Rust

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a deeply unbalanced configuration for Rust, with the GPU acting as a severe bottleneck across all tested settings. The benchmark data shows this combo ranks at 2601 out of 2953 tested combos, placing it in the bottom tier of systems for this survival title. The measured frames per second indicate that this pairing is only suitable for low-resolution, low-detail gaming, and even then, the experience is marginal. The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390, which sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, fundamentally limits the potential of the Ryzen 5 8400F, a processor that performs at the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data for this combo in Rust is unequivocal: the only playable configuration is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, which delivers an average of 76 FPS. This is the sole setting and resolution combination that breaks the 60 FPS threshold, providing a reasonably smooth experience for a game where quick reactions are often necessary. Every other option results in average frame rates below 60 FPS, which can feel sluggish and detrimental to the gameplay experience.

At 1920x1080, the frame rate drops dramatically as settings increase. Moving from Low to Medium reduces the average from 76 FPS to 51 FPS, a significant 25 FPS loss. The High preset further drops performance to 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset manages only 33 FPS. These numbers demonstrate that the Intel Arc B390 simply does not have the raw processing power to handle the increased visual complexity of higher presets, even at the lowest resolution. The 51 FPS at Medium might be tolerable for some, but the 25 FPS drop from Low is a steep price for the visual upgrade, and the further degradation at High and Ultra makes them impractical for consistent play.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the situation becomes considerably worse. The Low preset is the only one that provides an average FPS above 50, hitting 53 FPS. This is technically playable, but it is a noticeable step down from the 76 FPS at 1080p Low and may not be worth the resolution increase. The Medium preset drops to 35 FPS, High to 30 FPS, and Ultra to a nearly unplayable 23 FPS. At 3840x2160, the results are even more dire. The Low preset manages only 31 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset averages 21 FPS, High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra drops to a slideshow-like 13 FPS. These 4K numbers confirm that this resolution is entirely out of the question for this hardware combo.

The recommendation is straightforward: play at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the only configuration that delivers an average frame rate high enough to be considered a consistently playable experience. The Low preset at 1080p is the sweet spot for this pairing, balancing the GPU's limited capabilities with the need for a responsive frame rate. For users who prioritize visual fidelity over performance, the Medium preset at 1080p is the highest one could reasonably attempt, but the data shows it comes with a substantial performance penalty.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2601 out of 2953 tested combos in Rust. This places it in the 12th percentile of all systems tested, meaning that roughly 88% of all other hardware pairings deliver better performance in this game. This is a poor result, and the data suggests that the system will struggle to provide a satisfactory experience in most scenarios.

The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU. The Intel Arc B390's average benchmark score is 1482, which puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, which scores 1446. The Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX and 2.5% faster than the GT 625 OEM. This context is crucial, as it shows the Arc B390 is performing in the same league as entry-level graphics solutions from over a decade ago.

In contrast, the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a much stronger component. Its average benchmark score is 25005, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, which scores 24964, and the Intel Core i7-13620H, which scores 24911. The 8400F is essentially on par with these, showing a delta of only 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively. This indicates that the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics, but it is being held back by the GPU.

The disparity between the components is the defining characteristic of this combo. The CPU is a mid-range performer, while the GPU is an entry-level part. This creates a massive bottleneck, ensuring that the system's overall performance in Rust is dictated almost entirely by the GPU. The result is a rank that is far below what the CPU alone would suggest, highlighting a fundamental mismatch in this pairing.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 plays the decisive role in this combo's performance in Rust, and the data indicates it is a severe limiting factor. The GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a very low standing that is reflected in the measured frame rates. Its performance is comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which is only 1.3% slower, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, which is 2.5% slower. This context makes it clear that the Arc B390 is an entry-level part with very limited processing power.

The GPU's memory configuration is a key element of its limitations. It uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it does not have its own dedicated VRAM. Instead, it relies on the system's main DDR5 memory, with a bandwidth that is "System Dependent". This is a major disadvantage for a game like Rust, which can be demanding on memory bandwidth. The lack of dedicated, high-speed VRAM can lead to performance dips and texture streaming issues, particularly at higher resolutions and settings, which is consistent with the dramatic FPS drops observed in the data.

The Arc B390 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock seems reasonable, the architecture's overall throughput is low. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. These specifications, combined with its shared memory setup, result in a raw compute power of 7.680 TFLOPS. This is simply insufficient for the demands of Rust at higher presets. The benchmark data shows that the GPU is overwhelmed at 1080p Medium, where the average FPS drops to 51, and it is completely outclassed at higher resolutions. The GPU is the primary reason why this combo ranks so poorly, and no amount of CPU performance can compensate for its fundamental limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data illustrates a consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution and settings increase. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves an average of 76 FPS on Low settings. This is the only configuration that provides a clearly playable experience. The Medium preset at 1080p yields an average of 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 59 FPS. This is a significant drop and is only marginally playable. The High preset at 1080p further reduces the average to 43 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops it to 33 FPS, both of which are not ideal for a responsive experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance falls off a cliff. The Low preset is the only one that remains somewhat playable, with an average of 53 FPS. This is a 23 FPS drop from the 1080p Low setting. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 41 FPS. The High preset averages 30 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages only 23 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is too demanding for the Arc B390 in this game, and only the lowest settings are viable.

The 3840x2160 results are worse still. The Low preset averages 31 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth play. The Medium preset averages 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 FPS and a maximum of 24 FPS. The High preset averages 18 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 13 FPS. None of these are playable in any practical sense. The data from 4K confirms that the GPU is entirely overwhelmed, and the system is incapable of handling the resolution in Rust.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 76 at 1920x1080 to 53 at 2560x1440, a 30% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160, the average FPS drops to 31, which is a 59% reduction from the 1080p figure. This trend is consistent across all settings. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 51 at 1080p to 35 at 1440p and then to 21 at 4K. This steep and consistent decline with resolution is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU's workload would not change significantly. However, the data shows a substantial and proportional decrease in FPS with every jump in resolution. This indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is working at its maximum capacity even at 1080p, and as the rendering workload increases with more pixels, it simply cannot keep up. The system is heavily GPU-bound, and the Ryzen 5 8400F is not the bottleneck at any point in these tests. The performance ceiling for this combo is set by the GPU, and its limitations are exposed more and more as the resolution climbs.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Rust?

A: The benchmark data shows that the only configuration with an average FPS above 60 is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which achieves an average of 76 FPS. This is the recommended setup for the best balance of playability and visual quality.

Q: Is this combo any good for 4K gaming in Rust?

A: No. The data shows that at 3840x2160, even the Low preset only manages an average of 31 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is effectively unplayable at 13 FPS. The GPU is not powerful enough for this resolution.

Q: How does the GPU in this combo compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, putting it in the 9th percentile. It is only 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, showing it is an entry-level part.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main performance bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the main bottleneck. The CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, ranks in the 77th percentile, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The FPS drops significantly with resolution, which is a clear sign of a GPU limitation.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 76 FPS, while the Medium preset yields an average of 51 FPS. This is a drop of 25 FPS, a significant performance cost for the visual upgrade.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested systems in Rust?

A: The combo ranks 2601 out of 2953 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all systems. This indicates that the vast majority of other hardware configurations will provide better performance in Rust.