Rust

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 190th out of 3,723 tested combinations in Rust, placing this build in the top 5% of all tested configurations. This is a strong result for a survival title where large player counts and complex base-building can stress both CPU and GPU. The combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, though it does not sit at the absolute top of the leaderboard, indicating that while the RTX 4090 is an extreme GPU, the mid-range i5-12400 prevents the pairing from reaching the very pinnacle of Rust's performance hierarchy. The data shows a system that is unequivocally high-performing, with the caveat that the CPU is the limiting factor in the most demanding scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 190 out of 3,723 represents the 94.9th percentile of all tested combinations for Rust. This is a dominant position, placing the system well ahead of the overwhelming majority of rivals. The ranking reflects the substantial GPU horsepower of the RTX 4090, which carries the load in a game that scales heavily with graphics card capability. However, the i5-12400's placement in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs indicates that the processor is not a top-tier part; its 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz is competent but not class-leading. Consequently, the combo's rank is likely pulled down slightly from what a pure RTX 4090 system with a flagship CPU would achieve. The delta between the CPU's average benchmark score of 18,683 and its nearest rivals is minimal, with the AMD EPYC 7643 scoring 18,697 (0.1% higher) and the Intel Core i7-1355U scoring 18,730 (0.3% higher). This suggests that the i5-12400 is a stable, predictable performer, but it does not offer the raw multi-threaded throughput of high-core-count server or workstation parts. In Rust specifically, the high average FPS numbers suggest the GPU is rarely the bottleneck, meaning the CPU's single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910, becomes critical for maintaining consistent frame times in crowded servers.

CPU and GPU Roles

Benchmark results indicate a clear division of labor in this pairing, with the RTX 4090 dominating the rendering pipeline while the i5-12400 handles game logic and draw calls. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves 201.7 FPS on Low settings, but this drops to 140.9 FPS on Ultra. This 30.2% performance reduction when moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p demonstrates that even with a GPU as powerful as the RTX 4090, higher presets increase the graphical workload enough to impact frame rates, though the absolute numbers remain extremely high. The scaling between resolutions further clarifies the GPU's role. At Low settings, the frame rate falls from 201.7 FPS at 1080p to 132.2 FPS at 4K, a 34.5% decrease. This substantial drop when increasing pixel count from 2.1 million to 8.3 million confirms that the RTX 4090 is being pushed harder at higher resolutions, but it still delivers playable frame rates. The i5-12400's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU is less stressed. At 1080p Low, the CPU must feed frames fast enough to keep up with the GPU's potential. The data shows the system hits 201.7 FPS at that preset, which is likely near the CPU's limit in Rust given its 3DMark single-thread score of 910. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 54.4, below the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that the GPU, despite its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power, is finally overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth is sufficient for 4K textures, but the sheer computational load of Ultra settings at that resolution proves too much.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers outstanding performance across all presets. The Low preset yields an average of 201.7 FPS, which is the highest score recorded for this combo. Medium settings produce 176.5 FPS, while High drops to 167 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still maintains an average of 140.9 FPS. The performance delta between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 60.8 FPS, or a 30.1% reduction, which is a significant but acceptable trade-off for maximum visual quality. Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates remain high but show a clear step down. Low settings deliver 176.5 FPS, identical to the 1080p Medium score, suggesting that the resolution increase is offset by the lower graphical complexity. Medium produces 146.1 FPS, High yields 127.5 FPS, and Ultra settles at 97.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 78.7 FPS, a 44.6% reduction, which is more pronounced than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as pixel count grows. At 3840x2160, the performance curve steepens considerably. Low settings still deliver a playable 132.2 FPS, and Medium maintains 89.4 FPS. High settings drop to 75.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold but noticeably lower than lower presets. The Ultra preset falls to 54.4 FPS, which is below the playable threshold of 60 FPS, making it the only tested configuration that fails to meet the baseline for smooth gameplay. The reduction from Low to Ultra at 4K is 77.8 FPS, a 58.9% decrease, highlighting the immense strain that 4K Ultra places on the system.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Rust at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: Yes, at 4K with High settings the system averages 75.6 FPS, and with Medium settings it averages 89.4 FPS. Low settings produce 132.2 FPS. However, the Ultra preset fails to maintain 60 FPS, averaging only 54.4 FPS, so it is not playable at maximum settings.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p for the highest visual quality?

A: The Ultra preset is fully playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 97.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the most demanding settings combination that remains comfortably playable at this resolution.

Q: How much performance does the system lose when going from 1080p to 4K?

A: At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 201.7 FPS at 1080p to 132.2 FPS at 4K, a reduction of 34.5%. At High settings, the drop is from 167 FPS to 75.6 FPS, a reduction of 54.7%, showing that higher presets amplify the resolution penalty.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck in Rust?

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and presets, as frame rates drop significantly at 4K Ultra. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 201.7 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit given its performance in synthetic benchmarks, indicating the i5-12400 can become limiting when the GPU is underutilized.

Q: Does the system meet the 60 FPS playable threshold in all tested configurations?

A: No, the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which averages 54.4 FPS. Every other combination of resolution and preset tested, from 1080p Low to 4K High, maintains an average above 60 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to the CPU's nearest rivals in terms of overall score?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18,683, which is within 1% of the AMD EPYC 7643 (18,697), the Intel Core i7-1355U (18,730), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (18,811). It is 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F (18,519), showing that these processors deliver nearly identical overall performance.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is High, with an average frame rate of 75.6 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the playable threshold while offering better visual fidelity than Medium or Low. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 97.8 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS and provides the highest graphical quality available in the game. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 140.9 FPS, making it the optimal setting for maximum visual quality without any concern for frame rate drops. In all cases, the recommended settings are the highest preset tested that remains above the 60 FPS threshold, ensuring smooth gameplay while maximizing visual detail.

The Verdict

This PC can unequivocally run Rust, and it does so with exceptional performance at most settings. At 1920x1080, all presets including Ultra are playable, with frame rates ranging from 140.9 FPS on Ultra to 201.7 FPS on Low. At 2560x1440, the system also handles every preset above the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 97.8 FPS and Low reaching 176.5 FPS. At 3840x2160, the system remains playable on High, Medium, and Low settings, with averages of 75.6 FPS, 89.4 FPS, and 132.2 FPS, respectively. The only configuration that fails to meet the 60 FPS playable threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 54.4 FPS. The verdict is clear: this combo is more than capable for Rust at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings or lower. Users who insist on 4K Ultra will need to accept a sub-60 FPS experience, but for all other scenarios, the system delivers smooth, high-refresh-rate gameplay.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-12400, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 7643, which scores 18,697 (-0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i7-1355U, which scores 18,730 (-0.3% delta). These processors deliver nearly identical overall performance, meaning a system built with either would likely produce similar frame rates in Rust when paired with the same RTX 4090. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 scores 18,811 (-0.7% delta), slightly higher, while the Intel Core i3-14100F scores 18,519 (+0.9% delta), slightly lower. For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090's nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60, which has an identical average score of 60,326 (0% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48, which scores 60,140 (0.3% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896 (-2.5% delta), while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657 (+2.9% delta). These GPUs should behave similarly in Rust, with the RTX 4090's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 24 GB of GDDR6X memory providing a strong baseline that these alternatives would approximate in the game.