Rust

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER delivers a performance profile that scales predictably across resolutions and presets in Rust. The measured data shows a system capable of smooth gameplay at standard and high resolutions, but one that struggles to maintain fluid frame rates at 4K with higher graphical loads. The average frame rates recorded across the twelve tested configurations provide a clear picture of where this combo excels and where it falls short of the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination demonstrates its strongest performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 153.6 FPS, providing a significant headroom above the playable threshold. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 103.6 FPS, still a very comfortable margin for high-refresh-rate displays. High settings yield an average of 88.9 FPS, which remains well within smooth territory. The most demanding preset, Ultra, records an average of 64.7 FPS, which narrowly clears the 60 FPS line and indicates that even maximum settings are viable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the performance scaling follows a similar pattern but with reduced headroom. Low settings produce an average of 105.5 FPS, which is excellent for a 1440p panel. Medium settings average 72 FPS, maintaining good fluidity. High settings record an average of 61.8 FPS, barely staying above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings, however, drop to an average of 44 FPS, a notable decrease that places this preset firmly in unplayable territory for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system's limitations become evident. Low settings average 62.9 FPS, just clearing the threshold with minimal headroom. Medium settings fall to 39.9 FPS, a steep decline that makes the game feel sluggish. High settings average 32.6 FPS, and Ultra settings drop further to 26.7 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial, showing a 36.2 FPS difference that underscores the GPU's struggle with the higher pixel count.

The min and max FPS values are not recorded in the database, so the analysis relies solely on average frame rates. The progression across resolutions shows a consistent pattern: each step up from 1080p to 1440p to 4K reduces performance, but the severity of the drop becomes more pronounced at higher settings. The data indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K resolution demands more than this hardware can deliver at medium or higher presets.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the best settings that stay at or above 60 FPS are Ultra, with an average of 64.7 FPS. This is the most demanding preset available, and the system clears the threshold by nearly 5 FPS, making it the recommended choice for users who want maximum visual fidelity at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, with an average of 61.8 FPS. The system just manages to exceed 60 FPS, leaving only 1.8 FPS of headroom. Medium settings offer a more comfortable margin at 72 FPS, but the High preset is the most demanding option that remains playable. Ultra at 1440p falls short at 44 FPS, so users must accept High as the ceiling for smooth performance.

For 3840x2160, the only playable setting is Low, with an average of 62.9 FPS. This preset provides just enough performance to stay above 60 FPS, but the margin is thin. Medium and higher settings all fall below the threshold, making Low the sole viable option for 4K gaming with this hardware combination.

The verdict data confirms these choices: the database lists 1920x1080 Ultra as playable, 2560x1440 High as playable, and 3840x2160 Low as playable. It is notably the best settings at each resolution represent the maximum graphical quality that still delivers acceptable frame rates, not necessarily the optimal balance for all users.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets reveals how the CPU and GPU each contribute to Rust's frame rate. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is 88.9 FPS, with the average dropping from 153.6 to 64.7. This wide spread indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution, as the CPU has enough headroom to feed the graphics card at lower settings, but the GPU becomes saturated as the visual load increases.

At 2560x1440, the spread between Low and Ultra is 61.5 FPS (105.5 down to 44). The reduction in the spread compared to 1080p suggests that the GPU is becoming more dominant. The CPU's role diminishes as the resolution increases, because the higher pixel count places more strain on the graphics card, reducing the impact of CPU-bound scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the spread narrows further to 36.2 FPS (62.9 down to 26.7). This tighter range indicates that the GPU is almost entirely responsible for the performance level. The CPU's capability, represented by the Core i5-14600KF's 14 cores and 20 threads, is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's demands at 4K, but the RTX 2070 SUPER simply cannot render the game fast enough at higher settings.

