Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 asymmetric FPS, pairs the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti in this benchmark analysis. The measured frames per second (FPS) data across three resolutions and four settings presets reveals a system that is heavily dependent on graphics card load, with the CPU showing ample headroom even at lower resolutions. The GTX 1080 Ti, a Pascal-era card, remains the primary determinant of performance, and the results indicate that this combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K Ultra proving to be a challenge.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 produces a clear and predictable decline in average FPS across all settings, but the rate of decline holds the key to understanding the system's bottleneck. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 110 at 1080p to 74 at 1440p, a 32.7% decrease, and then to 42 at 4K, a 43.2% decrease from the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the graphics card's rendering capacity is being saturated as pixel count increases. The CPU is not the limiting factor here; the GTX 1080 Ti's processing of the increased resolution is what dictates the final frame rate.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more dramatic. The average FPS starts at a very high 181 at 1080p, drops to 121 at 1440p (a 33.1% decrease), and then falls to 69 at 4K (a 43.0% decrease). The fact that the performance drop from 1440p to 4K is similar in percentage to the drop from 1080p to 1440p, even at Low settings, reinforces that the GPU is the primary constraint. At 1080p Low, the system is likely approaching a CPU ceiling, but the 181 FPS average indicates that the Core Ultra 5 245 is more than capable of feeding the GPU in this older title.

The Medium preset data, which includes min and max FPS, provides additional insight. At 1080p, the average is 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. This shows a relatively stable frame delivery, with the minimum still well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the average drops to 94 FPS, with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 108 FPS. The gap between min and max FPS shrinks proportionally, indicating that the GPU is working harder and frame times are becoming more consistent as it becomes the sole bottleneck. Finally, at 4K Medium, the average is 54 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, showing that the GPU is now struggling to maintain a consistent 60 FPS, as the min FPS falls below that mark.

The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling, as expected. The average FPS drops from 76 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p (a 32.9% decrease) and then to 29 at 4K (a 43.1% decrease). The 4K Ultra result is practically unplayable, and the 1440p Ultra result is marginal. The data strongly suggests that the GTX 1080 Ti's 11 GB of VRAM and raw compute power are not sufficient for maxed-out settings at higher resolutions in Evolve. The scaling pattern across all presets, with the 1080p-to-1440p drop being roughly 33% and the 1440p-to-4K drop being roughly 43%, is consistent with a GPU that is being pushed beyond its comfortable operating range.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal experience for a 60 FPS target is at 1920x1080 with the High preset, which delivers an average of 110 FPS. This provides a substantial performance buffer, ensuring smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 76 FPS, is also playable and offers the maximum visual fidelity, but the 34 FPS drop from High to Ultra suggests a significant cost in performance for the extra visual effects. For players who prioritize frame rate above all else, the Low preset at 1080p, with an average of 181 FPS, is an option, but the visual compromise is considerable.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot. The average of 74 FPS is above the 60 FPS target, and the experience is likely to be smooth. The Medium preset, with an average of 94 FPS, is also a strong choice, offering a blend of visual quality and performance that is arguably more balanced than High, given the 20 FPS difference. The Ultra preset at 1440p, with an average of 51 FPS, falls short of the 60 FPS target and would likely result in noticeable stutters. For a 1440p experience, sticking to High or Medium is recommended based on the data.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset, with an average of 69 FPS, is the only preset that consistently hits the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset, with an average of 54 FPS, is technically playable but the minimum FPS of 45 suggests that there will be moments of significant slowdown. The High preset, with an average of 42 FPS, is not recommended for a smooth experience, and the Ultra preset, with an average of 29 FPS, is not viable for gameplay. For 4K, the data indicates that players must either accept Low settings or lower their expectations for frame rate consistency.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 181, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 51, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between the Low and High presets at 3840x2160?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 on Low settings is 69, while on High settings it is 42. This represents a 27 FPS difference, favoring the Low preset.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most stable frame times at 1920x1080, based on available data?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 shows a minimum FPS of 119 and a maximum of 161, resulting in a spread of 42 FPS. This indicates a relatively stable performance range.

Q: How does the combo rank in this specific game compared to other tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 1605 out of 2872 tested combinations for Evolve, placing it in the middle of the database's results.

Q: Is the minimum FPS above 60 for any 4K resolution preset?

