Rust

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Rust across all tested resolutions and settings. At 4K, the combo averages 80 FPS on High settings, drops to 61 FPS on Ultra, and reaches 141 FPS on Low, demonstrating that even the most demanding preset remains comfortably above the 60 FPS playability threshold. Moving to 1440p, performance scales impressively: the Ultra preset averages 103 FPS, while Medium hits 161 FPS with a minimum of 136 FPS and maximum of 185 FPS. At 1080p, the setup becomes nearly overkill, with the Low preset producing 217 FPS, Medium averaging 187 FPS, High at 176 FPS, and Ultra still maintaining a strong 150 FPS average. The data indicates that this configuration is not merely capable of running Rust but does so with substantial headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors at every resolution tested.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across three resolutions and four presets. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 61 FPS on Ultra to 141 FPS on Low. The Medium preset at 4K shows the only complete min/max data in the entire set: an average of 95 FPS, with a minimum of 81 FPS and a maximum of 109 FPS. This 28 FPS spread between minimum and maximum indicates some scene-dependent variability, but the minimum remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 4K averages 80 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 61 FPS, which is just one frame above the playability cutoff.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates climb substantially. The Low preset reaches an average of 192 FPS, while High averages 136 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution provides the second complete min/max dataset: 161 FPS average, with a minimum of 136 FPS and maximum of 185 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 103 FPS, showcasing that even the most demanding settings at 1440p leave significant performance on the table. The scaling from 4K Ultra (61 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (103 FPS) represents a 42 FPS improvement, or roughly 69% more frames, highlighting the resolution's impact on rendering load.

At 1920x1080, the performance becomes exceptional across the board. The Low preset averages 217 FPS, the highest figure recorded for this combo. Medium averages 187 FPS with a minimum of 159 FPS and maximum of 215 FPS, providing the third and final complete min/max dataset. High averages 176 FPS, and Ultra averages 150 FPS. The delta between 1080p Ultra (150 FPS) and 4K Ultra (61 FPS) is 89 FPS, demonstrating that users with 1080p displays can enable maximum settings while still enjoying frame rates that exceed the refresh rate of most mainstream monitors. The data shows no preset at any resolution falls below the 60 FPS average threshold, making this one of the more versatile combos for Rust.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions reveals how the CPU and GPU share the workload in Rust. At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint, as evidenced by the steep drop from Low (141 FPS) to Ultra (61 FPS). This 80 FPS reduction when moving from the least to most demanding preset at 4K indicates that the RTX 5090 D's rendering capabilities are being taxed heavily by the higher pixel count and increased graphical fidelity. The CPU, an Intel Core i5-14400F with 10 cores and 16 threads, appears to have sufficient headroom at this resolution, as frame rates scale directly with GPU load.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The gap between Low (192 FPS) and Ultra (103 FPS) is 89 FPS, slightly larger than at 4K in absolute terms but proportionally similar. The CPU's role becomes more apparent at this resolution because the GPU can complete its work faster, allowing the i5-14400F to become a more significant factor in frame production. The 1440p Medium data shows a minimum of 136 FPS, which is 25 FPS below the average, suggesting that certain scenes with heavy entity counts or physics calculations may briefly strain the CPU.

At 1920x1080, the CPU's influence becomes most pronounced. The difference between Low (217 FPS) and Ultra (150 FPS) narrows to 67 FPS, and the absolute frame rates suggest that the i5-14400F is approaching its limits in Rust's most CPU-intensive scenarios. The 1080p Medium minimum of 159 FPS, compared to the 4K Medium minimum of 81 FPS, indicates that while the GPU handles resolution scaling effectively, the CPU's single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055, plays a critical role in maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions. The data suggests that at 1080p, this combo is more balanced, with neither component acting as a clear bottleneck, whereas at 4K, the GPU is the primary performance driver.

