Rust

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 delivers a distinctly CPU-capable but GPU-limited experience in Rust. The benchmark data shows that this combination’s frame rates are severely constrained by the graphics card, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings, while the processor’s substantial core and thread resources remain largely underutilized in this title. The measured FPS values across all resolutions and settings indicate that Rust, in this configuration, does not offer a playable experience at high or ultra settings, with only the low preset at 1080p providing a smooth frame rate. This analysis breaks down the resolution scaling, CPU and GPU roles, and provides specific settings recommendations based on the measured data.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a significant and predictable drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, a pattern that highlights the GPU as the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 66, which is a playable level for a survival game. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings, the average FPS drops to 46, a 30% reduction. At 4K (3840x2160) with Low settings, the average FPS falls to 27, which is just 41% of the 1080p performance. This scale shows that the RX 570, with its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, is increasingly overwhelmed by the pixel count at 1440p and 4K.

The scaling pattern is similar for the Medium settings. At 1080p, the average FPS is 44, while at 1440p it is 31, and at 4K, it drops to 18. This is a 59% decrease from 1080p to 4K, demonstrating that the GPU is the limiting component. The High settings show a similar trend: 38 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 15 FPS at 4K. The Ultra settings are the most demanding, with 29 FPS at 1080p, 20 FPS at 1440p, and 12 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that the RX 570’s performance is heavily dependent on resolution, with the 1080p resolution providing a reasonable baseline for playable frame rates, particularly at Low settings. The 1440p results are marginal at best, with only the Low settings reaching above 40 FPS, and the 4K results are universally poor, with no setting reaching 30 FPS. This makes it clear that for this GPU, 4K gaming in Rust is not a viable option with this setup, and even 1440p requires a significant compromise on settings.

The fact that the FPS drops are not perfectly linear with the increase in pixel count (a 2.25x increase from 1080p to 4K) indicates that the GPU is not the only factor, but it is the dominant one. The CPU’s role is more evident at lower resolutions and lower settings, where the GPU can keep up more easily. However, the data shows that even at 1080p Low, the CPU is not delivering a frame rate that would suggest a CPU bottleneck, as the 66 FPS average is likely below the CPU’s potential in this scenario. The performance scaling suggests that the RX 5700 XT is the limiting component in virtually all measured configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS that the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 can achieve in Rust?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 66, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the data that reaches above 60 FPS.

Q: Is this combo capable of running Rust at 4K resolution with playable frame rates?

A: No. At 3840x2160 resolution, the highest average FPS is 27 (Low settings), and the lowest is 12 (Ultra settings). None of the 4K settings achieve an average FPS above 30, making the game largely unplayable at 4K.

Q: What is the average FPS for the Ultra settings preset at 2560x1440 resolution?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is 20. This is not a playable frame rate for a game like Rust, which requires smooth, responsive controls.

Q: How does the combo’s performance at 1080p High compare to 1440p High?

A: The average FPS at 1080p High is 38, while at 1440p High, it drops to 26. This represents a 31.6% decrease in performance when moving from 1080p to 1440p, demonstrating the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS at Low settings is 46, while at Ultra settings, it is 20. This is a 56.5% performance difference, indicating that the Ultra preset has a significant impact on the frame rate.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium settings at the three tested resolutions?

A: The minimum FPS values for the Medium settings are 38 at 1920x1080, 26 at 2560x1440, and 15 at 3840x2160. These minimums indicate that the frame rate can dip even lower than the already-low averages, causing stuttering.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores, 20 threads, a base clock of 3.60 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It belongs to the Alder Lake architecture, which uses a hybrid design of performance and efficiency cores. The CPU’s benchmark scores are substantial, with a 3dmark_max_threads score of 9983 and a cinebench_r23_multicore score of 28838. The single-thread performance is also strong, with a 3dmark_single_thread score of 1043 and a geekbench_singlecore score of 2255.

In the context of Rust, the game’s performance is often tied to the CPU, especially in the game’s large, heavily populated worlds and in moments of intense physics simulation. The high single-thread performance of the 12700KF is beneficial for that, but the benchmark data shows that the GPU is the limiting factor in this combo. The CPU can perform well, but the RX 5700 XT is not able to keep up with the CPU’s potential.

The CPU’s core count and thread count are far beyond what Rust typically requires. The game is not known for its multi-threaded scaling, and the 12 cores and 20 threads of the i7-12700KF will not be fully utilized. The benchmark data shows that the game is not CPU-bound, as the FPS does not increase dramatically when settings are lowered or resolution is reduced, which is a typical sign of a GPU bottleneck.

The CPU’s cache configuration includes an 80 KB L1 cache per core, a 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, and a 25 MB shared L3 cache. This cache is designed to reduce latency and improve performance for a wide range of applications, including gaming. The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 is another factor that can affect performance, but the data does not specify whether the memory bandwidth is a limiting factor in this configuration.

The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The FPS scaling patterns with resolution and settings are consistent with a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU has enough headroom to handle the game’s logic, but the GPU is not fast enough to render the frames at a higher rate. This is a common issue with high-end CPUs paired with lower-end GPUs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the data shows the best performance for this combo. The Low settings achieve an average FPS of 66, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The Medium settings reach an average of 44 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 51. The High settings average 38 FPS. The Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 29 FPS.

The 1080p results are the only resolution where the Low preset is playable. The 66 FPS average is a solid result, but it is not high enough to suggest a fully CPU-bound scenario. The Medium settings at 1080p are borderline, with an average of 44 FPS, but the minimum of 38 FPS means that there will be noticeable dips in frame rate. The High and Ultra settings are not playable, as they require a better GPU.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low settings yield an average FPS of 46, which is still playable but not as smooth as the 1080p Low result. The Medium settings average 31 FPS, with a minimum of 26 and a maximum of 35. The High settings average 26 FPS, and the Ultra settings average 20 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low settings are playable, and the Medium settings is borderline.

