Rust

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 delivers a playable experience in Rust, but the definition of "playable" shifts dramatically depending on resolution. At 1080p, the combo is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold at multiple settings, while at 1440p, only the Low preset maintains that standard. At 4K, no preset reaches the 60 FPS mark, making the combo unsuitable for that resolution in this title.

Best Settings per Resolution

The recorded data shows a clear ceiling for each resolution based on the 60 FPS playability threshold.

At 1920x1080, the best playable setting is High, which delivers an average of 74.8 FPS. This is the most demanding preset that stays above 60 FPS at this resolution. While the Medium preset also exceeds the threshold at 88.7 FPS, High offers better visual quality while still maintaining a comfortable margin above the playability line. The Ultra preset falls short at 56.2 FPS, so it is not recommended for a smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the situation tightens considerably. The only playable setting is Low, which produces an average of 89.8 FPS. This is the sole preset at this resolution that clears the 60 FPS bar. The Medium preset dips to 59.2 FPS, just below the threshold, while High and Ultra sit at 50.9 FPS and 41.9 FPS respectively, both too demanding for consistent 60 FPS gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the verdict is unambiguous: there are no playable settings. Every preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The best result at this resolution is the Low preset at 57 FPS, which is still short of the mark. High, Medium, and Ultra produce 31.3 FPS, 34.8 FPS, and 23.1 FPS respectively, all far from playable.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets reveals how the workload shifts between the Intel Core i5-9400 and the Intel Arc B580 in Rust.

The CPU, a 6-core, 6-thread Coffee Lake part with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, provides a solid foundation for the game's simulation and logic. Its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629, place it in the 47th percentile among all CPUs, indicating mid-range performance. The GPU, with its 2560 shading units and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory, handles the rendering workload.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates across presets show that the GPU is the primary driver of performance. The jump from Low (130.5 FPS) to Medium (88.7 FPS) is a 32% reduction, and from Medium to High (74.8 FPS) another 16% drop. This linear scaling suggests the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU has enough headroom at this resolution to feed frames without constraint.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes slightly. The Low preset still delivers 89.8 FPS, but the gap between Low and Medium (59.2 FPS) is a 34% drop, similar to the 1080p scaling. However, the absolute numbers are lower, indicating that the GPU is starting to struggle with the increased pixel count. The CPU's role becomes less prominent here, as the GPU is clearly the limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the bottleneck. The Low preset delivers 57 FPS, but the High preset drops to 31.3 FPS, a 45% reduction. The Ultra preset at 23.1 FPS shows that the GPU cannot keep up with the 4K pixel workload regardless of CPU performance. The CPU's influence is negligible at this resolution, as the GPU is saturated.

The data indicates that the Intel Core i5-9400 is sufficient for Rust at lower resolutions, but the Intel Arc B580 becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. At 1080p, the combo is balanced, with the GPU handling most of the load. At 1440p, the GPU begins to strain, and at 4K, it is completely overwhelmed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact average frame rates recorded for each resolution and settings combination. Minimum and maximum FPS values were not recorded in the database, so only averages are available.

3840x2160:

• Low: 57.0 FPS average
• Medium: 34.8 FPS average
• High: 31.3 FPS average
• Ultra: 23.1 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 89.8 FPS average
• Medium: 59.2 FPS average
• High: 50.9 FPS average
• Ultra: 41.9 FPS average

1920x1080:

• Low: 130.5 FPS average
• Medium: 88.7 FPS average
• High: 74.8 FPS average
• Ultra: 56.2 FPS average

The progression across resolutions shows a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution reduces frame rates across all presets. The most significant drop occurs between 1440p and 4K, where the Low preset falls from 89.8 FPS to 57.0 FPS, a 37% reduction. This indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s and its 192-bit bus are insufficient for the 4K workload in Rust.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals in the database, several other components would produce similar results to this combo.

For the CPU, the Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. The closest rivals are:

• Intel Core i7-1068NG7: average score 2259, delta -0.2% (essentially identical)
• Intel Core i3-10305: average score 2264, delta -0.4% (marginally faster)
• AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500: average score 2246, delta 0.4% (marginally slower)
• Intel Core i7-10710U: average score 2248, delta 0.3% (marginally slower)

These CPUs would behave nearly identically in Rust, as their benchmark deltas are within 1% of the i5-9400. The i7-1068NG7 is the closest match, with a delta of only -0.2%, meaning it would deliver virtually the same frame rates.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. The closest rivals are:

• AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP: average score 23061, delta -0.2% (essentially identical)
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080: average score 22895, delta 0.6% (marginally slower)
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080: average score 23172, delta -0.7% (marginally faster)
• NVIDIA P106-100: average score 23249, delta -1% (marginally faster)

The RTX 2080 and RTX 3080 are notable comparisons. The RTX 2080 scores 0.6% lower than the B580, while the RTX 3080 scores 0.7% higher. In practice, both would produce frame rates within a few FPS of the B580 in Rust. The RX 580 2048SP is the closest match at -0.2% delta, making it a near-perfect substitute.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Rust at 60 FPS on 1080p?

A: Yes. The High preset delivers an average of 74.8 FPS, and the Medium preset reaches 88.7 FPS. Only the Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS at 56.2 FPS.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1440p?

A: The Low preset is the only playable option at 2560x1440, producing an average of 89.8 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 59.2 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Rust?

A: No. At 3840x2160, even the Low preset only reaches 57.0 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The Ultra preset averages just 23.1 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (0.2% lower), while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (0.4% higher). All are within 1% of each other, meaning they perform nearly identically in Rust.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895 (0.6% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172 (0.7% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP is the closest at 23061 (0.2% lower).

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The Ultra preset at 1920x1080 averages 56.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playability threshold. For a smoother experience, the High preset at 74.8 FPS is recommended.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Rust, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2848 out of 3723 total combinations. This places it in the lower portion of the rankings, at roughly the 24th percentile of all tested combos.

This ranking reflects the CPU's mid-range standing (47th percentile among all CPUs) and the GPU's solid but not top-tier performance (68th percentile among all GPUs). The combo is clearly capable at 1080p, where it delivers playable frame rates at High settings, but it struggles at higher resolutions. The rank suggests that while this setup can handle Rust adequately at 1080p, many other tested combinations offer better performance, particularly at 1440p and 4K.

The data indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is the stronger component in this pairing, as its 68th percentile ranking among GPUs is notably higher than the CPU's 47th percentile. In Rust, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, this imbalance becomes more apparent. At 1080p, the CPU's mid-range performance is sufficient, but at 1440p and above, the GPU's limitations dominate the experience.