Rust

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 in Rust?

A: The combination ranks 2936 out of 3723 tested combos in the database. The CPU sits in the 84th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 58th percentile among all GPUs. In practice, this means the system can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well, but struggles at 4K.

Q: Which resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and frame rate?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 86 FPS on average, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This is the highest resolution where a playable preset exists, though 1920x1080 allows for the High preset at 71 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X has an average benchmark score of 34260. Its closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, scores 34222, a mere 0.1% difference. The Intel Core i5-13450HX scores 34333, putting it 0.2% ahead, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H trails by 0.5%.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 scores 15290 on average. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 scores 15283, essentially identical. The AMD Radeon 680M is 0.1% behind, the RTX 3050 OEM is 0.6% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 leads by 0.8%.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 3700X a good match for the RTX 2060 in this game?

A: The data suggests a balanced pairing. The CPU's multi-threaded scores (Cinebench R15 multicore at 2092, Passmark multithread at 22458) indicate strong processing power, while the GPU's DirectX 12 score of 53 and Vulkan score of 65846 show capable graphics performance. The measured FPS results show the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: What are the launch prices of these components?

A: The CPU had a launch MSRP of $329, and the GPU had a launch MSRP of 349 USD.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the GPU handles most of the workload, but the CPU still contributes meaningfully. The jump from Low to High settings at 1080p drops average FPS from 126 to 71, a 44% reduction. This scaling suggests both components are being pushed, but the GPU is the primary constraint as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU's role becomes more dominant. Low settings produce 86 FPS, while High settings drop to 49 FPS, a 43% decrease. The CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads provide enough headroom that the frame rate differences are almost entirely attributable to the RTX 2060's rendering load. The gap between Low and Medium at 1440p (86 to 58 FPS) further confirms this, as the GPU struggles with increased pixel count and shading complexity.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Even Low settings only reach 51 FPS average, and High settings fall to 29 FPS. The CPU's performance is largely irrelevant here, as the RTX 2060's 6 GB of GDDR6 memory and 192-bit bus width are overwhelmed by the 4K resolution demands. The scaling from 1440p Low (86 FPS) to 4K Low (51 FPS) represents a 41% drop, showing the GPU's bandwidth constraints.

The pattern across presets reinforces this interpretation. At every resolution, the difference between Medium and High is smaller than the difference between Low and Medium. For example, at 1440p, Low to Medium drops 28 FPS, while Medium to High drops only 9 FPS. This suggests diminishing returns in GPU load as settings increase, with the CPU maintaining consistent frame delivery throughout.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. Low settings produce an average of 126 FPS, which is more than double the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 84 FPS, with a minimum of 72 and maximum of 97 FPS, indicating stable performance. High settings average 71 FPS, still comfortably above the playable threshold. Ultra settings drop to 54 FPS average, falling below the 60 FPS mark.

At 2560x1440, frame rates decrease across the board. Low settings average 86 FPS, maintaining playability. Medium settings average 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 67 FPS, putting the average just below the threshold. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 37 FPS. The step from Low to Medium represents a 28 FPS loss, while Medium to High costs 9 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 12 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings average 51 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings average 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 and maximum of 39 FPS. High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 22 FPS. The 4K resolution demands more from the GPU's memory bandwidth and shading units than the RTX 2060 can provide.

The minimum FPS data, where available, shows notable variance. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 72 FPS is 14% below the average, suggesting occasional dips. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 49 FPS is 16% below the average. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 29 FPS is 15% below the average. These dips are consistent with Rust's open-world environment streaming demands.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination ranks 2936 out of 3723 tested combos in the database for Rust. This places it in the lower third of all tested systems, which reflects the GPU's age and the game's demanding nature at higher resolutions.

The ranking is primarily dragged down by the GPU's position in the 58th percentile among all GPUs. The RTX 2060's average benchmark score of 15290 is modest by modern standards, and its DirectX 12 score of 53 indicates limited headroom for newer rendering techniques. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 84th percentile, showing that the processor is not the primary limitation.

This combo outperforms systems with weaker GPUs but falls behind those with more recent graphics cards. The data shows that at 1080p, the system can still deliver playable frame rates at three of four presets, which is respectable. However, at 1440p, only the Low preset clears 60 FPS, and at 4K, no preset is playable.

The ranking also reflects the game's specific optimization. Rust's CPU-heavy simulation and world generation benefit from the Ryzen 7 3700X's 8 cores and 16 threads, but the GPU's 6 GB memory capacity limits texture streaming at higher resolutions.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals offer nearly identical compute performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 scores 34222, a 0.1% difference, meaning users would see no practical change in Rust's frame rates. The AMD EPYC 4244P scores 34220, also 0.1% behind. The Intel Core i5-13450HX scores 34333, which is 0.2% ahead, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H scores 34083, 0.5% behind. All four alternatives would behave within a fraction of a percent in gaming workloads.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show similar performance characteristics. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 scores 15283, essentially identical to the RTX 2060. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, 0.1% behind. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, 0.6% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171, 0.8% ahead. These differences are negligible in practice, meaning any of these GPUs would produce nearly identical FPS numbers in Rust.

When combined, these alternatives would result in systems that perform within 1% of the tested configuration. A user swapping the Ryzen 7 3700X for an Intel Core i5-13450HX or the RTX 2060 for an RX 7600 would see no meaningful change in playability at any resolution.

The Verdict

The data shows that this system can run Rust, but only at specific settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the playable presets are High, Low, and Medium, all of which clear the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset averages 71 FPS, providing the best visual quality while staying above the playable mark. The Medium preset averages 84 FPS, and Low averages 126 FPS.

At 2560x1440, only the Low preset is playable, averaging 86 FPS. This provides a smooth experience but requires sacrificing visual fidelity. The Medium preset falls just short at 58 FPS average, and the High and Ultra presets are not viable.

At 3840x2160, no preset is playable. The best option, Low, averages 51 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The system cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 4K under any settings.

For users prioritizing frame rate, 1080p with High settings is the recommended configuration. For those wanting higher resolution, 1440p with Low settings is the only option that remains playable.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average of 71 FPS. This provides the best visual quality available at this resolution while maintaining playability. The Medium preset at 84 FPS and Low at 126 FPS are also options for higher frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the only playable preset is Low, averaging 86 FPS. This is the most demanding setting that stays above 60 FPS, and it sacrifices visual effects for performance. The Medium preset at 58 FPS is just below the threshold and not recommended.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves 60 FPS. The best option is Low at 51 FPS, but this does not meet the playable threshold. Users should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a playable experience.