Rust

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration. In Rust, the CPU's role is significant because the game's simulation and entity logic are heavily threaded. The processor's benchmark scores reflect its capability: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453. In the broader context of all CPUs, it sits at the 73rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 14168. This places it in a competitive position relative to its nearest rivals, including the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% ahead), AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.8% behind), and Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% behind). For Rust, the combination of six physical cores and twelve threads is adequate to handle background tasks while keeping the main game loop responsive, though the data shows that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck in most settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture using TSMC's 12 nm process, featuring 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 1530 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and it has 1408 shading units. The GPU's raw compute capability is 5.027 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, with a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s. In benchmark terms, it scores 12699 in PassMark G3D and 62664 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it at the 55th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 14286. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (0.2% behind), Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (0.2% behind), and AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (0.7% behind). For Rust, the 6 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor; at 4K Ultra settings, the game demands more memory and bandwidth than this card can efficiently provide, resulting in an average of just 16.5 FPS. The GPU's performance in Rust is primarily dictated by its fill rate and memory bandwidth, which are sufficient for 1080p gaming but struggle at higher resolutions and quality presets.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks 1527 out of 1717 tested combos in Rust, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This ranking reflects a system that is capable of playable frame rates at 1080p on lower presets but falls behind the majority of modern setups. The data shows that this combo is not optimized for high-end gaming, as its performance is limited by the GPU's 6 GB VRAM and the CPU's mid-range throughput. Compared to other tested combos, the i5-10400F's 73rd percentile CPU ranking is overshadowed by the GTX 1660 SUPER's 55th percentile GPU ranking, meaning the graphics card drags down the overall experience. In practical terms, this combo sits near the lower end of the database's tested configurations, making it suitable for entry-level 1080p gaming rather than high-refresh-rate or high-resolution play.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest average frame rates across all settings, with Low achieving 106.8 FPS, Medium at 72.6 FPS, and High at 59 FPS. At 2560x1440, frame rates drop significantly, with Low at 73.8 FPS and High at 40.7 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD EPYC 7552 (14115) and 1.1% higher than the Intel Core i5-8500 (14332). It is 0.8% lower than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14277).

Q: Is the GTX 1660 SUPER strong enough for 4K gaming in Rust?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 22 FPS on High, 28.6 FPS on Medium, and 16.5 FPS on Ultra. Only the Low preset achieves a playable 44.9 FPS at this resolution.

Q: What settings preset gives the smoothest experience at 1080p?

A: The Low preset at 1080p yields 106.8 FPS, which is the highest measured value. For a balance of visual quality and performance, the Medium preset at 72.6 FPS is also viable, while High drops to 59 FPS.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1660 SUPER scores 14286 on average, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14314) and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14315), but 0.7% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (14389).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 73.8 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 30.9 FPS. This represents a drop of 42.9 FPS, or roughly 58% less performance when moving to the highest quality preset.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a clear pattern: as resolution increases, average frame rates drop proportionally, indicating that the GPU is the limiting component in this combo. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 106.8 FPS, but at 4K Low, it drops to 44.9 FPS—a decline of about 58%. The drop is even more pronounced on higher presets: High settings go from 59 FPS at 1080p to 22 FPS at 4K, a 63% reduction. Medium settings fall from 72.6 FPS at 1080p to 28.6 FPS at 4K, a 61% decrease, while Ultra plunges from 46.6 FPS to 16.5 FPS, a 65% drop. This consistent scaling pattern strongly suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for the increased pixel load at higher resolutions. The CPU, which maintains a 73rd percentile ranking, is not the bottleneck here; instead, the GPU's fill rate and memory throughput are the primary constraints, as evidenced by the disproportionate performance loss when resolution increases.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience with this combo, the data suggests prioritizing 1080p resolution with the Low or Medium preset. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 106.8 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay and leaves headroom for occasional frame drops. The Medium preset at 72.6 FPS offers a better visual balance while still maintaining playable performance, making it the recommended choice for most users. High settings at 59 FPS are acceptable for those who prefer visual fidelity, but the Ultra preset at 46.6 FPS introduces noticeable stutter in a game like Rust where quick reactions matter. At 1440p, only the Low preset (73.8 FPS) is recommended, as Medium (46.3 FPS) and High (40.7 FPS) fall into marginal territory, and Ultra (30.9 FPS) is unplayable. At 4K, the data shows that even Low settings (44.9 FPS) are borderline, so users should avoid this resolution entirely unless they are willing to accept significant performance compromises. The measured rows indicate that the sweet spot for this hardware is 1080p with Medium settings, providing a 72.6 FPS average that balances visual quality and responsiveness.