Pc Building Simulator

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture using a 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU sits in the 96th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70074. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, scores 70104 (0% delta), while the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X trails by 0.5% and the Intel Xeon Platinum 8270 is 1.4% behind.

For Pc Building Simulator, a simulation title focused on assembling and managing PCs, the CPU's thread count matters more than raw single-core speed. The game simulates multiple concurrent systems, each with its own workload, which benefits from the 28 threads. Benchmark results confirm this: in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7-14700K scores 44534, while single-core scores 6287. The multi-core advantage is roughly 7x, indicating substantial parallel capability. The PassMark multithread score of 52392 reinforces this, showing the CPU can handle many simultaneous tasks without bottlenecking.

However, the measured FPS data reveals that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 184.2 FPS, which is extraordinarily high for a simulation game. Even at 4K Ultra, the CPU still pushes 31.1 FPS, suggesting that the processor has ample headroom. The i7-14700K's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency when the game's logic threads need to communicate, which is critical for a simulation that tracks thousands of individual component states.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, with dual-channel bus, means the game can access memory quickly, though the benchmark data does not isolate memory bandwidth as a factor. The integrated UHD Graphics 770 is present but irrelevant here, as the discrete GTX 1070 handles all rendering. In CPU-bound scenarios, the 20 cores (8 performance + 12 efficiency cores, implied by the Raptor Lake architecture) allow the game to spread its simulation threads across physical cores, preventing any single thread from becoming a bottleneck. This is evident in the scaling from 1080p to 4K: the FPS drop is consistent with GPU limitation, not CPU starvation.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 uses the Pascal architecture on a 16 nm process, with a GP104 chip containing 7,200 million transistors on a 314 mm² die. It has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 256.3 GB/s bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 1506 MHz, boosting to 1683 MHz, with memory running at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The GTX 1070 sits in the 51st percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12331. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro K4200, scores 12241 (0.7% ahead), while the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER is 1.4% behind.

For Pc Building Simulator, the GPU handles rendering of the workshop environment, PC cases, and component models. The game is not graphically demanding by modern standards, but the measured FPS shows the GTX 1070's limits at higher resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the system hits 87.5 FPS, which is playable but well below the 184.2 FPS at Low settings. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game's texture loads, as even at 4K Ultra the memory is not exhausted — the bottleneck is raw compute throughput.

The GTX 1070's pixel rate of 107.7 GPixel/s and texture rate of 202.0 GTexel/s determine how quickly it can fill frames. At 4K (3840x2160), the pixel count is nearly 8.3 million per frame, and the GPU's fill rate becomes the limiting factor. The measured data confirms this: 4K High averages 32.7 FPS, while 4K Ultra drops to 31.1 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is small (1.6 FPS), indicating that the GPU is already saturated at these settings. In contrast, 1440p High hits 58.8 FPS, showing a more comfortable operating point.

The GPU's DirectX 12 support (12_1) is relevant, as the game can use modern rendering paths. The PassMark DirectX 12 score of 48 is low, but this reflects the GPU's age rather than the game's requirements. The GTX 1070's 6.463 TFLOPS FP32 performance is adequate for this simulation, where the CPU does most of the heavy lifting for gameplay logic. The GPU's 1920 shading units and 64 ROPs provide enough throughput for the game's relatively simple geometry.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on settings. At 1080p, all presets are playable: Low averages 184.2 FPS, Medium 131.6 FPS, High 92.4 FPS, and Ultra 87.5 FPS. The jump from Medium to High costs 39.2 FPS, while High to Ultra costs only 4.9 FPS. This suggests that High is the sweet spot at 1080p — it delivers near-Ultra quality with a 4.9 FPS penalty, but the visual difference between High and Ultra is typically minimal in simulation games. For a 60 Hz monitor, High at 92.4 FPS provides smooth gameplay with headroom for scene complexity spikes.

At 1440p, the picture changes. Low hits 117.7 FPS, Medium 83.8 FPS, High 58.8 FPS, and Ultra 57.2 FPS. Here, the gap between High and Ultra narrows to 1.6 FPS, making Ultra a viable choice if the display supports it. Medium at 83.8 FPS is the best balance for 1440p if you prefer higher frame rates, but High at 58.8 FPS is acceptable for a simulation game where twitch reflexes are not required. The data shows a 25.0 FPS drop from Medium to High, which is significant, suggesting the GPU is transitioning from a comfortable zone to a more demanding workload.

At 4K, only Low is consistently playable at 61.5 FPS. Medium drops to 43.5 FPS, High to 32.7 FPS, and Ultra to 31.1 FPS. For 4K, Low is the recommended preset — it maintains 60+ FPS and avoids the stutter-prone sub-40 FPS range. The 18.0 FPS difference between Low and Medium at 4K is substantial, and the game's visual quality at Low is still acceptable given the static nature of the workshop environment. If you have a 30 Hz display, Medium at 43.5 FPS might be tolerable, but for standard 60 Hz panels, Low is the only smooth option.

