Rust

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 972nd out of 3,723 tested CPU and GPU combinations in Rust. This places the combo in roughly the top 26 percent of all recorded configurations, a solid standing for a game that can be demanding on both processor and graphics hardware. The rank reflects the pairing's ability to deliver playable frame rates across most settings and resolutions, though it is not among the elite configurations in the database.

The CPU itself sits at the 47th percentile among all processors tested, meaning it outperforms nearly half of the CPUs in the database but trails the majority. The GPU is much stronger, sitting at the 86th percentile among all graphics cards, which indicates it is comfortably in the upper tier of recorded GPUs. This disparity is central to understanding the combo's behavior: the graphics card carries most of the performance weight, while the processor represents a more modest baseline. The average benchmark score for the CPU is 2,254, while the GPU averages 54,209 across its benchmark suite, a gap that highlights how much of the raw compute capability resides in the graphics subsystem.

Within Rust specifically, the measured frame rates show that the combo never falls below 52.9 FPS at any recorded resolution and preset, and it exceeds 100 FPS in several configurations. The rank of 972 out of 3,723 combos is therefore a reflection of the CPU's relative weakness rather than a failure to run the game. Many combos in the database use faster processors alongside similarly powerful GPUs, which pushes this pairing down the order even though its in-game results are strong at lower resolutions and presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data shows a clear pattern: the GPU is the dominant component at 4K, while the CPU becomes more relevant as resolution drops. At 3840x2160, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial. Low averages 107.5 FPS, Medium drops to 80.9 FPS, High falls to 66 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 52.9 FPS. This scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 50.8 percent reduction in frame rate, which is typical of a GPU-bound scenario where higher settings increase the pixel shading workload. The RTX 4080 SUPER is doing the heavy lifting here, and the CPU has enough headroom to feed it even at 4K.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates tighten. Low averages 126.5 FPS, Medium 111 FPS, High 102.8 FPS, and Ultra 87.8 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 30.6 percent, smaller than at 4K. This suggests that at 1440p the GPU is still the primary constraint, but the CPU begins to matter more as the resolution lowers the GPU load. The i5-9400 has six cores and six threads with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, which is sufficient to keep the RTX 4080 SUPER busy at this resolution without becoming a severe bottleneck.

At 1920x1080, the scaling flattens further. Low averages 141 FPS, Medium 122.1 FPS, High 116.5 FPS, and Ultra 102.6 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 27.2 percent, the smallest of the three resolutions. This is a sign that at 1080p the CPU is starting to limit the maximum achievable frame rate. The RTX 4080 SUPER is capable of far more than 141 FPS in many titles, but the i5-9400's six threads and Coffee Lake architecture cap the combo's ceiling. Even so, the frame rates remain well above the 60 FPS playable threshold at every preset, so the CPU limitation is not a practical problem for Rust.

The data indicates that in Rust, the GPU is the more important component at 4K and most of 1440p, while the CPU becomes a meaningful factor at 1080p and in the lower presets at 1440p. Players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p would see more benefit from a stronger processor, whereas players at 4K are almost entirely GPU-bound.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are all within a narrow performance band. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 averages 2,259, which is 0.2 percent ahead of the i5-9400. The Intel Core i3-10305 averages 2,264, 0.4 percent ahead. The Intel Core i7-10710U averages 2,248, 0.3 percent behind. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 averages 2,246, 0.4 percent behind. These four chips would behave nearly identically to the i5-9400 in Rust, since their average benchmark scores are within a fraction of a percent. The i7-1068NG7 and i3-10305 are the closest matches, with the i3-10305 being the strongest of the group by a razor-thin margin.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are also extremely close. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 averages 54,247, which is 0.1 percent ahead of the RTX 4080 SUPER. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X averages 54,828, 1.1 percent ahead. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB averages 55,698, 2.7 percent ahead. The AMD Radeon 8060S averages 55,757, 2.8 percent ahead. These deltas are small enough that in real-world Rust gameplay, the differences would be negligible. The RTX 4080 is the most direct alternative, and a system with an RTX 4080 instead of an RTX 4080 SUPER would produce nearly identical frame rates. The Radeon options are slightly faster on average, but the margin is under 3 percent, which is within normal run-to-run variance for a game like Rust.

For a user considering this combo, swapping the CPU for any of its four nearest rivals would change nothing meaningful in Rust, since all five sit within 0.4 percent of each other. Swapping the GPU for an RTX 4080 would also be a wash, while the Radeon alternatives would offer a marginal improvement at best. The recorded data suggests this combo's in-game performance is representative of a broader cluster of hardware that performs within a few percentage points.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust, and it can do so comfortably at 1080p and 1440p. The verdict data shows that at 1920x1080, all four presets clear the 60 FPS playable threshold. Low averages 141 FPS, Medium 122.1 FPS, High 116.5 FPS, and Ultra 102.6 FPS. The best setting at this resolution is Ultra, which delivers an average of 102.6 FPS, well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the picture is similarly strong. All four presets are playable: Low averages 126.5 FPS, Medium 111 FPS, High 102.8 FPS, and Ultra 87.8 FPS. The best setting is Ultra at 87.8 FPS, which leaves a comfortable margin above the playable threshold.

At 3840x2160, the combo remains playable at three of the four presets. Low averages 107.5 FPS, Medium 80.9 FPS, and High 66 FPS. Ultra falls to 52.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and therefore not classified as playable. The best playable setting at 4K is High, with an average of 66 FPS. Players who want 4K with Ultra settings would need to accept frame rates below 60 FPS, or they would need to consider a different hardware configuration.

The overall verdict is that this combo is a strong Rust machine for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the ability to push 4K at High settings. The CPU does limit the absolute maximum frame rate at 1080p, but the GPU ensures that every playable preset clears the threshold by a wide margin.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Rust at 4K?

A: Yes, at 4K the playable settings are Low, Medium, and High. High averages 66 FPS, Medium 80.9 FPS, and Low 107.5 FPS. Ultra averages 52.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best setting for 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Ultra is the best setting, delivering an average of 87.8 FPS. All four presets at this resolution clear the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2,254. Its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, Intel Core i3-10305, Intel Core i7-10710U, and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, are all within 0.4 percent of that score.

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54,209. The RTX 4080 is 0.1 percent behind, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1 percent ahead, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.7 percent ahead, and the AMD Radeon 8060S is 2.8 percent ahead.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for Rust at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the CPU is the more limiting factor. The frame rates range from 141 FPS on Low to 102.6 FPS on Ultra, and the scaling between presets is the flattest of the three resolutions, indicating CPU constraint.

Q: What is the combo's rank in the database for Rust?

A: The combo ranks 972nd out of 3,723 tested combinations, placing it in the top 26 percent of all recorded combos for this game.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 102.6 FPS. This is the maximum quality setting available in the recorded data, and it clears the playable threshold by more than 40 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the best setting is also Ultra, with an average of 87.8 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality while remaining well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the best setting is High, with an average of 66 FPS. Ultra falls to 52.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold, so High is the recommended maximum for 4K.

For players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, Low at 1080p delivers the highest recorded average at 141 FPS, while Low at 1440p hits 126.5 FPS and Low at 4K reaches 107.5 FPS. The recorded data shows that this combo offers a wide range of viable configurations depending on the target resolution and quality preference.