Rust

The Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination delivers a compelling, high-refresh-rate experience in Rust, with the data showing a clear progression of performance across resolutions. This pairing sits in the 211th position out of 3,723 tested combos, placing it firmly in the top 6% of all configurations tested for this survival title. The benchmark results reveal a system that is exceptionally strong at 1080p, remains highly capable at 1440p, and only begins to show meaningful strain at 4K with the most demanding presets.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-13700K brings substantial processing resources to Rust, a game known for its complex simulation and large player-built worlds. This processor features 16 cores and 24 threads, operating on a base clock of 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The architecture is Raptor Lake, built on Intel's 10 nm process, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. The cache hierarchy is generous, with 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a 30 MB shared L3 cache. For a game like Rust, which often involves significant single-threaded work for game logic and physics alongside multi-threaded rendering tasks, this configuration is well-balanced.

The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce its capability. In Cinebench R23, it achieves a multicore score of 30,745 and a single-core score of 2,116. The 3DMark tests show a score of 12,412 for max threads and 1,136 for single-thread performance. These figures indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for Rust's primary game thread, and ample multi-threading headroom for background tasks, server communication, and entity processing. The processor's percentile ranking of 89 among all CPUs tested underscores its position as a high-end part.

The relationship between this CPU and Rust's results is most evident when looking at the 1080p Low preset, where the system achieves 254 FPS. At this settings level, the GPU is often less taxed, and the CPU's ability to feed frames quickly becomes the limiting factor. The data suggests the i7-13700K's high boost clock and efficient core design are up to the task, allowing the system to push frame rates well beyond what is typical for many survival titles. In contrast, at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 50 FPS, indicating that the GPU's workload has become the primary bottleneck, a common shift as resolution increases.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the rank of this CPU and GPU combo among all tested configurations in Rust?

A: The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 211th out of 3,723 tested combos, placing it in the top percentile of systems for this game.

Q: How does the i7-13700K compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900?

A: The average benchmark score for the i7-13700K is 46,881, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900's score of 46,971, indicating essentially equivalent overall CPU performance.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest average frame rate is 254 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Does the RTX 4080's performance differ significantly from its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080's average benchmark score is 54,247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER's score of 54,209, showing they are nearly identical in synthetic performance.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system records an average of 133 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 153 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions tells a clear story about where the bottleneck lies for this hardware combination. Starting with the High preset, the system delivers 163 FPS at 1920x1080, then 112 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally 66 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. The significant scaling penalty at higher resolutions strongly indicates that the RTX 4080, while powerful, becomes the limiting factor as pixel count increases.

The Low preset demonstrates this even more dramatically. At 1080p Low, the system achieves a phenomenal 254 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 198 FPS, a 22% decrease. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls to 117 FPS, a 41% drop from 1440p. The fact that even at Low settings the frame rate scales down so steeply with resolution shows that the GPU's rendering workload is the dominant constraint at 4K. The CPU, with its high single-thread performance, is capable of sustaining higher frame rates, but the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel-pushing demands of 4K.

This scaling pattern has practical implications. At 1080p and 1440p, the system is well-balanced, and users can expect to push high refresh rate monitors (144Hz or even 240Hz at lower settings) without issue. However, at 4K, the system is firmly in GPU-bound territory. The difference between 117 FPS at Low and 50 FPS at Ultra at 4K highlights how much headroom the RTX 4080 has, but also where its limits are. For users targeting 4K, the data suggests that sticking to Medium or High settings is necessary to maintain a smooth experience, as the jump to Ultra incurs a steep performance penalty.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well across all presets. The Low preset yields an average of 254 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 193 FPS, with a minimum of 164 and a maximum of 222 FPS. High settings deliver 163 FPS average, and Ultra settings still maintain a very playable 124 FPS average. This data indicates that at 1080p, the combo has enough performance headroom to run even the most demanding preset at frame rates suitable for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected reduction. Low settings drop to an average of 198 FPS. Medium settings average 133 FPS, with a range of 113 to 153 FPS. High settings yield 112 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 85 FPS average. These numbers show that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combo, offering high frame rates at all settings, with even Ultra settings remaining well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU workload becomes more demanding. Low settings produce an average of 117 FPS, which is still quite good for 4K. Medium settings average 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 90 FPS. High settings drop to 66 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 50 FPS average. The data shows a clear trend: while 4K is playable at Low and Medium settings, the higher presets push the RTX 4080 to its limits, with Ultra settings dipping below the 60 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 211 out of 3,723 tested combos in Rust. This places the system in the top 5.7% of all configurations tested, a strong indicator of its overall capability. The rank reflects a balance of both CPU and GPU performance, and the data shows that this pairing is well-matched for the demands of Rust.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU's percentile rank of 89 among all CPUs and the GPU's percentile rank of 86 among all GPUs both support the high overall combo ranking. While neither component is the absolute fastest available, their combination is clearly effective for this title. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 with a delta of -0.2%, show that the i7-13700K is in a performance class with other high-end parts.

The GPU's nearest rivals also provide context. The RTX 4080's average score of 54,247 is essentially tied with the RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209), and it is 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X. This shows that the GPU is a top-tier performer. The combo's rank of 211 suggests that while there are 210 configurations that perform better, this system is capable of delivering a top-tier experience in Rust, with the measured FPS data confirming its ability to handle high resolutions and settings.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience at each resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets are highly playable. However, the jump from High (163 FPS) to Ultra (124 FPS) represents a 24% performance loss for visual gains that may be marginal in a game like Rust. For competitive play or maximizing refresh rate, Low (254 FPS) or Medium (193 FPS) are excellent choices. For a balance of visual fidelity and performance, High settings at 163 FPS is a strong recommendation.

At 2560x1440, the analysis is similar. High settings deliver 112 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. Ultra settings drop to 85 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 24% reduction from High. The data suggests that High is the optimal preset for 1440p, offering a significant visual improvement over Medium (133 FPS) while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Users with 144Hz monitors will find High settings to be the best compromise.

For 3840x2160, the recommendation becomes more nuanced. Ultra settings produce an average of 50 FPS, which may be too low for smooth gameplay. High settings at 66 FPS are playable but may feel slightly less fluid. The best experience at 4K is achieved with Medium settings, which deliver an average of 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS. This preset provides a good balance, ensuring frame rates stay above 60 FPS while still offering a reasonable level of visual detail. Low settings at 117 FPS are an option for those prioritizing frame rate, but the visual compromise is substantial.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end GPU based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It is built on TSMC's 5 nm process and features 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz. Its memory configuration is a key asset for modern games: 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are beneficial for Rust, which can have large textures and complex scenes.

The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial, with 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs. It also includes 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores. The FP32 performance is rated at 48.74 TFLOPS. These specifications contribute to the GPU's strong benchmark scores, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 and a Passmark G3D score of 34,457. The GPU's percentile rank of 86 among all GPUs confirms its position as a top-tier part, though not the absolute best.

The role of the GPU in Rust becomes clear when examining the performance drop from 1440p to 4K. The RTX 4080 is powerful enough to deliver very high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS falls to 50. This indicates that the GPU's pixel processing capabilities are the limiting factor at that resolution. The 16 GB VRAM is likely sufficient for Rust, but the sheer number of pixels at 4K combined with high-quality textures and effects taxes the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth. The data suggests that for a smooth 4K experience, users should dial back settings to Medium, which the GPU handles with relative ease, delivering an average of 79 FPS.