Best Settings per Resolution

For each resolution, the most demanding preset that maintains an average of at least 60 FPS is the Ultra setting, making this a straightforward recommendation. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 61 FPS, which clears the playability threshold by a single frame. This is the closest margin in the entire dataset, so while it is technically playable, users who prefer a safety buffer might opt for High at 80 FPS or Medium at 95 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only measurement where the average approaches the 60 FPS boundary, and the lack of min/max data for this preset means that occasional dips below 60 FPS are possible but not confirmed by the available figures.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 103 FPS, providing a 43 FPS margin above the playability threshold. This gives users substantial headroom for demanding scenes without needing to sacrifice visual quality. The Medium preset at this resolution, with its 161 FPS average and 136 FPS minimum, would be the choice for those prioritizing smoothness above all else, but Ultra remains comfortably playable. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 150 FPS, which is 90 FPS above the threshold. This configuration allows players to enable every visual option while still enjoying frame rates suitable for high-refresh-rate displays. The data shows that across all three resolutions, the Ultra preset is the best settings choice, with the 4K configuration representing the only marginal case.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 89th out of 3723 tested combos in Rust, placing it in the top 2.4% of all configurations in the benchmark database. This percentile position reflects the combo's ability to maintain high frame rates across all settings and resolutions, with the weakest result (61 FPS at 4K Ultra) still meeting the playability standard. The ranking is particularly strong given that the CPU, while capable, is not the absolute fastest processor available, as indicated by its 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs in synthetic benchmarks.

The GPU contributes significantly to this high combo ranking. The RTX 5090 D sits in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77712. The combination of a top-tier GPU with a mid-to-high-range CPU proves effective for Rust specifically, suggesting the game's engine benefits more from GPU throughput than from extreme CPU performance. The combo's rank of 89 out of 3723 means that only 88 other combinations of CPU and GPU deliver higher frame rates in this title, which is a remarkable achievement for a setup that does not feature the absolute fastest CPU available. The data indicates that this combo outperforms the vast majority of systems tested, making it a strong choice for Rust players who want maximum visual fidelity without compromising frame rates.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 61 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. However, this is the closest margin in the dataset, so some variance may occur.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 217, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 192 FPS at 2560x1440 on Low, followed by 187 FPS at 1080p on Medium.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems in Rust?

A: This combo ranks 89th out of 3723 tested combinations, which places it in the top 2.4% of all configurations. The GPU's 92nd percentile performance among all GPUs contributes significantly to this high ranking.

Q: Is there any preset that fails to reach 60 FPS?

A: No. Every preset at every resolution tested—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K—averages at least 61 FPS. The lowest recorded average is 61 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Q: What are the complete min/max FPS data points?

A: Three presets have full min/max data: 4K Medium (81 min, 109 max), 1440p Medium (136 min, 185 max), and 1080p Medium (159 min, 215 max). The remaining presets only provide average FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 150 at 1080p to 103 at 1440p, and finally to 61 at 4K. This represents a 59% reduction in average FPS from 1080p to 4K.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust with authority. The verdict by resolution is unambiguous: at 3840x2160, all four presets—Low, Medium, High, and Ultra—are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 61 FPS, which is the minimum acceptable for smooth gameplay. At 2560x1440, all presets are also playable, with Ultra averaging 103 FPS, providing a comfortable margin above the threshold. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, and Ultra averages 150 FPS, making this resolution the sweet spot for players who want maximum visual quality with high frame rates. The data shows no configuration where the average FPS falls below 60, and the 4K Ultra result at 61 FPS is the only measurement that approaches the boundary.

The combo's overall rank of 89th out of 3723 tested systems reinforces its capability. The RTX 5090 D, with its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, provides ample resources for Rust's demanding environments, while the i5-14400F's 10 cores and 16 threads handle the game's simulation and physics workloads effectively. For players with 1440p or 1080p displays, this setup delivers exceptional performance that exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors at Ultra settings. For 4K users, the Ultra preset is playable but leaves little headroom, so choosing High or Medium (95 FPS average) provides a more stable experience. Overall, the data indicates that this combo is highly capable for Rust at any resolution, with the only caveat being the narrow margin at 4K Ultra.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14400F provide context for CPU performance. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has an average score of 32233, which is 0.1% lower than the i5-14400F's 32279 average, indicating nearly identical synthetic performance. The Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226, a 0.2% difference, while the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i7-12800H completes the group with a score of 32121, 0.5% lower. These CPUs would likely produce similar frame rates in Rust when paired with the RTX 5090 D, given their close benchmark scores.

On the GPU side, the nearest rivals show a wider spread. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT has an average score of 76904, which is 1.1% higher than the RTX 5090 D's 77712. The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT scores 78940, 1.6% lower, and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB and 16 GB variants score 79396 and 79605, respectively, representing 2.1% and 2.4% lower performance. These deltas are relatively small, suggesting that swapping the GPU for one of these alternatives would result in comparable Rust performance, though the RTX 5090 D remains the strongest of the group. For users considering alternatives, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and Intel Core i9-11900 represent the closest CPU matches, while the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT offers the nearest GPU performance profile.