Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents an unusual hardware challenge. The combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and an integrated Intel Arc B390 GPU produces a dataset that is revealing about the game's engine and hardware demands. The measured FPS shows a system that is functional at lower resolutions but struggles significantly when pushed to higher visual fidelity and pixel counts. This analysis interprets the measured data, focusing on which component becomes the bottleneck and how the game scales across settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a desktop processor from the "3000 series" based on the Zen 2 architecture. It provides 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This configuration is generally robust for simulation and strategy titles, which often rely on multiple threads to process game logic, AI, and entity updates. The CPU's benchmark results, such as a Passmark multithread score of 22458 and a Geekbench multicore score of 8899, indicate it has substantial processing headroom for complex calculations.

In the context of Steamworld Build, the CPU's role appears to be foundational but not the primary limiting factor in most tested scenarios. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 106 FPS average. This is a high frame rate, suggesting that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at this level. However, the performance scaling from Low to Ultra at the same resolution is drastic, dropping from 106 FPS to 41 FPS. This drop is far more characteristic of a GPU bottleneck than a CPU one, as the CPU's workload (game logic, entity counts) remains relatively constant across graphical presets.

The Ryzen 7 3700X's standing among rivals reinforces its capability. Its average benchmark score of 34260 places it near the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 and AMD EPYC 4244P, with a performance delta of just 0.1%. It also trails the Intel Core i5-13450HX by a mere 0.2%. These comparisons show that while the 3700X is not a top-tier part, it holds its own against much newer processors. In this game, the CPU's 16 threads are likely sufficient to manage the simulation layer of Steamworld Build without becoming a major impediment, allowing the focus to shift to the GPU for graphical rendering.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU (IGP) built on the Xe3-LPG architecture and is part of the Arc Graphics-M generation. Its most defining characteristic is its memory configuration: it uses "System Shared" memory. This means it has no dedicated VRAM and relies on the system's main memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical factor in its performance, especially at higher resolutions and texture settings, where memory bandwidth demands increase significantly.

The GPU's raw compute specifications are modest. It has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, and it operates at a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its theoretical performance is 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 and a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s. Despite these specs, its benchmark presence is very weak. Its sole 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are ancient discrete parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which it beats by 1.3%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which it beats by 2.7%. This low percentile ranking is the clearest indicator that the Arc B390 is a very low-performance graphics solution.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's limitations are immediately apparent in the measured FPS. The move from 1080p to 4K at the same settings causes a catastrophic performance drop. For example, at High settings, the average FPS goes from 60 at 1080p to 20 at 4K. This 3x reduction in performance with a 4x increase in pixel count suggests that the system is heavily constrained by the GPU's fillrate and memory bandwidth. The shared memory architecture likely becomes a severe bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the GPU competes with the CPU for system memory access, causing the frame rate to plummet.

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

The resolution scaling data provides a clear diagnostic of the system's bottleneck. The performance from 1080p to 4K is not linear, and the pattern of drops across different settings reveals where the pressure points are.

At Low settings, the frame rates are 106 FPS at 1080p, 67 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. This represents a 34% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 67% drop from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the averages are 81, 51, and 27 FPS, respectively. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 67%, which is exactly the same percentage as at Low settings. This consistency suggests that the scaling is primarily driven by pixel count and memory bandwidth, rather than the complexity of the shaders.

The High settings data shows 60 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 67% again. This uniform 67% reduction across Low, Medium, and High presets is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p, as the CPU workload would not increase as much as the GPU's. Instead, the consistent scaling points directly at the Arc B390's inability to handle higher pixel counts due to its shared memory and limited ROPs.

The Ultra preset tells a slightly different story. The frame rates are 41 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 37%, and from 1080p to 4K is 66%. The slightly smaller percentage drop at 4K might indicate that the system is hitting a hard floor in performance, likely due to memory bandwidth saturation. The data overall suggests that any attempt to increase resolution beyond 1080p will be met with steep performance penalties, making the integrated GPU the definitive limiting factor.

