Rust

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Rust with the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9060 reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 151 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 104 FPS, a reduction of 47 FPS or roughly 31%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 62 FPS, which is 59% below the 1080p Low result.

The scaling pattern across settings tiers tells a more detailed story. At High settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p brings the average from 86 FPS down to 59 FPS, a 27 FPS drop. The step from 1440p to 4K High is even steeper, landing at 35 FPS — a 24 FPS decline. This suggests that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor at higher resolutions, particularly as the pixel count grows and the shading workload expands.

Ultra settings exhibit the most severe resolution penalty. The 1080p Ultra average of 65 FPS falls to 45 FPS at 1440p, then to 27 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K Ultra is 38 FPS, representing a 58% reduction. These numbers indicate that the RX 9060, with its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, begins to struggle as the render target grows, especially when combined with the heavier visual effects enabled by the Ultra preset.

The Medium settings rows provide the only complete min/max data in the measured set. At 1080p Medium, the average is 102 FPS with a minimum of 86 and maximum of 117. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 70 FPS with min/max of 59/80. At 4K Medium, the average is 41 FPS with min/max of 35/47. The consistency of the min-to-max spread, roughly 30 FPS in each case, suggests the frame pacing remains stable even as the overall throughput declines.

Interpreting the scaling behavior, the data shows that this combo is well-balanced at 1080p, where even Ultra settings maintain a playable 65 FPS average. The 1440p tier is borderline for High and Medium presets, with 59 and 70 FPS respectively. At 4K, only Low settings approach a playable 62 FPS average, while High and Ultra fall to 35 and 27 FPS, which would be noticeable as stutter in a survival game requiring quick reactions.

The limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 959) likely keeps the frame rate high enough that the GPU becomes the primary constraint. At 4K, the GPU's pixel throughput (191.4 GPixel/s) and texture rate (334.9 GTexel/s) are insufficient to maintain high frame rates, confirming the GPU as the bottleneck.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock is 4.20 GHz with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The processor features a substantial L3 cache of 96 MB shared across all cores, which is particularly relevant for Rust's server-side entity processing and world simulation.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 7800X3D scores 959 in 3dmark_single_thread and 1713 in cinebench_r23_singlecore. Multi-threaded results show 7980 in 3dmark_16_threads and 16817 in cinebench_r23_multicore. These numbers indicate strong single-thread capabilities, which are crucial for Rust's physics and game logic that often rely on fewer threads. The passmark_single_thread score of 3759 further corroborates this strength.

The CPU's percentileVsAllCpus of 83 places it in the upper tier of all tested processors. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G (avgScore 33089, deltaPct 0) and Intel Core i7-13650HX (avgScore 33089, deltaPct 0), showing essentially identical average benchmark scores. The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX also matches at 33091, while the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H trails slightly at 33201 with a deltaPct of -0.4.

In the context of Rust's measured FPS, the CPU's role becomes apparent when examining the Low settings results. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 151 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit for this game's simulation thread. The fact that 1440p Low still achieves 104 FPS and 4K Low reaches 62 FPS suggests the CPU maintains a high enough frame ceiling that the GPU's resolution scaling is the dominant factor.

The 7800X3D's 96 MB L3 cache is a standout feature for gaming workloads. Rust's procedural map generation and object persistence create memory access patterns that benefit from large caches, reducing the frequency of slower main memory access. With a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s on dual-channel DDR5, the cache helps mitigate potential memory bottlenecks in complex scenes.

The processor's 5 nm process node and 11,270 million transistors on a 71 mm² die contribute to its efficiency, though the TDP of 120 W indicates it draws moderate power. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that single-threaded workloads, such as Rust's main game thread, can reach high frequencies, which is corroborated by the 959 single-thread 3dmark score.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p Low and 4K Low settings?

A: The 1080p Low setting achieves 151 FPS average, while 4K Low achieves 62 FPS average. This represents a 89 FPS reduction, or roughly 59% lower performance at 4K.

Q: Which resolution and settings combo provides the highest FPS?

A: The highest measured FPS is 151 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The lowest is 27 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rival in GPU benchmarks?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, while its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129 with a deltaPct of -0.7. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 with a deltaPct of 1.

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

A: The combo ranks 1665 out of 2953 tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations tested for Rust.

Q: Does the CPU limit FPS at any resolution?

A: The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 151 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's practical limit given its 3dmark_single_thread score of 959. At higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Q: What is the L3 cache size of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and why does it matter for Rust?

A: The CPU has 96 MB of shared L3 cache. This large cache can help with Rust's world simulation and entity management, potentially reducing memory latency in complex scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), for a total of 12 configurations. All data is marked as measured rather than estimated.

