Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX paired with the AMD Radeon 760M is a mobile combination that produces a very specific performance profile in Evolve. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by its integrated graphics, with the processor’s substantial compute capabilities largely left untapped. For a 2015 FPS title, the measured frame rates indicate that playable performance is achievable only at the lowest settings and resolution, making this combo a study in bottleneck dynamics.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX is a 20-core, 20-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture using a 3 nm process from TSMC. Its base clock is 2.60 GHz, which can boost up to 5.30 GHz. This is a high-end mobile part, evidenced by its 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs and an average benchmark score of 63173. In synthetic tests, it delivers strong results, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 40642 and a single-core score of 5737. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4500, and it scores 47985 in the Passmark multithread test.

In the context of Evolve, the CPU’s role is largely to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic. Given the game’s release date, it is not particularly demanding on modern high-core-count processors. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor here. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 55 FPS, but this is a fraction of what the CPU could theoretically support. The processor’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-13790F, which is 0.1% faster, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G, which is 0.2% slower. These deltas are negligible, indicating that the 265HX is in a performance tier with these chips.

The 30 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support provide a solid foundation for gaming, but the real constraint is the GPU. The 265HX has a high boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which is beneficial for single-threaded tasks that Evolve relies on for game logic. However, benchmark results show that even with this clock speed, the frame rates in Evolve are dictated by the graphics solution. The CPU’s 20 threads and 20 cores are more than sufficient for this title, meaning that any frame rate drops are attributable to the GPU or memory bandwidth limitations, not the processor’s compute throughput. The processor’s Passmark physics score of 2978 further indicates its capability to handle the game’s physics calculations without breaking a sweat.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon 760M is an integrated GPU based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, using the Phoenix chip on a 4 nm process. Its boost clock is 2599 MHz, and it has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The memory is system-shared, meaning bandwidth is system-dependent, which is a critical factor for gaming performance. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 6019, placing it in the 35th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6400, which is 0.3% faster, and the NVIDIA Quadro P2000, which is 0.5% faster. These are discrete GPUs, which highlights that the 760M is competing with entry-level graphics cards in raw compute.

In Evolve, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The measured frame rates show a steep decline as resolution and settings increase. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 9 FPS, which is unplayable. The GPU’s FP32 performance of 5.323 TFLOPS is modest, and its system-shared memory architecture means it must compete with the CPU for bandwidth. This is evident in the frame time data; at 1080p Medium, the FPS range is 36 to 49, with an average of 42, showing significant variance that suggests memory bandwidth limitations.

The GPU’s DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is a feature set that Evolve, being a 2015 title, likely does not fully utilize. The game was released in an era where DirectX 11 was standard, so the 760M’s architectural advantages are not fully leveraged. The Passmark DirectX 11 score of 52 is low, which aligns with the modest frame rates observed. The GPU’s pixel rate of 41.58 GPixel/s and texture rate of 83.17 GTexel/s are theoretical maximums that are rarely reached in real-world gaming due to memory constraints. The data shows that the 760M is a capable integrated solution for light gaming, but Evolve at higher settings pushes it beyond its limits.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Evolve, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX and AMD Radeon 760M ranks 2861 out of 2872 total combinations. This places it in the bottom 0.4% of all tested configurations, indicating that it is one of the weakest pairings for this game. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU’s limitations, as the CPU is a top-tier part. The data confirms that the combo is severely GPU-bound, which is typical for a system using integrated graphics.

