Rust

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 presents a compelling dataset for Rust, a survival title known for heavy CPU and memory dependencies. The measured frames per second (FPS) across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that scales predictably, with the GPU becoming the primary constraint only at the highest settings and resolutions. This analysis will break down the performance characteristics, the role of the components, and the optimal settings based strictly on the measured data.

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

The frame rate progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 shows a classic scaling curve that shifts the bottleneck based on the graphics preset. At Low settings, the system delivers 204.4 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 147.5 FPS at 1440p (a 27.8% reduction) and then to 85.2 FPS at 4K (a further 42.2% reduction from the 1440p figure). This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the GPU is being taxed heavily as pixel count increases, moving from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound one at 4K.

For Medium settings, the scaling is similar but with a lower starting point. The 141.4 FPS at 1080p falls to 96.6 FPS at 1440p (a 31.7% drop) and then to 60.8 FPS at 4K (a 37.1% drop from 1440p). The High preset shows a more consistent proportional decline: 119.0 FPS at 1080p, 85.1 FPS at 1440p (down 28.5%), and 51.2 FPS at 4K (down 39.8% from 1440p). This pattern suggests that the i5-12400’s six cores and 12 threads are sufficient to feed the RX 9070 at these settings, as the performance loss is primarily attributable to the increasing rendering load.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling, which is the clearest indicator of the GPU’s limits. The system starts at 93.9 FPS at 1080p, drops to 63.2 FPS at 1440p (a 32.7% decrease), and then falls to 38.9 FPS at 4K (a 38.4% decrease from 1440p). At 4K Ultra, the RX 9070 is clearly the limiting component, as the frame rate drops to a level that is barely playable. The data suggests that the CPU’s performance headroom, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935 and single-core score of 2249, is ample for this game, with the GPU’s rendering capabilities dictating the upper limits of performance at higher resolutions.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9070’s specifications directly influence the observed FPS numbers. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are crucial for Rust, which can be demanding on memory due to the large world and player-built structures. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the system manages to run without hitting a memory wall, as the average FPS of 38.9 is still a functional result rather than a stutter-filled failure.

The GPU’s clock speeds are also a factor. The boost clock of 2520 MHz and a game clock of 2070 MHz allow the GPU to sustain high throughput. The FP32 performance of 36.13 TFLOPS is substantial, and the 128 ROPs handle pixel output effectively. However, the scaling data indicates that the RX 9070’s raw compute power is not infinite. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 204.4 FPS, which suggests that the CPU or other system components are the limiting factor at that point, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The shift from 1080p to 4K at Low settings (a 58.3% decrease in FPS) shows how quickly the GPU’s workload increases with pixel count.

The GPU’s launch MSRP is 549 USD, but the performance data shows it is a high-end part capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and smooth 1440p gameplay. The 16 GB VRAM is a future-proofing feature, and its presence is validated by the consistent performance across all settings. The pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 564.5 GTexel/s are high, but the 4K Ultra result of 38.9 FPS indicates that the most demanding configuration exceeds the GPU’s comfortable performance envelope.

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

Q: What is the best average FPS achieved by this combo at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS at 1920x1080 is 204.4, achieved with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p High compare to 4K High?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 85.1. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS drops to 51.2, representing a 39.8% decrease in performance.

Q: Is the RX 9070 a bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: No. The 204.4 FPS at 1080p Low is significantly higher than at other resolutions, indicating that the CPU or other system limits are reached before the GPU’s full potential is taxed.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 38.9, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.

Q: Does the combo achieve a playable frame rate at 4K with Medium settings?

A: Yes, the average FPS of 60.8 at 3840x2160 with Medium settings is above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a functional experience.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K, but 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 502nd out of 1717 tested combos in Rust. This places it in the 70.8th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms the majority of configurations. This ranking is strong, but not top-tier, which aligns with the measured FPS data. The system is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, but it falls into the mid-to-high range when compared to the most extreme hardware pairings that likely feature newer, more powerful CPUs and GPUs.

The ranking suggests that while the RX 9070 is a powerful GPU, the i5-12400 is a mid-range CPU that can hold it back slightly in CPU-intensive scenarios. However, the benchmark scores show the CPU is no slouch. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935 and single-core score of 2249 are respectable. The 77th percentile ranking for the CPU versus all CPUs and 79th percentile for the GPU versus all GPUs indicate a balanced pairing, but the overall combo rank of 502 is a result of the specific demands of Rust, which can be more CPU-sensitive than other titles. The data shows this is a solid combo that handles Rust well, but it is not at the very top of the performance hierarchy.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all settings.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 204.4 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 141.4 FPS. The High preset yields 119.0 FPS, and the Ultra preset produces 93.9 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 110.5 FPS, indicating that the graphics settings have a massive impact on frame rate at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 147.5 FPS. The Medium preset averages 96.6 FPS. The High preset averages 85.1 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 63.2 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 84.3 FPS, a narrower gap than at 1080p, showing the GPU becomes a more significant factor.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 85.2 FPS. The Medium preset averages 60.8 FPS. The High preset averages 51.2 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 38.9 FPS. The span between the lowest and highest settings is 46.3 FPS, the smallest of all resolutions. This compression demonstrates that at 4K, the GPU’s workload is so high that even dropping from Ultra to Low cannot fully compensate for the pixel count increase, as the Low preset still only reaches 85.2 FPS.

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For competitive or high-refresh-rate play at 1080p, the Low preset’s 204.4 FPS is exceptional, but the Medium preset’s 141.4 FPS offers a better balance of visual fidelity and speed, still well above the 120 FPS mark. The High preset at 119.0 FPS is also viable for 1080p, providing a good visual upgrade with a minimal FPS cost.

At 1440p, the Low preset’s 147.5 FPS is excellent for fast-paced play, but the Medium preset’s 96.6 FPS is the sweet spot for most users, offering a smooth experience that is close to 100 FPS. The High preset at 85.1 FPS is also acceptable, but the Ultra preset’s 63.2 FPS is the lowest recommended option for a consistent 60 FPS experience.

For 4K gaming, the data shows that the Low preset’s 85.2 FPS is the only setting that provides a high frame rate. The Medium preset’s 60.8 FPS is the threshold for playable performance, while the High preset at 51.2 FPS and Ultra at 38.9 FPS are too low for a smooth experience. The recommendation is to use Medium settings at 4K to maintain a stable 60 FPS, or Low settings to push into higher refresh rate territory. The High and Ultra presets at 4K should be avoided due to sub-60 FPS averages.