Rust

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a Comet Lake-based desktop CPU with 6 cores and 12 threads, and it is paired with an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT using RDNA 3.0 architecture and a 5 nm process node. The GPU has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320 bit bus, 5376 shading units, and 84 RT cores. The CPU sits at the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database, while the GPU sits at the 55th percentile among all GPUs. This combo is listed as the 1111th best tested combination out of 3723 combos for Rust, putting it in the upper third of all recorded systems. The data shows a system capable of running Rust well at most resolutions, though not at maximum settings in 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 146.6 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this pairing in any resolution or preset. Medium settings follow closely at 130 FPS, and High settings reach 118.3 FPS. Ultra settings still clear the 60 FPS threshold comfortably with an average of 105.8 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 40.8 FPS, showing that Rust scales noticeably with preset changes at this resolution, but even the most demanding preset leaves a large margin above the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the averages remain strong but begin to compress. Low settings yield 128.6 FPS, Medium drops to 113 FPS, and High falls to 94.2 FPS. Ultra settings produce 70 FPS, which is the lowest average at this resolution but still above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 58.6 FPS, a wider absolute gap than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming a more meaningful factor as pixel count rises. Every preset at 1440p clears the playable bar, so users have full freedom in choosing visual quality.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes significantly. Low settings average 101 FPS, Medium averages 68.2 FPS, and High averages 55.1 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings drop further to 43.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 57.7 FPS, similar in magnitude to the 1440p spread, but the absolute values sit much lower. This resolution exposes the limits of the pairing: only Low and Medium presets maintain playable averages, with High and Ultra missing the mark by 4.9 FPS and 16.7 FPS respectively.

The data shows no min or max FPS values recorded for any resolution or preset, so the analysis relies on average FPS only. Across all measured points, the system never dips below a 43.3 FPS average, and at 1080p every preset stays above 105 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at the same preset is consistent: Low drops from 146.6 to 101 FPS (a 31% reduction), Medium drops from 130 to 68.2 FPS (a 48% reduction), High drops from 118.3 to 55.1 FPS (a 53% reduction), and Ultra drops from 105.8 to 43.3 FPS (a 59% reduction). Higher presets lose more absolute FPS when moving to 4K, which points to the GPU being the limiting factor at that resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The database records this combination as rank 1111 out of 3723 tested combos for Rust. That places the system in the 70th percentile of all recorded configurations, meaning roughly 70% of tested combos rank lower. This is a strong showing for a CPU that sits at the 68th percentile and a GPU at the 55th percentile among their respective categories. The rank reflects not just raw hardware potential but how well these two parts work together for this specific title.

The combo rank suggests that Rust favors the CPU more than the GPU in determining overall standing. The CPU percentile of 68 is higher than the GPU percentile of 55, and the final combo rank of 1111 sits closer to the CPU's percentile position. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p, even Ultra settings produce over 105 FPS, which is a level of performance that would not be possible if the CPU were severely bottlenecking the GPU. At 4K, the GPU becomes more relevant, but the combo still ranks in the top 30% of all tested systems.

Compared to the full field of 3723 combos, this system outperforms the median configuration by a wide margin. The 4K Medium average of 68.2 FPS and the 1440p Ultra average of 70 FPS are both above the playable threshold, and many tested combos cannot achieve that at either resolution. The rank of 1111 also indicates that a substantial number of more expensive or newer combos fail to match this system in Rust specifically, which is a point in favor of this pairing for this game.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals in the database, four alternatives sit within a narrow performance band. The Intel Xeon 6756E has an average score of 14163, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-10400F's average of 14185. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, 0.3% lower than the i5. The AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115, 0.5% higher. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, 0.6% lower. These deltas are all under 1%, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Rust when paired with the same GPU. The i5-10400F sits in a tight cluster where moving to any of these alternatives would not yield a perceptible change in gameplay.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals show similar behavior. The AMD Radeon 660M has an average score of 13812, which is 0.5% lower than the RX 7900 XT's 13745. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile scores 13821, also 0.5% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 13871, 0.9% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT scores 13543, which is 1.5% higher than the 7900 XT. All of these deltas are small enough that swapping the GPU for any of these parts would leave Rust performance within a few frames of the measured values. The RX 9070 XT would be the only one that might show a slight improvement, but 1.5% is well below the threshold for noticeable gains.

