Evolve

Evolve, the 2015 FPS, places distinct demands on the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti combination. The measured FPS data across resolutions and settings reveals a system that is clearly balanced, with the performance ceiling shifting between CPU and GPU depending on the workload. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, focusing on how each component contributes to the final frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 226 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 152 FPS, a reduction of 74 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset yields 86 FPS, which is 140 FPS below the 1080p result. This steep decline as pixel count rises is the signature of a graphics card that is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For the High preset, the average FPS goes from 138 at 1080p, to 92 at 1440p, and finally to 53 at 4K. The Medium preset follows suit: 175 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p, and 67 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, shows the same trend with 95 FPS at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. In every case, the largest absolute drop occurs between 1080p and 1440p, suggesting that the RTX 3070 Ti's capabilities are heavily taxed as the render target expands.

The transition from 1440p to 4K also shows significant reductions, but the percentage drop is slightly less steep. For instance, with Low settings, the drop from 152 to 86 FPS represents a 43% reduction, while the drop from 226 to 152 FPS from 1080p to 1440p is a 33% reduction. This indicates that while the GPU is the main bottleneck, the CPU still provides enough headroom to push high frame rates at lower resolutions. At 4K, the GPU is working near its limit, and the frame rate becomes more dependent on its raw processing power and memory bandwidth.

The data suggests that for this game, the RTX 3070 Ti is the component that determines the maximum frame rate at all resolutions. The Ultra 9 290K, with its high core count, is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, but as resolution increases, the GPU's workload becomes more dominant. The benchmark results indicate that the system is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming and smooth 1440p experiences, but 4K gaming will require settings adjustments to maintain playable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz. Its role in Evolve is best understood by examining the frame rates at 1080p, where the CPU's influence is most pronounced. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 226 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it reaches 175 FPS. These high numbers indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck at these settings; it is providing ample instructions to keep the GPU busy.

The processor's multi-threaded capabilities are substantial. In Cinebench R23, it scores 51731 points in the multi-core test and 7303 points in the single-core test. This performance places it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, has an average score of 83807, a mere 0.2% difference. The data shows that the Ultra 9 290K is a top-tier processor that can handle demanding workloads without breaking a sweat.

In Evolve, the CPU's high clock speed and core count contribute to the high frame rates seen at 1080p. The 226 FPS result at Low settings is a clear indication that the CPU can push well beyond 200 FPS in this title. Even with the Ultra preset at 1080p, the combo manages 95 FPS, which is a solid result for a demanding setting. The CPU's role is to maintain a high minimum frame rate and prevent stutters, and the data suggests it does so effectively.

The PassMark multi-thread score of 60860 and the PassMark single-thread score of 4823 further reinforce the processor's strength. The single-thread performance is crucial for games that rely on a few primary threads, and the 5.80 GHz boost clock ensures that Evolve's main simulation logic runs efficiently. The CPU's memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, utilizing dual-channel DDR5, ensures that data can be fed to the cores quickly, avoiding potential bottlenecks. The data indicates that the Ultra 9 290K provides a robust foundation for the RTX 3070 Ti, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of performance at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is the other half of this pairing, and its role becomes more critical as the resolution and settings increase. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. Its base clock is 1575 MHz with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. With 6144 shading units and 96 ROPs, the card is built for high-throughput rendering, which is reflected in its FP32 performance of 21.75 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 29945, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile at 29928, a delta of 0.1%. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 is also close, with a score of 30095, representing a -0.5% delta. This indicates that the RTX 3070 Ti competes with modern mid-range and older high-end cards, making it a capable performer for its generation.