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

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution. The goal is to find a balance between playable frame rates and visual quality, and the data provides clear thresholds.

At 1080p, the Medium preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 81 FPS, which is a comfortable margin above 60 FPS for a city builder where responsiveness is important. The Low preset offers a higher 106 FPS, but the jump to Medium only costs 25 FPS while likely providing a significant visual improvement. The High preset at 60 FPS is playable, but Medium offers more headroom to avoid dips during complex scenes. The Ultra preset at 41 FPS is too close to the 30 FPS threshold to be considered safe for consistent play.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay. It achieves 67 FPS, which is good. The Medium preset drops to 51 FPS, which is still playable but closer to the edge. The High preset at 38 FPS is bordering on unplayable for a genre that often involves constant scrolling and management, and the Ultra preset at 26 FPS is not recommended. For a stable experience at this resolution, Low is the clear winner.

At 4K, the situation is challenging. The Low preset provides 35 FPS, which is the only setting that approaches playability. The Medium preset at 27 FPS and High at 20 FPS are too slow for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 14 FPS is effectively a slideshow. Therefore, at 4K, the Low preset is the only option, and even then, users should expect a less fluid experience than at lower resolutions. The data suggests that this hardware combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p possible only at low detail.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The overall performance of this CPU-GPU pairing is very poor relative to other tested combinations. The data shows the combo ranks 2573 out of 2924 total combos tested in this game. This places it in the bottom 12% of all systems, which is a stark confirmation of the Arc B390's limitations.

This low rank is not surprising given the GPU's individual standing. The Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is on par with decade-old entry-level graphics cards. The CPU, while mid-range, cannot compensate for the GPU's lack of graphical horsepower. The rank indicates that in Steamworld Build, this system will be outperformed by the vast majority of other configurations, including those with older, more powerful discrete GPUs or even newer integrated graphics.

The rank of 2573 implies that users with this setup are getting a fundamentally low-end experience. The benchmark results indicate that while the Ryzen 7 3700X provides a solid foundation, the Intel Arc B390 holds the entire system back. The combo is not competitive for this game, and its ranking reflects the reality that the integrated GPU is insufficient for anything beyond the most basic settings and resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Steamworld Build at 4K resolution?

A: The measured data shows it can technically run at 4K, but only at Low settings, and even then it achieves just 35 FPS average. Medium, High, and Ultra presets at 4K yield 27, 20, and 14 FPS respectively, which are all too low for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p gameplay?

A: The Medium preset is the best for 1080p, providing an average of 81 FPS. This offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, staying well above the 60 FPS mark. The High preset hits exactly 60 FPS, but Medium provides more headroom.

Q: Is this system better suited for 1080p or 1440p?

A: The data indicates it is significantly better suited for 1080p. At 1080p, multiple presets are playable, with Medium hitting 81 FPS. At 1440p, only the Low preset is truly smooth at 67 FPS, with Medium dropping to 51 FPS and High to 38 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482. This is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are all very old, low-end parts, highlighting the Arc B390's weak performance.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 3700X compare to the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350?

A: The Ryzen 7 3700X has an average benchmark score of 34260, while the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 scores 34222. This gives the 3700X a performance advantage of just 0.1%, making them essentially equal in overall processing power.

Q: What is the highest playable FPS recorded in this test?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 106 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 81 FPS at 1080p Medium and 67 FPS at 1440p Low.

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

This section provides the complete measured data for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and Intel Arc B390 combination in Steamworld Build.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: Average FPS 41. No min or max FPS recorded.
• High: Average FPS 60. No min or max FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average FPS 81, with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93 FPS.
• Low: Average FPS 106. No min or max FPS recorded.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: Average FPS 26. No min or max FPS recorded.
• High: Average FPS 38. No min or max FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average FPS 51, with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59 FPS.
• Low: Average FPS 67. No min or max FPS recorded.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: Average FPS 14. No min or max FPS recorded.
• High: Average FPS 20. No min or max FPS recorded.
• Medium: Average FPS 27, with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 31 FPS.
• Low: Average FPS 35. No min or max FPS recorded.