Rust

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER produces a combination that ranks at 1518th out of 1717 tested configurations in Rust. This places the combo in the lower percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it is functional, it does not deliver top-tier performance for this survival title. The ranking reflects a significant bottleneck, primarily driven by the GPU’s position in the overall hierarchy rather than the CPU, which sits near the top of its own category. The data suggests that this pairing is better suited for lower resolutions and settings, where the CPU can flex its strength, but it struggles to maintain high frame rates at more demanding presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1518 out of 1717 places it in the bottom 12% of all tested combinations in Rust. This is a poor showing, but it is not unexpected when examining the individual components. The CPU, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, holds a 90th percentile ranking among all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 90% of processors in synthetic benchmarks. In contrast, the GPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, sits at the 55th percentile among all GPUs, which is merely average. The disparity between the two components is stark: the CPU is a high-end part, while the GPU is a mid-range option from an older generation. This imbalance means the GPU becomes the primary constraint in most scenarios, dragging the overall combo ranking down. The measured FPS data supports this, as the system only achieves playable frame rates at 1080p with lower settings, while higher resolutions and presets cause significant drops.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, with a TDP of 105 W. This CPU is capable of substantial multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33150 and single-core score of 4680. In Rust, which is known to be CPU-intensive due to its complex simulation and entity processing, the 5900X provides ample headroom. The CPU’s 3DMark 16-thread score of 9075 and max-thread score of 10075 indicate strong parallel performance, which can help in handling the game’s server-side calculations and physics. However, the benchmark data shows that this CPU power is not fully utilized in this pairing. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 107.9 FPS, which is the highest measured result, but this drops to 59.2 FPS at High settings. This indicates that while the CPU can push high frame rates at low graphical loads, the GPU cannot sustain that performance as settings increase. The CPU’s performance relative to its nearest rivals shows it is 0.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4245P and 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13700F, but 0.7% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS and 1% behind the Intel Core i7-13700. These small deltas highlight that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this combo.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with a TU116 chip and features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. It has a base clock of 1530 MHz and a boost clock of 1785 MHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 12699 puts it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, which is modest. In Rust, the GPU’s role is critical for rendering the game’s large open-world environments and dynamic lighting. The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Medium, the system hits 71 FPS, but at Ultra, it drops to 46.6 FPS. At 1440p, the GPU struggles further, with High settings producing 42.1 FPS and Ultra dropping to 34.1 FPS. At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed, with High settings yielding only 21.6 FPS and Ultra a mere 18.2 FPS. This performance degradation is typical of a GPU that lacks the VRAM capacity and raw compute power for high-resolution gaming. The GPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, which is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, which is 0.7% faster. These small deltas indicate that the GTX 1660 SUPER is at the lower end of its performance class, and it is clearly the bottleneck in this system.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Rust?

A: The highest average FPS is achieved at 1080p, with Low settings producing 107.9 FPS and Medium settings producing 71 FPS. At 1080p High, the system still manages 59.2 FPS, but Ultra drops to 46.6 FPS, so 1080p Medium or High is recommended for a balance of quality and performance.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X has an average benchmark score of 39453, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 4245P and 0.9% higher than the Intel Core i7-13700F. It is 0.7% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS and 1% lower than the Intel Core i7-13700.

Q: Is the GPU the limiting factor in this pairing?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests this. The GPU’s percentile rank is 55th, while the CPU is in the 90th percentile. In Rust, the FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, indicating the GPU cannot keep pace with the CPU’s capabilities.

Q: What is the GPU’s memory bandwidth and how does it affect performance?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s across a 192-bit bus with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory. This bandwidth is insufficient for high-resolution textures, leading to the significant FPS drops observed at 1440p and 4K.

Q: What are the CPU’s core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X has 12 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. This allows for strong multi-threaded performance, as shown by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 33150.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves only 18.2 FPS, which is unplayable. This is a stark contrast to the 107.9 FPS at 1080p Low, showing the GPU’s severe limitation at high resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear trend of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is indicative of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p, the combo delivers playable frame rates across most settings, with Low at 107.9 FPS, Medium at 71 FPS, High at 59.2 FPS, and Ultra at 46.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the FPS drops by approximately 30-40% across all settings: Low at 70.4 FPS, Medium at 51 FPS, High at 42.1 FPS, and Ultra at 34.1 FPS. This drop is substantial but still playable at Medium and below. At 4K, the system collapses, with Low at 42.8 FPS, Medium at 27.5 FPS, High at 21.6 FPS, and Ultra at 18.2 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows that the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU’s performance does not change with resolution. The GPU’s 6 GB VRAM and limited bandwidth become a severe bottleneck at 4K, where the demand for texture memory and fill rate exceeds what the GTX 1660 SUPER can provide. This pattern is classic for a system where the CPU has significant headroom but the GPU is underpowered for the task. The data indicates that for optimal performance, users should stick to 1080p, as higher resolutions will result in a poor experience. The combo’s rank of 1518 out of 1717 is a direct consequence of this GPU limitation, as the CPU alone would rank much higher if paired with a more capable GPU.