The data suggests prioritizing resolution over settings for this combo. At 1080p Ultra (87.5 FPS) vs 1440p High (58.8 FPS), the latter provides more screen real estate with a playable frame rate. For the best overall experience, 1440p Medium at 83.8 FPS offers a strong balance of visual fidelity and smoothness, as it avoids the 58.8 FPS High preset's proximity to 60 Hz refresh boundaries.

# How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific pairing of Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 ranks 1476 out of 1769 tested combinations in Pc Building Simulator. This places it in the bottom 16.6% of all tested combos, which is unsurprising given the GPU's age relative to the CPU's modern performance. The combo rank reflects the GPU's 51st percentile standing among all GPUs, which drags down the overall result despite the CPU's 96th percentile ranking.

The data shows a significant imbalance: the i7-14700K's average benchmark score of 70074 places it among top-tier processors, while the GTX 1070's 12331 average score is mediocre. This mismatch means the system is heavily GPU-bound in most gaming scenarios, including this simulation. The combo rank of 1476 suggests that many other pairings — even those with weaker CPUs but stronger GPUs — would outperform this combination in Pc Building Simulator.

However, the rank is not a condemnation. The game is a simulation where CPU logic drives the experience, and the i7-14700K ensures no CPU-related stutters. The GTX 1070, despite its age, still manages 87.5 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is playable. The combo's rank would likely improve if the GPU were upgraded, but as tested, it sits firmly in the lower third of results. The deltaPct values for the GPU's rivals (0.7% to 1.7% differences) indicate that the GTX 1070 is closely matched with several older or lower-tier cards, meaning the combo rank is more reflective of GPU limitations than CPU capabilities.

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

The resolution scaling data reveals a textbook GPU-bound system. At Low settings, FPS drops from 184.2 at 1080p to 117.7 at 1440p (a 36.1% reduction) and then to 61.5 at 4K (a 47.7% reduction from 1440p). This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that is hitting its fill rate limits as pixel count increases. The 4K pixel count is 4x that of 1080p, yet FPS only drops by 66.6%, indicating that the GPU is not purely fill-rate limited at Low settings — some CPU headroom remains.

At High settings, the drop is more pronounced: 92.4 FPS at 1080p, 58.8 FPS at 1440p (a 36.4% drop), and 32.7 FPS at 4K (a 44.4% drop from 1440p). The 4K High result of 32.7 FPS is 64.6% lower than 1080p High, showing that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are stretched thin. The GTX 1070's 256.3 GB/s bandwidth becomes a bottleneck at 4K, as the frame buffer demands exceed what the memory can supply efficiently.

The scaling from 1080p Ultra (87.5 FPS) to 4K Ultra (31.1 FPS) shows a 64.5% reduction, nearly identical to the High preset's drop. This consistency suggests that the GPU is the primary limiter across all quality settings. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the FPS drop to be smaller at higher resolutions (since the CPU work stays constant), but the data shows proportional drops regardless of presets. This confirms that the i7-14700K is not limiting the system at any resolution.

The most telling data point is the Low preset scaling: 184.2 FPS at 1080p is likely CPU-limited (the game's simulation logic caps out), but the 61.5 FPS at 4K shows the GPU taking over. The 122.7 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K Low indicates the GPU's fill rate ceiling is around 61.5 FPS for this game at 4K, regardless of how low you set the graphics. This makes 4K Low the maximum achievable performance for this combo.

# FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Pc Building Simulator at 4K 60 FPS?

A: No. The measured data shows 4K Low averages 61.5 FPS, but 4K Medium drops to 43.5 FPS. The GTX 1070 cannot sustain 60 FPS at 4K on any preset above Low, with Ultra averaging 31.1 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The i7-14700K scores in the 96th percentile among CPUs (70074 average), while the GTX 1070 sits at the 51st percentile (12331 average). Resolution scaling shows FPS drops of 60-65% from 1080p to 4K, consistent with GPU limitation.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p?

A: Medium at 83.8 FPS offers the best balance. High drops to 58.8 FPS, which is close to 60 Hz refresh boundaries, while Ultra at 57.2 FPS offers no meaningful visual improvement over High (1.6 FPS difference).

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GTX 1070's average benchmark score is 12331, placing it 0.7% behind the Quadro K4200 (12241) but 1.4% ahead of the GTX 1650 SUPER (12504). It is effectively tied with these cards in performance.

Q: Does the i7-14700K's 20-core design help this game?

A: Yes. Pc Building Simulator's simulation logic benefits from the 28 threads, with the CPU scoring 44534 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The game can spread its workload across cores, preventing CPU-side stutters even at 184.2 FPS at 1080p Low.

Q: Is 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: Yes. The GTX 1070's 8 GB GDDR5 memory is not exhausted at any tested setting, including 4K Ultra. The bottleneck at 4K is the GPU's compute throughput (6.463 TFLOPS) and memory bandwidth (256.3 GB/s), not VRAM capacity.