Rust

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination delivers a mixed bag of results in Rust, with performance heavily dependent on the resolution and the quality preset. The recorded data shows a clear pattern: lower resolutions and settings produce high frame rates, while the demands of 4K push this hardware below the playable threshold at every setting. The analysis below breaks down exactly what the measurements indicate for each resolution and setting.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is High, which produces an average of 78.7 FPS. This is a comfortable margin over the playable threshold, and the data shows that Ultra is the only setting at this resolution that fails to hit 60 FPS, averaging 57.4 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Medium, with an average of 61.6 FPS. This is a narrow margin, just 1.6 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. High at this resolution drops to an average of 52 FPS, which falls short of playable, and Ultra averages 40.2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, no setting is playable. The highest average FPS recorded at 4K is 59 FPS on Low, which is just 1 FPS below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium averages 40.9 FPS, High averages 29.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 23.7 FPS. The verdict data confirms there are no playable settings at this resolution.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets indicates how the workload shifts between the CPU and GPU. At 1920x1080, the CPU has more headroom, and the GPU is the primary limiter. The jump from Low at 135 FPS to Medium at 90.9 FPS is a 44.1 FPS drop, and then to High at 78.7 FPS is another 12.2 FPS drop. These are large reductions for each step up in quality, which suggests the GPU is struggling with the increased graphical load.

At 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low averages 92.4 FPS, Medium 61.6 FPS, High 52 FPS, and Ultra 40.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 30.8 FPS, which is a substantial penalty. At this resolution, both components are more stressed, but the GPU still appears to be the main constraint, as the FPS drops are proportional to the preset changes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed. The gap between Low at 59 FPS and Medium at 40.9 FPS is 18.1 FPS, and High at 29.9 FPS is another 11 FPS lower. This resolution is heavily GPU-bound, as the pixel count quadruples compared to 1080p, and the RTX 2060 SUPER cannot keep pace. The CPU, a Ryzen 7 9700X with 8 cores and 16 threads, has ample processing power for Rust's gameplay logic, but at 4K the GPU becomes the undeniable bottleneck.

The data also shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor even at lower resolutions. The Ryzen 7 9700X has a percentile rank of 86 among all CPUs, and its multi-threaded scores are strong, such as 20,485 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 37,161 in Passmark multithread. This indicates the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently, and the FPS differences across settings are predominantly a GPU limitation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full range of settings is available. Low averages 135 FPS, Medium averages 90.9 FPS, High averages 78.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 57.4 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra is a steady decline, with the largest single drop occurring between Low and Medium (44.1 FPS).

At 2560x1440, the averages are lower across the board. Low averages 92.4 FPS, Medium averages 61.6 FPS, High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 40.2 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 30.8 FPS, and from Medium to High it is 9.6 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the averages are the lowest recorded. Low averages 59 FPS, Medium averages 40.9 FPS, High averages 29.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 23.7 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 18.1 FPS, and between Medium and High it is 11 FPS.

The data does not include min or max FPS values, so the analysis relies solely on average FPS. The absence of min FPS data means there is no information on frame time spikes or stuttering, which could affect the perceived smoothness of gameplay, especially in a survival game like Rust where sudden events can occur.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database, this specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2740 out of 3723 tested combos for Rust. This places it in the lower portion of the ranking, roughly in the 26th percentile of all tested combinations. The rank reflects the overall performance across all resolutions and settings, and given that the combo fails to reach 60 FPS at 4K and only barely hits it at 1440p on Medium, the low rank is consistent with the measured FPS data.

The rank is a relative measure, and it indicates that many other hardware combinations perform better in Rust. However, the combo is not at the very bottom, as there are still 983 combos ranked below it. The data suggests that this hardware is adequate for 1080p gaming but struggles at higher resolutions, which is a typical pattern for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the CPU provide context for what other processors would behave similarly. The Intel Core i9-14901E has an average benchmark score of 37,911, which is 0.1% higher than the Ryzen 7 9700X's 37,943. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scores 37,904, also 0.1% higher. The Intel Core 5 211E scores 37,829, which is 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 scores 37,804, which is 0.4% lower. These deltas are all within 0.4% of the Ryzen 7 9700X, so swapping to any of these CPUs would yield nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Rust.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are also closely matched. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile has an average score of 18,159, which is 0.4% higher than the RTX 2060 SUPER's 18,093. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 scores 18,189, which is 0.5% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 460 scores 18,373, which is 1.5% higher, and the Intel Arc A770M scores 18,383, which is 1.6% higher. These small deltas mean that any of these GPUs would produce nearly the same FPS numbers in Rust, within a margin of error.

The data implies that if a user had a different CPU or GPU from these rival lists, the overall performance in Rust would be effectively indistinguishable from the Ryzen 7 9700X and RTX 2060 SUPER combo. The rank and FPS measurements would shift only slightly, potentially by a few frames per second at most.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 1920x1080 with High settings?

A: Yes, the recorded average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 78.7 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the best playable setting is Medium, with an average FPS of 61.6. High and Ultra both fall below 60 FPS, and Low is also playable at 92.4 FPS.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware?

A: No, the data shows no playable settings at 3840x2160. The highest average FPS at 4K is 59 on Low, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700X compare to its nearest CPU rival?

A: The Intel Core i9-14901E has an average benchmark score of 37,911, which is 0.1% higher than the Ryzen 7 9700X's 37,943. This means performance in CPU-bound scenarios would be nearly identical.

Q: Which GPU is a close alternative to the RTX 2060 SUPER?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile has an average score of 18,159, which is 0.4% higher than the RTX 2060 SUPER's 18,093. The AMD Radeon Pro 5700 is also close at 18,189, 0.5% higher.

Q: What is the overall rank of this combo for Rust?

A: The combo ranks 2740 out of 3723 tested combinations, placing it in the lower portion of the database for Rust performance.

The Verdict

The data shows that this PC can run Rust, but the experience depends heavily on the selected resolution. At 1920x1080, the verdict is clear: High settings are playable with an average of 78.7 FPS, and Low and Medium also exceed 60 FPS with averages of 135 and 90.9 FPS respectively. Only Ultra falls short at 57.4 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the verdict is more limited. The playable settings are Low and Medium, with Medium being the best at 61.6 FPS. High and Ultra are not playable, averaging 52 and 40.2 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is negative. There are no playable settings, and the best average FPS is 59 on Low, which is 1 FPS below the threshold. For a smooth 4K experience, this hardware would need to be upgraded, particularly the GPU, as the CPU has sufficient headroom based on its benchmark scores. The overall conclusion is that this combo is a solid 1080p performer and a marginal 1440p option, but it is not suitable for 4K gaming in Rust.