Rust

The combination of an Intel Core i5-9400 and an AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT pairs a six-core Coffee Lake processor from 2018 with a modern RDNA 3 GPU that carries a launch MSRP of 499 USD. The database contains measured average frame rates for Rust across three resolutions and four presets, and this analysis examines what those numbers mean for playability, component roles, and overall ranking.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data provides average FPS only; minimum and maximum values are not available. For each resolution and preset, the average FPS is as follows:

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 79.9
• Medium: 56.1
• High: 46
• Ultra: 34.6

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 127.7
• Medium: 92.8
• High: 76.5
• Ultra: 59.6

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 144.5
• Medium: 121.4
• High: 113.5
• Ultra: 86.7

At 4K, only the Low preset stays above the 60 FPS threshold, and the gap between Low and Ultra is substantial: 79.9 versus 34.6. At 1440p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 127.7 to 59.6, meaning Ultra falls just short of 60 FPS. At 1080p, all presets exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra still delivering 86.7 FPS. The scaling across resolutions is steep: at High settings, the average FPS falls from 113.5 at 1080p to 76.5 at 1440p and then to 46 at 4K. This pattern suggests a strong GPU dependency as resolution increases, while the CPU's influence becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and lighter presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate changes when moving between resolutions. At High settings, the FPS at 1080p is 113.5, at 1440p it is 76.5, and at 4K it is 46. That is a 67.5 FPS reduction from 1080p to 4K, and a 30.5 FPS reduction from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load overwhelms the graphics card at higher pixel counts.

At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 144.5 to 86.7, a difference of 57.8 FPS. At 4K, the same preset gap is 79.9 to 34.6, a difference of 45.3 FPS. The absolute gap narrows at higher resolutions, but the relative impact of the preset remains large. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU can keep up with the GPU even at Low settings, allowing the GPU to stretch to 144.5 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that even Low settings cannot exceed 80 FPS, indicating that the CPU is not the limiting factor there.

The CPU itself has a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935, placing it at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. The GPU's Passmark G3D score is 24176, at the 51st percentile of all GPUs. These percentile ranks suggest the CPU is slightly below average while the GPU is slightly above average. In Rust, which is known to be CPU-sensitive in certain scenarios, the i5-9400's six cores and six threads (with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost of 4.10 GHz) may become a bottleneck at high frame rates, but the measured FPS at 1080p Low (144.5) shows that the combo can still deliver high numbers when the GPU is not taxed.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 1559th out of 3723 tested combos for Rust. That places it in the lower half of all tested systems, specifically below the median. The rank reflects the overall balance of the two components. While the RX 7800 XT is a powerful GPU, the i5-9400's modest single-thread performance and older architecture may prevent the system from reaching the top tiers. The ranking suggests that many other combinations, likely with newer or higher-end CPUs, achieve better average FPS in this game.

The GPU's strong showing in synthetic benchmarks (Passmark G3D 24176) does not translate into a top-tier game rank, indicating that Rust's performance is not purely GPU-bound at all resolutions. The CPU's percentile of 47 reinforces that the processor is a limiting factor in some scenarios, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames quickly.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on average benchmark scores, the i5-9400's nearest rivals are all within 0.5% of its performance. These include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (delta -0.2%), Intel Core i7-10710U (0.3%), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (0.4%), and Intel Core i3-10305 (-0.4%). Swapping the CPU to any of these would yield nearly identical CPU-bound behavior in Rust, assuming the GPU remains the same. The differences are so small that the measured FPS would likely be within a few frames.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are within 1.8% of the RX 7800 XT's average benchmark score. These include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 (delta -0.5%), AMD Radeon Pro 5500M (0.9%), NVIDIA Tesla K20c (1.3%), and AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT (-1.8%). Despite the RX 7800 XT being a newer and higher-end card, its average benchmark score is statistically close to these older or lower-tier products. In Rust, the FPS would likely be similar, though the RX 7800 XT's 16 GB of VRAM and higher bandwidth (624.1 GB/s) might help in texture-heavy scenes, but the recorded data does not isolate that effect.

Best Settings per Resolution

The database's verdict identifies the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS for each resolution:

• 3840x2160: Only Low is playable, with an average FPS of 79.9. Medium (56.1) and above fall below the threshold.
• 2560x1440: High is the best playable preset, with an average FPS of 76.5. Low (127.7) and Medium (92.8) also clear 60 FPS, but High offers the highest visual quality while staying above the line.
• 1920x1080: Ultra is playable, with an average FPS of 86.7. All presets (Low 144.5, Medium 121.4, High 113.5) exceed 60 FPS, so players can use Ultra without sacrificing frame rate.

These results show that the combo can handle 1080p at maximum settings, 1440p at high settings, and 4K only at low settings. The step down from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, as the GPU's workload increases dramatically.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 79.9 FPS. Medium (56.1), High (46), and Ultra (34.6) all fall below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting at 1440p for 60 FPS?

A: High, with an average FPS of 76.5. Medium and Low also exceed 60, but High offers the best visual quality among playable presets.

Q: What is the best setting at 1080p?

A: Ultra, with an average FPS of 86.7. All presets are playable at 1080p, so Ultra is the recommended choice.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 1559th out of 3723 combos, placing it in the lower half of the database.

Q: Which CPUs are closest in performance to the i5-9400?

A: The Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i7-10710U, AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Intel Core i3-10305 are all within 0.5% of its average benchmark score.

Q: Which GPUs are closest in performance to the RX 7800 XT?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, NVIDIA Tesla K20c, and AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT are within 1.8% based on average benchmark scores.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-9400 with AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT can run Rust, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution. At 1080p, all presets clear 60 FPS, with Ultra delivering 86.7 FPS. At 1440p, High is the best preset at 76.5 FPS, while Medium and Low also pass the threshold. At 4K, only Low achieves 60 FPS, at 79.9 FPS; all other presets fall short. The system is therefore capable of smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with appropriate settings, but at 4K it requires a significant reduction in visual quality. The rank of 1559 out of 3723 indicates that while this combo is not top-tier, it is still a viable option for Rust players who prioritize frame rate over maximum fidelity at lower resolutions.