Rust

Rust presents an unusually demanding workload for even the most powerful mobile hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile produces a dataset that reveals a significant bottleneck. The measured frames per second across resolutions and settings tell a story of a system where the GPU is often waiting on the CPU, and where the choice of graphics preset has a profound impact on playability. This analysis examines the measured rows to understand the performance dynamics, the role of each component, and what the data suggests about the optimal configuration for this specific pairing.

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

The scaling behavior from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is the clearest indicator of where the performance ceiling lies. At Low settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a drop from 196 FPS to 156 FPS, a reduction of 40 FPS or roughly 20.4%. Moving from 1440p to 4K at Low settings yields 92 FPS, which is a further decline of 64 FPS, or about 41% from the 1440p figure. The total scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low is a 104 FPS drop, representing a 53.1% reduction in average frame rate. This is a substantial decline, but the absolute numbers remain high, suggesting that at Low settings, the GPU is still able to push significant frame rates even at 4K.

The picture changes dramatically at Ultra settings. From 1080p Ultra at 98 FPS to 1440p Ultra at 67 FPS, the drop is 31 FPS (31.6%). From 1440p Ultra to 4K Ultra at 40 FPS, the drop is 27 FPS (40.3%). The total scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is a 58 FPS reduction, which is a 59.2% decrease. This steeper percentage decline at higher settings points to the GPU becoming a more significant limiting factor as the workload increases. However, the absolute 4K Ultra score of 40 FPS indicates that even with this flagship mobile GPU, the most demanding preset at the highest resolution is barely playable.

The data implies that the limiting component shifts depending on the resolution and settings. At 1080p with Low settings, the 196 FPS result is likely constrained by the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU, as a 4090 Mobile is capable of far higher frame rates in less demanding scenarios. The relatively modest drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low (40 FPS) compared to the larger drop from 1440p to 4K (64 FPS) suggests that the GPU begins to take over as the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. At Ultra settings, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at all resolutions, as the frame rates are much lower and scale more steeply with resolution. The Arc Xe-LPG integrated graphics in the CPU are not a factor here, as the discrete GPU is always active in these measurements.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is a data center-class part in a laptop chassis, and its specifications align with the observed performance. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s provides a substantial memory pool that is unlikely to be a constraint in Rust at these settings. The 2250 MHz memory clock (18 Gbps effective) is a high figure, and the 576.0 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for the texture and geometry data that Rust requires. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 40, which is a low score for this GPU, but it is not a memory capacity issue; it is a raw compute and shading throughput issue at that resolution.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are defined by its 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The boost clock of 1695 MHz is relatively modest for a 4090-class part, which is likely a thermal or power constraint of the mobile form factor. The FP32 performance of 32.98 TFLOPS is a strong number, but the data suggests that in Rust, the combination of the CPU and the GPU’s clock speed results in the frame rates seen. The pixel rate of 189.8 GPixel/s and texture rate of 515.3 GTexel/s are high, but at 4K Ultra, the game’s complex shading and physics calculations still push the GPU to its limits, resulting in the 40 FPS average.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 84 means it outperforms 84% of all GPUs in the benchmark database, and its average benchmark score of 43667 places it in a similar class to the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which has a deltaPct of -0.9. This confirms that the 4090 Mobile is a top-tier mobile GPU. However, the measured results in Rust show that it is not enough to brute-force 4K Ultra to playable levels. The data indicates that the GPU is the dominant component at high resolutions and settings, but its performance is also held back by the CPU at lower resolutions. The 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, built on a 5 nm process, are the physical foundation for this performance, but the mobile power envelope (120 W TDP) limits its sustained clocks.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile ranks 931 out of 3723 tested combinations in Rust. This places it in the 75th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 75% of the systems in the database for this specific game. This is a strong ranking, but it is not as high as one might expect for a system pairing a flagship mobile GPU with a mid-range mobile CPU. The rank suggests that the CPU is holding the combo back from the top tier, as the GPU alone would likely rank much higher if paired with a more powerful processor.

The CPU’s nearest rivals provide context for this ranking. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H has an average benchmark score of 27507, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (27535, deltaPct -0.1) and the Intel Core i5-12600K (27578, deltaPct -0.3). This places the CPU in a performance class that is competitive with desktop parts from a few generations ago, but it is not a top-tier enthusiast chip. The GPU, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 43667, which is slightly higher than the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 (43301, deltaPct 0.8) and the RTX 5050 Mobile (43268, deltaPct 0.9). The GPU is clearly a top-5 percentile part.

The disparity between the CPU’s 79th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 84th percentile ranking is the key to understanding the combo’s 931st position. The data shows that in Rust, which is known for its CPU-intensive single-threaded and physics-heavy gameplay, the Core Ultra 5 125H’s 14 cores and 18 threads are not fully utilized, and its single-core performance is the limiting factor in many scenarios. The combo rank of 931 out of 3723 reflects the GPU’s ability to compensate for the CPU’s relative weakness, but it also highlights that the system is not balanced for this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Rust?

