Rust

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the measured data shows this combination can maintain a playable frame rate at High settings, which is the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS. The average FPS at High settings is 71, which clears the 60 FPS threshold with a modest margin of 11 frames. Low settings produce an average of 126 FPS, and Medium settings produce an average of 84 FPS, but High is the best visual quality preset that remains playable at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the situation changes significantly. The only preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, which delivers an average of 86 FPS. Medium settings drop to 58 FPS average, which is below the playable threshold, and High settings fall further to 49 FPS. The database verdict confirms that Low is the best playable setting at this resolution, with the recorded average of 86 FPS at that preset.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves the 60 FPS playable threshold. The highest average FPS recorded at this resolution is 51 FPS at Low settings, followed by 34 FPS at Medium, 29 FPS at High, and 22 FPS at Ultra. Since none of these averages reach 60 FPS, the database lists no playable settings for 4K resolution. Users targeting 4K would need to consider hardware changes or accept sub-60 FPS performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2936 out of 3723 tested combos for Rust. This places it in the 21st percentile of all tested configurations, meaning roughly 79 percent of tested combos perform better in this specific game. The rank reflects the GPU's position in the overall performance hierarchy, as the RTX 2060 sits at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU sits at the 89th percentile among all processors.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile ranking and the combo's relatively low in-game rank indicates that Rust is heavily dependent on the graphics card in this pairing. The CPU is clearly not the limiting factor; the recorded CPU benchmark scores show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 45887. The RTX 2060, by contrast, delivers a Passmark G3D score of 14111, which is modest by current standards.

The data indicates that this combo is positioned in the lower-middle range of tested configurations for Rust. With 787 combos ranked below it, there is meaningful headroom for improvement, but the current pairing is not among the stronger performers for this title. The ranking suggests that users with this hardware will need to make significant graphical compromises at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 1920x1080 with playable frame rates?

A: Yes. The measured data shows playable performance at High settings with an average of 71 FPS, as well as at Medium (84 FPS) and Low (126 FPS). The database verdict lists High, Medium, and Low as playable settings at this resolution.

Q: What is the best preset for 2560x1440?

A: Low is the only playable preset at 1440p, delivering an average of 86 FPS. Medium settings fall to 58 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold, and High drops to 49 FPS.

Q: Is 4K resolution playable with this hardware?

A: No. The highest average FPS recorded at 3840x2160 is 51 FPS at Low settings. Medium achieves 34 FPS, High achieves 29 FPS, and Ultra achieves 22 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS threshold, so the database lists no playable settings at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, scores 15283, a delta of 0 percent. The AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270 (0.1 percent slower), the RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199 (0.6 percent slower), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 scores 15171 (0.8 percent slower). These deltas are negligible, meaning performance would be nearly identical.

Q: What is the CPU's standing among all tested processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K sits at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46881. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, scores 46971, a 0.2 percent difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022 (0.3 percent slower), while the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score around 46650 (0.5 percent faster).

Q: What frame rates can be expected at Medium settings across resolutions?

A: At 1920x1080, Medium settings produce an average of 84 FPS with a minimum of 72 and maximum of 97. At 2560x1440, Medium produces an average of 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 67. At 3840x2160, Medium produces an average of 34 FPS with a minimum of 29 and maximum of 39.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the nearest rivals to the Intel Core i7-13700K are the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, and the Intel Xeon w3-2535. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has an average score of 46971, which is 0.2 percent higher than the i7-13700K's 46881. The Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, a 0.3 percent difference. The Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654 and the Xeon w3-2535 scores 46653, both 0.5 percent lower. These differences are within the margin of measurement noise, so any of these CPUs would deliver essentially identical CPU-bound performance in Rust.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals to the RTX 2060 are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, the AMD Radeon 680M, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM, and the AMD Radeon RX 7600. The GTX 580 scores 15283, a 0 percent delta from the RTX 2060's 15290. The Radeon 680M scores 15270 (0.1 percent slower), the RTX 3050 OEM scores 15199 (0.6 percent slower), and the RX 7600 scores 15171 (0.8 percent slower). For practical purposes, swapping the RTX 2060 for any of these would yield nearly identical frame rates in Rust, staying within roughly 1 percent of the recorded performance.

