Rust

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT delivers a versatile Rust experience, but the playable envelope shifts dramatically with resolution. At 1080p, the combo has headroom for maximum visual quality; at 1440p, it settles into High settings; at 4K, it drops to Low. The measured data shows a clear pattern: this system is a 1080p and 1440p machine for Rust, with 4K only viable at reduced settings. Below is the detailed breakdown.

Best Settings per Resolution

The most demanding preset that maintains an average of 60 FPS or higher at each resolution, based on the measured frame rates, is as follows.

• 1920x1080: Ultra settings achieve an average of 85.9 FPS. This is the highest quality preset tested, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold by a comfortable margin, leaving performance headroom for dense scenes or heavy player activity. The data shows no need to compromise on visual fidelity at this resolution.
• 2560x1440: High settings deliver an average of 80 FPS. While Ultra averages 57.8 FPS — just below the 60 FPS playable threshold — High provides a stable buffer. The 22.2 FPS gap between High and Ultra at this resolution indicates that the Ultra preset demands significantly more from the hardware, making High the optimal balance.
• 3840x2160: Low settings produce an average of 80.1 FPS. Medium averages 54.3 FPS, which fails to reach the playable threshold. High (45.3 FPS) and Ultra (33.1 FPS) are progressively worse. At 4K, only the Low preset is viable for consistent 60+ FPS gameplay.

The pattern is clear: each resolution step up requires a settings tier down to maintain 60 FPS. The jump from 1440p High to 4K Low represents the largest compromise, with the average FPS staying nearly identical (80 vs 80.1) but the visual quality dropping significantly.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component is the limiting factor for this game.

• 1920x1080: The GPU is the primary constraint. Moving from Low (199.6 FPS) to Ultra (85.9 FPS) shows a 113.7 FPS drop, meaning the graphics card is doing progressively more work. The CPU has ample headroom at this resolution, as evidenced by the very high Low-setting frame rate. This is classic GPU-bound behavior.
• 2560x1440: The balance shifts slightly. Low drops to 141.6 FPS (down 58 FPS from 1080p Low), and Ultra drops to 57.8 FPS (down 28.1 FPS from 1080p Ultra). The percentage drop is larger at Low settings (29%) than at Ultra (32.7%), indicating that both components are feeling the increased pixel count, but the GPU still carries most of the load.
• 3840x2160: The GPU becomes the overwhelming bottleneck. Low falls to 80.1 FPS (a 43.4% drop from 1080p Low), and Medium only reaches 54.3 FPS. The CPU cannot compensate for the 4K pixel throughput demand. The 4K Ultra result of 33.1 FPS is less than half of the 1080p Ultra result, confirming that the Radeon RX 7800 XT's rendering capacity is the hard limit.

Notably, the spread between Low and Ultra at each resolution grows as resolution increases: 113.7 FPS at 1080p, 83.8 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. This shrinking spread means the GPU is saturated earlier at higher resolutions, and the CPU has less influence on the final frame rate. For Rust specifically, the data suggests that at 1440p and above, upgrading the GPU yields larger gains than upgrading the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured average frame rates for each resolution and settings combination are listed below. No minimum or maximum frame data was captured, so the analysis relies solely on averages.

• 3840x2160 (4K):
• Ultra: 33.1 FPS — not playable
• High: 45.3 FPS — not playable
• Medium: 54.3 FPS — not playable
• Low: 80.1 FPS — playable, best 4K option
• 2560x1440 (2K):
• Ultra: 57.8 FPS — just below the playable threshold
• High: 80 FPS — playable, best 1440p option
• Medium: 93 FPS — playable
• Low: 141.6 FPS — playable, competitive frame rates
• 1920x1080 (1080p):
• Ultra: 85.9 FPS — playable, best overall option
• High: 115.3 FPS — playable
• Medium: 134 FPS — playable
• Low: 199.6 FPS — playable, maximum performance

The data shows a consistent hierarchy: Low to Medium yields roughly a 30-40 FPS improvement at 1080p and 1440p, while the jump from High to Ultra is more costly. At 4K, the Medium to High transition costs 9 FPS, and High to Ultra costs another 12.2 FPS, demonstrating diminishing returns at the top end.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 60 FPS on a 1440p monitor?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, High settings average 80 FPS, and Medium averages 93 FPS. Ultra falls short at 57.8 FPS, so stick to High or below for a stable 60+ FPS experience.

Q: What is the best 4K setting for this combo?

A: Low is the only playable 4K preset, averaging 80.1 FPS. Medium (54.3 FPS) and High (45.3 FPS) both fail to reach the 60 FPS threshold, so 4K gaming requires significant visual compromises.

Q: How much performance does the Ultra preset cost compared to High?

A: At 1080p, Ultra (85.9 FPS) is 29.4 FPS slower than High (115.3 FPS). At 1440p, the gap widens to 22.2 FPS (High at 80 FPS, Ultra at 57.8 FPS). At 4K, the gap is 12.2 FPS (High at 45.3 FPS, Ultra at 33.1 FPS).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Rust?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions. Evidence: at 1080p Low, the system reaches 199.6 FPS, which is far above typical CPU limits, and the frame rate collapses as resolution increases (e.g., 4K Low at 80.1 FPS). The CPU has headroom, but the Radeon RX 7800 XT cannot keep up with higher pixel counts.

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

A: Ultra settings average 85.9 FPS at 1920x1080. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and leaves room for dips during intense moments, though no minimum frame data was recorded to confirm stability.

Q: Does this combo rank well for Rust compared to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 1266 out of 3723 tested combinations for Rust. This places it in the upper third of systems, indicating above-average performance but not top-tier. The ranking reflects that this is a solid mid-to-high-range pairing, not an extreme enthusiast setup.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust, but the playable settings depend entirely on your monitor's resolution.

• 3840x2160: Yes, but only at Low settings, averaging 80.1 FPS. Medium (54.3 FPS) and above fail to clear the 60 FPS threshold. This is a playable but visually basic experience.
• 2560x1440: Yes, at High settings with 80 FPS average. This is the sweet spot for this combo, offering good visuals and a solid frame rate. Medium (93 FPS) and Low (141.6 FPS) are also viable for higher refresh rate displays.
• 1920x1080: Yes, at Ultra settings with 85.9 FPS average. All four presets (Low 199.6 FPS, Medium 134 FPS, High 115.3 FPS) clear 60 FPS, so this resolution gives full freedom to prioritize visuals or performance.

The data indicates that the system is well-matched for 1080p and 1440p gaming. At 4K, the GPU is overextended, and only the lowest settings provide a playable frame rate. For a smooth Rust experience, target 1440p High as the best balance of quality and speed.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Rust, this Intel Core i5-13400F + AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT pairing ranks 1266 out of 3723 systems. This places it in the 66th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly two-thirds of the systems tested for this game.

The CPU's overall benchmark percentile is 77 versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25292. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (score 25284, delta 0%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (score 25365, delta -0.3%). The GPU's percentile is 51 versus all GPUs, with an average score of 11627. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 (score 11680, delta -0.5%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (score 11842, delta -1.8%).

The rank of 1266 reflects the GPU's mid-pack percentile, which holds back the overall combo despite the strong CPU. In Rust's demanding open-world environments, the GPU's 16 GB of memory and RDNA 3.0 architecture help at lower resolutions, but the rank shows that many other combinations deliver higher average frame rates. This is a competent setup, but not a standout one for Rust specifically.