A: The highest average FPS is 196, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only measured configuration that exceeds 190 FPS.

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

A: The 4K Ultra average FPS is 40, while the 1080p Low average FPS is 196. This represents a 156 FPS difference, meaning the 4K Ultra result is approximately 79.6% lower than the 1080p Low result.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 Mobile the bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: No. The 196 FPS at 1080p Low is likely limited by the CPU, as the RTX 4090 Mobile is capable of much higher frame rates in less demanding games. The data shows the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H’s single-core performance is the limiting factor at this resolution and settings.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p Medium, and what are the minimum and maximum FPS?

A: The average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 105, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. This shows a 31 FPS variance between the minimum and maximum.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most consistent frame times at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160, only the Medium preset has measured minimum and maximum values, with an average of 62 FPS, a minimum of 52 FPS, and a maximum of 71 FPS. This 19 FPS range is the only data point for frame time consistency at 4K.

Q: How does the combo’s ranking in Rust compare to the individual component rankings?

A: The combo ranks 931 out of 3723 in Rust. The CPU has a percentile rank of 79, and the GPU has a percentile rank of 84. The combo’s rank is lower than both individual component percentiles, indicating a performance bottleneck that prevents the system from achieving a top-tier ranking.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of performance based on settings presets. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 128 FPS, which is a smooth and playable experience for most users. The Medium preset at 1080p offers 152 FPS, which is a 24 FPS improvement over High, and the Low preset offers 196 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 98 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 30 FPS decrease from High. For competitive play or maximizing frame rates, Low or Medium at 1080p are the best choices, with Medium providing a better visual experience at only 44 FPS less than Low.

At 2560x1440, the High preset yields 88 FPS, which is a solid 60Hz experience. The Medium preset at 1440p provides 105 FPS, which is a 17 FPS improvement over High and the best balance of visual quality and performance at this resolution. The Low preset at 1440p offers 156 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 67 FPS, which is below the 72 FPS threshold for smooth 60Hz gameplay on some monitors and is not recommended for a consistent experience.

At 3840x2160, the data shows that only the Medium preset is viable for a playable experience, with an average of 62 FPS and a minimum of 52 FPS. The High preset at 4K drops to 52 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 40 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS target and will result in noticeable stuttering. The Low preset at 4K achieves 92 FPS, which is surprisingly high, but the visual quality at Low settings is likely too compromised for a 4K display. The best experience at 4K is the Medium preset, as it is the only setting that maintains an average above 60 FPS while providing a reasonable visual experience compared to Low.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H is a 14-core, 18-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on a 7 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 112 KB L1 per core, 2 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. These specs indicate a capable multi-threaded processor, but its single-thread performance is what matters most for Rust, which is a game that relies heavily on a few cores for its simulation and physics logic. The benchmark scores confirm this: the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1647.5, while the multi-core score is 12804.5, showing a 7.8x scaling factor that is not fully utilized by Rust.

The CPU’s average benchmark score of 27507 places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, which has a deltaPct of -0.1. This shows that the Core Ultra 5 125H is a solid mid-range performer, but it is not a top-tier gaming CPU. The PassMark single-thread score of 3399 is a key indicator of its gaming performance, and this score is likely the reason why the 1080p Low FPS is capped at 196. The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s is adequate, but the dual-channel configuration is not a limiting factor in the measured results.

The data suggests that the CPU is the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the GPU is clearly not the limiting factor, as the 4090 Mobile could easily produce over 300 FPS in a less CPU-bound scenario. The 196 FPS result is a direct consequence of the CPU’s single-thread performance, which is further evidenced by the fact that the FPS does not scale linearly with resolution at Low settings. The CPU’s 14 cores and 18 threads are underutilized in Rust, as the game’s engine does not scale well beyond a few cores, and the boost clock of 4.50 GHz is not high enough to overcome the single-thread limitation.

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

The complete dataset of measured FPS provides a comprehensive view of the system’s performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 196 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers an average of 152 FPS, with a minimum of 129 FPS and a maximum of 175 FPS, showing a 46 FPS variance. The High preset at 1080p delivers an average of 128 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers an average of 98 FPS. This shows a clear 98 FPS spread between the lowest and highest settings at 1080p, with Low being 98 FPS higher than Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 156 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p delivers an average of 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS, showing a 31 FPS variance. The High preset at 1440p delivers an average of 88 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers an average of 67 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 89 FPS, with Low being 89 FPS higher than Ultra. The frame time consistency at 1440p Medium is better than at 1080p Medium, with a smaller variance.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers an average of 92 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K delivers an average of 62 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS and a maximum of 71 FPS, showing a 19 FPS variance. The High preset at 4K delivers an average of 52 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K delivers an average of 40 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 52 FPS, with Low being 52 FPS higher than Ultra. The 4K Medium preset has the smallest frame time variance of any Medium preset, suggesting that the GPU is more consistently loaded at this resolution. The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the absolute FPS drops, but the relative difference between Low and Ultra settings becomes smaller, indicating that the GPU is becoming the dominant bottleneck at higher resolutions.