Rust

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is a mid-range combination that delivers surprisingly strong results in Rust, particularly at lower resolutions. This pairing ranks in the 63rd percentile of all tested combos, placing it in a solid position for a game known for its demanding procedural world generation and heavy CPU load. The data reveals a configuration that favors high refresh rate 1080p play, with performance scaling predictably as resolution and settings increase.

FAQ

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

A: This combination ranks 629th out of 1717 tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations tested for Rust.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Core i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25236, placing it 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H and 0.5% ahead of both the AMD EPYC 9474F and AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340. It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D by 0.5%.

Q: What is the GPU's relative performance position?

A: The RTX 3070 Ti holds a percentile ranking of 74 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 30849. It sits within 1.2% of its nearest rivals, which include the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME and NVIDIA Quadro M5000.

Q: What is the best measured performance result at 1080p?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 196.6 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At the same resolution with High settings, the average drops to 111.9 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra experience compare to 1080p Low?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 31.7, which is a dramatic reduction from the 196.6 FPS seen at 1080p Low. This shows a performance drop of over 80% between the two extremes.

Q: Is there a significant gap between Medium and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, Medium settings yield an average of 92.2 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 58.2 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on this configuration.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 13th-generation Raptor Lake processor with 10 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, which can boost up to 4.60 GHz. The CPU has a 20 MB shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor achieves a multi-threaded Cinebench R23 score of 21279 and a single-core score of 3004, demonstrating a healthy balance between parallel and single-threaded performance.

In the context of Rust, a game that simulates a persistent world with many entities, the CPU's multi-threading capabilities are directly relevant. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 7307, indicating that the processor scales well when all cores are utilized. This suggests that Rust's server-side and physics calculations, which often tax multiple threads, are well-served by this CPU. The single-thread score of 960 in 3DMark is notably lower, but the high boost clock helps mitigate potential bottlenecks in lightly-threaded tasks.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is tight. It is virtually tied with the Intel Core i7-13620H, showing a delta of just 0.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D is only 0.5% faster on average. This places the 13400F in a competitive position, where its 10-core configuration provides ample headroom for Rust's complex simulation. The architecture's 10 nm process node and 65 W TDP suggest efficient operation, though the benchmark scores are the primary indicator of its capability here.

The data suggests the CPU is a strong partner for the GPU in this game. At 1080p Low, where the GPU is less burdened, the high FPS of 196.6 indicates the CPU is capable of feeding frames quickly. The difference between the 8-thread score of 5591 and the 16-thread score of 7307 implies that Rust can benefit from the extra threads, making the 13400F's core count a distinct advantage over lower-core-count alternatives.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is built on the Ampere architecture with an 8 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1575 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. With 6144 shading units and 48 RT cores, it is a capable card for both rasterization and ray tracing tasks, though Rust's implementation is primarily raster-based.

The GPU's memory configuration is a key factor in its performance at higher resolutions. The 8 GB capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data shows a sharp decline at 4K. At 3840x2160 with High settings, the average FPS is 46.6, and with Ultra settings, it drops to 31.7. This suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are being stressed at 4K, leading to a significant performance penalty. The 608.3 GB/s bandwidth is substantial, but the demands of Rust at 4K seem to exceed what the card can comfortably deliver.

The GPU's benchmark scores show a passmark G3D score of 23356 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3478. These numbers indicate a solid mid-to-high-tier performer. The GPU's percentile rank of 74 places it above the majority of GPUs, but its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700, is only 0.8% slower, showing that the performance gap to competitors is minimal. The data implies that the RTX 3070 Ti is well-matched to the CPU for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates.

However, the GPU becomes the limiting factor at 4K. The gap between 1080p Low (196.6 FPS) and 4K Low (79.7 FPS) is stark, indicating that the GPU's rendering capabilities cannot keep pace with the pixel count increase. This is a classic sign of GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions, where the CPU's role diminishes and the GPU's raw throughput determines the final frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti achieves a rank of 629 out of 1717 tested combos for Rust. This places the system in the top 37% of all configurations, which is a respectable position for a mid-range pairing. The rank suggests that while it is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it outperforms the majority of systems tested for this specific game.

The CPU's percentile rank of 82 against all CPUs indicates it is a strong processor, while the GPU's percentile rank of 74 is slightly lower. This imbalance suggests that the CPU has more headroom than the GPU, meaning the GPU is more likely to be the bottleneck in demanding scenarios. The combo rank of 629 reflects this, as the system's overall position is dragged down slightly by the GPU's relative performance compared to the CPU.

The data implies that this combo is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the GPU can keep up with the CPU's output. At 4K, the combo's rank would likely be lower, as the GPU struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The ranking of 629 out of 1717 is a strong indicator that for most users playing at mainstream resolutions, this system will deliver a satisfying experience in Rust, though it will not excel at the highest settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system shows a wide range of performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 196.6, which drops to 129.7 at Medium, 111.9 at High, and 85.4 at Ultra. This shows that the settings preset has a significant impact on frame rate, with a 56% reduction in FPS from Low to High.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down accordingly. Low settings produce an average of 135.3 FPS, which is a 31% drop from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings yield 92.2 FPS, High settings produce 79.1 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 58.2 FPS. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 1440p is 34 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a more pronounced hit. Low settings average 79.7 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 50.8 FPS, High to 46.6 FPS, and Ultra to 31.7 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is below the generally accepted 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, making it unsuitable for competitive play. The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, and the frame rate drops proportionally.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset offers a strong balance, delivering an average of 111.9 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a smooth experience without sacrificing too much visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 85.4 FPS, which is still playable, but the 26 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual gain for all users.

At 1440p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, with an average of 92.2 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance. The High preset at 1440p produces 79.1 FPS, which is still acceptable, but the drop from Medium to High is 13 FPS. For those prioritizing frame rate, Low at 1440p offers 135.3 FPS, but this comes with a significant reduction in visual quality.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that the Low preset is the only viable option for a smooth experience, with an average of 79.7 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 50.8 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but it is not ideal for fast action. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended due to its 31.7 FPS average. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain high frame rates with reasonable settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 196.6, which drops to 135.3 at 1440p Low and further to 79.7 at 4K Low. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 59% drop from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, indicating that the GPU is becoming increasingly stressed as the pixel count increases.

At High settings, the scaling is similar. The 1080p High average of 111.9 FPS drops to 79.1 FPS at 1440p and 46.6 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 29% and 58%, respectively. This consistent pattern across settings suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance, as indicated by its high benchmark scores, is likely sufficient to handle the game's logic at all resolutions, but the GPU's rendering capabilities cannot keep up with the increased workload.

The data suggests that this system is CPU-bound at 1080p Low, where the GPU has ample headroom and the CPU's single-thread performance becomes more relevant. However, as resolution increases, the balance shifts to a GPU-bound scenario. The 4K results show that the RTX 3070 Ti's 8 GB of VRAM and memory bandwidth are taxed heavily, leading to the significant frame rate drops. For users looking to play at 4K, the data implies that a more powerful GPU would be necessary, while the CPU would remain a capable partner. The scaling behavior is typical for a mid-range GPU, which excels at 1080p and 1440p but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K.