A: No. The only available minimum FPS data for 4K is for the Medium preset, which shows a minimum of 45 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The data indicates that this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti ranks 1605 out of 2872 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the 56th percentile of all tested systems, suggesting it is a mid-range performer for this title. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the modern CPU, but it is a direct consequence of the GTX 1080 Ti's age and its performance ceiling in this game. The CPU is likely not the limiting factor, as its synthetic benchmarks are strong, but the GPU's ability to render the game at higher resolutions and settings is what drags the overall combo ranking down.

The ranking further clarifies that while the Core Ultra 5 245 is a top-tier processor, its pairing with a Pascal-era GPU creates a significant imbalance. The system is effectively GPU-bound in nearly all scenarios, meaning the CPU's potential is largely untapped. In a game like Evolve, which is not known for being particularly CPU-intensive, the GTX 1080 Ti's performance is the sole determinant of the experience. This mid-pack ranking reflects that the GPU is holding the system back from achieving higher frame rates, especially when compared to combos that feature more modern graphics cards with higher performance ceilings.

This ranking also suggests that users with this CPU who are seeking better performance in Evolve would benefit most from a GPU upgrade, rather than a CPU upgrade. The data shows that the CPU is likely not the bottleneck, and a more powerful graphics card would directly translate to higher FPS and a better ranking. The 1605th place position out of 2872 is a clear indicator that the GTX 1080 Ti is the weak link in this pairing for this specific game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, with its 11 GB of GDDR5X memory and a 352-bit memory bus, provides a 484.4 GB/s memory bandwidth. This is a significant asset for higher resolutions, as the data shows the card can still produce playable frame rates at 4K on lower settings. The 11 GB VRAM capacity is also substantial and is likely not a limiting factor in Evolve, even at 4K Ultra. However, the card's compute power, measured at 11.34 TFLOPS FP32, appears to be the primary constraint when settings are increased.

The core clocks of 1481 MHz base and 1582 MHz boost are the defining characteristics of this card's performance. The scaling data shows that as resolution increases, the GPU must work harder, and the frame rate drops accordingly. At 1080p, the card can render frames quickly, but at 4K, its limits are exposed. The fact that the average FPS at 4K Ultra is 29, which is below the 30 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for playability, highlights that the card's raw processing power is insufficient for maximum settings at that resolution.

The GPU's benchmark scores further contextualize its performance. Its Passmark G3D score of 18600 and its 58th percentile ranking among all GPUs show that it is a capable, but aging, piece of hardware. The nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with a deltaPct of 1.7, are contemporary cards that offer similar performance. This suggests that the GTX 1080 Ti is still competitive with mid-range cards from a later generation, but it lacks the headroom of higher-end modern GPUs. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in this combo's performance, and its characteristics directly explain the measured FPS results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system shows strong performance across all presets. The Low preset delivers an average of 181 FPS, while the Medium preset provides an average of 140 FPS, with a minimum of 119 and a maximum of 161. The High preset yields an average of 110 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces an average of 76 FPS. The data shows a clear step-down in performance as settings are increased, but even the Ultra preset remains comfortably playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop significantly. The Low preset averages 121 FPS, the Medium preset averages 94 FPS (with a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 108), and the High preset averages 74 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to an average of 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The performance gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 70 FPS, highlighting the cost of enabling maximum visual effects.

At 3840x2160, the system is pushed to its limits. The Low preset is the only one to maintain an average above 60 FPS, at 69 FPS. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS, indicating periods of frame rate drops. The High preset averages 42 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 29 FPS. The data shows that 4K gaming is only viable with significant reductions in graphical fidelity. The measured FPS values across all resolutions and settings provide a complete picture of the combo's capabilities, showing a system that is best utilized at 1080p and 1440p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a modern 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its synthetic benchmark scores are impressive, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4394, and its multithread score is 38706. These scores indicate a very capable CPU that should not be a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios.

However, the measured FPS data in Evolve suggests that the CPU's role is secondary. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with a GPU bottleneck, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in pixel count. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see a smaller performance drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p, as the GPU would still be able to produce high frame rates. Instead, the consistent ~33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~43% drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings points directly to the GPU being the primary constraint.

The CPU's high single-thread performance, which is often critical for gaming, is not fully utilized here because the GTX 1080 Ti cannot render frames fast enough to require more CPU processing. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 181 FPS, which is a high frame rate, but it is still not a CPU bottleneck. The CPU is essentially waiting on the GPU to finish its work. The data implies that the Core Ultra 5 245 has significant headroom in this pairing, and a more powerful GPU would likely unlock higher frame rates, particularly at 1080p and 1440p. The CPU's 65W TDP and 24 MB of L3 cache are more than sufficient for this game, and its performance is not a limiting factor in the observed results.