At 1920x1080, the results show a clear hierarchy: Low settings achieve 151 FPS average, Medium settings achieve 102 FPS average with a minimum of 86 and maximum of 117, High settings achieve 86 FPS average, and Ultra settings achieve 65 FPS average. The step from Low to Medium is a 49 FPS drop, while Medium to High is a 16 FPS drop, and High to Ultra is a 21 FPS drop. This suggests that the Low preset removes significant rendering work, while the Ultra preset adds effects that cost more than the High preset.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 104 FPS for Low, 70 FPS for Medium (min 59, max 80), 59 FPS for High, and 45 FPS for Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 47 FPS for Low, 32 FPS for Medium, 27 FPS for High, and 20 FPS for Ultra. The diminishing absolute drops at higher settings indicate that the GPU is already under load from the preset's effects, so the resolution increase has a smaller relative impact.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 62 FPS for Low, 41 FPS for Medium (min 35, max 47), 35 FPS for High, and 27 FPS for Ultra. The drop from 1440p to 4K is 42 FPS for Low, 29 FPS for Medium, 24 FPS for High, and 18 FPS for Ultra. At 4K, even the Low preset cannot maintain a 60 FPS average, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint.

The Medium settings rows are the only ones with complete min/max data. At 1080p, the range is 31 FPS (86 to 117). At 1440p, the range is 21 FPS (59 to 80). At 4K, the range is 12 FPS (35 to 47). The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that frame times become more consistent as the GPU becomes saturated, reducing the variance between minimum and maximum FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1665 out of 2953 tested combinations in Rust. This places it in the 56th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it performs better than slightly more than half of all configurations tested.

The ranking reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. The 7800X3D, with its 96 MB L3 cache and strong single-thread score of 959 in 3dmark, provides a high CPU ceiling. However, the RX 9060, ranking at the 59th percentile among GPUs, limits the overall combo's performance in a game like Rust where GPU rendering is a significant factor.

Comparing the CPU's position, the 7800X3D's percentileVsAllCpus of 83 is substantially higher than the GPU's percentileVsAllGpus of 59. This disparity suggests that the GPU is the limiting component in this pairing, which aligns with the resolution scaling data showing larger FPS drops at higher resolutions.

The CPU's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, has an identical average benchmark score of 33089 with a deltaPct of 0. The Intel Core i7-13650HX also matches. This means the CPU's performance is well-established, but the combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's mid-tier positioning.

The GPU's nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129 with a deltaPct of -0.7, meaning the RTX 3060 Ti is 0.7% faster. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 with a deltaPct of 1, making the RX 9060 1% faster. These small differences indicate that the GPU is competitive with its immediate peers but does not break into higher performance tiers.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target frame rate and resolution. For a 60 FPS target, the 1080p Medium preset achieves 102 FPS average, providing headroom above the target. The 1080p High preset at 86 FPS also comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. The 1080p Ultra preset at 65 FPS is the highest quality option that still maintains a 60+ FPS average.

At 1440p, the Low preset achieves 104 FPS, which is well above 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 70 FPS also clears the 60 FPS threshold, making it the highest quality option for a 1440p 60 FPS target. The High preset at 59 FPS falls just below 60, so it would be suitable for a 50-60 FPS target with higher visual fidelity.

At 4K, only the Low preset at 62 FPS achieves a 60+ FPS average. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is the next highest, but would require a 40 FPS target or a variable refresh rate display. The High and Ultra presets at 35 and 27 FPS respectively are below playable thresholds for most users.

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the 1080p High preset at 86 FPS is recommended as it provides a smooth experience with moderate visual fidelity. For users prioritizing frame rate, the 1080p Low preset at 151 FPS is the clear choice. At 1440p, the Medium preset at 70 FPS offers the best compromise between quality and smoothness.

The Medium preset's min/max data at all resolutions shows consistent frame pacing, with the minimum FPS staying above 59 at 1080p and 1440p. This suggests that the Medium preset is the most stable in terms of frame delivery, making it a reliable choice for competitive play.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is based on the Navi 44 chip, using the RDNA 4.0 architecture, and is manufactured on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It features 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The GPU has 28 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The GPU's clock speeds are a base of 1700 MHz, a boost of 2990 MHz, and a game clock of 2400 MHz. The memory operates at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth across a 128-bit bus. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is a notable constraint, especially at 4K resolution where the frame buffer requirements increase.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RX 9060 scores 3322 in 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12, 88183 in geekbench_opencl, and 39476 in geekbench_vulkan. The passmark_g3d score is 17631, while the passmark_gpu_compute score is 9919. These results place the GPU at the 59th percentile among all tested GPUs, indicating a mid-range positioning.

The GPU's average benchmark score is 16014, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti at 16129 (deltaPct -0.7). The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862 (deltaPct 1), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852 (deltaPct 1). This tight clustering shows the RX 9060 is competitive with these cards but does not significantly outperform them.

In Rust's measured FPS, the GPU's role becomes evident at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the GPU is sufficient for 151 FPS on Low settings, but the Ultra preset at 65 FPS shows the GPU struggling with the additional visual effects. At 4K, the GPU's 8 GB memory and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for smooth gameplay at any preset above Low.

The GPU's pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s provide theoretical throughput, but the 128-bit memory bus limits effective bandwidth. The 4 nm process and 29,700 million transistors on a 199 mm² die indicate a modern, dense design, but the memory subsystem appears to be the bottleneck at higher resolutions.