Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a distinctive performance profile in Evolve, a 2015 FPS title. The benchmark data reveals a system that scales predictably with settings and resolution, but with notable inflection points that highlight the balance between its 14-core processor and 12 GB graphics card. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand where each component exerts its influence.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 brings a 14-core, 14-thread configuration based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz can reach 5.10 GHz under boost, which is crucial for a game like Evolve that relies on consistent frame pacing. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648, placing it in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 48995 puts it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (0.4% ahead) and AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (0.5% ahead), while trailing the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

For Evolve, the interaction between core count and clock speed is visible in the measured FPS scaling. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 155 FPS, suggesting the CPU is feeding the GPU adequately at lower graphical loads. The 14 cores are not all equal in this context—the game's engine, released in 2015, likely utilizes fewer threads, meaning the 5.10 GHz boost becomes more important than raw core count. The L3 cache of 24 MB (shared) helps with data locality, and the dual-channel DDR5 memory with 102.4 GB/s bandwidth provides sufficient throughput for the CPU to keep up with the Arc B580.

The data implies the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the gap between 155 FPS and the 1440p Low result of 104 FPS (a 32.9% drop) suggests the GPU is taking on more work as resolution increases. However, the CPU's single-thread performance—evidenced by its 468 Cinebench R15 single-core score—ensures that the frame pacing remains stable even when the GPU is stressed. The 65W TDP also indicates this is a power-efficient part, which matters for sustained gaming sessions where thermal throttling could otherwise reduce clock speeds.

The PassMark multi-thread score of 38706 and integer math score of 91187 further support that the CPU handles background tasks and game logic without contention. In Evolve, which involves AI-controlled monsters and dynamic environments, this translates to fewer hitches during intense combat sequences. The CPU's percentile rank of 90 means it outperforms the majority of tested processors, but the measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the system drops to 25 FPS—a clear sign that the GPU is the limiting factor at the highest settings.

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

The Intel Arc B580, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation), is the graphics engine here. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz, with memory clocked at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). Its 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs provide a pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s, which are significant for a mid-range card.

In Evolve, the GPU's memory capacity and bandwidth are immediately relevant. At 4K High settings, the system averages 36 FPS, while at 4K Low it jumps to 59 FPS—a 63.9% improvement. This dramatic scaling indicates that the game's higher settings are consuming more of the GPU's resources, particularly memory bandwidth. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, where the card delivers 94 FPS and 63 FPS respectively on High settings. However, at 4K Ultra, the average drops to 25 FPS, which is below playable thresholds, suggesting the GPU's 13.67 TFLOPS FP32 compute is stretched thin.

The Arc B580's PassMark G3D score of 15748 places it in the 68th percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 23021 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (0.2% difference) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% ahead), while trailing the RTX 3080 by 0.7%. This positions the B580 as a capable performer for its class, but the Evolve data shows it struggles with the game's Ultra preset at higher resolutions.

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is relevant since Evolve can use modern rendering paths. The measured FPS at 1440p Medium (80 FPS) versus 1440p High (63 FPS) shows a 21.3% drop, which is expected as the game's effects and shadows increase. The minimum FPS data at Medium settings (68 at 1440p, 102 at 1080p) indicates the GPU maintains reasonable frame consistency, but the lack of min/max data for High and Ultra settings suggests potential volatility at those levels. The 190W TDP and 450W suggested PSU indicate this is a power-hungry card, but the benchmark results show it delivers smooth performance at 1080p across all settings except Ultra.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p provides the most consistent experience, with 155 FPS at Low, 120 FPS at Medium, and 94 FPS at High. At 1440p, the system still delivers 63 FPS on High, but 4K drops to 36 FPS on High, making 1080p the sweet spot for playable frame rates.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has an average benchmark score of 48995, which is 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, but 0.6% ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and 0.8% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K. This places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the GPU's performance relative to its closest competitors?

A: The Intel Arc B580's average benchmark score of 23021 is nearly tied with the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (0.2% behind) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (0.6% ahead), while trailing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 by 0.7% and the NVIDIA P106-100 by 1%. It sits in the 68th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable at any resolution?

A: No. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 65; at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 44; and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 25. Only the 1080p Ultra result approaches playable territory, but it is still far below the 94 FPS achieved on High settings at the same resolution.

Q: How does the GPU's memory bandwidth affect performance at 4K?

A: The 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is likely a bottleneck at 4K, as the difference between 4K Low (59 FPS) and 4K Medium (46 FPS) is 22%, while the jump from Medium to High (36 FPS) is another 21.7%. This suggests that the game's textures at higher settings demand more memory throughput than the card can provide at 4K.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance, and why does it matter for this game?

