Steamworld Build

# Steamworld Build with AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D + Intel Arc B390: A Severely GPU-Limited Combo

This combination ranks near the bottom of the tested pool for Steamworld Build, landing at position 2573 out of 2924 combos. The Intel Arc B390 is the overwhelming bottleneck, with its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Meanwhile, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D sits in the 89th percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 44573, indicating a massive performance disparity between the two components. The data suggests this pairing is fundamentally unbalanced for this city builder, with the GPU struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2573 out of 2924 tested configurations places this pairing in the bottom 12% of all tested combos for Steamworld Build. This is a poor result, driven almost entirely by the GPU's lowly 9th percentile standing among all GPUs. The Intel Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is barely above its nearest rivals — the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX at 1463 (1.3% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1460 (1.5% faster), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM at 1446 (2.5% faster). The GPU's 9th percentile ranking means it outperforms only a small fraction of the GPU population, which directly translates to the low frame rates observed in the measured FPS data.

The CPU, in contrast, is a strong performer. Its average benchmark score of 44573 is within 0.7% of its nearest rivals: the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H scores 44466 (0.2% slower), the Intel Core i9-13950HX scores 44342 (0.5% slower), and the AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 44309 (0.6% slower). The Intel Core i5-14600 scores 44889, which is 0.7% faster. This CPU performance is simply wasted in this configuration because the GPU cannot keep up with the demands of Steamworld Build at higher settings. The data shows that the combo's ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, built on the 5 nm process node with the Raphael codename. It has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The L3 cache is 96 MB (shared), which is substantial and typically beneficial for gaming workloads. The CPU supports DDR5 memory with dual-channel configuration and has a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory and offers PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes.

In the Passmark benchmarks, this CPU achieves a multithread score of 25047 and a single-thread score of 3494. Its physics score is 2779, which is relevant for simulation-heavy games like Steamworld Build. The integer math score is 70774, floating point math is 43594, and extended instructions score is 20455. These scores indicate a capable CPU for city-building workloads, which often rely on single-thread performance for game logic and simulation updates.

However, the data reveals that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 106 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle the game's simulation at that level. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs, combined with its strong Passmark scores, indicates it has ample headroom for this game. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the sharp FPS drops when increasing resolution or settings while the CPU remains underutilized. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for Steamworld Build's demands, but they cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture with the Panther Lake chip, manufactured on Intel's 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The GPU includes 12 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. Memory is system-shared, meaning bandwidth and capacity depend on the system's RAM configuration.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, which is exceptionally low. Its nearest rivals are all older NVIDIA discrete GPUs: the GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% faster), the GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% faster), the GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% faster), and the GT 710 (1443, 2.7% faster). This indicates the Arc B390 performs at the level of entry-level GPUs from over a decade ago, which is a severe limitation for modern gaming.

In Steamworld Build, this GPU produces frame rates that range from playable at low settings to nearly unplayable at high resolutions. The data shows a clear pattern: the GPU struggles with the game's rendering demands, particularly at 4K resolution where even Low settings only manage 35 FPS. The system-shared memory architecture means the GPU competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth, which likely exacerbates performance issues in a city builder that requires frequent data updates. The GPU's 80 W TDP and IGP form factor indicate it is designed for portability and efficiency, not high-performance gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of this combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves 106 FPS on Low settings, 81 FPS on Medium (with min 69 and max 93), 60 FPS on High, and 41 FPS on Ultra. This shows that at 1080p, the combo can deliver smooth gameplay at Low and Medium settings, with High being acceptable but Ultra falling below the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. Low settings yield 67 FPS, Medium produces 51 FPS (min 44, max 59), High drops to 38 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the GPU is struggling to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings, with only Low providing a consistently smooth experience.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are poor across all settings. Low settings produce 35 FPS, Medium yields 27 FPS (min 23, max 31), High drops to 20 FPS, and Ultra is at just 14 FPS. None of these are playable for a city builder that requires constant interaction and management. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this combo, and even 1440p requires reduced settings for acceptable performance.

The pattern is consistent: each resolution step down from 4K to 1080p roughly doubles the frame rate at comparable settings. For example, at High settings, 4K yields 20 FPS, 1440p yields 38 FPS, and 1080p yields 60 FPS. This indicates the GPU is heavily resolution-bound, with the system-shared memory and limited shading units unable to handle higher pixel counts.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achievable across multiple settings. At 1080p, Low yields 106 FPS, Medium yields 81 FPS, and High yields 60 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings (67 FPS) provide a smooth experience, while 4K is not playable at any setting.

Q: Can this combo run Steamworld Build at Ultra settings?

A: Ultra settings are only marginally playable at 1080p with 41 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra drops to 26 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 14 FPS. The data suggests Ultra is only viable at 1080p, and even then, the frame rate may feel inconsistent for a city builder that requires smooth camera panning and menu interactions.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is within 2.7% of its nearest rivals: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% faster), the GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% faster), the GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% faster), and the GT 710 (1443, 2.7% faster). This places the GPU in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating performance comparable to entry-level discrete GPUs from previous generations.

Q: Is the CPU powerful enough for this game?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500X3D has an average benchmark score of 44573, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its Passmark multithread score is 25047 and single-thread score is 3494, with a physics score of 2779. These results indicate the CPU is more than capable for Steamworld Build, but the GPU bottleneck prevents the CPU from being fully utilized.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings produce 106 FPS while Ultra produces 41 FPS, a difference of 65 FPS. Medium settings yield 81 FPS and High yields 60 FPS. This represents a 61% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra, showing that the GPU's limited capabilities are heavily taxed by higher visual quality settings.

Q: Is this combo suitable for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, only Low settings (67 FPS) provide a smooth experience. Medium yields 51 FPS, which may be acceptable for some players, but High (38 FPS) and Ultra (26 FPS) fall below playable thresholds. The data indicates 1440p is only viable with Low settings, making it a marginal resolution for this combo.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo in Steamworld Build is at 1920x1080 with Low or Medium settings. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 106 FPS, which provides smooth and responsive gameplay. Medium settings at 1080p yield 81 FPS (min 69, max 93), which is also excellent and offers improved visual quality without sacrificing performance. High settings at 1080p produce 60 FPS, which is the minimum threshold for smooth gameplay in a city builder, but this leaves no headroom for complex scenes with many buildings and citizens.

At 1440p, Low settings (67 FPS) are the only recommended option for consistent performance. Medium at 1440p (51 FPS) may be playable for some users, but the min FPS of 44 suggests potential stuttering during heavy simulation moments. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as even Low settings (35 FPS) fail to provide a playable experience.

For the best balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p Medium settings offer the most compelling option. The 81 FPS average with a minimum of 69 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even during demanding scenes. Players who prioritize frame rate over visuals can opt for 1080p Low at 106 FPS, while those who want maximum visual fidelity can attempt 1080p Ultra at 41 FPS, though this may feel less responsive. The data clearly indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with modest settings, and users should not expect playable performance at higher resolutions or maximum settings.