In Evolve, the GPU's performance is the primary reason for the FPS drops at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 36 FPS, which is a clear sign that the card is overwhelmed by the combination of high pixel count and maximum settings. The 8 GB VRAM might be a limiting factor at 4K with high-resolution textures, but the measured data shows the performance decline is consistent across all presets, suggesting raw compute power is the main constraint.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s is substantial, but at 4K, the card must process a massive amount of data. The 4K High preset yields 53 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a fast-paced FPS. The 4K Medium preset achieves 67 FPS, showing that reducing settings can bring the game into a smoother range. The data reveals that the RTX 3070 Ti is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates. At 4K, it can handle Medium settings for a playable experience, but the Ultra preset is not viable for competitive play due to the low average FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Evolve?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 226, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system run Evolve at 4K resolution smoothly?

A: At 3840x2160, the system achieves 53 FPS on High settings and 67 FPS on Medium settings. The Ultra preset drops to 36 FPS, which is not smooth for an FPS. Therefore, it can run at 4K with Medium settings for a playable experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's score of 83807.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 138 at 1920x1080 to 92 at 2560x1440, a decrease of 46 FPS.

Q: Is the GPU's performance closer to the RTX 5070 Mobile or the RX 6800?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti's average score of 29945 is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5070 Mobile's 29928, and 0.5% lower than the RX 6800's 30095. It is nearly identical to both.

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

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the 2560x1440 Medium preset is 100 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, all presets are playable, but the Ultra preset offers the best visual quality while still maintaining an average of 95 FPS. For players seeking the highest frame rates for competitive play, the Low preset at 226 FPS is the clear choice. The Medium preset at 175 FPS provides a good balance for most users.

At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 92 FPS, which is a sweet spot for a smooth experience with high visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 118 FPS is also excellent, offering a higher frame rate with a slight reduction in visual effects. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid in fast-paced moments. The Low preset at 152 FPS is suitable for those who prioritize frame rate above all else.

For 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. The Medium preset at 67 FPS is the highest playable average, providing a good balance between visual quality and smoothness. The High preset at 53 FPS is on the edge of playability for an FPS, but it may be acceptable for a slower-paced game mode. The Ultra preset at 36 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The data indicates that 4K gaming on this system requires selecting Medium settings to ensure a stable frame rate.

The best experience per the measured rows is to use the Medium preset at 1440p. This combination yields an average FPS of 118, with a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 135, ensuring a consistently smooth and responsive gameplay experience while retaining a high level of visual detail. For 1080p users, the Ultra preset at 95 FPS offers the best visual experience without sacrificing playability. The data shows that the Medium preset is the most versatile option across resolutions, providing the best compromise between performance and visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|:--------- |:------- |:------ |:------ |:------ |

| 3840x2160 | High | 53 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 86 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 67 | 57 | 77 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 36 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 92 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 152 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 118 | 100 | 135 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 64 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 138 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 226 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 175 | 149 | 202 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 95 | - | - |

The highest average FPS of 226 is achieved at 1080p with Low settings. The lowest average FPS of 36 is observed at 4K with Ultra settings. The Medium preset at 1440p shows the narrowest spread between minimum and maximum FPS, indicating stable performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the global ranking for Evolve, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti holds the 989th position out of 2872 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested for this game. The ranking indicates that while the hardware is powerful, there are many other combinations that achieve higher frame rates in this title.

The CPU's high percentile ranking suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor in the combo's rank. The GPU's 75th percentile ranking is more likely the bottleneck, as the RTX 3070 Ti, while solid, is outclassed by newer and more powerful graphics cards that would push the combo higher in the rankings. The data shows that the combo is competitive, but it is not at the top tier for Evolve.

The rank of 989 out of 2872 means that roughly 65% of tested combos perform better, likely due to more powerful GPUs. This positioning is consistent with the FPS data, which shows that the system can handle 1080p and 1440p very well but struggles at 4K Ultra. The combo's performance is a reflection of its balanced nature; the CPU is top-tier, but the GPU is a generation old, and the overall rank reflects the GPU's limitations in a demanding title like Evolve. The benchmark results indicate that this is a solid mid-to-high-range combination that will provide a good experience at mainstream resolutions, but it won't compete with systems using top-end current-generation GPUs.