Rust

# FAQ

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D compare to its closest rivals in synthetic CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500X3D posts an average benchmark score of 37018, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. It is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36945, +0.2%), the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36938, +0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37093, -0.2%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (37112, -0.3%). The deltas are negligible, meaning performance parity with those four chips in general compute tasks.

Q: What is the GPU's standing relative to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15290 and sits in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, 0.0% delta), followed by the AMD Radeon 680M (15270, +0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, +0.6%), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, +0.8%). The RTX 2060 is marginally ahead of all four in raw average score.

Q: What are the core and cache specifications of the CPU in this combo?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 (Vermeer) architecture at a 7 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a 105 W TDP. The cache layout includes 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and a substantial 96 MB shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: What memory configuration does the GPU use?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The memory clock is listed as 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. The GPU's memory interface is a key factor in its performance, especially at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the combo rank in Rust specifically?

A: In Rust, this combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2303 out of 2953 tested combos. This places the pairing in the lower-middle portion of the database, indicating that while it can run the game, many other hardware configurations deliver higher frame rates.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 126 FPS. This is the highest recorded average for this pairing across all tested resolutions and settings. The lowest average at 1080p is 54 FPS, which occurs at Ultra settings.

# How This Combo Ranks

The data shows that this specific CPU-GPU pairing sits at rank 2303 out of 2953 combinations tested in Rust. That places it in the 22nd percentile of all combos, meaning roughly 78% of tested configurations deliver better performance in this game. This is a significant underperformance relative to what the individual components might suggest, given that the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile globally and the GPU in the 58th.

The gap between component-level percentiles and the in-game combo rank indicates that Rust is particularly demanding on the GPU in this pairing. The RTX 2060, while competent in general benchmarks, becomes the limiting factor when paired with a relatively strong CPU. The combo rank is not simply an average of the two percentiles; it reflects the actual measured frame rates in Rust, which are modest.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing is not near the top. The rank of 2303 is a clear signal that users seeking high refresh rate gameplay in Rust will need to consider a more powerful GPU. However, it is not at the very bottom either, meaning the combo can still play the game at playable frame rates on lower settings. The rank is a holistic score, and the breakdown below shows exactly where the strengths and weaknesses lie.

The practical takeaway is that this is a mid-to-low tier combo for Rust specifically. It is not a competitive esports setup, nor is it a high-end visual experience. It is a functional pairing that can handle the game at 1080p with adjusted settings, but it will struggle at higher resolutions or maximum quality presets. The rank reflects a balance where the CPU is not the bottleneck, but the GPU clearly is.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is built on the Turing architecture using a 12 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 445 mm² containing 10,800 million transistors. The GPU has a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz. It features 1920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 raster operation units. The card also includes 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, though Rust does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS in standard benchmark runs.

The memory subsystem is a crucial aspect of the GPU's performance in Rust. With 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, the memory bandwidth is 336.0 GB/s. In Rust, where large maps and many entities can consume significant memory, the 6 GB capacity can become a limiting factor at higher resolutions or with long play sessions. The 14 Gbps effective memory speed helps, but the relatively narrow 192-bit bus constrains overall throughput.

The GPU's pixel rate is 80.64 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 201.6 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS. These raw specs translate into moderate rasterization capability. In Rust, which is a CPU-intensive game in server-side simulation but still heavily GPU-bound for rendering, the RTX 2060's compute power is adequate for 1080p but not for 4K. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 4K Ultra, the combo averages only 22 FPS, which is below playable thresholds.

