates, suggests that the combo is capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1440p with High settings, while 4K requires significant compromises to remain playable. The CPU, which sits in the 90th percentile of all processors, provides a robust foundation, but the GPU’s performance, sitting in the 58th percentile, is the primary definer of the gaming experience in this title. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance across resolutions and settings, which this analysis will break down in detail.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination for Evolve?

A: The combo ranks 1720th out of 3700 tested combinations in the database. This places it in the upper half of all systems tested, indicating a solid, capable pairing for this game, though not at the top tier of performance.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 has an average benchmark score of 49228, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average score of 48995. This makes the Intel CPU 0.5% slower than the Ryzen 9 7900. This is a negligible difference, putting the two processors on essentially equal footing in synthetic benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's standing relative to other graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, which is 1.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti’s average score of 16129. This indicates the RX 7700 is slightly behind the RTX 3060 Ti in overall GPU benchmarks.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a playable frame rate above 60 FPS?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 82 FPS. At 1920x1080 with High settings, it reaches an average of 122 FPS. These are the highest settings at which the average frame rate stays comfortably above 60 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Evolve?

A: Yes, but with significant limitations. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 47 FPS on High, 60 FPS on Medium, and 32 FPS on Ultra. Only the Medium setting achieves a 60 FPS average, and it does so with a minimum frame rate of 51 FPS, which may be noticeable.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1920x1080 on the Low preset?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Low preset, the combination produces an average of 201 FPS. This is the highest average frame rate recorded in the measured data, indicating the pair can easily handle high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data places this specific configuration, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700, at rank 1720 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This percentile position, roughly in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, is a strong indicator of its capabilities. The system is not a top-tier contender, but it is far from a low-end setup. The ranking suggests it will outperform a majority of the systems tested in this database, which include a wide range of older and less capable hardware. This position is largely a reflection of the GPU's performance profile, as the CPU is a more powerful component relative to its peers.

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a high-performing processor, achieving a 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 48995 is remarkably close to its nearest rivals, with a 0.4% difference from the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and a 0.8% difference from the Intel Core i5-14600K. This means the CPU is not a bottleneck and is fully capable of keeping up with the demands of the game. In contrast, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 15852. Its performance is very close to the AMD Radeon R9 370X, showing a negligible 0.1% difference, but it trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 1.7%. This indicates the GPU is a solid mid-range part but not a high-end performer.

The combo's overall rank of 1720 is a direct result of combining a top-decile CPU with a mid-range GPU. The data suggests that the system's performance in Evolve will be more constrained by the GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom to handle the game's physics and AI calculations. This is a common pairing philosophy, where a strong CPU ensures a stable frame delivery, while the GPU determines the maximum achievable quality and resolution. The rank confirms that this is a balanced and effective combination for a game like Evolve, providing a good experience at mainstream resolutions without the high cost associated with top-tier components. The system is not at the top, but it is firmly in the upper half, which is a solid place to be for a mid-range build.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the centerpiece of this system's visual performance, and its specifications directly influence the measured results in Evolve. The GPU is based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture and features the Navi 32 chip, which contains 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. This configuration is a capable mid-range design. A defining feature is its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a substantial 624.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This large memory pool is more than sufficient for Evolve at all tested settings and resolutions, ensuring that texture streaming and asset loading are not a bottleneck.

The GPU's clock speeds show a notable difference between its base and boost states. It has a base clock of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost clock of 2459 MHz. The game clock is the expected sustained frequency during typical gaming loads, while the boost clock is the maximum possible under ideal conditions. The high boost clock indicates the card has significant thermal and power headroom to increase performance when needed. The measured frame rates are the practical result of these specifications. For instance, at 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops from 135 FPS on Low to 57 FPS on Ultra. This shows a clear scaling of performance with graphical demands, which is typical for a GPU with this architecture.

The GPU's overall performance, as measured by its average benchmark score of 15852, is a key indicator. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 370X, is only 0.1% slower, illustrating that the RX 7700 is a direct successor in terms of performance level. However, it is 1.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which is a more recent competitor. This places the RX 7700 in a specific performance tier. The 16 GB VRAM is particularly relevant for Evolve, as it allows the card to handle the game's assets without any memory pressure, even at 4K Ultra settings. The data shows that the GPU is the primary factor in the FPS differences between settings, with the CPU playing a secondary role. The transition from 1080p to 4K at the same setting, for example, shows a substantial drop in frame rate that is directly attributable to the GPU's rendering load.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 perform across a matrix of resolutions and settings. The data includes average frame rates, with some minimum and maximum values for the Medium settings. At the highest resolution, 3840x2160, the system produces an average of 47 FPS on High settings, which is borderline playable. Dropping to Medium yields an average of 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS, making it the only 4K setting to hit a 60 FPS average. The Low preset at 4K is significantly faster at 77 FPS, while the Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in just 32 FPS on average. This shows that 4K gaming is possible but requires a compromise on visual fidelity to maintain a smooth experience.