The scaling between resolutions at the same preset provides additional insight. For example, at High settings, performance drops from 88.9 FPS at 1080p to 61.8 FPS at 1440p, a 30.5% decrease. From 1440p to 4K, the drop is from 61.8 to 32.6 FPS, a 47.2% decrease. This nonlinear scaling reinforces that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the 4K resolution demands nearly four times the pixel throughput of 1080p, which the RTX 2070 SUPER cannot deliver at High settings.

The CPU's strength is evident in the Low settings results. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 153.6 FPS, indicating that the i5-14600KF can drive the game well above typical refresh rates when the GPU is not constrained. At 1440p Low, the 105.5 FPS result shows the CPU still has headroom, while at 4K Low, the 62.9 FPS average is limited by the GPU rather than the processor. This pattern confirms that the i5-14600KF is more than adequate for Rust, and the RTX 2070 SUPER is the component that dictates the playable settings at each resolution.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust, but the playable range depends heavily on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS at all presets, including Ultra at 64.7 FPS. This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution for this combo, as users can select any preset and still enjoy smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the system can run the game at High settings with an average of 61.8 FPS, just above the threshold. Medium settings provide more comfort at 72 FPS, and Low settings reach 105.5 FPS. Ultra is not playable at 44 FPS, so users must avoid the highest preset at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system only runs the game at Low settings, with an average of 62.9 FPS. This is technically above 60 FPS, but the margin is minimal, and any scene with heavy load could push it below the threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra settings are all unplayable at 4K, with averages of 39.9, 32.6, and 26.7 FPS respectively.

The database verdict lists 1920x1080 Ultra, 2560x1440 High, and 3840x2160 Low as the playable configurations. For users who prioritize visual quality, 1080p Ultra is the best option. For those with a 1440p monitor, High settings deliver acceptable performance, while Low settings offer a much smoother experience. The 4K resolution is only viable with the lowest preset, and even then, the performance is borderline.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-14600KF provide context for the CPU's performance in this pairing. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 has an average score 0.3% higher, making it effectively equivalent in CPU-bound scenarios. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G is 0.4% faster, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is 0.8% faster. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 is 0.8% slower. These small deltas mean that swapping the i5-14600KF for any of these processors would result in nearly identical frame rates in Rust, as the GPU remains the bottleneck in most configurations.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M has an average score 1% lower, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile is 1.2% lower, the Intel Arc B570 is 1.3% lower, and the Intel Arc A750 is 1.5% lower. These differences are minor, suggesting that any of these GPUs would produce comparable results to the RTX 2070 SUPER. However, the RTX 2070 SUPER is a desktop card, while the RTX 3070 Mobile is a laptop part, so real-world performance may vary due to thermal and power constraints, though the database scores indicate similar computational capability.

Users considering alternatives to this combo can expect that a system with any of these CPUs and GPUs would deliver frame rates within a few percentage points of what the i5-14600KF and RTX 2070 SUPER achieve. The Intel Arc A750 and Arc B570 are particularly interesting as newer options, but their scores suggest they would not change the playable settings at any resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 2144 out of 3723 tested combos in the database for Rust. This places it in the 57th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms a slight majority of other systems. The ranking reflects the balance between the strong CPU and the mid-range GPU, which together provide solid 1080p and 1440p performance but fall short at 4K with higher settings.

The rank indicates that this is not a top-tier setup for Rust, but it is also far from the bottom. Many tested combos with newer or more powerful GPUs would rank higher, while systems with older or weaker components would rank lower. The i5-14600KF's 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests that the processor is a strength, while the RTX 2070 SUPER's 65th percentile ranking among GPUs indicates that the graphics card is the limiting factor.

For users with this combo, the data shows that the system is well-suited for 1080p gaming at any preset and 1440p gaming at medium to high settings. The 4K experience is limited to low settings, which may be acceptable for some but not for those seeking higher visual quality. The rank of 2144 out of 3723 provides a reference point: this system sits in the middle of the pack, capable of running Rust smoothly at mainstream resolutions but not exceptional at the highest demands.