Steamworld Build

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X pairs with the Intel Arc B580 in Steamworld Build, a city builder where the data reveals a clear divide between CPU headroom and GPU limitations. The benchmark results show that this combination is heavily influenced by the graphics card, especially at higher resolutions and settings, while the processor’s six cores provide a solid foundation that rarely becomes the primary constraint. This analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the measured performance, how the frame rates scale, and what settings provide the best experience.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It has a 32 MB L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. In the context of Steamworld Build, a city builder that often involves managing numerous entities and simulation logic, the CPU's multithreading capability is relevant, but the measured frame rates suggest that the game does not heavily stress the processor.

The CPU's benchmark scores provide context for its potential headroom. In Cinebench R23, it scores 11838 in multi-core and 1541 in single-core, while in 3DMark’s 16-thread test it scores 5582. The single-thread performance, indicated by a 3DMark single-thread score of 917 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1989, is strong for a desktop chip of its era, which is beneficial for games that rely on a single primary simulation thread. The CPU’s percentile ranking against all CPUs is 75, meaning it outperforms a majority of processors in general benchmarks.

Looking at the measured FPS data, the CPU does not appear to be the limiting factor in most scenarios. At 1080p with Low settings, the average frame rate jumps to 184 FPS, which is a very high value that suggests the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to achieve such high frame rates. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau regardless of resolution or settings. Instead, the FPS scales significantly with both resolution and graphical preset, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU’s role here is to maintain a stable frame pacing, and its 12 threads and high boost clock ensure it does not become a stuttering source, even when the city grows and simulation complexity increases. The data implies that the Ryzen 5 5600X has ample processing power for this game, leaving the Arc B580 as the primary determinant of final performance.

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

The Intel Arc B580 is a graphics card built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. Its base and boost clocks are both 2670 MHz, and it has 2560 shading units. The card’s memory capacity and bandwidth are significant for a city builder, which often requires large textures and draw calls to render detailed environments and numerous on-screen objects. The 12 GB VRAM is a key asset at higher resolutions, as it can hold more texture data without spilling over into system memory, which can cause stutters.

The GPU’s benchmark scores show it sits in the 68th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23021. Its Passmark G3D score is 15748. The measured FPS in Steamworld Build confirms that the Arc B580 is the primary limiting component. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 24 FPS, which is a low value for a playable experience, while at 1080p Low, it reaches 184 FPS. This wide performance range is directly tied to the GPU’s workload.

The GPU's role is further clarified by the FPS drop across settings. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium reduces the average FPS from 184 to 141, and from Medium to High it drops to 105. This indicates that the GPU is working harder as the visual fidelity increases, with more complex shaders and fill-rate demands. At 4K, the card struggles, with the High preset yielding only 35 FPS and Ultra yielding 24 FPS. The data shows that while the GPU has enough VRAM to handle the asset load, its raw computational power (13.67 TFLOPS FP32) is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions and settings. The 456 GB/s memory bandwidth also appears to be a factor, as the game's need for texture and geometry data at 4K likely saturates the memory bus before the shading units are fully utilized.

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

The resolution scaling data paints a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. Moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K, the average FPS drops significantly across all settings. For instance, on High settings, the average FPS goes from 105 at 1080p to 67 at 1440p, and then to 35 at 4K. This is a 33% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. On Low settings, the drop is even steeper in absolute terms: 184 FPS at 1080p, 117 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K.

These scaling patterns are indicative of a GPU-bound system. When the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render grows exponentially. The fact that the FPS drops so dramatically with resolution, rather than remaining flat, shows that the CPU is not the constraint. If the CPU were the limit, the FPS would be similar regardless of resolution, because the CPU's workload (simulation, draw calls) would not change much with pixel count. Instead, the consistent drop suggests that the Arc B580’s pixel fill rate and shading power are being taxed more heavily at higher resolutions.

The data also reveals that the GPU's performance hit is not linear. The jump from 1440p to 4K at Low settings (117 to 62 FPS) represents a 47% reduction, which is less than the 37% reduction seen from 1080p to 1440p (184 to 117 FPS). This could indicate that at lower settings, the game becomes more dependent on fill-rate and memory bandwidth, which the B580 has in decent supply, but at higher settings, the shader complexity becomes more punishing. Overall, the resolution scaling analysis confirms that the Intel Arc B580 is the limiting component in this configuration, and the CPU has enough headroom to support higher frame rates if the GPU were more capable.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 184 FPS average
• Medium: 141 FPS average, with a minimum of 119 and a maximum of 162
• High: 105 FPS average
• Ultra: 71 FPS average

