Rust

FAQ

Q: What is the highest preset this combo can run at 1920x1080 while staying above 60 FPS?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is playable, with a recorded average of 71.4 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, 0.4% lower, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, 0.4% higher.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 27425, placing it just above the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile, which scores 27435 (0% delta).

Q: Which resolution shows the largest performance drop when moving from Low to Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160, the drop is most severe: Low averages 64.4 FPS, while Ultra averages 30.2 FPS, a reduction of over half. At 2560x1440, Low averages 115.6 FPS and Ultra drops to 46.4 FPS. At 1920x1080, Low averages 139.9 FPS and Ultra still holds 71.4 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at higher resolutions?

A: The data indicates the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160, even Medium settings only reach 44.2 FPS, while at 1920x1080, Ultra stays above 60 FPS. The CPU's single-core and multi-core scores (935 in Cinebench R23 single-core, 6629 in multi-core) remain constant regardless of resolution, so the FPS drop at 4K is attributed to GPU load.

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU+GPU combo among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2059 out of 3723 tested combinations in Rust, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. This indicates it is neither a top-tier configuration nor a weak one.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the only preset that maintains 60 FPS or higher is Low, with an average of 64.4 FPS. Medium drops to 44.2 FPS, High to 39 FPS, and Ultra falls to 30.2 FPS. For a smooth 4K experience, Low is the only viable option.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding playable preset is High, averaging 67.8 FPS. Medium runs at 77.7 FPS and Low at 115.6 FPS, but High offers the best visual quality while still clearing the 60 FPS bar. Ultra falls below the threshold at 46.4 FPS.

At 1920x1080, all four presets are playable, and the most demanding one that stays above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 71.4 FPS. High runs at 96.9 FPS, Medium at 111 FPS, and Low at 139.9 FPS. This resolution provides the most headroom for visual settings.

The pattern is clear: as resolution increases, the preset ceiling drops. At 1080p, Ultra is comfortable; at 1440p, High is the ceiling; at 4K, only Low works. The 60 FPS threshold is the dividing line, and the data shows exactly where each preset falls relative to it.

CPU and GPU Roles

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT show distinct roles depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the combination behaves as expected: even Ultra settings produce 71.4 FPS, suggesting the GPU has ample headroom and the CPU is able to feed it adequately. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs about 68.5 FPS (from 139.9 to 71.4), a 49% reduction, yet the final number remains playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU load increases significantly. Low runs at 115.6 FPS, but Ultra drops to 46.4 FPS, a 60% reduction. The fact that High still holds 67.8 FPS suggests the GPU is the primary limiter here; the CPU's performance is sufficient to push frames at lower settings, but the GPU cannot sustain Ultra at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU bottleneck becomes severe. Low averages 64.4 FPS, Medium 44.2 FPS, High 39 FPS, and Ultra 30.2 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 53% drop, and even Low barely clears 60 FPS. This indicates the RX 6700 XT is the dominant constraint at this resolution, while the i5-9400's six cores and six threads are not the limiting factor, as evidenced by the consistent performance drop pattern tied to GPU-heavy presets.

Comparing scaling: from 1080p Low (139.9 FPS) to 4K Low (64.4 FPS), the drop is 54%. From 1080p Ultra (71.4 FPS) to 4K Ultra (30.2 FPS), the drop is 58%. This consistent reduction across settings points to a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, with the CPU maintaining its role as a stable foundation rather than a bottleneck.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Rust, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution and preset. At 1920x1080, all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra at 71.4 FPS being the best visual option. At 2560x1440, three presets are playable: High (67.8 FPS), Medium (77.7 FPS), and Low (115.6 FPS); Ultra is not playable at 46.4 FPS. At 3840x2160, only Low (64.4 FPS) clears the 60 FPS bar; Medium (44.2 FPS), High (39 FPS), and Ultra (30.2 FPS) all fall short.

The verdict is straightforward: for 1080p gaming, this combo delivers a fully playable experience at maximum settings. For 1440p, High is the sweet spot. For 4K, users must accept Low settings to maintain smooth gameplay. The data does not support 4K Ultra or even 4K High as viable options, but the combination is clearly capable of running the game at mainstream resolutions with good visual fidelity.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (avg score 2259, delta -0.2%) and Intel Core i3-10305 (avg score 2264, delta -0.4%) would behave nearly identically to the i5-9400 in this game, since their average benchmark scores are within 0.4% of the i5-9400's 2254. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (avg score 2246, delta 0.4%) is also a close match, and the Intel Core i7-10710U (avg score 2248, delta 0.3%) rounds out the group. Any of these CPUs would yield similar frame rates in Rust when paired with the RX 6700 XT, as CPU-bound scenarios at 1080p Low would show minimal differences.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile (avg score 27435, delta 0%) is the closest match, meaning it would produce almost identical FPS numbers in Rust. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (avg score 27565, delta -0.5%) is slightly faster, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 (avg score 27839, delta -1.5%) is a bit slower but still in the same performance tier. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell (avg score 27135, delta 1.1%) is also comparable. Users with any of these GPUs paired with a similar CPU should expect Rust performance within a few FPS of the measured results.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 + AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination ranks 2059 out of 3723 tested combos in Rust. This places it in the 55th percentile of all configurations in the database. It is not a top-tier setup, but it is firmly in the middle of the pack, which aligns with the measured FPS: strong at 1080p, decent at 1440p, and limited at 4K. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU's 47th percentile standing and the GPU's 72nd percentile, resulting in a configuration that is better than average but not exceptional.

The ranking also explains why 4K Ultra is unplayable: the combo sits below the threshold needed for high-resolution, high-preset gaming. However, for 1080p and 1440p, the rank is sufficient to deliver a smooth experience. Users with this combo should not expect to compete with top-tier rigs in Rust, but they also do not need to compromise heavily on settings at mainstream resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

3840x2160:

• Low: 64.4 FPS average
• Medium: 44.2 FPS average
• High: 39 FPS average
• Ultra: 30.2 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 115.6 FPS average
• Medium: 77.7 FPS average
• High: 67.8 FPS average
• Ultra: 46.4 FPS average

1920x1080:

• Low: 139.9 FPS average
• Medium: 111 FPS average
• High: 96.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 71.4 FPS average

The min and max FPS values are not recorded in the database, so only average figures are available. The data shows a consistent pattern: every resolution has a playable preset, and the gap between Low and Ultra widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the spread is 68.5 FPS (139.9 to 71.4); at 1440p, the spread is 69.2 FPS (115.6 to 46.4); at 4K, the spread is 34.2 FPS (64.4 to 30.2). The narrower spread at 4K is due to the GPU being maxed out even at Low settings, leaving less room for preset scaling.