Rust

Rust, a survival game released in 2018, is known for its demanding simulation and large player counts. This analysis covers the combination of an Intel Core i5-12400 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090, with measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets. The i5-12400 carries a launch MSRP of $199, while the RTX 5090 has a launch MSRP of 1,999 USD. The data set includes 12 measured FPS points, CPU and GPU synthetic benchmarks, and a combo rank of 53 out of 1717 tested combinations.

Settings Recommendations

The measured frame rates reveal a clear hierarchy across presets and resolutions. At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset delivers 141.1 FPS, so every setting is playable. The Low preset reaches 205.6 FPS, while Medium and High sit at 173 and 166 FPS respectively. For competitive play or high-refresh monitors, Low or Medium offers the most headroom, but the difference between Medium and High is only 7 FPS, making High a reasonable choice for visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. At 2560x1440, Medium (152.6 FPS) and High (131.6 FPS) both exceed 120 FPS, while Ultra drops to 98.7 FPS. The 1440p High preset provides a strong balance of image quality and performance, especially for players targeting 144 Hz displays. At 3840x2160, the situation changes: Low (134.4 FPS) is the only preset that maintains a high refresh, Medium (88.8 FPS) and High (76.3 FPS) are playable for 60 FPS, but Ultra falls to 58.4 FPS, below the 60 FPS threshold. The data suggests that for 4K, Low is the best choice for smooth gameplay, while Medium is acceptable for those who prioritize visual detail over frame rate. Overall, the recommended preset depends on resolution: 1080p users can comfortably use High, 1440p users should choose High, and 4K users should stick to Low or Medium.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2017 MHz and boost clock is 2407 MHz, with 21760 shading units and 176 ROPs. In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 scores 39650 in Passmark G3D and 26756 in GPU compute, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 84306 is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5090 D, 0.2% higher than the RTX 5050 Mobile, 1.3% higher than the Radeon PRO W6600, and 1.6% lower than the NVIDIA CMP 40HX. In Rust, the GPU's role is to render the expansive open world, including terrain, structures, and dynamic lighting. The measured FPS show that at 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, dropping to 58.4 FPS. At lower resolutions, the GPU is less stressed, allowing the CPU to drive higher frame rates. The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Rust's textures and draw distances, but the game's performance is more heavily influenced by CPU simulation than by raw GPU throughput. The RTX 5090's high memory bandwidth and core count ensure that it can handle the most demanding visual settings, but the data indicates that the CPU often limits performance at 1080p and 1440p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming?

A: Based on measured data, the Low preset yields 134.4 FPS, Medium 88.8 FPS, High 76.3 FPS, and Ultra 58.4 FPS. For a 60 FPS target, Medium is the highest preset that stays above 60; Low provides the smoothest experience.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 84306, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5090 D, 0.2% higher than the RTX 5050 Mobile, 1.3% higher than the Radeon PRO W6600, and 1.6% lower than the NVIDIA CMP 40HX.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance?

A: The i5-12400 scores 15935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2249 in single-core. Its average benchmark score is 19850, placing it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in Rust?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 205.6 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate drops to 58.4 FPS.

Q: What is the combo's rank among tested systems?

A: The i5-12400 + RTX 5090 ranks 53rd out of 1717 tested combos in Rust, indicating a top-tier placement among all configurations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 achieves a rank of 53 out of 1717 tested combos in Rust. This places it in the upper echelon of systems, reflecting the strong synergy between a capable mid-range CPU and a flagship GPU. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19850 is within 0.4% of its nearest rivals—the Intel Core i7-9700, i7-8700, AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, and i5-11600K—showing that the i5-12400 holds its own against older and more expensive processors. The GPU's percentile of 94 and average score of 84306 further solidify the combo's high standing. In Rust specifically, the measured FPS at 1080p and 1440p are consistently above 130 FPS on High settings, which is a strong result for a game known for its CPU-heavy simulation. The rank of 53 suggests that only a handful of configurations—likely those with higher-end CPUs or more optimized pairings—outperform this setup. The data indicates that the i5-12400 does not significantly hold back the RTX 5090 in most scenarios, and the combo is well-suited for high-refresh gaming at 1440p and even 4K with adjusted settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and a TDP of 65 W. In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 scores 15935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2249 in single-core, with a Passmark multithread score of 18747. Its average benchmark score of 19850 places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, and it sits within 0.4% of its nearest rivals—the Intel Core i7-9700, i7-8700, AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, and i5-11600K. In Rust, the CPU handles game logic, entity updates, and player position calculations, which are critical in a survival game with large servers. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (205.6) and 1440p Low (176.7) demonstrate that the i5-12400 can drive very high frame rates when the GPU is not the limiting factor. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's role diminishes. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration is well-suited for Rust's multithreaded workload, as evidenced by the 77th percentile ranking and the ability to maintain high FPS at lower resolutions. The i5-12400's performance is competitive with older i7 models, making it a solid pairing with the RTX 5090 for this game.