Rust

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Rust, with the data indicating that the GPU is the dominant performance factor at higher resolutions. Across the tested settings and resolutions, the system consistently surpasses the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the only exception being the most demanding preset at 4K. The following analysis breaks down the measured performance, optimal settings, and hardware roles based strictly on the provided benchmark data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this system handles Rust across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 258 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 214 FPS with a minimum of 182 FPS and a maximum of 246 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 180 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 137 FPS. Notably, the 1080p Medium preset is the only configuration in the entire dataset that includes min/max FPS values, indicating a stable frame delivery in that specific scenario.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. The Low preset averages 219 FPS, which is a substantial drop from the 1080p Low result but still far above the playable threshold. The Medium preset averages 147 FPS, with a minimum of 125 FPS and a maximum of 169 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 124 FPS, while the Ultra preset settles at an average of 94 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent performance reduction across all presets, but the system maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS in every case.

At 3840x2160, the performance begins to show more strain, though it remains largely playable. The Low preset averages 129 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. The High preset produces an average of 73 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, falls below the playable threshold with an average of 56 FPS. This 4K Ultra result is the only instance in the dataset where the system cannot maintain 60 FPS, making it a clear outlier in an otherwise high-performing profile.

Best Settings per Resolution

The best settings for each resolution are defined as the most demanding preset that still maintains an average of at least 60 FPS. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset qualifies, achieving an average of 137 FPS. This indicates that the system has substantial headroom at 1080p, as even the highest quality setting delivers more than double the playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also qualifies, with an average of 94 FPS. This is a significant result, as it means the system can run the highest quality settings at 1440p while still maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The data shows a 43 FPS drop from the 1080p Ultra result, but the 94 FPS average remains well within playable territory.

At 3840x2160, the High preset is the best option that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 73 FPS. The Ultra preset falls short at 56 FPS, so it is excluded. The Medium preset at 87 FPS and Low preset at 129 FPS are also viable, but High represents the most demanding playable option. This means that 4K gaming is possible, but only with a compromise on the highest quality settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling between resolutions and presets reveals which component matters more for this game. The data shows a clear pattern where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with the Low preset reaching 258 FPS and the Ultra preset at 137 FPS. These numbers suggest that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU is still the limiting factor when pushing higher quality settings.

When moving from 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 15-20% across all presets. For example, the Low preset drops from 258 to 219 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops from 137 to 94 FPS. This consistent proportional decrease indicates that the GPU is scaling with the increased pixel count, while the CPU maintains its ability to keep up. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, appears to provide sufficient processing power to avoid becoming a bottleneck at these settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU load becomes even more pronounced. The Low preset still manages 129 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 56 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 73 FPS, compared to a 121 FPS gap at 1080p. This compression of the frame rate range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU is being saturated, and the CPU’s role diminishes as the resolution increases. The benchmark results indicate that Rust is heavily GPU-bound at 4K, while the CPU remains more relevant at lower resolutions where frame rates are higher.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearestRivals data provides context for how the CPU and GPU in this combo compare to other hardware. For the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, the closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, which has an average score of 36945 and a deltaPct of 0. This means the two processors perform nearly identically in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is also close, with an average score of 37018 and a deltaPct of -0.2, indicating it is slightly faster. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 and Intel Core i9-12900T follow with deltaPct values of -0.4 and -0.5, respectively, all within a narrow performance band.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60, which has an average score of 60326 and a deltaPct of 0. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is also comparable, with a score of 60140 and a deltaPct of 0.3, meaning it performs nearly the same. The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is slightly faster at 61896 with a deltaPct of -2.5, while the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is slower at 58657 with a deltaPct of 2.9. These rivals are all professional or workstation-class GPUs, which highlights the RTX 4090’s position as a top-tier consumer part.

In practical terms, a system with a Ryzen 5 5600F instead of the Core Ultra 5 225 would likely produce nearly identical frame rates in Rust, given the 0% deltaPct. Similarly, swapping the RTX 4090 for an Intel Arc Pro A60 would result in similar performance, though the Arc Pro is a workstation card not typically used for gaming. The data suggests that this combo’s performance is representative of the top end of the hardware spectrum.

The Verdict

This PC can run Rust at all tested resolutions with high frame rates, but with a caveat at 4K. At 1920x1080, the system clears 60 FPS on every preset, with the Ultra preset averaging 137 FPS. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset also clears the threshold, averaging 94 FPS. At 3840x2160, the High preset averages 73 FPS and is playable, but the Ultra preset falls short at 56 FPS. The verdictByResolution data confirms that High, Low, and Medium are playable at 4K, with High being the best settings option at that resolution.

The system is, therefore, fully capable of running Rust at 1080p and 1440p with maximum settings, and at 4K with High settings. The only scenario where it fails to maintain 60 FPS is 4K Ultra, which represents a marginal shortfall of just 4 FPS. This is a minor limitation for a game that is not typically considered a graphical showcase, and the overall performance is strong across the board.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame data places this system at rank 83 out of 3723 tested combinations. This places it in the top 2.2% of all tested combos for Rust, indicating that it is a high-performing setup. The rank of 83 is notably strong, especially considering that the RTX 4090 is the most powerful consumer GPU on the market, and the Core Ultra 5 225 is a modern mid-range processor. The high rank suggests that the GPU’s dominance in this game outweighs any potential CPU limitations, and the result is a system that outperforms the vast majority of tested hardware.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 137 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Can this system run Rust at 4K with the highest quality settings?

A: No, the Ultra preset at 3840x2160 averages 56 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset is the best playable option at 4K, averaging 73 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 has a benchmark score of 36938, while its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, scores 36945, resulting in a deltaPct of 0. This indicates nearly identical performance.

Q: Which component is more important for this game at 4K?

A: The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor at 4K, as the frame rate drops significantly with increased resolution and quality settings. The CPU’s role diminishes at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 2560x1440?

A: The Ultra preset is the best playable option at 2560x1440, achieving an average of 94 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the combo rank for this system in Rust?

A: The combo rank is 83 out of 3723 tested combinations, placing it in the top 2.2% of all tested systems for this game.