Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 asymmetrical FPS, places significant demands on the AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. The measured frame rates across the tested configurations show that this combo is capable of providing a playable experience, but only within a specific range of settings. The data indicates that the integrated GPU is the decisive bottleneck, and users must calibrate their expectations accordingly to achieve a smooth session.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Evolve provides a clear directive: the Low preset is the only reliable choice for a consistently smooth experience across all resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 79 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combination. This provides a substantial performance cushion, ensuring the game remains fluid even during intense combat sequences where the engine is under maximum stress.

While the Medium preset at 1920x1080 yields an average of 61 FPS, with minimums of 52 FPS, it is a more demanding option. This is still within the territory of playability for many, but the 18 FPS drop from Low to Medium indicates that the GPU headroom is limited. For those prioritizing a stable frame rate above all else, Low is the safer choice. The High preset at 1080p drops to 48 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth and begins to show the strain on the GPU. The Ultra preset at 1080p is effectively unplayable, with an average of only 33 FPS.

If you wish to prioritize visual quality, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the highest fidelity option that maintains a reasonable average of 41 FPS. However, the minimum FPS of 35 suggests that there will be noticeable stutters in demanding scenes. At 3840x2160, no preset provides a consistently playable experience, with even the Low preset averaging only 30 FPS. The data strongly suggests that 1080p with Low settings is the optimal configuration for this hardware, balancing frame rate and playability. For a smoother visual experience, High at 1080p is a compromise, but it sacrifices 31 FPS compared to Low.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 890M is the primary factor limiting performance in Evolve. This integrated GPU, based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, has a boost clock of 2900 MHz and a base clock of 400 MHz. It features 1024 shading units and 64 TMUs, with 32 ROPs. Its memory is system-shared, meaning its bandwidth is system-dependent, which can be a significant handicap in a fast-paced game like Evolve. The GPU's overall percentile ranking is 45, placing it in the lower half of all GPUs, which aligns with its performance class.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a mixed profile. Its Passmark G3D score is 8076, which is respectable for an integrated solution, but its DirectX 11 score of 73 and DirectX 12 score of 37 are quite low. This indicates that while the GPU can handle compute tasks, its raw rasterization performance in modern APIs is limited. The GPU's average benchmark score of 9210 puts it in direct competition with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, which it trails by 0.7%, according to the nearest rivals data. This comparison is telling: the 890M is in the same performance ballpark as a dedicated desktop GPU from a previous generation, which explains why it struggles with Evolve's higher presets.

The data shows a direct correlation between GPU load and frame rate. As resolution increases, the frame rate drops, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 590 is low, confirming its limitations in modern rendering workloads. For Evolve, the GPU's capabilities are sufficient for low-to-medium settings at 1080p, but they are inadequate for high or ultra presets at higher resolutions. The system-shared memory architecture is a particular concern, as it means the GPU is competing with the CPU for memory bandwidth, which can lead to hitches and reduced performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H provides a strong foundation for gaming, though its role in Evolve is secondary to the GPU. This processor, based on the Meteor Lake architecture, features 16 cores and 22 threads. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The CPU's benchmarks are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028 and a single-core score of 1743. Its Passmark multi-thread score is 24873, and its single-thread score is 3468. These figures indicate that the CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU with data in Evolve.

The CPU's percentile ranking is 83, placing it in the top 20% of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 32697 is nearly identical to that of the Intel Core i5-14600T, which it matches with a 0% deltaPct. This suggests that the Ultra 7 155H offers comparable processing power to that desktop chip. The CPU's high performance is evident in its Passmark physics score of 1727 and its floating-point math score of 63703. For a game like Evolve, which relies on CPU for game logic, AI, and physics, this processor ensures that the frame rate is not limited by the CPU.

