Rust

Similar Performance Alternatives

The Intel Core i7-13700K sits in a tightly contested performance tier. Its average benchmark score of 46881 places it within 0.5% of several comparable processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971, a negligible 0.2% higher, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, also 0.2% higher. On the lower side, the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46654, a 0.5% deficit. In practical terms, any of these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame pacing in Rust, with differences well below the threshold of perceptible performance.

For the GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER holds an average score of 20282. Its nearest rivals cluster closely: the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20480 (1% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534 (1.2% higher), the Intel Arc B570 scores 20556 (1.3% higher), and the Intel Arc A750 scores 20582 (1.5% higher). All four alternatives fall within a narrow band, meaning that swapping between them would produce similar frame rates in Rust. The RTX 2070 SUPER also sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, while the i7-13700K ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, indicating the processor has more headroom relative to its peers than the graphics card does.

The combination of this CPU and GPU ranks 2158 out of 3723 tested combos in Rust, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. The CPU's substantial multi-threaded throughput, demonstrated by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a Passmark multithread score of 45887, ensures that it will not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. The GPU, while not top-tier, provides enough rasterization power for smooth gameplay at moderate settings. Users coming from a weaker CPU would notice gains primarily in CPU-bound moments, such as large player bases or complex physics interactions, while users upgrading from a weaker GPU would see the most improvement in raw frame rates.

CPU and GPU Roles

Rust is a game where both components matter, but their relative importance shifts with resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the CPU plays a more prominent role. The data shows a wide spread across presets: Low averages 149.7 FPS, Medium 103.4 FPS, High 85.2 FPS, and Ultra 62.3 FPS. The large gap between Low and Ultra, a 87.4 FPS difference, suggests that at lower resolutions, the GPU has enough headroom to respond strongly to settings changes, while the CPU must keep up with game logic and entity updates. The i7-13700K's strong single-thread score of 2116 in Cinebench R23 helps maintain high minimum frame rates in busy scenes.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to assert more influence. Average frame rates drop to 105.5 FPS on Low, 67.3 FPS on Medium, 61.6 FPS on High, and 47.1 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p Low to 1440p Low shows a 44.2 FPS reduction, while the drop from 1080p Ultra to 1440p Ultra is 15.2 FPS. This pattern indicates that at higher resolutions, the pixel throughput demands of the RTX 2070 SUPER become the limiting factor. The GPU's 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are sufficient for 1440p gaming, but the margin shrinks as settings climb.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominates the performance equation. Average frame rates fall to 62.7 FPS on Low, 39.8 FPS on Medium, 36.8 FPS on High, and 28 FPS on Ultra. The jump from Low to Medium alone costs 22.9 FPS, and the GPU struggles to maintain playable rates above Low. Here, the CPU's role diminishes because the GPU is saturated with pixel work. The i7-13700K's 16 cores and 24 threads are more than adequate for Rust's engine at 4K, but the RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus become the bottleneck. The recorded data confirms that resolution scaling has a steeper impact on frame rates than preset scaling, which is typical for a GPU-bound title at high resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 2070 SUPER delivers strong performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 149.7 FPS, well above the 60 FPS playability threshold. Medium settings still offer excellent fluidity at 103.4 FPS. High settings drop to 85.2 FPS, still comfortable for high-refresh displays. Ultra settings yield 62.3 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning even the maximum preset is playable at this resolution. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 58.4% reduction in frame rate, demonstrating the GPU's sensitivity to graphical load.

At 2560x1440, performance remains respectable but requires more careful settings selection. Low settings average 105.5 FPS, a substantial 44.2 FPS drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings deliver 67.3 FPS, still above the threshold. High settings produce 61.6 FPS, barely clearing 60 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 47.1 FPS, which is not playable according to the database's 60 FPS threshold. The transition from High to Ultra at this resolution costs 14.5 FPS, making Ultra a poor choice for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles. Low settings average 62.7 FPS, just above the threshold, making it the only playable preset at 4K. Medium settings drop to 39.8 FPS, a 22.9 FPS loss from Low. High settings average 36.8 FPS, and Ultra plunges to 28 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 34.7 FPS, more than half of the Low preset's frame rate. This confirms that 4K gaming with this GPU requires significant settings compromises. The measured data shows no min or max FPS values recorded, so the analysis relies on average frame rates alone, which represent the overall gameplay experience across typical scenes.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust, but the experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on all four presets: Low (149.7 FPS), Medium (103.4 FPS), High (85.2 FPS), and Ultra (62.3 FPS). This makes 1080p the most versatile resolution, offering smooth gameplay even at maximum quality. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking and the GPU's 65th percentile ranking combine to handle Rust's demands without major compromises.

At 2560x1440, the system maintains playability on three presets: Low (105.5 FPS), Medium (67.3 FPS), and High (61.6 FPS). Ultra at 47.1 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided. Users with 1440p monitors can still enjoy the game at High settings with a comfortable margin above the playability line.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings (62.7 FPS) clear the 60 FPS threshold. Medium (39.8 FPS), High (36.8 FPS), and Ultra (28 FPS) all fail to reach playable frame rates. 4K owners must accept Low settings for a smooth experience, or they should consider lowering the resolution. The database verdict confirms this: playable settings at 4K are limited to Low, while 1440p supports High as its best setting, and 1080p supports Ultra.

The overall verdict is positive: this is a capable Rust machine for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K support limited to the lowest preset. The RTX 2070 SUPER is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the i7-13700K provides ample processing power for the game's simulation and physics.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Rust at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: Yes, but only at 1920x1080. At that resolution, Ultra settings average 62.3 FPS. At 2560x1440, Ultra drops to 47.1 FPS, and at 3840x2160, Ultra falls to 28 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system?

A: 1920x1080 offers the most flexibility, with all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) exceeding 60 FPS. The best settings at 1080p are Ultra at 62.3 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average score of 20282. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20582 (1.5% higher), the Intel Arc B570 scores 20556 (1.3% higher), the RTX 3070 Mobile scores 20534 (1.2% higher), and the Quadro M4000M scores 20480 (1% higher). All are within 1.5% of each other.

Q: Is the i7-13700K strong enough for Rust?

A: Yes. The CPU ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. Its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, are within 0.5% of its average score.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 67.3 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS playable threshold. This makes Medium a safe choice for 1440p gaming.

Q: Is 4K playable with this hardware?

A: Only at Low settings, which average 62.7 FPS. Medium (39.8 FPS), High (36.8 FPS), and Ultra (28 FPS) all fall below 60 FPS and are not considered playable by the database threshold.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 62.7 FPS. Medium drops to 39.8 FPS, so Low is the only viable option for 4K.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are High, averaging 61.6 FPS. Medium averages 67.3 FPS and Low averages 105.5 FPS, but High offers the highest visual quality while still clearing the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra at 47.1 FPS is not playable.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, averaging 62.3 FPS. This is the only resolution where the maximum preset remains playable. Lower presets provide higher frame rates (High at 85.2 FPS, Medium at 103.4 FPS, Low at 149.7 FPS) for users prioritizing refresh rate over visual fidelity.

In summary, the system's sweet spot is 1080p Ultra or 1440p High. Users seeking maximum frame rates should target 1080p Low for 149.7 FPS, while those with 4K displays should stick to Low settings to maintain playability. The i7-13700K provides ample CPU headroom across all resolutions, while the RTX 2070 SUPER defines the graphical limits.