At 2560x1440, the performance drops considerably:

• Low: 117 FPS average
• Medium: 89 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 and a maximum of 103
• High: 67 FPS average
• Ultra: 45 FPS average

At 3840x2160, the card struggles to maintain playable frame rates on higher presets:

• Low: 62 FPS average
• Medium: 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 54
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 24 FPS average

The 1080p results show that the combination is very capable at lower resolutions, with even the Ultra preset hitting 71 FPS, which is smooth for a city builder. The Medium preset at 1080p offers a high average of 141 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS, indicating excellent frame pacing. At 1440p, the Ultra preset dips to 45 FPS, which is borderline for playability, while High sits at 67 FPS, which is playable. The 4K results are less favorable; only the Low preset (62 FPS) provides a smooth experience, while Medium (47 FPS) is playable but not ideal, and High (35 FPS) and Ultra (24 FPS) are too low for a satisfying experience.

Notably, the minimum FPS data is only provided for the Medium preset at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 119 FPS, at 1440p Medium it is 76 FPS, and at 4K Medium it is 40 FPS. This suggests that the Medium preset has a more consistent frame time, while other presets might have more variance, although the data does not specify the minimums for those.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2781 out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the 25th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning that about 75% of the combos tested performed better in this game. This is a relatively low ranking, which aligns with the GPU-bound performance observed in the data. The ranking suggests that while the CPU is competent, the Arc B580’s performance in this specific title pulls the overall combo down.

Looking at the individual component rivals provides further context. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H and the Intel Core i7-11700, have average benchmark scores within 0.5% of the 5600X, indicating that the CPU's performance is on par with many mid-range and older high-end chips. The GPU’s nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, also have very similar average scores, with deltas of -0.2% and +0.6%, respectively. This shows that the Arc B580’s raw compute performance is comparable to those cards, but in Steamworld Build, the measured FPS suggests that the game may favor architectures or drivers that the B580 does not fully exploit.

The combo rank indicates that this setup is not ideal for playing Steamworld Build at high settings, especially at 4K. The data implies that to get a better experience, one would need a more powerful GPU, as the CPU is not the limiting factor. The rank of 2781 is a direct reflection of the GPU’s inability to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions, as seen in the measured FPS data.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the data shows the following:

• At 1080p, the Ultra preset achieves 71 FPS, which is above 60 and provides a high-quality visual experience. If a higher refresh rate is desired, the High preset at 105 FPS or Medium at 141 FPS are excellent choices.
• At 1440p, the High preset yields 67 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold and offers a good balance of visuals and performance. The Medium preset at 89 FPS would be even smoother, but with slightly lower visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is not recommended for a consistent 60 FPS target.
• At 4K, only the Low preset (62 FPS) meets the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 47 FPS is the highest quality that is still playable, but it may require accepting some frame drops.

For players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the 1080p Ultra preset is the best choice, as it delivers 71 FPS with the highest fidelity. At 1440p, the High preset is the sweet spot, providing 67 FPS. At 4K, the data suggests that playing at Low or Medium is the only viable option, with Medium offering a better visual experience at 47 FPS, which is acceptable for a city builder where twitch reflexes are not required. The data implies that the Medium preset at 1440p (89 FPS) or High at 1080p (105 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and smoothness, avoiding the lower frame rates of the Ultra presets while maintaining a high level of detail.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Steamworld Build with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the most comfortable resolution, with all presets achieving above 70 FPS. At 1440p, the High preset yields 67 FPS, which is playable, but 4K is only smooth on the Low preset (62 FPS).

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance in this game?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. Frame rates drop significantly from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, while the CPU’s strong single-thread performance (1541 in Cinebench R23) suggests it has enough headroom.

Q: Can this combo handle the Ultra settings at 4K?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 24 FPS, which is too low for a playable experience. The card’s raw compute power is insufficient for this workload.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 2080 and RX 580 2048SP, have similar average benchmark scores (within 1% deltaPct). However, the combo rank of 2781 out of 3706 suggests that this specific game may not fully utilize the B580’s architecture.

Q: What settings provide the most consistent frame rate?

A: The data shows that the Medium preset is the only one with minimum FPS recorded. At 1080p, the minimum is 119 FPS, at 1440p it is 76 FPS, and at 4K it is 40 FPS, indicating that this preset offers the most stable frame pacing.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600X a good match for the Arc B580?

A: The CPU’s performance is not a bottleneck, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p Low (184 FPS). However, the overall combo rank is low, which suggests that a more powerful GPU would be needed to fully utilize the CPU’s potential in this game.