Evolve

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Evolve shows a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern as resolution increases, though the curve is steeper than typical for a game of this era. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 110 FPS average. Stepping up to 1440p drops that to 74 FPS, a 33% reduction. Moving to 4K further reduces the average to 42 FPS, which is 62% below the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load at higher resolutions is overwhelming the graphics subsystem rather than the CPU.

The scaling behavior becomes more revealing when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system pushes 181 FPS average. At 1440p Low, it maintains 121 FPS, a 33% drop. At 4K Low, the average falls to 69 FPS, which is 62% below the 1080p Low result. The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings presets is notable — both High and Low presets lose nearly identical proportions of performance when moving from 1080p to 4K. This uniformity suggests that the limiting factor scales predictably with pixel count, which points directly at the GPU's fillrate and memory bandwidth as the primary constraints.

Medium settings show the same trend with slightly different absolute numbers: 140 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p, and 54 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result includes a minimum FPS of 45 and maximum of 62, indicating some frame-time variance at that resolution. The Ultra preset, by contrast, produces the lowest overall figures: 76 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and just 29 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p Ultra and 4K Ultra is 22 FPS, a 43% reduction, which is less severe in percentage terms than the drops seen in other presets.

This resolution scaling profile indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti is the dominant bottleneck at 4K across all settings. The GTX 1080 Ti's 11 GB of GDDR5X memory and 484.4 GB/s bandwidth are substantial, but the pixel rate of 139.2 GPixel/s appears insufficient for Evolve's rendering demands at 3840x2160. The data suggests that players targeting 4K would need to accept significant compromises, while 1080p and 1440p provide far more headroom.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti, built on the Pascal architecture with the GP102 chip, is the primary driver of Evolve's performance across all measured configurations. Its 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 88 ROPs represent the core compute resources that determine how quickly frames can be rendered. The GPU's boost clock of 1582 MHz, with a base clock of 1481 MHz, provides the operating frequency for these units. The memory subsystem consists of 11 GB of GDDR5X on a 352-bit bus, delivering 484.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

In the context of Evolve, the GPU's role is particularly evident in the Ultra preset results. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS falls to 29, which is below playable thresholds for most users. This result aligns with the GPU's percentile ranking of 58 among all GPUs in the benchmark database, indicating it sits slightly above the median performer. The GTX 1080 Ti's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon R9 M380 (0.2% lower average score), AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (0.8% higher), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (1.7% higher), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (1.7% higher). These close margins suggest the GTX 1080 Ti occupies a specific performance tier that is well-defined relative to its immediate competitors.

The GPU's 16 nm process node and 11,800 million transistors on a 471 mm² die indicate it was a high-end part at release. Its launch MSRP was 699 USD. The 3dfx-era performance metrics from the database show a Passmark G3D score of 18600 and a Passmark GPU compute score of 9632. The DirectX 12 benchmark score of 66 and DirectX 11 score of 151 provide additional context for Evolve, which was released in 2015 and would have primarily used DirectX 11 rendering paths.

The VRAM capacity of 11 GB is unlikely to be a limiting factor in Evolve, given the game's 2015 release date and typical texture memory requirements of that era. The measured FPS data shows no anomalous behavior that would suggest memory capacity constraints — the scaling pattern is consistent with compute or bandwidth limitations rather than capacity exhaustion. The memory clock of 1376 MHz (11 Gbps effective) provides the bandwidth necessary to feed the GPU's processing units at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results indicate the bandwidth may be insufficient for the higher pixel throughput demands.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database's ranking of tested CPU-GPU combinations for Evolve, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti achieves a rank of 2088 out of 3700 tested combos. This places the configuration in the 56th percentile of all tested pairings, meaning approximately 44% of all tested combinations perform better in this specific game. The rank reflects the total measured performance across all resolution and settings combinations, weighted by the database's methodology.

The ranking position is primarily constrained by the GPU rather than the CPU, as the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in the 96th percentile among all CPUs in the database's broader benchmark suite. The CPU's average benchmark score of 84003 places it just above its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807 with a delta of 0.2%. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83090 (1.1% lower), the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82980 (1.2% lower), and the AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85072 (1.3% higher). These narrow margins indicate the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is competitively positioned in the CPU hierarchy.

The combination's rank of 2088 out of 3700 suggests that while the CPU is a top-tier part, the GTX 1080 Ti's mid-pack GPU performance (58th percentile) drags the overall game-specific ranking down. This is consistent with Evolve being a GPU-bound title at most settings, as evidenced by the resolution scaling analysis. The combination's rank is not a reflection of any compatibility issue — the data shows the system runs the game without stability problems — but rather a straightforward consequence of pairing a high-end modern CPU with an older, end-of-life GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive view of performance. At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 181 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 140 FPS average with a minimum of 119 FPS and maximum of 161 FPS. The High preset achieves 110 FPS average, while the Ultra preset drops to 76 FPS average. All 1080p results are comfortably above 60 FPS, indicating smooth gameplay even at the highest settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance landscape shifts downward. The Low preset maintains 121 FPS average, still well above 60 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 94 FPS average with a minimum of 80 FPS and maximum of 108 FPS. The High preset produces 74 FPS average, which remains playable but begins to approach the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls to 51 FPS average, dipping below the 60 FPS mark that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops become more pronounced. The Low preset averages 69 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS but with less headroom. The Medium preset averages 54 FPS with a minimum of 45 FPS and maximum of 62 FPS, indicating frame times that will produce visible stuttering during intense scenes. The High preset averages 42 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 29 FPS. The 4K results clearly show that this combination is not suited for high-fidelity 4K gaming in Evolve.