The data suggests that users considering alternative hardware would see no meaningful difference in Rust performance if they used any of these CPU or GPU near-equivalents. The combo ranking in the game would remain essentially unchanged, as the performance deltas are all below 1 percent.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded FPS data across resolutions and presets reveals the division of labor between the CPU and GPU in this pairing. The Intel Core i7-13700K is a high-end processor with strong multi-threaded capabilities, as evidenced by its 89th percentile ranking and a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745. The RTX 2060, by contrast, is a mid-range GPU from an older generation, sitting at the 58th percentile among all GPUs.

At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary constraint. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows average FPS dropping from 126 at Low to 71 at High and 54 at Ultra. This steep decline with increasing graphical load indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames at this resolution. The CPU's 3DMark max threads score of 12412 and Passmark single-thread score of 4333 suggest it can handle the game's simulation and physics tasks without bottlenecking.

At 2560x1440, the GPU's limitations become more pronounced. Low settings produce 86 FPS, but Medium drops to 58 FPS and High to 49 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium at this resolution is 28 FPS, compared to a 42 FPS gap at 1080p. This narrowing suggests that the GPU is increasingly saturated as resolution rises, and the CPU's advantage matters less because the rendering load dominates.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the limiting factor. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is only 51, and it drops to 22 at Ultra. The CPU's performance advantage becomes irrelevant at this resolution, as the RTX 2060 simply cannot push enough pixels. The data indicates that the CPU contributes very little to performance differences at 4K, with the GPU determining the outcome almost entirely.

Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: the RTX 2060 is the bottleneck. The CPU's high benchmark scores do not translate into higher frame rates because the game's graphical demands outstrip the GPU's capabilities well before the CPU becomes strained. At 1080p, the GPU still has some headroom at lower presets, but at higher resolutions, it is fully utilized.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination can run Rust, but with significant caveats depending on resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is playable at High settings with an average of 71 FPS, and also at Medium (84 FPS) and Low (126 FPS). The database verdict confirms High as the best playable preset at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, only Low settings achieve playable performance, with an average of 86 FPS. Medium falls to 58 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold, and High drops to 49 FPS. Users at 1440p must accept Low settings or tolerate frame rates below the playable mark.

At 3840x2160, the system cannot maintain 60 FPS at any preset. The best case is 51 FPS at Low settings, with all other presets falling well below the threshold. The database verdict lists no playable settings at 4K.

In short: this hardware is suitable for 1080p gaming with high visual quality, acceptable for 1440p only at Low settings, and not viable for 4K in Rust. The CPU is more than capable, but the RTX 2060 limits the experience at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the recorded data shows the following averages: Low settings produce 126 FPS, Medium produces 84 FPS with a minimum of 72 and maximum of 97, High produces 71 FPS, and Ultra produces 54 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 72 FPS, indicating a strong response to graphical settings.

At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 86 FPS, Medium produces 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 67, High produces 49 FPS, and Ultra produces 37 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 49 FPS, narrower than at 1080p because the GPU is already under heavier load.

At 3840x2160, Low settings produce 51 FPS, Medium produces 34 FPS with a minimum of 29 and maximum of 39, High produces 29 FPS, and Ultra produces 22 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 29 FPS, the smallest of all three resolutions, confirming that the GPU is saturated at 4K and settings have less impact.

The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the absolute FPS values drop, and the difference between presets narrows. At 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to respond strongly to settings changes. At 1440p, the response is muted. At 4K, the GPU is the sole determinant of performance, and even Low settings cannot reach the playable threshold.