Rust

Rust, a survival game released in 2018, is tested with the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. The CPU has a launch MSRP of $199, and the GPU has a launch MSRP of 599 USD. The measured data shows a wide range of framerates depending on resolution and settings, with the combo ranking 411th out of 1717 tested combinations. This pairing of a 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake processor with a 16 GB RDNA 4.0 graphics card delivers playable performance across most presets, but the optimal choice depends heavily on your display's resolution and refresh rate.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide a clear picture of how each preset behaves. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 203.3 FPS, Medium 149.7, High 128.1, and Ultra 99. All four are above 60 FPS, so even Ultra is smooth for standard 60 Hz monitors. However, for high-refresh 1080p panels, High at 128.1 FPS is a strong balance between visual quality and headroom, while Low at 203.3 FPS is the choice for competitive play where maximum framerate matters more than fidelity. Medium at 149.7 FPS is also viable if you want a step up from Low without sacrificing much speed.

At 2560x1440, the picture changes. Low hits 157 FPS, Medium 103.9, High 89, and Ultra 66.1. Here, Medium is the sweet spot for 144 Hz displays, as it stays above 100 FPS while offering better visuals than Low. High at 89 FPS is still playable for 60–90 Hz screens, but Ultra at 66.1 FPS is borderline for fast-paced action. For 1440p, the data suggests Medium as the default recommendation, with High acceptable if you prefer image quality over a few extra frames.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Low produces 93.6 FPS, Medium 64, High 51, and Ultra 40.4. Only Low exceeds 60 FPS, making it the only preset that guarantees smooth gameplay on a 4K 60 Hz display. Medium at 64 FPS is just above 60, but the margin is thin. High and Ultra are best reserved for slower, scenic moments or for users who prioritize resolution over framerate. For 4K, the recommendation is Low for consistent performance, or Medium if you can tolerate occasional dips below 60.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured average is 99 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831), 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894), 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928), and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771). Its percentile among all CPUs is 77.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile and how does it rank against its nearest rivals?

A: The Radeon RX 9070 XT has a percentile of 82 among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 39647. It is 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 575 (39703), 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568), 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 575X (39836), and 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (39879).

Q: Which resolution and setting combination gives the highest measured FPS?

A: The highest average FPS in the data is 203.3, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is the combo better than the average tested system?

A: Yes. The combo ranks 411th out of 1717 tested combinations, meaning it outperforms roughly 76% of all tested systems.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The RX 9070 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s. Its memory clock is 2518 MHz, which translates to 20.1 Gbps effective.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with a Navi 48 chip on a 4 nm process. It contains 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die, with a transistor density of 151.0M per mm². The GPU has 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 raster output units, along with 64 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 1660 MHz, boost clock 2970 MHz, and game clock 2400 MHz. The memory runs at 2518 MHz, providing 20.1 Gbps effective speed across a 256-bit bus, yielding 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Rust, the GPU's role becomes evident when comparing resolution scaling. At 1080p, even Ultra settings produce 99 FPS, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. At 4K, however, the framerate drops to 40.4 FPS on Ultra, a clear sign that the GPU is saturated. The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Rust's textures, and the high memory bandwidth helps maintain consistent performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s are strong on paper, and the measured results confirm that the card is capable of handling 1440p High at 89 FPS and 4K Low at 93.6 FPS. The boost clock of 2970 MHz is the highest in the data, and it contributes to the card's ability to push high framerates at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT combination ranks 411th out of 1717 tested combos in Rust. This places it in the top 24% of all systems tested, which is consistent with the CPU's percentile of 77 and the GPU's percentile of 82. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19850 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831), with a delta of 0.1%. The GPU's average score of 39647 is similarly close to the AMD Radeon Pro 575 (39703), a delta of -0.1%. This suggests that the combo's performance is well balanced, with neither component dramatically outperforming the other relative to their respective peer groups.

The rank of 411 out of 1717 means that 1306 tested combos are slower, while 410 are faster. This is a strong result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The data shows that the combo is capable of delivering high framerates at 1080p and 1440p, and even at 4K with lower settings. The ranking reflects the overall capability of the system across all tested scenarios, not just Rust, but the measured FPS in this game aligns with the expected performance from the component scores.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the system scales from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS is 128.1 at 1920x1080, 89 at 2560x1440, and 51 at 3840x2160. This is a substantial drop: the 1440p figure is about 30% lower than 1080p, and the 4K figure is about 60% lower. At Low settings, the progression is 203.3, 157, and 93.6, respectively. The 4K Low result is still above 60 FPS, which indicates that the GPU has enough headroom to handle 4K when visual effects are reduced. At Medium, the numbers are 149.7, 103.9, and 64, showing a similar pattern. At Ultra, the figures are 99, 66.1, and 40.4, with the 4K result falling below 60 FPS.

The scaling pattern suggests that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as even Ultra settings yield 99 FPS, which is below the 203.3 FPS of Low. At 4K, the GPU's workload increases dramatically, and the framerate drops accordingly. The fact that Low at 4K (93.6 FPS) is higher than Ultra at 1080p (99 FPS) is notable, but the overall trend is clear: the RX 9070 XT is strong enough for 1440p gaming at high settings, but 4K requires reduced presets to maintain smooth performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 51 |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 93.6 |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 64 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 40.4 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 89 |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 157 |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 103.9 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 66.1 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 128.1 |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 203.3 |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 149.7 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 99 |

The data shows a consistent hierarchy: Low always produces the highest FPS, followed by Medium, then High, and Ultra the lowest. At 1080p, all presets are above 60 FPS, making the system suitable for high-refresh monitors. At 1440p, Low and Medium exceed 100 FPS, while High and Ultra stay above 60. At 4K, only Low and Medium reach 60 FPS or higher, with High and Ultra falling below. This breakdown provides a clear reference for users who want to match their settings to their display's capabilities.