Rust

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER combination is a study in balance for Rust, a game that heavily taxes both CPU and GPU depending on the settings and resolution. The data shows a pairing that can deliver high refresh rates at 1080p but struggles to maintain playable frames at 4K on higher presets. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to determine where this combo excels and where it falls short, providing a practical guide for settings and expectations.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured FPS, 1920x1080 is clearly the best resolution. The average frame rates at this resolution range from 64.7 FPS on Ultra to 153.6 FPS on Low, which are the only figures in the data that consistently hit or exceed standard 60 FPS and 144 Hz thresholds. At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly, and at 3840x2160, it is not viable for competitive play.

Q: Is the RTX 2070 SUPER capable of handling Rust at 4K?

A: No, the data indicates it is not. At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 32.6 on High and only 26.7 on Ultra, which falls well below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. Even on Low settings, the average of 62.9 FPS is barely playable and suggests the experience will be inconsistent.

Q: How does the Low settings preset compare to Medium at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 153.6 FPS, which is 50 FPS higher than the Medium preset's 103.6 FPS. This significant jump suggests that the Low preset is much less demanding and is the best choice for maximizing frame rates.

Q: Which setting provides the best balance of visual quality and performance?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers the best measured balance. It delivers a solid 103.6 FPS average, which is significantly smoother than the High preset's 88.9 FPS, while still providing better visual fidelity than the Low preset's 153.6 FPS.

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

A: The Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which places it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. It is 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, but it is 0.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4345P.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to all other GPUs?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER is in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 22206. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 0.5% higher, while the AMD Radeon RX 5700 scores 2.5% lower.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and can boost up to 5.30 GHz. This high boost clock is critical for Rust, which is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance. The benchmark results support this, with a strong Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4643 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2778.

The processor's overall strength is confirmed by its 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs. In multi-threaded workloads, it scores 32889 in Cinebench R23 and 15636 in Geekbench multi-core. This multi-core capability is relevant for Rust's background simulation and server-side tasks, but the game's frame rate is more heavily influenced by the single-core speed. The data shows this CPU is a formidable performer, sitting 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X in average benchmark score. This processing power ensures that, at most settings, the CPU will not be the primary bottleneck, allowing the GPU to dictate the final frame rate.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its memory clock runs at 1750 MHz, or 14 Gbps effective. With 2560 shading units and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, it delivers 9.062 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This configuration places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's memory capacity is a significant factor in Rust. At higher resolutions and settings, the game's textures and draw distances can consume large amounts of VRAM. The 8 GB frame buffer is likely a limiting factor at 3840x2160, where even the Low preset only manages an average of 62.9 FPS. The data shows a clear pattern: as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, the average FPS drops by more than half on every preset. For example, on High settings, the average FPS falls from 88.9 at 1080p to 32.6 at 4K. This indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, and its performance relative to rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z (0.9% higher score) and AMD Radeon RX 5700 (2.5% lower score) defines its position in the market.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for getting the best experience from this combo in Rust. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers a massive 153.6 FPS average, which is ideal for competitive play on high refresh rate monitors. However, this comes at the cost of visual fidelity. For most users, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It provides a smooth 103.6 FPS average, which is 14.7 FPS higher than the High preset's 88.9 FPS, while offering noticeably better graphics than Low.

Stepping up to High at 1080p yields 88.9 FPS, which is still a very playable experience, but the Medium preset offers a 16.5% performance increase for what is likely a minor visual downgrade. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 64.7 FPS, which is below the 70+ FPS that many gamers prefer for a title like Rust. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the only one that consistently stays above 60 FPS, with an average of 72 FPS. The High preset at 61.8 FPS is borderline, while Ultra at 44 FPS is not recommended. At 3840x2160, no preset is truly recommended, but the Low preset is the only one that approaches playability with an average of 62.9 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Rust, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 1020th out of 1717 combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the rankings, indicating that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is far from the bottom. The ranking reflects the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU holds the combo back.

This rank is a direct consequence of the measured FPS. The combo's ability to deliver high frame rates at 1080p, particularly on Low and Medium settings, keeps it out of the bottom quartile. However, its poor performance at 4K and mid-range performance at 1440p prevent it from climbing higher. The data suggests this is a solid 1080p machine that should not be pushed beyond 1440p for a consistently smooth experience in Rust.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a complete breakdown of the measured average FPS for this combo.

1920x1080:

• Low: 153.6 FPS
• Medium: 103.6 FPS
• High: 88.9 FPS
• Ultra: 64.7 FPS

At this resolution, the combo is at its best. The jump from Low to Medium represents a 50 FPS drop, showing how demanding the preset changes are. The gap between Medium and High is 14.7 FPS, and the gap between High and Ultra is 24.2 FPS, indicating that Ultra is a significant step up in rendering load.

2560x1440:

• Low: 105.5 FPS
• Medium: 72 FPS
• High: 61.8 FPS
• Ultra: 44 FPS

At 1440p, the performance scales as expected. The Low preset remains very playable, but the Medium preset is the only other one that clears 60 FPS. The High preset falls just shy of this mark, and Ultra is not a viable option for smooth gameplay.

3840x2160:

• Low: 62.9 FPS
• Medium: 39.9 FPS
• High: 32.6 FPS
• Ultra: 26.7 FPS

At 4K, the GPU is overwhelmed. Only the Low preset approaches a playable frame rate. The Ultra preset's 26.7 FPS is less than half of the 1080p Low performance, highlighting the extreme demand of this resolution. This data confirms that 4K is not a practical goal for this hardware in Rust.