Rust

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process from TSMC. Its base clock is 4.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it carries a 120 W TDP. The CPU supports DDR5 memory via a dual-channel interface, offering 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. It also features a 64 MB shared L3 cache, with 80 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core. The chip includes integrated Radeon Graphics, though the measured FPS data relies on the discrete GPU.

Benchmark results place this CPU at the 94th percentile among all tested processors. Its average benchmark score is 54,450. In Cinebench R23, it scores 46,438 in multi-core and 6,555 in single-core. The 3DMark 16-thread score is 12,552, while the 2-thread score is 2,519, and the single-thread score is 1,286. PassMark multi-thread and single-thread scores are 54,643 and 4,672, respectively.

Comparing to nearest rivals, the Ryzen 9 9900X sits within a tight band. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D scores 54,681, which is 0.4% higher. The Intel Core i7-14700F scores 54,097, putting the 9900X 0.7% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 55,304, which is 1.5% higher than the 9900X, and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF scores 55,421, 1.8% higher. These are marginal differences, indicating that the 9900X is a top-tier performer but not the absolute leader in synthetic aggregate benchmarks.

For a game like Rust, which is known to be CPU-intensive in its simulation and server logic, the 12-core/24-thread configuration and high single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core 6,555) are relevant. The measured FPS at 1080p Low reaches 227.7, which suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high frame rates. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 2,519 and 4-thread score of 4,886 indicate strong low-thread performance, which is often the critical factor in survival games where a few primary threads handle the bulk of the simulation work.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture (AD104 chip) using a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). It contains 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, 64 ROPs, 46 ray tracing cores, and 184 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 158.4 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 455.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 29.15 TFLOPS. The card has a 200 W TDP and uses a single 16-pin power connector.

The GPU's benchmark results place it at the 81st percentile among all tested GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37,283. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 3,854, and in Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan, it scores 168,006 and 157,352, respectively. PassMark G3D score is 26,927, while GPU compute is 14,720.

Nearest rivals show a mixed picture. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507, which is 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A scores 38,008, 1.9% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38,135, 2.2% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 5300M scores 36,371, putting the RTX 4070 2.5% ahead. These deltas are small, suggesting the RTX 4070's standing is solid but not dominant in the aggregate benchmark pool.

For Rust at 4K Ultra, the RTX 4070 delivers 40.7 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at the highest settings and resolution. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for Rust's typical texture loads, but the raw performance at Ultra settings shows the GPU is being pushed to its limits. At 1080p Low, the same GPU achieves 227.7 FPS, showing that when the CPU can keep up, the GPU has ample headroom.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend across resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 227.7 at 1080p to 156.6 at 1440p, then to 92.8 at 4K. That is a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 59% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the drop is from 153.9 at 1080p to 106.4 at 1440p and 64.1 at 4K. High settings go from 126.2 at 1080p to 89.8 at 1440p and 51.8 at 4K. Ultra settings show the steepest absolute decline: 95.7 at 1080p, 66.5 at 1440p, and 40.7 at 4K.

These scaling patterns indicate a classic shift in the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 227.7 is likely CPU-bound, as the Ryzen 9 9900X has the headroom to push well beyond what the RTX 4070 can render at higher settings. As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 132 FPS (227.7 vs 95.7), while at 4K it is 52.1 FPS (92.8 vs 40.7). The narrower gap at 4K shows that the GPU is saturated, making the settings choice less impactful on frame rate relative to the resolution cost.

The data suggests that for players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the CPU is the star performer. For 4K gaming, the RTX 4070's limits are evident, particularly at Ultra settings where the frame rate falls below 45 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the average FPS values are as follows: Low settings deliver 227.7, Medium delivers 153.9, High delivers 126.2, and Ultra delivers 95.7. The spread from Low to Ultra is 132 FPS, showing significant scaling with settings.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low at 156.6, Medium at 106.4, High at 89.8, and Ultra at 66.5. The spread from Low to Ultra narrows to 90.1 FPS, reflecting increased GPU load.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are: Low at 92.8, Medium at 64.1, High at 51.8, and Ultra at 40.7. The spread from Low to Ultra is 52.1 FPS, the smallest of the three resolutions. This confirms that at 4K, the GPU is the primary constraint, and even dropping from Ultra to Low yields less than a doubling of frame rate.

The minimum and maximum FPS fields are null in the data, so only average FPS is available for analysis. All measurements are marked as "dataIsMeasured: true," confirming these are empirical results rather than estimates.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 347th out of 1,717 tested combos in Rust. This places the combo in the top 20% of all configurations tested for this game. Given that the CPU is at the 94th percentile and the GPU at the 81st percentile, the rank of 347 out of 1,717 is consistent with a high-end pairing that is slightly more CPU-limited than GPU-limited.

The rank suggests that while this combo is strong, there are many configurations with more powerful GPUs that achieve higher FPS, particularly at 4K Ultra. The CPU's top-tier status helps at lower resolutions, but the GPU's 81st percentile standing caps overall performance. In the context of the nearest rival scores, the CPU's aggregate performance is within 2% of its closest competitors, and the GPU's aggregate performance is within 2.5% of its rivals, meaning the combo rank is driven more by the GPU tier than by any CPU deficiency.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Across all resolutions, the Low preset yields the highest average FPS. At 1080p, Low achieves 227.7 FPS, which is more than double the Ultra result of 95.7 FPS. At 1440p, Low delivers 156.6 FPS, and at 4K, Low delivers 92.8 FPS. For competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, Low at 1080p or 1440p is the clear choice.

The Medium preset offers a balanced trade-off. At 1080p, Medium delivers 153.9 FPS, which is still well above 144 Hz, while at 1440p it delivers 106.4 FPS, suitable for 100 Hz displays. At 4K, Medium yields 64.1 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

High settings are viable for visual quality. At 1440p, High delivers 89.8 FPS, and at 4K, High delivers 51.8 FPS. Ultra settings are only recommended for 1080p, where 95.7 FPS is acceptable, but at 1440p (66.5 FPS) and 4K (40.7 FPS), the frame rate drops below smooth thresholds.

The data indicates that for the best experience, players should choose Low at 1080p for maximum responsiveness, Medium at 1440p for a balance of quality and speed, and Low or Medium at 4K to stay above 60 FPS. Ultra is not recommended at any resolution if frame rate is a priority.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Rust?

A: The highest average FPS is 227.7, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 40.7, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low?

A: The data shows 227.7 FPS at 1080p Low, which is likely CPU-bound given the GPU's performance at higher resolutions, but the measured data does not separate individual component limits.

Q: How does the Ryzen 9 9900X compare to its nearest rival in aggregate benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D scores 0.4% higher, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K scores 1.5% higher and the 245KF scores 1.8% higher. The 9900X is 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Rust?

A: The combo ranks 347th out of 1,717 tested combos, placing it in the top 20% of all configurations.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of FPS and visual quality at 1440p?

A: Medium settings at 2560x1440 deliver 106.4 FPS, which is above 100 FPS and offers a reasonable visual upgrade over Low, making it the recommended preset for 1440p.