Rust

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Rust with the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B390 shows a clear performance ceiling imposed by the graphics component. At 3840x2160, the results are strictly below playable thresholds. The Low preset averages 31 FPS, Medium averages 21 FPS with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS, High drops to 18 FPS, and Ultra falls to 13 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS playable threshold, and even the best case at Low is barely half of that target.

Moving to 2560x1440, the situation improves but remains insufficient for smooth gameplay. The Low preset averages 53 FPS, which is close to but still short of 60 FPS. Medium averages 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 41 FPS. High averages 30 FPS, and Ultra averages 23 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 18 FPS, indicating that the GPU struggles significantly as settings increase, regardless of the resolution.

At 1920x1080, the data finally shows a playable configuration. The Low preset averages 76 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by 16 FPS. Medium averages 51 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS, meaning it sits just below the threshold in average terms and never reaches 60 FPS even at its peak. High averages 43 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 25 FPS, a substantial penalty for increasing visual fidelity, and the gap from Medium to High is another 8 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is the dominant bottleneck in this combination. The GPU's average benchmark score is 1482 based on the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, placing it in the 9th percentile among all GPUs. In contrast, the CPU scores far higher, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and a single-core score of 6235, placing it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs. This imbalance suggests that the GPU is severely limiting performance in Rust, regardless of the CPU's capability.

Resolution scaling highlights this GPU constraint. At 1920x1080 Low, the average is 76 FPS. At 2560x1440 Low, it drops to 53 FPS, a reduction of 30%. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 31 FPS, which is 59% lower than the 1080p figure. The GPU's relative weakness means that raising resolution dramatically impacts frame rates, while the CPU has ample headroom to handle the game's simulation and physics workloads.

Settings scaling reinforces the same conclusion. At 1920x1080, moving from Low to Medium reduces the average from 76 to 51 FPS, a 33% loss. From Medium to High, it drops another 8 FPS, and from High to Ultra, another 10 FPS. The GPU's limited shading units (1536) and texture mapping units (48) contribute to this sensitivity. At 2560x1440, the pattern repeats: Low averages 53 FPS, Medium 35 FPS, High 30 FPS, and Ultra 23 FPS. The CPU's 20 cores and 28 threads are not the limiting factor here; the data indicates that the same GPU would produce similar relative drops even with a slower processor.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, none of the tested presets achieve an average of 60 FPS or above. The fastest option is Low, which averages 31 FPS, but that is far from playable. The database records no playable settings for this resolution, so the best possible choice would still result in a sub-60 FPS experience.

At 2560x1440, the same situation applies. The Low preset averages 53 FPS, which is the only preset above 50 FPS, but it still misses the 60 FPS threshold. Medium, High, and Ultra all sit below 36 FPS. The verdict for this resolution lists no playable settings.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the only configuration that satisfies the 60 FPS requirement. It averages 76 FPS, which is 16 FPS above the threshold. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, which is below 60, and its maximum recorded frame rate is 59 FPS, just short of the target. Therefore, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 76 FPS. Any higher preset would drop below the playable threshold.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-14700KF has an average benchmark score of 70163. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, a delta of 0.2% slower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, 0.4% slower. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, 0.9% slower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, which is 1% faster. These rivals would all deliver nearly identical CPU-bound performance in Rust, meaning the measured FPS differences would be negligible at any resolution because the GPU is the limiting factor.

For the GPU, the Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. The nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, a delta of 1.3% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, 1.5% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, 2.5% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, 2.7% slower. These GPUs would behave almost identically to the Arc B390 in Rust, meaning they would also struggle to reach 60 FPS at 1080p except for the Low preset. Note that the Arc B390 is an integrated GPU with system shared memory, and its nearest rivals are older discrete low-end parts, confirming its performance tier.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3312 out of 3723 tested combos for Rust, placing it in the bottom portion of the database. This ranking reflects the GPU's low percentile (9th among all GPUs) compared to the CPU's high percentile (94th among all CPUs). The CPU is a top-tier performer, but the GPU's performance is severely limited, dragging the overall system down.

The data shows that this combo is not competitive for Rust at higher resolutions or presets. With 411 of 3723 combos performing worse, the majority of tested systems would outperform this one. The CPU's rank alone would suggest a high placing, but the GPU's low scores dominate the combined result. For any user expecting to play Rust at 1440p or 4K, the data indicates that this combo would fall short of the 60 FPS threshold, which is reflected in the verdict listing no playable settings at those resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can the Intel Core i7-14700KF + Intel Arc B390 run Rust at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, but only at the Low preset. At 1920x1080 Low, the average frame rate is 76 FPS, which exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. All other presets (Medium, High, Ultra) average below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution and preset for this combo?

A: The best configuration is 1920x1080 with the Low preset, which achieves an average of 76 FPS. At 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, no preset reaches 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The GPU's average score is 1482, while the nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, a 1.3% difference. The GeForce 800M is 1.5% slower, the GT 625 OEM is 2.5% slower, and the GT 710 is 2.7% slower.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor in this system?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU has a 94th percentile average benchmark score, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The FPS drops across resolutions and settings directly reflect the GPU's performance, not the CPU's.

Q: What is the lowest recorded average FPS at 3840x2160?

A: The Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 13 FPS, which is the lowest measured average across all resolutions and settings.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-14700KF have a higher average benchmark score than its nearest rival?

A: Yes, the i7-14700KF scores 70163, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, which is 0.9% lower. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, which is 1% higher than this CPU.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust, but only under strict conditions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset is the sole playable configuration, averaging 76 FPS. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold, and High and Ultra average 43 and 33 FPS, respectively. At 2560x1440, all presets fail to reach 60 FPS, with Low averaging 53 FPS, Medium 35 FPS, High 30 FPS, and Ultra 23 FPS. At 3840x2160, the situation is worse: Low averages 31 FPS, Medium 21 FPS, High 18 FPS, and Ultra 13 FPS.

The data clearly indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is not sufficient for smooth gameplay at higher resolutions or settings. While the CPU is a top-tier performer, the GPU's low percentile ranking means that any attempt to raise the visual quality or resolution will result in a significant frame rate penalty. The only playable scenario is 1080p with the lowest settings, and even then, the minimum FPS for Medium is 44 FPS, which means stutter is likely. For users seeking 60 FPS at 1440p or 4K, this combination would not be suitable based on the recorded measurements.