The data reveals a consistent pattern across all settings: each step up in resolution costs roughly one-third of the performance at each preset level. The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions, showing that the frame time variance increases with resolution — the spread between minimum and maximum FPS grows from 42 FPS at 1080p to 28 FPS at 1440p and 17 FPS at 4K, though the relative variance as a percentage of average FPS remains similar.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 110 FPS average provides an excellent balance between visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 76 FPS average remains viable for players who prioritize image quality, as it still exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 181 FPS is unnecessary at this resolution, as the GPU has ample headroom to run higher settings.

For 1440p, the High preset at 74 FPS average is the recommended choice for players who want a smooth experience with good visuals. The Medium preset at 94 FPS average offers additional headroom for players using high-refresh-rate monitors, while the Ultra preset at 51 FPS average falls short of the 60 FPS target and may introduce noticeable frame pacing issues. The Low preset at 121 FPS average is available for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized over visual fidelity.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset at 69 FPS average is the only configuration that maintains an average above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 54 FPS average is borderline playable but will exhibit frame drops below 45 FPS in demanding scenes. The High preset at 42 FPS and Ultra preset at 29 FPS are not recommended for serious gameplay, as the frame rates are too low for smooth interaction. Players targeting 4K should accept the Low preset or consider reducing resolution to 1440p for higher quality settings.

The Medium preset deserves particular attention, as it is the only settings level with complete minimum and maximum FPS data across all resolutions. At 1080p, the 119-161 FPS range indicates consistent performance. At 1440p, the 80-108 FPS range shows some variance but remains playable. At 4K, the 45-62 FPS range reveals that the minimum FPS can dip below 50, which will be noticeable during action sequences. This data suggests that Medium is the most predictable settings level, making it a safe choice for players who prioritize consistent frame times over peak performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture with a 3 nm process node. Its base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.80 GHz provide substantial single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7303 and Passmark single-thread score of 4823. The processor's 36 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache support its multi-threaded workloads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and Passmark multithread score of 60860.

In the context of Evolve, the CPU's role is largely secondary to the GPU. The resolution scaling data shows that performance drops consistently with increased pixel count, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking among all processors, combined with its top-tier benchmark scores, indicates it has ample headroom to feed the GTX 1080 Ti in this game. The processor's 125 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provide a solid foundation for gaming workloads.

The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is tightly clustered. The Core Ultra 9 285K is just 0.2% behind in average benchmark score, while the AMD EPYC 4584PX and EPYC 9135 trail by 1.1% and 1.2% respectively. The AMD EPYC 7F72 leads by 1.3%. This tight grouping indicates that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is well-positioned in the high-end desktop CPU market, though the differences among these parts are minimal in real-world gaming scenarios.

Given Evolve's 2015 release date relative to the CPU's modern architecture, the processor is unlikely to be a bottleneck in any measured configuration. The FPS differences between settings presets at any given resolution are driven by GPU workload, not CPU limitations. Even at 1080p Low with 181 FPS average, the CPU maintains frame delivery without apparent constraint, suggesting that even higher frame rates would be possible if the GPU could render faster. The combination's overall rank of 2088 out of 3700 reflects the GPU's mid-tier standing rather than any CPU deficiency.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p is the strongest resolution, with all four settings presets producing average FPS above 76. At 1440p, the High preset maintains 74 FPS average, but Ultra drops to 51 FPS. At 4K, only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS average at 69 FPS.

Q: How does the GTX 1080 Ti perform relative to its closest rivals?

A: The GTX 1080 Ti's average benchmark score of 15548 is 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M380, 0.8% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500, and 1.7% lower than both the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580.

Q: Does the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus bottleneck the GTX 1080 Ti in Evolve?

A: No, the resolution scaling data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking and high benchmark scores suggest it has sufficient headroom. The consistent FPS drops with increasing resolution are characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What settings preset provides the most consistent frame times?

A: The Medium preset is the only one with complete minimum and maximum FPS data. At 1080p, it ranges from 119 to 161 FPS; at 1440p, from 80 to 108 FPS; at 4K, from 45 to 62 FPS. This data indicates predictable performance across all resolutions.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: Only at Low settings, which achieves 69 FPS average. The Medium preset at 54 FPS average falls below 60 FPS, and High (42 FPS) and Ultra (29 FPS) are not playable at acceptable frame rates.

Q: How does this combination rank among all tested in Evolve?

A: It ranks 2088 out of 3700 tested combinations, placing it in the 56th percentile. This rank is primarily determined by the GTX 1080 Ti's 58th percentile GPU ranking rather than the CPU's 96th percentile standing.