At 3840x2160, the performance is poor across the board. The Low settings average 27 FPS, the Medium settings average 18 FPS (with a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 21), the High settings average 15 FPS, and the Ultra settings average 12 FPS. None of these frame rates are playable for a game like Rust, which requires a stable frame rate for a good experience.

The data also shows that the performance scaling is not linear. The 1080p Lows settings are the only configuration above 60 FPS. The 1440p Low is 46 FPS, and the 4K Low is 27 FPS. The 4K resolution is clearly not suitable for this GPU, as even the lowest settings cannot achieve a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 in Rust has a combo rank of 3553 out of 3723 tested combos. This places it in the lower 5th percentile of all tested configurations. This ranking is a strong indicator that this specific combination of CPU and GPU is not well suited for Rust , especially when compared to other hardware pairings.

The CPU itself performs well, ranking in the 85th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35365. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T, which has a deltaPct of -0.1%, the Intel Core i5-13600T, which has a deltaPct of 0.2%, the Intel Core 5 213PE, which has a deltaPct of -0.2%, and the Intel Core i7-12700K, which has a deltaPct of 0.2%. This shows that the CPU is a strong performer in synthetic benchmarks. The GPU, however, is ranked lower, with an average benchmark score of 28766, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which has a deltaPct of -0.4%, the AMD Radeon R9 M295X, which has a deltaPct of 0.7%, the AMD Radeon RX 470, which has a deltaPct of -0.8%, and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000, which has a deltaPct of 1.2%.

The low combo rank is not due to the CPU’s performance, but rather the GPU’s inability to keep up with the demands of the game. The CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads are more than sufficient for Rust , and its high single-thread performance is a good match for the game’s mechanics. However, the GPU’s limited 4GB of VRAM and its older architecture are a major bottleneck.

The rank of 3553 out of 3723 means that only 170 combos are ranked lower. This is a clear signal that the RX 5700 XT is not a good match for a game like Rust , which can be demanding on GPU resources. The combination of a high-end CPU with a low-end GPU is a common mismatch, and the rank reflects this. The CPU is not the limiting factor, but the GPU is, and this is reflected in the low rank.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only settings preset that provides a consistently playable experience with this combo is the Low preset at 1920x1080, which achieves an average FPS of 66. This is the only configuration that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. At this setting, the game should feel smooth and responsive, with no major frame drops.

If the user prefers 1080p with a higher visual quality, the Medium preset is not recommended, as it averages 44 FPS and dips to 38 FPS, which will cause noticeable stutter in fast-paced gameplay. The High and Ultra settings at 1080p are not playable, with averages of 38 and 29 FPS, respectively.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option, with an average of 46 FPS. This is not as smooth as the 1080p Low, but it is still playable. The Medium preset at 1440p is not recommended, as the average FPS drops to 31, with minimums of 26, which will result in a poor experience. The High and Ultra presets are not playable.

For 4K resolution, no settings preset is playable. The maximum average FPS is 27 at Low settings, which is far below the threshold for a smooth gaming experience. The game is not playable at 4K with this GPU, and users should not attempt to use it at this resolution.

The data suggests that for this hardware, the best settings are to use the Low preset at 1080p, which is the only way to get a stable frame rate. If the user is willing to accept a lower frame rate, the Medium preset at 1080p can be used, but it is not recommended for a game like Rust, which has a high degree of player interaction and requires quick reactions. The Ultra preset is not attainable at any resolution with this setup.

The benchmark results indicate that the game is GPU-bound, and the only way to improve the experience is to either lower the resolution to 1080p, lower the settings to Low, or upgrade the GPU.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is a graphics card based on the Polaris 20 chip, using the Graphics Core Next (GCN) 4.0 architecture. It has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The GPU has a base clock of 1168 MHz and a boost clock of 1244 MHz. The memory is 4 GB of GDDR5, with a memory clock of 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), a bus width of 256 bits, and a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The GPU’s pixel and texture rates are 39.81 GPixel/s and 159.2 GTexel/s, respectively, with an FP32 performance of 5.095 TFLOPS.

The GPU’s capabilities are clearly a limiting factor in Rust. The 4 GB of VRAM is a significant constraint, as Rust can demand memory for textures and other assets. The small amount of VRAM can lead to performance issues at high settings, especially at higher resolutions. The GPU has a percentile rank of 74 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28766. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which has a deltaPct of -0.4%, and the AMD Radeon RX 470, which has a deltaPct of -0.8%. This indicates that the RX 570 is a mid-range GPU.

In the context of the measured FPS, the GPU’s limitations are clear. The game is not CPU-bound, but rather GPU-bound, as the FPS does not scale well with resolution increases. The GPU’s fill rate and bandwidth are not enough to handle the demands of Rust at high resolutions.

The benchmark data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. The CPU is not being used fully, but the GPU is not fast enough to keep up. The GPU’s 4 GB of VRAM is also a concern, as the game may require more memory for higher texture settings. The upgrade path for this system would be to replace the GPU with a more powerful model, as the CPU has plenty of headroom.

The GPU’s output also includes support for DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, which are the APIs used by modern games. The GPU’s memory clock of 1700 MHz is a notable aspect, but it is not enough to overcome the data’s performance limitations. The GPU’s TDP is 150 W, and it has a suggested PSU of 450 W, but these numbers do not directly impact the measured FPS.

The benchmark results show that the RX 570 is not suitable for 4K gaming in Rust, and is only barely suitable for 1440p at low settings. The GPU’s performance is a major bottleneck, and the CPU’s performance is not the limiting factor. The data indicates that the GPU is the component that needs to be upgraded to improve the experience in this game.