Rust

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an overwhelmingly capable combination for Rust, delivering playable frame rates at every tested resolution and preset. Benchmark data shows this combo ranks 156th out of 3,723 tested configurations, placing it in the top 4.2% of all systems. The pairing excels across the board: at 1080p, even the most demanding Ultra preset produces an average of 137 FPS, while at 4K, the High preset remains comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold with an average of 73 FPS. The only scenario that dips below the playable threshold is 4K Ultra, which averages 56 FPS. This system is built for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and smooth 4K experiences, with the CPU providing strong single-threaded performance and the GPU delivering massive rasterization throughput.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset that maintains at least 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: The High preset at 3840x2160 achieves an average of 73 FPS, making it the most demanding playable option. Ultra at the same resolution drops to 56 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p with maximum settings?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 94 FPS, with a minimum of 125 FPS recorded at Medium settings. This resolution is where the system fully flexes its muscle, offering high fidelity and high frame rates simultaneously.

Q: Is the frame rate at 1080p sufficient for competitive play?

A: Yes, and then some. The Low preset at 1920x1080 averages 213 FPS, while even the Ultra preset maintains a strong 137 FPS average. For esports-style responsiveness, the 1080p Low setting provides nearly 3.5x the playable threshold.

Q: Which component is more critical for Rust performance at lower resolutions?

A: At 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance becomes the limiting factor, as indicated by the relatively small frame rate gap between Medium (183 FPS) and Low (213 FPS) settings. The RTX 4090 is so powerful that it is not the bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What is the system's overall ranking among tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 156th out of 3,723 tested systems, placing it in the 95.8th percentile of all configurations. This places it well ahead of the vast majority of gaming PCs.

Q: Does the system achieve 60 FPS at all presets and resolutions?

A: No. The single exception is 4K Ultra, which averages 56 FPS. Every other combination of resolution and preset tested—12 out of 13—clears the 60 FPS threshold, with most exceeding it by a wide margin.

Best Settings per Resolution

The data indicates that this system can push visual quality aggressively at every resolution, with the only compromise required at 4K.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is fully viable, delivering an average of 137 FPS. This is the highest quality setting available, and it still provides more than double the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset reaches 213 FPS, but given the headroom, there is no reason to sacrifice visual fidelity at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset again stands as the best choice, averaging 94 FPS. This represents the sweet spot for this hardware: maximum settings with a frame rate that supports high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset averages 147 FPS, but Ultra’s 94 FPS is still well above the playable threshold, making it the recommended pick.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the most demanding option that stays above 60 FPS, averaging 73 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 56 FPS, which is below the playable threshold, so High is the optimal balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset offers 87 FPS, but High provides a noticeable visual upgrade for only a 14 FPS cost.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor between the Intel Core i5-13400F and the RTX 4090 shifts predictably as resolution increases, with the CPU dominating at lower resolutions and the GPU taking over at higher ones.

At 1920x1080, the CPU is the primary driver of performance. The frame rate difference between Low (213 FPS) and Ultra (137 FPS) is 76 FPS, which is substantial, but the absolute numbers indicate the GPU is not stressed. The i5-13400F’s strong single-core score of 960 in 3DMark single-thread tests and 3,634 in PassMark single-thread tests helps maintain high minimum frame rates, but the scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is only 35.7% lower, suggesting the CPU is the ceiling for max frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts slightly toward the GPU. The Ultra preset averages 94 FPS, which is 68.6% of the 1080p Ultra score, indicating that the RTX 4090’s rendering load is increasing. The CPU still has headroom, as evidenced by the High preset (124 FPS) being only 28.3% lower than Low (188 FPS). This resolution benefits from the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth, which handle the increased pixel count efficiently.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is unequivocally the bottleneck. The Ultra preset drops to 56 FPS, while the High preset averages 73 FPS. This 23.3% reduction from High to Ultra at 4K, compared to a 27.4% reduction at 1440p, shows the GPU is nearing its limits at this resolution. The CPU’s role diminishes significantly, as the frame rates are primarily dictated by the RTX 4090’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth.

The scaling pattern tells a clear story: from 1080p to 4K, the frame rate at Ultra settings drops from 137 to 56 FPS, a 59.1% reduction. This is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the i5-13400F’s 10 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 4090 without becoming a limiting factor.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on benchmark averages, several other CPUs and GPUs would deliver nearly identical performance in this system.

For the Intel Core i5-13400F, the nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS, which has an average benchmark score of 25,284 versus 25,292 for the Intel chip—a 0% difference. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800H scores 25,201, which is 0.4% lower, putting it in the same performance class. The Intel Core 5 120 and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D both score slightly higher at 25,362 and 25,365 respectively, representing a 0.3% advantage. In gaming, these differences are imperceptible, meaning any of these CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Rust.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60, which scores 60,326 on average versus 60,347 for the RTX 4090—a 0% delta. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 scores 60,140, just 0.3% lower, while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61,896, which is 2.5% higher. The AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58,657, representing a 2.9% deficit. These workstation-class GPUs are unlikely to be used in a gaming PC, but the benchmark data shows they would behave similarly in terms of raw compute, though the RTX 4090’s 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth give it a practical advantage in gaming scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a rank of 156 out of 3,723 tested combinations in Rust. This places the system in the top 4.2% of all configurations, a strong showing that reflects the balanced nature of the pairing.

To contextualize this rank, the CPU alone sits at the 77th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 88th percentile among all graphics cards. The combined rank of 156 out of 3,723 is slightly lower than the individual percentiles would suggest, indicating that Rust’s engine is sensitive to the CPU’s memory latency and thread scheduling. However, the absolute frame rates are so high that this ranking does not translate to any practical disadvantage.

The data shows that the system is not just playable but highly capable. At 1440p Ultra, it produces 94 FPS, which is 56.7% higher than the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K High preset at 73 FPS is 21.7% above the threshold. These margins are comfortable and leave room for future updates or more demanding scenes without dropping below playability.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Rust exceptionally well. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, all four tested presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed the 60 FPS playable threshold. At 3840x2160, the High, Medium, and Low presets all clear 60 FPS, with only the Ultra preset falling short at an average of 56 FPS.

The best settings are 137 FPS at 1080p Ultra, 94 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and 73 FPS at 4K High. For players seeking maximum visual fidelity at 4K, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it offers a significant improvement over Medium (87 FPS) with only a modest frame rate reduction.

The Intel Core i5-13400F proves to be a capable partner for the RTX 4090, providing sufficient single-threaded performance to avoid bottlenecking at lower resolutions. The GPU’s immense power is fully utilized at 1440p and 4K, where it delivers frame rates that most systems can only dream of. This is a top-tier combination for Rust, suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors at 1440p and smooth 4K gaming with a single settings adjustment. The only reservation is 4K Ultra, which requires dropping to High to maintain 60 FPS—a minor concession given the overall performance envelope.