Rust

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7600 delivers a playable experience in Rust, but the margin for error depends heavily on your target resolution. The data indicates that 1080p is the sweet spot, offering a fully playable experience at maximum settings, while 1440p requires a drop to Medium settings. 4K remains out of reach for smooth gameplay with this combination. The recorded measurements show that this combo sits in the 67th percentile of all tested combinations, meaning it handles the game better than most but is not a top-tier performer.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database's playable threshold is 60 FPS. Based on the measured data, the goal is to identify the most demanding preset that stays at or above this frame rate.

At 3840x2160 (4K), there is no playable setting. Even the Low preset, which is the least demanding, fails to reach the 60 FPS threshold with an average of 59.6 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 38.2 FPS, and the High preset falls to 32.4 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding only 22 FPS. In this case, no settings recommendation can clear the required bar.

At 2560x1440, the situation improves. The Low preset comfortably clears the threshold with an average of 98 FPS. The Medium preset also stays above the line, averaging 65.3 FPS. The High preset, however, falls short at 51.5 FPS, and Ultra averages only 44.2 FPS. Therefore, the most demanding playable setting here is Medium, which delivers an average of 65.3 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the CPU and GPU combination has enough headroom to run every preset above 60 FPS. The Low preset averages 139.8 FPS, High averages 80.3 FPS, and the most demanding preset, Ultra, averages 62.7 FPS. This is the best setting for this resolution, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold while providing the highest visual fidelity.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a classic pattern, where the GPU becomes a larger bottleneck as resolution increases.

At 1920x1080, the difference between the Low and Ultra presets is significant, with a difference of 77.1 FPS (from 139.8 to 62.7). This wide spread suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU's workload becomes more demanding as settings increase. The fact that even the Low preset yields nearly 140 FPS indicates the CPU is not the primary limiting factor at this resolution; the GPU is being tasked more heavily as visual fidelity rises.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop across the board. The Low preset falls to 98 FPS, but the Medium preset still manages 65.3 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 53.8 FPS (from 98 to 44.2). The scaling is less steep than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is becoming a more significant constraint. The CPU is still feeding frames well, but the GPU is doing more work per frame.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the dominant bottleneck. The Low preset averages 59.6 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 38.2 FPS, a substantial fall. The High and Ultra presets are essentially unplayable. The CPU is capable of sending frames, but the RX 7600 cannot process the pixel workload at 4K. The data shows that the GPU is the primary component determining performance at this resolution, while the CPU's role is more prominent at lower resolutions where the GPU can finish its work faster.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The database includes exact average frame rates for each resolution and preset combination. Minimum and maximum frame rates were not recorded.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 59.6 FPS average
• Medium: 38.2 FPS average
• High: 32.4 FPS average
• Ultra: 22 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 98 FPS average
• Medium: 65.3 FPS average
• High: 51.5 FPS average
• Ultra: 44.2 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 139.8 FPS average
• Medium: 93 FPS average
• High: 80.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 62.7 FPS average

The data shows a clear pattern. At each resolution, the Ultra preset is the most demanding and yields the lowest average frame rate. The Low preset is the least demanding and yields the highest. The Medium and High presets sit between these extremes, with Medium consistently performing better than High.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Several pieces of hardware perform similarly to the components in this system, based on their average benchmark scores.

For the Intel Core i5-9400, the nearest rivals in the database are all within a small margin of its average score of 2254. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 is a near match with a score of 2259, showing a delta of -0.2% from the i5-9400. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, which is 0.3% slower. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, also 0.4% slower. The Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% faster than the i5-9400. These processors can be expected to deliver very similar frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

For the AMD Radeon RX 7600, the nearest rivals in the database have an average score of 15171 for the RX 7600. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199, which is 0.2% faster. The AMD Radeon Pro 560X scores 15082, which is 0.6% slower. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, which is 0.7% faster. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti scores 15063, which is 0.7% slower. These GPUs should produce comparable frame rates to the RX 7600, barring any specific driver optimizations.

The Verdict

The database verdict is clear: this PC can run Rust, but the playable settings vary by resolution.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is no playable settings are available. The highest average frame rate recorded is 59.6 FPS at the Low preset, which fails to clear the 60 FPS threshold. The GPU is simply not powerful enough to maintain a smooth experience at this resolution, even on the lowest settings.

At 2560x1440, this PC is capable of running Rust. The playable settings are Low and Medium. The best settings for 1440p is the Medium preset, which delivers an average of 65.3 FPS. This is the highest preset that consistently stays above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset falls below at 51.5 FPS, so it is not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 1920x1080, the verdict is fully playable. All four presets are listed as playable: High, Low, Medium, and Ultra. The best settings the Ultra preset, which achieves an average of 62.7 FPS. Even with the highest visual quality, this setup stays above the 60 FPS target, making it a solid choice for high-refresh-rate gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 2493rd out of 3723 tested combinations in Rust. This places it in the 67th percentile of all combos in the database, meaning it outperforms about two-thirds of the other tested systems. This is a respectable position, indicating that this pairing is more capable than the average system tested.

The rank suggests that while this system is not at the top end, it is well above the median system. The GPU's performance is the stronger component, but the CPU is not holding it back significantly. In a game like Rust, which is known for being CPU-intensive, the six-core, six-thread i5-9400 shows its capability, but it is the RX 7600 that carries the graphical load, particularly at lower resolutions.

For a user with a 1080p monitor, this combination delivers a very strong experience with the ability to max out settings. For a 1440p user, it is still a viable option, but requires a compromise on visual quality to maintain a smooth frame rate. For 4K, it is not a suitable option for this game. The data confirms that the balanced pairing is well-suited for 1080p and can handle 1440p with settings adjusted.