The rank of 2861 means that nearly every other tested combo, including those with older discrete GPUs, outperforms this setup in Evolve. The gap between this combo and higher-ranked ones is substantial, as the 760M’s integrated nature cannot match the dedicated memory and bandwidth of discrete solutions. The percentile ranking of the GPU at 35% and the CPU at 93% shows a massive imbalance, with the CPU’s potential being wasted due to the GPU’s constraints. This results in a combo rank that is far lower than what the CPU alone would suggest. The data indicates that users with this combo are limited to low-resolution, low-settings gaming for acceptable performance in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for Evolve show a clear pattern: performance degrades sharply with increased resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves an average of 55 FPS on Low settings. This is the only preset that approaches a playable frame rate. At Medium settings, the average drops to 42 FPS, with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 49. High settings yield an average of 33 FPS, and Ultra drops to 23 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can provide a somewhat smooth experience, and only at the cost of visual fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance falls further. Low settings produce an average of 37 FPS, which is still marginally playable but with noticeable stutter. Medium averages 28 FPS, with a range of 24 to 33. High drops to 22 FPS, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 15 FPS. At 3840x2160, the results are poor across the board. Low averages 21 FPS, Medium averages 16 FPS with a range of 14 to 19, High averages 13 FPS, and Ultra averages just 9 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in Evolve, as even the lowest settings fail to reach 30 FPS.

The frame time data, where available, shows consistency issues. At 1080p Medium, the variance between 36 and 49 FPS indicates frame pacing problems, likely due to memory bandwidth contention. Similar patterns appear at 1440p and 4K Medium settings. The lack of min/max data for other presets suggests that the benchmark tool did not record these values, but the averages alone are sufficient to draw conclusions about the combo’s capabilities.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo achieves an average above 50 FPS, and that is only at Low settings. At 2560x1440, the highest average is 37 FPS at Low, and at 3840x2160, the highest is 21 FPS at Low.

Q: Can this combo run Evolve at 4K?

A: No. The measured averages at 3840x2160 range from 9 FPS on Ultra to 21 FPS on Low, all of which are far below the 30 FPS threshold generally considered playable.

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

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265HX has an average benchmark score of 63173, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13790F and 0.7% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX. It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 450G.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor in this combo?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 93rd percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 35th percentile. The frame rates drop significantly with resolution and settings, which is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the highest FPS this combo can achieve in Evolve?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 55 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The maximum FPS recorded for any preset is 49, which occurs at 1080p Medium.

Q: How does this combo rank against all tested combos in Evolve?

A: It ranks 2861 out of 2872 total combos, placing it in the bottom percentile of tested systems for this game.

Settings Recommendations

For this combo, the only preset that provides a consistently playable experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields an average of 55 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for gameplay, as it is the only one that approaches the 60 FPS target. If a higher visual quality is desired, 1080p Medium averages 42 FPS, which is still within a playable range, but the frame time variance between 36 and 49 FPS may cause noticeable stutter.

At 2560x1440, Low settings are the only option that achieves an average above 30 FPS, at 37 FPS. This is a compromise between resolution and smoothness, but the lower frame rate may be acceptable for less demanding players. For 4K, no settings are recommended, as the highest average is 21 FPS at Low, which is unplayable. The data suggests that users should stick to 1080p and prioritize the Low preset for the best experience. Medium settings at 1080p offer a 27% FPS reduction compared to Low, which is a significant trade-off for marginal visual gains. The Ultra preset at 1080p, averaging 23 FPS, is not viable for active play.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and reveals the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 55 FPS. Dropping to 1440p Low reduces this to 37 FPS, a 33% decrease. At 4K Low, the average falls to 21 FPS, a 62% decrease from 1080p Low. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound system, where the increased pixel count directly impacts the fill rate and memory bandwidth demands.

The data shows that the scaling is not linear. From 1080p to 1440p, the pixel count increases by 78%, but the FPS drops by only 33%, suggesting that the GPU is not fully saturated at 1080p. From 1440p to 4K, the pixel count increases by 125%, and the FPS drops by 43%, indicating that the GPU is hitting its memory bandwidth limits. The system-shared memory is the likely culprit, as the integrated GPU must share the same memory pool as the CPU, leading to contention.

The ultra preset scaling is even more telling. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 23 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 15 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 9 FPS. This shows a 61% reduction from 1080p to 4K, which is less severe than the Low preset’s 62% reduction, but still indicates a hard limit on the GPU’s ability to handle higher resolutions. The CPU’s performance is not the bottleneck, as its 5.30 GHz boost clock and 20 cores are more than capable of handling the game’s logic at any resolution. The data confirms that the AMD Radeon 760M is the sole limiting factor, and its performance scales poorly with resolution due to its integrated architecture.