At the mainstream 2560x1440 resolution, performance is much stronger. The High preset provides an average of 82 FPS, which is a very playable experience. The Medium preset delivers an average of 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This is an excellent performance level for a high-refresh-rate 1440p monitor. The Low preset at 1440p produces a high average of 135 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play. The Ultra preset, however, drops to an average of 57 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the baseline for smooth gameplay. This suggests that the Ultra preset at 1440p is too demanding for this GPU to maintain a consistently smooth frame rate.

At 1920x1080, the combo is extremely capable. The High preset yields an average of 122 FPS, which is more than enough for a high-refresh-rate 1080p display. The Medium preset achieves an average of 156 FPS, with a minimum of 133 FPS and a maximum of 179 FPS. This is a very smooth and responsive experience. The Low preset provides an average of 201 FPS, which is exceptionally high and will easily push any 1080p monitor to its maximum refresh rate. The Ultra preset at 1080p is the only one that falls below 100 FPS, with an average of 85 FPS. This is still a playable frame rate, but it shows that even at 1080p, the Ultra preset represents a significant performance hit compared to High. The data shows a consistent pattern: the system is best suited for 1440p gaming, with excellent performance at High and Medium settings, and can handle 1080p with ease.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this system is at 2560x1440 with the High preset. This combination provides an average frame rate of 82 FPS, which is a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The High preset offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium and Low, and the system has enough headroom to handle the increased graphical load. The data shows that the Medium preset at 1440p is also an excellent choice, with an average of 105 FPS. However, the High preset is the sweet spot, balancing visual quality and performance. For users who prioritize a higher frame rate for competitive play, the Low preset at 1440p, which yields 135 FPS, is a viable option.

For users with a 4K display, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. It is the only 4K setting that achieves a 60 FPS average, though the minimum frame rate of 51 FPS indicates there may be occasional dips below that threshold. The High preset at 4K, at 47 FPS, is playable but may not feel perfectly smooth. The Ultra preset at 4K, with an average of 32 FPS, is not recommended for a good experience as it will feel stuttery and laggy. For 1080p users, the High preset is the best choice, providing an average of 122 FPS, which is excellent for most monitors. The Ultra preset at 1080p, at 85 FPS, is also a good option if you want maximum visual fidelity and have a 144Hz or higher refresh rate monitor.

The data clearly favors the High preset across all resolutions as the best balance between visual quality and frame rate. The Ultra preset is consistently a significant performance drain, offering diminishing returns for the substantial FPS cost. For example, at 1440p, the drop from High to Ultra is a 25 FPS reduction, from 82 FPS to 57 FPS. This is a 30% performance decrease. The Medium preset is a good fallback for users who want higher frame rates, but the High preset provides a more complete visual experience. The recommendation is to prioritize the High preset at 1440p for the best overall experience, and to only use the Medium preset at 4K if that is the target resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is the central processing unit for this system, and its specifications play a crucial role in supporting the GPU. This processor is part of the Core Ultra Series 2 and is built on the Arrow Lake architecture using a 3 nm process node. It features 14 cores and 14 threads, which indicates it is a hybrid design without hyper-threading. The processor has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, allowing it to reach high frequencies when needed. It has a 24 MB shared L3 cache, which is a substantial amount of fast memory for frequently accessed data. The CPU's performance is well-documented in its benchmark scores, with a multi-core score of 32924 in Cinebench R23 and a single-core score of 4648.

The CPU's strong single-core performance is particularly relevant for Evolve. The game's engine, like many FPS titles, relies heavily on a few primary threads for tasks such as game logic, physics, and AI. The high boost clock of 5.10 GHz ensures that these threads can be processed quickly, reducing the chance of a CPU bottleneck. The CPU's percentile ranking of 90 versus all other CPUs confirms its high performance level. Its average benchmark score of 48995 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with a 0.4% difference from the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and a 0.5% difference from the AMD Ryzen 9 7900. This means that the CPU is not a differentiator in performance, as it is on par with other top-tier processors.

The data suggests that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the demands of Evolve, even at high frame rates. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 201 FPS. This high frame rate confirms both the GPU's ability to render quickly and the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with enough data. The CPU is not the limiting factor in this system's performance; the GPU is. The large L3 cache and high core count help ensure smooth performance even when the game engine is under load. The CPU's performance is a strong foundation, ensuring that the system's overall performance in Evolve is determined by the graphics card and the chosen settings. The 14 cores also provide ample headroom for background tasks, preventing them from interfering with gameplay.