Evolve

The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process node. It features a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a 45 W TDP. This cache configuration includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 17984.5 and a single-core score of 1810.5, alongside a Geekbench multi-core score of 11657 and a single-core score of 1794. Its Passmark multithread score is 29376, while the single-thread score is 3697.

For Evolve, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain a stable frame pipeline, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is less burdened. The processor's high boost clock of 5.10 GHz is crucial for single-threaded game logic, and its 22 threads ensure that background tasks do not interfere with frame pacing. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 241 FPS, which is significantly higher than at 4K, indicating that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data at lower resolutions. The CPU's percentile ranking of 85 among all tested CPUs places it in the upper tier, and its average benchmark score of 35670 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, which scores 35719, a difference of only -0.1%.

The CPU's integrated graphics, Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 128EU, is present but irrelevant for this discrete GPU configuration. The memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, paired with dual-channel DDR5 support, is sufficient for the demands of Evolve, though it is not the limiting factor in this setup. The processor's performance in the Passmark physics test, scoring 1956, suggests that its compute capabilities are well-balanced for the game's physics calculations. Given the measured frame rates, particularly the 241 FPS at 1080p Low, the CPU does not appear to bottleneck the RTX 4080 in this title, as the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions and settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node and features the AD103 chip. It has 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, along with 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz, with memory running at 1400 MHz, translating to 22.4 Gbps effective. It is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The card's raw compute power is rated at 48.74 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, and its pixel rate is 280.6 GPixel/s with a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s. The GPU has a TDP of 320 W and requires a 700 W power supply, connected via a single 16-pin connector.

In Evolve, the RTX 4080's substantial VRAM capacity of 16 GB is more than adequate for the game's textures and assets, even at 4K Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops to 39. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s ensures that texture streaming is not a bottleneck, allowing for consistent frame times in the measured rows. The GPU's percentile ranking of 86 among all GPUs is slightly higher than the CPU's, and its average benchmark score of 54247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209, a delta of just 0.1%. This indicates that the RTX 4080 is performing at the expected level for its class.

The GPU's performance in the Passmark G3D test, scoring 34457, reflects its strong rasterization capabilities, which are directly relevant to Evolve's rendering demands. The DirectX 12 benchmark score of 132 suggests that the card handles the API efficiently. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant component in determining frame rates at higher resolutions. For instance, moving from 1080p High (146 FPS) to 1440p High (98 FPS) results in a 33% drop, and to 4K High (56 FPS) a further 43% drop. This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU's performance headroom is not the limiting factor. The RTX 4080's 16 GB VRAM also allows for future-proofing, as the game's memory usage is unlikely to exceed this capacity at any settings preset.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear trend of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 241 FPS, which drops to 161 FPS at 1440p Low, a 33% reduction, and further to 92 FPS at 4K Low, a 43% reduction from 1440p. This scaling pattern is indicative of the GPU being the primary limiter, as the CPU can maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions. The Medium preset shows similar scaling: 186 FPS at 1080p, 125 FPS at 1440p, and 71 FPS at 4K. The High preset follows with 146 FPS at 1080p, 98 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset exhibits the most significant drop, from 101 FPS at 1080p to 68 FPS at 1440p and 39 FPS at 4K.

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 62% (from 146 to 56 FPS), while at Low settings it is also 62% (from 241 to 92 FPS). This consistent percentage drop across presets suggests that the GPU's rendering load scales uniformly with resolution, and the CPU is not introducing a variable bottleneck. The data indicates that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 39 is below the 60 FPS threshold, which is expected for a demanding title like Evolve. In contrast, 1440p Medium provides a playable 125 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS, showing that the combo can comfortably handle high refresh rates at this resolution.

The limiting component analysis is straightforward: the GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p Low. At 1080p Low, the 241 FPS result suggests that the CPU is still capable of higher frame rates, but the GPU's workload at higher settings and resolutions becomes the constraining factor. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 1440p and 4K is typical of a GPU-bound system, where the CPU's performance headroom is not exposed until the GPU is under less load. This is corroborated by the CPU's strong single-thread score of 1810.5 in Cinebench R23, which ensures that game logic is processed quickly enough to keep up with the GPU's output at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 885 out of 2872 tested combinations in Evolve, placing it in the top 31% of all configurations. This rank is influenced by both the CPU and GPU performance, but the GPU's percentile ranking of 86 is slightly higher than the CPU's 85, indicating that the graphics card is the stronger component in this pairing. The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, has an average benchmark score of 35719, which is only 0.1% higher than the Ultra 9 185H's 35670, showing that the CPU is competitive with its peers.

The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has an average score of 54209, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080's 54247, indicating that the two cards are nearly identical in performance. However, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698, which is 2.6% higher, suggesting that some AMD alternatives can outperform the RTX 4080 in certain synthetic benchmarks. In Evolve, the combo's rank of 885 is respectable, but it is not at the top tier, which is reserved for combinations with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4090. The data shows that the combo's performance is solid for 1440p gaming, with the 1440p Medium preset delivering 125 FPS, and 1080p High delivering 146 FPS, both of which are above the 60 FPS threshold.

The rank is also influenced by the game's age, as Evolve was released in 2015, and modern hardware is overkill for its requirements. The measured FPS at 1080p Low of 241 FPS is exceptionally high, but the rank of 885 suggests that many other combos achieve even higher frame rates, likely due to more powerful GPUs or CPUs with better single-thread performance. The combo's performance at 4K Ultra, with 39 FPS, is below the playable threshold, but this is an extreme setting for a game of this era. Overall, the combo ranks in the upper third of tested systems, which is expected given the hardware's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this combo at 1080p High settings?

A: The combo achieves an average of 146 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings, with no minimum or maximum FPS recorded for that preset.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H has an average benchmark score of 35670, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350's score of 35719, indicating they are nearly identical in performance.

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 241 at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which is the maximum measured frame rate across all resolution and settings combinations.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck the CPU at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 39, which is significantly lower than the 101 FPS at 1080p Ultra, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Evolve?

A: The combo ranks 885 out of 2872 tested combinations, placing it in the top 31% of all systems tested for this game.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the 1440p Medium preset?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 106, with an average of 125 FPS and a maximum of 144 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and frame rate. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the only viable option, delivering an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 60 FPS, which meets the standard for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K drops to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra is unplayable at 39 FPS. Therefore, for 4K, Medium offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, ensuring a consistent frame rate above 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the High preset provides an excellent experience with 98 FPS, while Medium offers 125 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS, making it the best choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 68 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. For 1080p, the High preset achieves 146 FPS, which is smooth, but the Medium preset at 186 FPS is better suited for 144Hz displays. The Low preset at 241 FPS is the maximum measured, but it sacrifices visual fidelity, so Medium is recommended for the best experience. In summary, the Medium preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions, providing frame rates above 60 FPS at 4K and above 120 FPS at 1440p and 1080p, ensuring a responsive and visually pleasing experience.