Rust

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 delivers a playable but constrained experience in Rust, with performance heavily dependent on resolution and settings. The data shows this combo ranks in the 22nd percentile overall (2900th out of 3723 tested combinations), indicating that while it can handle the game, it requires careful settings management to achieve smooth frame rates. The most striking finding is the dramatic impact of resolution: the system loses 78% of its average FPS when moving from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra, revealing a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions and a more balanced load at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern across the three tested resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 126 FPS average, which drops to 87 FPS at 1440p (a 31% reduction) and further to 51 FPS at 4K (a 41% drop from 1440p). This steep decline indicates that the RX 6600's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus become the limiting factor as pixel count increases, with the GPU's 224.0 GB/s bandwidth struggling to feed the higher-resolution framebuffers.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 71 at 1080p to 49 at 1440p (31% loss) and then to 29 at 4K (41% loss from 1440p). This consistent pattern across settings suggests that the RX 6600's raw compute throughput—8.928 TFLOPS FP32—is the primary bottleneck at 4K, where even Low settings only produce 51 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Low settings (75 FPS difference) versus the gap at High settings (42 FPS difference) indicates that the CPU becomes relatively more involved at lower settings, where the GPU has more headroom to process frames.

The Ultra preset tells a similar story but with even harsher results: 54 FPS at 1080p, 37 FPS at 1440p, and just 22 FPS at 4K. This 59% total drop from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings underscores that the RX 6600, which sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, simply lacks the pixel-pushing capability for 4K gaming in Rust. The data points to 1080p as the only resolution where this combo can consistently exceed 60 FPS, and even then, only at Low or Medium settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F brings substantial processing power to this pairing, with 10 cores and 16 threads based on Raptor Lake architecture. Its benchmark results are strong: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604 and a single-core score of 3191 place it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. The CPU's 2.50 GHz base clock and 4.60 GHz boost clock, combined with 20 MB of shared L3 cache, provide ample headroom for Rust's simulation and entity-tracking workloads, which are known to be single-thread sensitive.

However, the measured FPS data reveals that the CPU is not the primary constraint in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, where GPU load is lightest, the combo reaches 126 FPS, suggesting the CPU can push well beyond that if the GPU allowed. The 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and the PassMark single-thread score of 3634 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for Rust's main thread. The CPU's 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 versus 2-thread score of 1880 shows good scaling across cores, though Rust's engine typically doesn't utilize all 16 threads efficiently.

The CPU's nearest rivals in overall benchmark scores include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and Ryzen 7 6800H, both with deltaPct values within 0.4%, meaning the i5-13400F's performance is virtually identical to those mobile chips. This suggests that in CPU-limited scenarios, the combo behaves similarly to systems with those processors. The data indicates that at 4K, where GPU load is highest, the CPU sits idle waiting for the RX 6600, explaining why FPS drops are so steep—the GPU becomes the sole bottleneck.

FAQ

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

A: The data clearly shows 1920x1080 as the optimal resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo averages 126 FPS, while at 1440p Low it drops to 87 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls to 51 FPS. The 1080p results are the only ones that consistently exceed 60 FPS across multiple settings.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems in Rust?

A: The combo ranks 2900th out of 3723 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 22% of all systems. This ranking reflects the RX 6600's mid-range position (63rd percentile of GPUs) rather than the CPU's stronger standing (77th percentile of CPUs), indicating that GPU limitations dominate the overall experience.

Q: Can this system handle Rust at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No, the data shows 22 FPS average at 4K Ultra, which is below playable thresholds. Even 4K Low only produces 51 FPS. The RX 6600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface are insufficient for 4K gaming in Rust.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra at the same resolution?

A: At 1080p, the gap is 72 FPS (126 FPS Low vs 54 FPS Ultra). At 1440p, the gap narrows to 50 FPS (87 vs 37). At 4K, the gap is 29 FPS (51 vs 22). This shows that higher resolutions compress the settings range because the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in Rust?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 126 FPS, which likely approaches the CPU's limit, but at 1440p and 4K, the RX 6600's compute and bandwidth constraints dominate, as evidenced by the steep FPS drops regardless of settings.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance affect Rust?

A: The i5-13400F's single-thread scores (960 in 3DMark, 3634 in PassMark) are strong, and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3191 indicates it can handle Rust's main thread effectively. The data suggests CPU performance is sufficient, as GPU bottlenecks appear before CPU limits are reached at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy for settings selection. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with an average of 85 FPS and a range of 72 to 97 FPS. This keeps frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold while providing significantly better visuals than Low. The High preset at 1080p drops to 71 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes.

For 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, producing 87 FPS average. Medium at 1440p drops to 58 FPS, which may feel sluggish during intense firefights or large base raids. The High preset at 1440p (49 FPS) and Ultra (37 FPS) are not recommended for competitive play. At 4K, no settings provide an ideal experience—Low gives 51 FPS, which is borderline, while Medium drops to 34 FPS and Ultra to 22 FPS.

The data suggests that 1080p Medium is the sweet spot for this combo. The 85 FPS average with a 72 FPS minimum ensures consistent performance, and the 12 FPS gap between average and minimum indicates stable frame times. Comparatively, 1080p Low's 126 FPS average has no reported minimum, but the Medium preset's minimum of 72 FPS is more reassuring for sustained gameplay. Users prioritizing maximum frame rates should select 1080p Low, while those wanting better visuals should accept the 71 FPS average of 1080p High.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration ranks 2900th out of 3723 tested combos in Rust, placing it in the 22nd percentile of all systems. This ranking is notably lower than what the individual components might suggest—the CPU sits in the 77th percentile of all processors, while the GPU is in the 63rd percentile. The discrepancy indicates that Rust's performance is heavily weighted toward GPU capability, and the RX 6600's mid-range position drags the overall combo ranking down.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 and the GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile, with deltaPct values of 0% and -0.1% respectively. This means the RX 6600's performance is nearly identical to those GPUs, despite being a desktop part. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and Ryzen 7 6800H, show deltaPct values within 0.4%, indicating the i5-13400F's processing power is comparable to those laptop chips.

The 22nd percentile ranking means that roughly 78% of tested combos perform better in Rust. This places the system in the lower-mid range of gaming PCs, suitable for 1080p gaming but not for high-refresh-rate or high-resolution play. Users with this combo should expect to run Rust at 1080p with medium settings to achieve playable frame rates, and they will need to accept significant compromises at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full measured FPS data reveals a predictable pattern across all twelve tested configurations. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest average at 126 FPS, followed by Medium at 85 FPS (with a range of 72-97), High at 71 FPS, and Ultra at 54 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 72 FPS is the only reported minimum at 1080p, suggesting that the other presets may have more variable frame times.

At 1440p, the averages drop substantially: Low produces 87 FPS, Medium 58 FPS (range 49-67), High 49 FPS, and Ultra 37 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 49 FPS indicates that this resolution pushes the RX 6600 to its limits, with frame rates dipping below 60 FPS even on the lower settings. The 4K results are the most constrained: Low averages 51 FPS, Medium 34 FPS (range 29-40), High 29 FPS, and Ultra 22 FPS.

The data also shows that the performance gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at lower resolutions. At 1080p, Low outperforms Ultra by 72 FPS (126 vs 54). At 1440p, this gap narrows to 50 FPS (87 vs 37). At 4K, the gap is just 29 FPS (51 vs 22). This compression at higher resolutions confirms that the GPU's pixel throughput becomes the dominant constraint, reducing the impact of settings changes. The RX 6600's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus width—with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth—prove insufficient for smooth 4K operation in Rust, even at the lowest settings.