Rust

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a formidable combination for Rust, placing in the 90th percentile of all tested combos for this game. With a combo rank of 370 out of 3,723 total configurations, this pairing demonstrates that it can handle the demanding survival title with substantial headroom at most settings, though the most extreme preset at 4K will test its limits. The data indicates a system that is clearly overqualified for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but requires careful settings management at 4K to maintain smooth frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER achieves a combo rank of 370 out of 3,723 tested configurations in Rust, placing it comfortably within the top 10% of all systems evaluated. This ranking reflects the synergy between a strong mid-range CPU and a high-end GPU, where the processor's 6 cores and 12 threads provide enough throughput to avoid bottlenecking the graphics card in most scenarios. The CPU itself sits at the 72nd percentile against all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 86th percentile against all graphics cards, indicating that the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing.

In practical terms, this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems that would be considered mainstream or even high-end, but it does not reach the absolute top tier of performance. The ranking suggests that for Rust specifically, this configuration delivers a balanced experience where neither component is dramatically underutilized, though the GPU clearly carries more of the load at higher resolutions. The data shows that this is not a pairing where the CPU holds back the GPU, nor is it a case where the GPU is wasted on a weak processor — it sits in a sweet spot for 1440p and 1080p gaming.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the Intel Core i5-12400 and the RTX 4080 SUPER. At 1920x1080, the system achieves extremely high frame rates across all settings, with the gap between Low and Ultra presets being relatively modest — from 202.1 FPS at Low to 123.3 FPS at Ultra. This narrow spread indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is beginning to become a limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames faster than the processor can feed it data. The i5-12400's single-thread performance, reflected in its 3dmark_single_thread score of 910 and passmark_single_thread score of 3,456, is sufficient for high refresh rates but does cap the absolute maximum FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high but show a wider spread between presets: 179.6 FPS at Low down to 87.3 FPS at Ultra. This indicates that the GPU is now taking on more of the rendering workload, and the system scales more predictably with graphics settings. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 736.3 GB/s bandwidth provide ample resources for the higher resolution, while the CPU still keeps up with the increased demands.

At 3840x2160, the roles reverse decisively. The GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, with the system dropping to 113.6 FPS at Low settings but falling to just 48.2 FPS at Ultra. The 48.2 FPS result at 4K Ultra is the only sub-60 FPS result in the entire dataset, clearly indicating that the RTX 4080 SUPER is being pushed to its limits at this resolution and preset combination. The CPU's role diminishes at 4K, as the GPU's rendering workload dominates the frame time budget. This pattern — where the CPU matters more at lower resolutions and the GPU matters more at higher resolutions — is classic behavior for a balanced system, and the data confirms that the i5-12400 is adequate for feeding the RTX 4080 SUPER at 1080p and 1440p, but the GPU's performance ceiling is what ultimately determines playability at 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers outstanding performance across all presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 202.1 FPS, which is exceptionally high and indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 171.7 FPS, while High yields 161 FPS. The Ultra preset produces 123.3 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. The spread from Low to Ultra is 78.8 FPS, showing that while the GPU is capable of much higher frame rates at lower settings, the CPU's processing power caps the maximum achievable FPS at around 200.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but with a wider spread between presets. The Low preset achieves 179.6 FPS, which is only slightly lower than the 1080p result, suggesting that the GPU is still not fully saturated at this resolution with low settings. The Medium preset produces 131.5 FPS, and High yields 109.8 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 87.3 FPS, which is still comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a 92.3 FPS difference, indicating that the GPU is now becoming more involved in the rendering pipeline.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to show its limits. The Low preset achieves 113.6 FPS, which is still very playable and demonstrates the RTX 4080 SUPER's raw power. The Medium preset drops to 79.8 FPS, which remains above the playability threshold. The High preset yields 65.9 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS mark but with less headroom. The Ultra preset produces 48.2 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold and would be considered not playable by the standard used in this analysis. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 65.4 FPS, showing that the GPU's performance scales significantly with settings at this resolution.

The Verdict

Based on the measured data, this PC can run Rust, but the playable settings depend heavily on the resolution. At 1920x1080, every preset — Low, Medium, High, and Ultra — clears the 60 FPS threshold, with the best setting being Ultra at 123.3 FPS average. This makes the system fully capable of maxing out the game at 1080p with significant headroom for competitive play or high refresh rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the system also clears 60 FPS on all four presets, with Ultra being the best playable setting at 87.3 FPS average. This gives players the freedom to choose between maximum visual quality or higher frame rates, as even the most demanding preset stays well above the playability threshold. The 1440p Ultra result of 87.3 FPS is particularly impressive, as it shows the RTX 4080 SUPER can handle the game's most demanding settings at this resolution without compromise.

At 3840x2160, the situation becomes more nuanced. The verdict indicates that High, Low, and Medium settings are playable, with High being the best setting at 65.9 FPS average. However, the Ultra preset at 48.2 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is not considered playable. This means that 4K players must make a choice: use High settings for a smooth experience at 65.9 FPS, or drop to Medium for more headroom at 79.8 FPS. The Low preset at 113.6 FPS is also viable for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. Overall, the system is capable of running Rust at 4K, but only with settings adjustments.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD EPYC 7643 scores 18,697 in the average benchmark, which is just 0.1% higher than the i5-12400's 18,683 average. This server-class processor would behave nearly identically in Rust, though it is not a typical gaming choice. The Intel Core i7-1355U scores 18,730, just 0.3% higher, and represents a mobile alternative that would provide similar CPU performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811, which is 0.7% higher, offering a slightly stronger CPU-side experience. The Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519, which is 0.9% lower, meaning it would be a very slightly weaker but still comparable CPU option. For gaming, the i3-14100F is the most practical rival, as it would deliver nearly identical frame rates in Rust given that the GPU is the primary driver at higher resolutions.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 scores 54,247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER's 54,209 average. This means the non-SUPER variant would perform essentially identically in Rust, with differences well within measurement noise. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, 1.1% higher, and would provide slightly better raw performance, though it is a workstation card. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, which is 2.7% higher, and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757, 2.8% higher. These AMD alternatives would deliver slightly better frame rates in Rust, but the differences are small enough that the RTX 4080 SUPER remains a very close match. For practical purposes, the RTX 4080 is the most direct alternative, offering nearly identical performance at what would be a lower price point.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 60 FPS on Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes. The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 87.3 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: At 3840x2160, the High preset is the best playable option, delivering an average of 65.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 48.2 FPS is not playable, while Low and Medium presets also clear the threshold at 113.6 and 79.8 FPS respectively.

Q: How does this CPU compare to the Intel Core i3-14100F for this game?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18,683, which is 0.9% higher than the i3-14100F's 18,519. In Rust, the difference would be negligible, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the limiting factor.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER significantly faster than the regular RTX 4080 in Rust?

A: No. The RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54,209 in the average benchmark, while the RTX 4080 scores 54,247, which is 0.1% higher. This means the two cards would perform nearly identically in Rust.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 171.7 FPS, which is exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play or high refresh rate displays.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests some CPU limitation at 1080p, as the Low preset reaches 202.1 FPS while the Ultra preset drops to 123.3 FPS. The spread indicates the i5-12400's single-thread performance caps the maximum frame rate, but the system still delivers well above 60 FPS at all presets.