Rust

# Rust with AMD Ryzen 5 7400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

The pairing of AMD's Ryzen 5 7400F with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4090 produces a fascinating Rust benchmark profile, one where the GPU's overwhelming horsepower frequently collides with the CPU's six-core Zen 4 architecture. The measured frame rates across twelve resolution/settings combinations reveal a system that delivers exceptional performance at 1080p and 1440p, but whose scaling behavior at 4K exposes interesting bottlenecks. This combo ranks 121st out of 2,953 tested configurations in Rust, placing it in the top 4% of all combinations, yet the data suggests the relationship between these two components is more nuanced than raw rankings imply.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and expected pattern: performance degrades as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that degradation varies dramatically depending on the quality preset. At Low settings, the system delivers 216 FPS at 1920x1080, drops to 190 FPS at 2560x1440 (a 12% reduction), and then falls to 129 FPS at 3840x2160 (a 32% further drop). This translates to a total 4K-to-1080p reduction of 87 FPS, or roughly 40% of the original performance.

The Medium preset tells a similar story with slightly different numbers: 185 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 87 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K here is 60 FPS, representing a 41% drop, which is notably steeper than the Low preset's 32% decline. This suggests that the Medium settings are beginning to engage more GPU-intensive features that scale more aggressively with pixel count.

High settings exhibit the most dramatic resolution sensitivity: 175 FPS at 1080p, 124 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The 1440p-to-4K transition costs 51 FPS (41% loss), while the 1080p-to-1440p transition costs 51 FPS as well (29% loss). Ultra settings follow suit with 137 FPS at 1080p, 94 FPS at 1440p, and 56 FPS at 4K — the latter representing just 41% of the 1080p figure.

The scaling pattern reveals that Rust's engine is heavily pixel-bound at higher resolutions, particularly with increased quality settings. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are clearly sufficient for any resolution here, so the FPS drops are not memory-capacity related. Instead, the data implies that the rendering pipeline's pixel throughput becomes the limiting factor at 4K, especially on Ultra where the 56 FPS average is the lowest recorded across all configurations. The relatively modest 4K-to-1440p delta on Low settings (61 FPS difference) suggests that at lower quality, the system is less constrained by pixel shading and more by other factors, possibly CPU-related.

GPU Role

The RTX 4090 brings formidable specifications to this test: 16,384 shading units, 512 texture mapping units, 176 ROPs, and 128 ray tracing cores. Its Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, includes 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. The GPU's boost clock of 2520 MHz and base clock of 2235 MHz, combined with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, yields a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s — a figure that ensures Rust's large textures and world data never starve for data throughput.

In practical terms, the GPU's role in these benchmark results is most evident in the 4K Ultra setting, where the 56 FPS average likely reflects the sheer number of pixels needing shading, texturing, and post-processing. The FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS provides ample compute headroom, yet the 4K results show that even this massive GPU cannot maintain high frame rates when Rust's Ultra preset demands maximum quality at 3840x2160. The pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s are theoretically sufficient, but the measured data suggests that other pipeline stages become serialization points.

Comparing the GPU's benchmark scores provides context: it scores 38,194 in Passmark G3D, 26,613 in Passmark GPU Compute, and 271,631 in Geekbench Vulkan. These place the RTX 4090 in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347. Its nearest rivals in aggregate score include the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, 0% delta), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, 0.3% delta), and AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58,657, 2.9% delta) — though these are workstation-class parts occupying similar average score territory, not gaming equivalents.

The VRAM capacity of 24 GB is never remotely stressed in Rust, which is not a VRAM-heavy title at these settings. Instead, the GPU's role is to push frames as fast as possible, and the data shows it doing so effectively at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K remains the only resolution where its limits become apparent. The 129 FPS at 4K Low versus 216 FPS at 1080p Low demonstrates that even at minimal settings, the GPU's pixel throughput is the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 achieves a combo rank of 121 out of 2,953 tested configurations in Rust. That places it in the 96th percentile of all combinations — a strong showing, but not the top tier, which is notable given the RTX 4090's status as a flagship GPU. The rank suggests that while the GPU is among the most powerful available, the CPU pairing holds the combo back from reaching the absolute pinnacle of Rust performance.

The Ryzen 5 7400F's individual benchmark profile helps explain this ranking. Its average benchmark score of 32,750 places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core i5-14600T (32,707, 0.1% delta), Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (32,697, 0.2% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (32,812, -0.2% delta), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (32,662, 0.3% delta). These rivals are all within 0.3% of the 7400F's score, indicating that the CPU sits in a tightly contested mid-range performance band.

The 121st rank out of 2,953 combos implies that many configurations with slightly stronger CPUs (like Ryzen 7 or Core i7 parts) paired with lower-tier GPUs achieve better Rust performance. This is a classic case where the CPU becomes the limiting factor, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully utilized. The combo's rank is not poor by any means — the top 4% is respectable — but it falls short of what the RTX 4090 alone might suggest possible.

Given that Rust is known to be CPU-sensitive, the 7400F's six cores and twelve threads, with a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, are adequate but not exceptional. The data indicates that this combo sits in a sweet spot for 1440p gaming, where the CPU's single-thread performance (3,072 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and the GPU's massive throughput balance well. At 1080p, the CPU may throttle frame rates below what the GPU could theoretically deliver, which is consistent with the relatively modest gains from 1440p to 1080p in the measured data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 216 FPS, Medium averages 185 FPS with a minimum of 157 and maximum of 213, High averages 175 FPS, and Ultra averages 137 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 79 FPS, indicating that quality settings have a substantial impact even at the lowest resolution. The Medium preset's min/max range of 157-213 FPS shows significant variance, suggesting scenes with heavy draw calls or entity counts can cause frame rate dips.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance drops across the board: Low averages 190 FPS, Medium averages 147 FPS (min 125, max 169), High averages 124 FPS, and Ultra averages 94 FPS. The 1440p results show a tighter relative spread between settings compared to 1080p, with Low-to-Ultra spanning 96 FPS. The Medium preset's max of 169 FPS is notably lower than its 1080p counterpart's 213 FPS, highlighting how increased pixel count affects even moderate quality settings.