The GPU's TDP is 160 W, requiring a 450 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin power connector. The card is dual-slot and measures 229 mm in length. While these are practical installation considerations, the performance data is what matters most for Rust. The RTX 2060 sits in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15290, which is nearly identical to its closest rival, the GTX 580. This indicates that while the card is not obsolete, it is also not a high performer by modern standards.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values show a clear progression across settings. Low settings deliver an average of 126 FPS, which is smooth for most monitors. Medium settings drop to 84 FPS, with a minimum of 72 FPS and a maximum of 97 FPS. High settings yield 71 FPS on average, while Ultra settings bring the average down to 54 FPS. These numbers indicate that the combo can handle 1080p comfortably at Low and Medium, and remains playable at High, but Ultra pushes it to the edge of smoothness.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings produce an average of 86 FPS, which is still respectable. Medium settings average 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS. High settings average 49 FPS, and Ultra settings average 37 FPS. At this resolution, the combo is only viable for competitive play on Low settings; Medium and above will require accepting noticeable frame rate dips in busy scenes.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes heavily strained. Low settings average 51 FPS, which is borderline playable. Medium settings drop to 34 FPS, with a minimum of 29 FPS and a maximum of 39 FPS. High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra settings average 22 FPS. None of these 4K values are ideal for a smooth experience, making this resolution impractical for the RTX 2060 in Rust.

The data shows a consistent pattern: across all resolutions, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is roughly a 2.3x to 2.5x drop in average FPS. For example, at 1080p, the drop from 126 FPS (Low) to 54 FPS (Ultra) represents a 57% reduction. At 1440p, the drop from 86 FPS to 37 FPS is a 57% reduction as well. This consistency indicates that the GPU's rendering workload scales predictably with settings, but the absolute numbers are what limit the experience.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals where the bottleneck lies. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 126 at 1080p to 86 at 1440p (a 32% drop) and then to 51 at 4K (a 41% drop from 1440p). At High settings, the progression is 71 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p (a 31% drop), and 29 FPS at 4K (a 41% drop from 1440p). These large percentage drops as resolution increases are a classic sign of GPU limitation.

The CPU in this combo, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D, is more than capable of feeding frames to the GPU. With 6 cores and 12 threads, a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, and a large 96 MB L3 cache, it is not the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The data supports this: if the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions. Instead, the FPS drops sharply as pixel count increases, which is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

At 1080p Low, the 126 FPS average suggests the CPU is still keeping up with the GPU's output. But at 4K Ultra, the 22 FPS average shows the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel fill rate and texture bandwidth demands. The RTX 2060's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply insufficient for 4K in Rust, which is a large open-world game with extensive draw distances.

The scaling behavior also indicates that lowering settings at 1440p is a viable strategy. Dropping from High (49 FPS) to Low (86 FPS) at 1440p yields a 75% improvement in frame rate, which can make the difference between a stuttery experience and a smooth one. Similarly at 4K, dropping from High (29 FPS) to Low (51 FPS) provides a 76% improvement. The GPU has headroom when settings are reduced, but the resolution itself remains the primary constraint.

# CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 5000 series, based on the Zen 3 (Vermeer) architecture. It operates at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz, with a TDP of 105 W. The CPU is built on TSMC's 7 nm process, with a die size of 74 mm². It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s and has 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes.

The standout feature of this CPU is its 96 MB shared L3 cache. This large cache is particularly beneficial in games like Rust, which often involve complex world interactions and many entities. The cache helps reduce memory latency, which can improve frame pacing and minimum FPS in CPU-bound scenarios. However, the measured FPS data shows that Rust is not CPU-bound in this combo, as the frame rates scale heavily with resolution and settings.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 20363 in Passmark multithread and 2941 in single-thread tests. It also achieves 60033 in integer math and 34511 in floating point math. These scores place it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37018. The nearest rivals are all within 0.3% of its score, confirming that it is a solid mid-range performer.

The CPU's role in this combo is to ensure that the GPU is never starved of data. At 1080p Low, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU's strong single-thread performance helps achieve the 126 FPS average. At 4K Ultra, the CPU is effectively idle waiting for the GPU to render frames, as evidenced by the 22 FPS average. This indicates that the CPU has significant headroom and is not the limiting component in any tested configuration.

The 5500X3D's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Rust's multi-threaded rendering and physics, but the game does not scale perfectly across all cores. The 96 MB L3 cache helps mitigate this by keeping frequently accessed data on-die. The CPU's 3.00 GHz base clock is modest, but the 4.00 GHz boost clock ensures peak performance when needed. Overall, the CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 2060, but the GPU's limitations dominate the combo's performance in Rust.