Given the GPU's performance constraints, the CPU is effectively underutilized in this pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is likely waiting on the GPU to finish rendering each frame. The high single-thread performance is beneficial for maintaining consistent frame pacing, but it cannot overcome the GPU's limitations. The CPU's memory support is DDR5, which is dependent on the motherboard, but the system-shared GPU memory means that the CPU's memory bandwidth is also a factor in GPU performance. In this case, the CPU is a strong, capable component that is held back by the integrated GPU's inability to render Evolve at higher settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and AMD Radeon 890M ranks at 2711 out of 2872 tested combos for Evolve. This places it in the bottom 6% of all tested systems, which is a poor showing. This low rank is primarily due to the integrated GPU's performance, as the CPU is a high-performing part. The combo's rank is a direct reflection of the measured FPS data, which shows that it can only handle the game at low settings.

This ranking means that the vast majority of other tested hardware combinations will outperform this setup in Evolve. The data shows that the combo is not well-suited for this game, especially at higher resolutions or settings. The 890M's performance class, as indicated by its rivals, is at the level of a dedicated GTX 960, which is a low-end dedicated card by modern standards. This puts the combo at a significant disadvantage when compared to systems with more powerful discrete GPUs. The rank of 2711 is a clear indicator that this is not a recommended configuration for playing Evolve at a high quality level.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a significant drop as resolution increases, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 79 at 1920x1080 to 53 at 2560x1440, a 33% decrease. Moving to 3840x2160, the FPS drops to 30, which is a further 43% decrease from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload increases with the number of pixels.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar. The FPS drops from 61 at 1080p to 41 at 1440p, a 33% decrease, and then to 23 at 4K, a 44% decrease from the 1440p result. At High settings, the drop is more pronounced: 48 FPS at 1080p, 32 FPS at 1440p (a 33% decrease), and 18 FPS at 4K (a 44% decrease from 1440p). The consistent pattern of approximately a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 44% drop to 4K indicates that the GPU is being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count.

The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling, with 33 FPS at 1080p, 22 FPS at 1440p, and 13 FPS at 4K. The frame rate at 4K is so low that the game is effectively unplayable. This data clearly shows that as the resolution increases, the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities become the bottleneck. The CPU, with its high core count and clock speeds, is not the limiting factor at any resolution. The 4K results are particularly poor, with even the Low preset only reaching 30 FPS, which is barely playable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all tested settings.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 79 FPS average.
• Medium: 61 FPS average, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS.
• High: 48 FPS average.
• Ultra: 33 FPS average.

The 1080p results show that the combo can achieve a playable frame rate on Low and Medium presets. The gap between Low and Medium is 18 FPS, while the gap between Medium and High is 13 FPS. The jump to Ultra is another 15 FPS drop, making it a significant performance hit.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: 53 FPS average.
• Medium: 41 FPS average, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS.
• High: 32 FPS average.
• Ultra: 22 FPS average.

At 1440p, only the Low preset manages to stay above 60 FPS, and it does so narrowly. The Medium preset is playable but with noticeable dips. High and Ultra are not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: 30 FPS average.
• Medium: 23 FPS average, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS.
• High: 18 FPS average.
• Ultra: 13 FPS average.

The 4K results are uniformly poor. No preset achieves a playable frame rate, with even the Low preset falling below the 30 FPS threshold. This resolution is not viable for this hardware in Evolve.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting to play Evolve with this hardware?

A: The data shows that the Low preset at 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rate of 79 FPS. This is the only configuration that offers a consistently smooth experience, as the Medium preset drops to 61 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle Evolve at 4K resolution?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 30 on the Low preset, which is below the threshold for smooth playability. The Ultra preset averages only 13 FPS, making the game unplayable.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 890M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The 890M has an average benchmark score of 9210. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Vega 8, scores 9221, a delta of -0.1%. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 scores 9273, a delta of -0.7%, meaning the 890M is slightly slower than both.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. As resolution increases, the FPS drops significantly, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028, suggest it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the frame rate on Medium settings at 1080p?

A: The average FPS on Medium at 1920x1080 is 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 70 FPS. This is a playable frame rate, though it is not as stable as the Low preset.

Q: How high does the GPU's boost clock go?

A: The AMD Radeon 890M has a boost clock of 2900 MHz and a base clock of 400 MHz. This clock speed is part of why it performs at the level of a dedicated GTX 960, based on the rival data.