At 3840x2160, the system's limits become clear: Low averages 129 FPS, Medium averages 87 FPS (min 74, max 100), High averages 73 FPS, and Ultra averages 56 FPS. The 4K results show the largest relative gaps between settings — Low delivers more than double the frame rate of Ultra (129 vs 56 FPS). The Medium preset's minimum of 74 FPS suggests that even at 4K, there are moments where the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates, though the average remains above 60 FPS.

Comparing across resolutions at the same settings reveals the scaling behavior: Low settings lose 87 FPS from 1080p to 4K, Medium loses 98 FPS, High loses 102 FPS, and Ultra loses 81 FPS. Interestingly, the Ultra preset shows the smallest absolute drop, likely because it's already so demanding at 1080p that the additional pixel load has less headroom to remove. The High preset's 102 FPS loss is the largest, indicating that it scales more poorly with resolution than other presets.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a six-core, twelve-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, built on TSMC's 5 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes.

In Rust, the CPU's role is critical because the game's simulation and entity update logic are heavily single-threaded. The 7400F's single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,072 and Passmark single-thread score of 3,689, directly influences how quickly the game can process player actions, building updates, and AI decisions. The multi-core scores — 21,765 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 25,645 in Passmark multi-thread — indicate that the CPU can handle the parallel workloads Rust does present, such as physics and pathfinding.

The CPU's 65W TDP and 5 nm process node suggest efficient operation, but its six cores are a limiting factor compared to higher-core-count processors. In the measured FPS data, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p where the GPU is rarely the bottleneck. The 216 FPS at 1080p Low is likely near the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability, as the RTX 4090 could theoretically push far more frames at such low settings. The relatively small gain from 1440p Low (190 FPS) to 1080p Low (216 FPS) — just 26 FPS — supports this interpretation, as the GPU's workload decreases by 56% in pixel count yet frame rates only improve by 14%.

At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes because the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The 129 FPS at 4K Low versus 216 FPS at 1080p Low shows a much larger drop, indicating that pixel throughput dominates. However, the CPU still matters for maintaining minimum frame rates, as evidenced by the 4K Medium preset's 74 FPS minimum, which could be CPU-driven during intense simulation moments.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 185 FPS with a minimum of 157 FPS — well above any competitive display's refresh rate. At 1440p, Medium averages 147 FPS with a minimum of 125 FPS, providing a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. Even at 4K, Medium maintains an average of 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, which is playable on standard 60 Hz displays and approachable for 120 Hz panels with adaptive sync.

For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset is the clear choice, offering 216 FPS at 1080p, 190 FPS at 1440p, and 129 FPS at 4K. However, the visual quality trade-off is significant, and the data shows that Low settings don't fully utilize the RTX 4090's capabilities. The High preset, while visually superior to Medium, shows diminishing returns: at 4K, it averages 73 FPS versus Medium's 87 FPS, a 14 FPS cost for higher quality. At 1080p, High's 175 FPS is only 10 FPS below Medium's 185 FPS, making High a viable choice for 1080p users with high-refresh displays.

The Ultra preset is the hardest to recommend based on the data. At 4K, its 56 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold many players consider minimum playable. At 1440p, Ultra's 94 FPS is respectable but 53 FPS below Medium's 147 FPS. At 1080p, Ultra's 137 FPS is 48 FPS below Medium. The visual improvement from High to Ultra is typically subtle in Rust, yet the performance cost is substantial — at 4K, that's a 17 FPS penalty. For most players, Medium at 1440p or 1080p provides the best measured experience, with High at 1080p as a strong alternative for those prioritizing image quality.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Rust with this CPU/GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured FPS data, 2560x1440 on Medium settings provides the best balance, delivering 147 FPS average with a minimum of 125 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and smooth on high-refresh displays, while maintaining higher visual quality than Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle Rust at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K Medium, the average is 87 FPS with a minimum of 74 FPS, which is playable. At 4K High, the average drops to 73 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 56 FPS. For consistent 60+ FPS at 4K, Medium settings are the highest recommended preset.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 7400F compare to similar CPUs in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32,750, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14600T (32,707, 0.1% higher), Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (32,697, 0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H (32,812, 0.2% lower), and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (32,662, 0.3% higher). All of these are within 0.3% of each other.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested CPU/GPU combinations in Rust?

A: This specific combination ranks 121st out of 2,953 tested configurations, placing it in the top 4% of all combos. This is a strong result, though it indicates that many configurations with different CPU/GPU pairings achieve better Rust performance.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM make a difference in Rust?

A: The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensures that Rust's textures and world data are never VRAM-limited, even at 4K Ultra settings. However, the measured FPS drops at higher resolutions are primarily due to pixel throughput and CPU limitations, not VRAM capacity.

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

A: It depends on resolution and settings. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the 216 FPS at Low settings is close to what a six-core processor can deliver. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint, especially on Ultra where the 56 FPS average reflects pixel shading limits. At 1440p, the components are more balanced.