Rust

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a strong performance profile for Rust, placing the combo in the 928th position out of 3,723 tested combinations. This places it in the top quartile of systems, with the CPU ranking in the 73rd percentile among all processors and the GPU in the 81st percentile among all graphics cards. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets show a system capable of handling the game at high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K requires a compromise in settings to maintain playability.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the highest preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 97 FPS. This is the most demanding setting available in the data, and the system clears the 60 FPS threshold with a 37 FPS margin. Lower presets at this resolution—High at 127 FPS, Medium at 151 FPS, and Low at 205 FPS—all exceed the threshold by even larger margins, but Ultra represents the best visual quality while staying comfortably above the playable floor.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again is the best choice, producing an average of 67 FPS. The system has a narrower but still positive margin here, sitting 7 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 88 FPS, Medium at 104 FPS, and Low at 155 FPS all offer alternatives for users who prefer higher frame rates over maximum visual fidelity, but Ultra remains playable and is the recommended setting for this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes. The Ultra preset drops to 39 FPS, falling well below the 60 FPS threshold, and High is also unplayable at 52 FPS. The Medium preset is the most demanding option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging exactly 61 FPS. The Low preset at 91 FPS provides a fallback with a larger margin, but Medium is the best balance of visual quality and performance at 4K, albeit with only a 1 FPS buffer above the playable threshold.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a shift in component bottleneck behavior as resolution changes. At 1920x1080, the frame rates scale dramatically with settings, moving from 97 FPS at Ultra to 205 FPS at Low. This wide spread indicates that the CPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames faster when the graphics load is reduced. The CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, appears sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 at lower resolutions.

At 2560x1440, the scaling between presets is less pronounced, with Ultra at 67 FPS and Low at 155 FPS. The 88 FPS gap between the most and least demanding settings shows that the GPU is starting to exert more influence on performance. The RTX 4070, with its 5,888 shading units and 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, handles the increased pixel count less efficiently at higher settings, narrowing the frame rate range compared to 1080p.

The 3840x2160 results demonstrate a clear GPU bottleneck. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS and High at 52 FPS show that the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel throughput demands at 4K. The Medium preset at 61 FPS and Low at 91 FPS indicate that reducing the graphics load allows the GPU to recover, but the CPU is no longer the limiting factor at this resolution. The RTX 4070's 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and 158.4 GPixel/s pixel rate are the determining characteristics here, as the CPU's performance becomes secondary to the GPU's rendering capacity.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 928th out of 3,723 tested combinations, placing it in the 75th percentile of all systems in the database. This ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where the i5-12400F's single-thread performance—evidenced by its 3dmark single-thread score of 909 and passmark single-thread score of 3,481—complements the RTX 4070's strong compute capabilities, shown in its passmark g3d score of 26,927. The 73rd percentile CPU ranking and 81st percentile GPU ranking both contribute to this overall position, with the GPU being the stronger component relative to its peers.

Relative to other combos, this system sits in the upper-middle tier, meaning it outperforms 75% of tested configurations but is not in the top tier. The data does not specify which combos rank above or below this position, but the percentile placements indicate that the GPU is the more standout component. The RTX 4070's 81st percentile ranking places it in the top fifth of all GPUs, while the CPU's 73rd percentile is solid but not exceptional, suggesting that the GPU is the primary driver of this combo's overall rank.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS has an average benchmark score of 19,047, which is essentially identical to the i5-12400F's 19,039, with a delta of 0%. The Intel Core 3 201E scores 19,056, also a 0% delta, while the Intel Core i5-1335U scores 18,982 (0.3% lower) and the AMD EPYC 7773X scores 18,979 (0.3% lower). These processors would behave nearly identically in Rust, with no meaningful performance difference in CPU-bound scenarios.

For the GPU, the closest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4 with an average score of 37,628 against the RTX 4070's 37,648, a 0.1% delta. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507 (0.4% lower), while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38,135 (1.3% higher) and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37,157 (1.3% lower). In practical terms, the Tesla P4 and RX Vega 56 would deliver nearly the same frame rates in Rust, while the RTX 4080 Mobile would be slightly faster and the PRO W6400 slightly slower, with the differences being marginal in all cases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the Low preset produces an average of 205 FPS, with no min or max values recorded. The Medium preset averages 151 FPS, with a minimum of 128 and maximum of 174. High averages 127 FPS, and Ultra averages 97 FPS, with no min or max data for the latter two presets. The 108 FPS spread between Low and Ultra shows the system's responsiveness to graphics load at this resolution.

The 2560x1440 results show a tighter spread. Low averages 155 FPS, Medium averages 104 FPS with a min of 88 and max of 120, High averages 88 FPS, and Ultra averages 67 FPS. The 88 FPS difference between Low and Ultra is smaller than at 1080p, indicating the GPU's growing influence on performance.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates compress further. Low averages 91 FPS, Medium averages 61 FPS with a min of 52 and max of 71, High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 39 FPS. The 52 FPS gap between Low and Ultra is the smallest of the three resolutions, confirming the GPU bottleneck. The Medium preset's minimum of 52 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold, meaning even the "playable" setting can experience dips below playability during intense scenes.

The Verdict

This system can run Rust, but the experience varies significantly by resolution. At 1920x1080, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—clear the 60 FPS threshold, with Ultra averaging 97 FPS and Low reaching 205 FPS. This is the resolution where the system performs best, offering both high frame rates and the option for maximum visual quality.

At 2560x1440, all four presets also clear 60 FPS, with Ultra averaging 67 FPS and High at 88 FPS. The system is playable at the highest settings, though the margin at Ultra is smaller than at 1080p. Users who prioritize frame rate stability over visual fidelity can use the High or Medium presets for larger buffers.

At 3840x2160, only Low and Medium presets are playable, with Medium averaging 61 FPS and Low at 91 FPS. The High preset at 52 FPS and Ultra at 39 FPS fall short of the 60 FPS threshold, making them unsuitable for a consistent playable experience. The Medium preset's minimum of 52 FPS also suggests potential frame drops, so users at 4K may prefer the Low preset for a more stable experience. The verdict is clear: this is a strong 1080p and 1440p system for Rust, but 4K requires reduced settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best setting for Rust at 1920x1080 with this combo?

A: The Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 97 FPS, which is 37 FPS above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Can this system handle Rust at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, only the Low and Medium presets clear 60 FPS, with Medium averaging 61 FPS and Low averaging 91 FPS. The High and Ultra presets fall below the threshold at 52 and 39 FPS, respectively.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the GPU begins to limit performance, as shown by the narrower frame rate spread between presets (88 FPS at High versus 155 FPS at Low) compared to 1080p.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rival in this game?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla P4 has an average score of 37,628, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4070's 37,648, indicating nearly identical performance in Rust.

Q: What is the minimum FPS on the Medium preset at 4K?

A: The Medium preset at 3840x2160 has a minimum of 52 FPS, which dips below the 60 FPS playable threshold despite the 61 FPS average.

Q: Does the system maintain 60 FPS on Ultra at 1440p?

A: Yes, the Ultra preset at 2560x1440 averages 67 FPS, exceeding the 60 FPS threshold by 7 FPS.