A: The CPU scores 468 in Cinebench R15 single-core and 1952 in Cinebench R20 single-core, which is strong for a 2025 processor. Evolve relies on a few main threads for game logic, so the 5.10 GHz boost clock is critical for maintaining high frame rates, especially at 1080p where the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the High preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance for this combo. The system achieves 94 FPS at 1080p High, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the transition from Medium (120 FPS) to High (94 FPS) represents a 21.7% drop—acceptable for the visual upgrade. At 1440p, High delivers 63 FPS, which is playable but close to the edge; Medium at 80 FPS is safer for competitive play.

For users prioritizing frame rate over visuals, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 155 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the jump from Low to Medium (155 to 120 FPS) is only a 22.6% drop, making Medium a better choice for most players as it likely includes better textures and effects without sacrificing much performance. The Ultra preset is not recommended: even at 1080p, it only reaches 65 FPS, which is a 30.9% drop from High, and the visual gains are typically marginal in a fast-paced FPS.

At 4K, the data shows that only Low (59 FPS) approaches playable levels, while Medium (46 FPS) and High (36 FPS) are below the 60 FPS target. For 4K users, the Low preset is the only viable option, but the 59 FPS average is borderline—players may need to accept some stutter. The Medium preset's min FPS of 39 at 4K indicates potential frame drops during intense scenes, reinforcing that 4K is not ideal for this combination unless settings are minimized.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2787 out of 3700 tested combos in Evolve, placing it in the 24.7th percentile of all systems tested. This ranking is notable because it places the combo in the lower-middle tier, despite the individual components performing well in synthetic benchmarks. The CPU's 90th percentile and GPU's 68th percentile suggest that the bottleneck in Evolve is the GPU, especially at higher settings and resolutions.

This ranking implies that while the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates, the GPU limits the system's overall performance in this game. The combo performs better at 1080p, where the CPU can compensate for the GPU's limitations, but at 4K, the system falls behind many other tested configurations. The rank of 2787 out of 3700 indicates that a significant portion of tested combos—about 75%—achieve better results in Evolve, likely due to more powerful GPUs or better optimization in other systems.

The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can compete with higher-ranked systems. At 1440p, it holds its own at Medium settings (80 FPS), but the ranking reflects that many other combos handle 1440p High or Ultra more effectively. For users considering this combo, the measured results show it is a solid mid-range option for 1080p, but not a high-end performer in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest results:

• Low: 155 FPS average
• Medium: 120 FPS average (min 102, max 138)
• High: 94 FPS average
• Ultra: 65 FPS average

The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent degradation: Low to Medium drops 22.6%, Medium to High drops 21.7%, and High to Ultra drops 30.9%. The minimum FPS at Medium (102) indicates the system maintains playable frame rates even in demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 104 FPS average
• Medium: 80 FPS average (min 68, max 93)
• High: 63 FPS average
• Ultra: 44 FPS average

The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant: Low falls 32.9%, Medium falls 33.3%, High falls 33.0%, and Ultra falls 32.3%. This consistent ~33% reduction across settings indicates the GPU is the primary scaling factor, as the CPU's performance remains constant.

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 59 FPS average
• Medium: 46 FPS average (min 39, max 53)
• High: 36 FPS average
• Ultra: 25 FPS average

The 4K results show the GPU is heavily stressed. The drop from 1440p to 4K is larger: Low falls 43.3%, Medium falls 42.5%, High falls 42.9%, and Ultra falls 43.2%. This ~43% reduction from 1440p to 4K, compared to the ~33% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, demonstrates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are increasingly inadequate at higher pixel counts.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drops from 1080p to 4K reveal the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system hits 155 FPS; at 1440p Low, it drops to 104 FPS (a 32.9% decrease); and at 4K Low, it reaches 59 FPS (a 43.3% decrease from 1440p). This non-linear scaling—where the drop from 1440p to 4K is steeper than from 1080p to 1440p—indicates the GPU's bandwidth (456.0 GB/s) and pixel rate (213.6 GPixel/s) become bottlenecks as resolution increases.

For High settings, the pattern is similar: 1080p yields 94 FPS, 1440p yields 63 FPS (-33.0%), and 4K yields 36 FPS (-42.9%). The consistent ~33% drop from 1080p to 1440p across all settings suggests that the GPU's shading units are being utilized proportionally, but the larger ~43% drop from 1440p to 4K points to memory bandwidth saturation. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient in capacity, but the 192-bit bus and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth struggle to feed the GPU at 4K, especially with higher-quality textures.

The data implies that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution. If it were, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, but the measured results show significant drops. The CPU's strong single-core performance (468 in Cinebench R15) and 14 cores ensure it can keep up with the GPU's output at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the GPU's compute capabilities (13.67 TFLOPS FP32) are simply insufficient for Evolve's Ultra preset. This makes the Arc B580 the clear bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the Core Ultra 5 245 provides ample headroom for future GPU upgrades.