Rust

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT pairing in Rust presents a clear study in balance, where the 6-core, 12-thread processor provides a stable foundation for the RDNA 2 graphics card to express its capabilities. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings show a system that is capable of smooth gameplay at mainstream resolutions but is clearly bounded by the graphics card at higher loads. This analysis breaks down the measured data to explain how each component contributes to the final experience.

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

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support provide a solid platform for gaming. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates a strong balance between single-threaded and multi-threaded performance, scoring 868 in 3dmark_single_thread and 5652 in 3dmark_max_threads. This places the chip in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, indicating its position as a capable mid-range performer.

In the context of Rust, a game known for its physics and entity interactions, the CPU’s role is significant. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches an average of 135.5 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower graphical loads. However, the performance gap between settings at this resolution is telling. Moving from Low to High reduces the average frame rate from 135.5 FPS to 76.7 FPS, a drop that is primarily driven by increased GPU load, but the CPU must still feed the GPU with draw calls. The i5-11400F’s 12 threads are sufficient to handle Rust’s simulation, as the frame rate scales with resolution in a way that points to the GPU as the limiting factor. When compared to its nearest rivals, the CPU’s average benchmark score of 17181 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, which scores 17189, a delta of 0%. This parity suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the i5-11400F will perform on par with that mobile chip, though desktop thermals and power delivery would likely allow it to sustain its boost clock longer in extended sessions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2589 MHz and game clock of 2359 MHz allow it to deliver a rated FP32 performance of 10.60 TFLOPS. The GPU sits in the 71st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27985. This places it just ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, which scores 27956, a delta of 0.1%, but behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, which scores 28238, a delta of -0.9%.

The GPU’s influence is directly visible in the measured FPS data. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields an average of 26.5 FPS, while the High preset yields 35.2 FPS. This steep drop indicates that the 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely being saturated at 4K with high-detail textures, and the 256.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes a limiting factor. The situation improves at 2560x1440, where the Low preset achieves 94.4 FPS, but the Ultra preset falls to 43.8 FPS. The trend is consistent: the RX 6600 XT is most comfortable at 1920x1080, where even the Ultra preset maintains an average of 61.1 FPS. The GPU’s performance is the dominant factor in these results; the frame rate scales almost directly with resolution and settings, confirming that the RX 6600 XT is the component that determines the playable ceiling for this combo.

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth experience at 1920x1080, the High preset provides an average of 76.7 FPS, which is a good balance of visual fidelity and performance. The Medium preset increases this to 90.6 FPS, offering extra headroom for demanding scenes. The Ultra preset, at 61.1 FPS, is playable but leaves little margin for frame drops. At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, with an average of 94.4 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 63.1 FPS, which is on the cusp of playability, while High and Ultra drop to 55.3 FPS and 43.8 FPS respectively. At 3840x2160, the data shows that no preset achieves a playable 60 FPS average; the Low preset is the most viable at 56.4 FPS, but it still falls short. Therefore, the recommended approach is to target 1920x1080 with High or Medium settings for a consistent experience, or to drop to Low settings at 2560x1440 for a higher frame rate. Pushing to 4K is not advisable given the measured averages.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-11400F and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT combination ranks 1210 out of 1717 tested combos in Rust. This places the system in the lower third of all tested configurations, indicating that while it is capable of running the game, there are many other pairings that deliver higher frame rates. This rank is influenced by the GPU’s position in the 71st percentile; while the CPU is in the 75th percentile, the overall combo score is dragged down by the GPU’s performance at higher resolutions. The data suggests that this pairing is mid-tier in the grand scheme of tested hardware.

The rank of 1210 out of 1717 means that roughly 70% of the tested combos perform better in Rust. This is not a poor result, but it clarifies that the system is not optimized for maximum frame rates, especially at higher resolutions. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1260P, show a negligible performance delta of -0.2%, meaning they are effectively equal in synthetic tests. However, in real-world gaming, the GPU will dominate the outcome. The combo’s ranking indicates that users should expect a solid 1080p experience, but they should not expect competitive performance at 1440p or 4K with high-detail presets.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i5-11400F?

A: The launch MSRP of the Intel Core i5-11400F is $157.

Q: How does the RX 6600 XT compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT has an average benchmark score of 27985, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, which scores 27956.

Q: What is the maximum average FPS measured for this combo at 1920x1080?

A: The maximum average FPS measured at 1920x1080 is 135.5 FPS, achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this combo capable of maintaining 60 FPS at 3840x2160 with any preset?

A: No, the data shows that the highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 56.4 FPS on the Low preset, which falls short of 60 FPS.

Q: What is the boost clock of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT?

A: The boost clock of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is 2589 MHz.

Q: How does the i5-11400F’s benchmark score compare to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, which is identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U’s score of 17189, resulting in a 0% delta.

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

The measured frame rates provide a complete picture of this combo’s performance in Rust. The data is organized by resolution and settings, showing a clear trend of decreasing performance as graphical demands increase.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. The Low preset averages 135.5 FPS, which is a high frame rate suitable for competitive play. The Medium preset averages 90.6 FPS, offering a good balance. The High preset averages 76.7 FPS, which is still smooth. The Ultra preset averages 61.1 FPS, which is at the threshold of playability for many users.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. The Low preset averages 94.4 FPS, which remains strong. The Medium preset averages 63.1 FPS, which is acceptable. The High preset averages 55.3 FPS, which falls below the 60 FPS target. The Ultra preset averages 43.8 FPS, which is marginal for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 56.4 FPS, which is the only setting that comes close to 60 FPS. The Medium preset averages 36.1 FPS. The High preset averages 35.2 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 26.5 FPS, which is not suitable for gameplay.

The data underscores the GPU’s dominance in this pairing. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to drive the RX 6600 XT at 1080p, but the GPU’s limitations become apparent as resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints, preventing the system from achieving high frame rates at 1440p and 4K with higher settings.