For users looking at this combo, the practical takeaway is that the CPU and GPU are both in dense performance neighborhoods. A system with an EPYC 7552 or a Core 7 160UL and the same RX 7900 XT would deliver essentially the same Rust experience. Similarly, pairing the i5-10400F with a Radeon 660M or RTX A2000 Mobile would produce frame rates within a couple percent of what this combo achieves. The only meaningful alternative would be the RX 9070 XT, which offers a modest edge but not enough to change the verdict at any resolution.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Rust, and it handles the game well at most settings. The database verdict for 1920x1080 lists all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) as playable, with the best settings at Ultra and an average of 105.8 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are also playable, with Ultra as the best setting at 70 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium are playable, with Medium as the best setting at 68.2 FPS.

The 60 FPS threshold is the playability line, and this combo crosses it in every resolution with the right preset choices. At 1080p, every preset clears 60 FPS by a margin of at least 45.8 FPS (the difference between Ultra at 105.8 and the threshold). At 1440p, the smallest margin is 10 FPS (Ultra at 70). At 4K, the playable presets are Low at 101 FPS and Medium at 68.2 FPS, while High at 55.1 and Ultra at 43.3 fall short. Users targeting 4K should stick to Medium or Low for smooth gameplay, but anyone at 1080p or 1440p can run the game at maximum settings without issue.

The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, produces an average of 43.3 FPS, which is not playable by the 60 FPS standard. However, 4K Medium offers 68.2 FPS, which is playable and still provides a solid visual experience. The verdict is clear: this is a capable Rust machine for all mainstream resolutions, with 4K requiring a preset compromise.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data shows that the CPU plays a dominant role at lower resolutions, while the GPU becomes more important as resolution climbs. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 40.8 FPS (146.6 to 105.8), which is a modest reduction given the large jump in visual quality. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is keeping up with the GPU's output, and the GPU is not being fully taxed. The i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, provides enough single-thread performance to feed the RX 7900 XT at this resolution, as evidenced by the 146.6 FPS Low average.

At 2560x1440, the GPU starts to take on more of the workload. The Low to Ultra spread widens to 58.6 FPS (128.6 to 70), indicating that the GPU is now the primary driver of performance differences. The CPU is still holding up, as even Ultra at 1440p stays above 60 FPS, but the frame rate ceiling is lower than at 1080p. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at the same preset is telling: High drops from 118.3 to 94.2 (a 20% reduction), and Ultra drops from 105.8 to 70 (a 34% reduction). The larger percentage drop at Ultra shows that the GPU is being pushed harder.

At 3840x2160, the GPU fully dominates. The Low to Ultra spread is 57.7 FPS (101 to 43.3), similar in absolute terms to 1440p, but the ceilings are much lower. The CPU's role diminishes because the GPU is rendering four times as many pixels as 1080p. The i5-10400F is no longer a bottleneck; the RX 7900 XT simply cannot maintain 60 FPS at High or Ultra. The fact that Low at 4K still averages 101 FPS indicates the CPU can handle the game's logic and draw calls, but the GPU runs out of pixel throughput at higher presets.

Preset scaling also reveals the balance. At 1080p, moving from Medium to High costs 11.7 FPS (130 to 118.3), and High to Ultra costs 12.5 FPS (118.3 to 105.8). At 4K, Medium to High costs 13.1 FPS (68.2 to 55.1), and High to Ultra costs 11.8 FPS (55.1 to 43.3). The costs are similar in absolute terms, but at 4K they push the system below the playable threshold. This means the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution; the GPU's performance envelope determines what presets are playable.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Rust at 4K with high settings?

A: No. The measured average at 3840x2160 with High settings is 55.1 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Only Low (101 FPS) and Medium (68.2 FPS) are playable at 4K.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: All four presets are playable at 1440p. Ultra is the best setting, with an average of 70 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS threshold by 10 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for Rust?

A: The combo ranks 1111 out of 3723 tested combinations, placing it in the top 30% of all recorded systems for this game.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Rust at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a larger role. The difference between Low (146.6 FPS) and Ultra (105.8 FPS) is only 40.8 FPS, indicating the CPU can keep pace with the GPU across all presets.

Q: What happens to frame rates when moving from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings?

A: The average drops from 113 FPS at 1440p Medium to 68.2 FPS at 4K Medium, a 44.8 FPS reduction. This is a 40% decrease, showing the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K.

Q: Are there any settings at 1080p that fail to reach 60 FPS?

A: No. Every preset at 1920x1080 exceeds 60 FPS, with the lowest being Ultra at 105.8 FPS and the highest being Low at 146.6 FPS.