Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique challenge for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and Intel Arc B390 combination. The measured data shows a pairing where the integrated graphics solution is clearly the limiting factor, with the CPU's substantial processing power remaining largely underutilized. This analysis breaks down the performance metrics across resolutions and settings, drawing on the measured FPS data to explain the bottleneck and provide actionable recommendations.

Resolution Scaling

The performance degradation from 1080p to 4K is severe and reveals a system that is almost entirely GPU-bound. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 60 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that to 38 FPS, a reduction of 22 FPS or approximately 37%. The jump to 4K is even more punishing, with the average FPS falling to just 20, which is a 67% reduction from the 1080p result. This steep curve indicates that the Intel Arc B390's rendering capabilities are exhausted quickly as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For Low settings, the FPS drops from 106 at 1080p to 67 at 1440p and then to 35 at 4K. Medium settings see a similar trajectory: 81 FPS at 1080p, 51 at 1440p, and 27 at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, starts at a modest 41 FPS at 1080p, falls to 26 at 1440p, and bottoms out at 14 FPS at 4K. This uniform scaling across presets is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck; the CPU is not the constraining factor because the frame rate drops proportionally with the increase in rendering workload.

The data suggests that 1080p is the only viable resolution for a smooth experience. At 1440p, even the Low preset, which yields 67 FPS, may feel less fluid than the 106 FPS available at 1080p. The 4K results are largely unplayable, with the highest average FPS being 35 on Low settings, and the Ultra preset producing a slideshow-like 14 FPS. The limiting component is definitively the GPU, as the Ryzen 7 5700's 8 cores and 16 threads are more than capable of handling the simulation and AI logic of a city builder at these frame rates. The measured data shows that the performance ceiling is set by the Intel Arc B390, not the processor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its specifications, including 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs, are modest, and its performance percentile of 9 versus all GPUs confirms its entry-level positioning. The GPU's boost clock is listed at 2500 MHz, and its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR4 RAM, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This shared memory configuration is a significant factor in its performance, as it competes with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is central to the measured outcomes. The benchmark results show that the Arc B390 is the primary determinant of frame rates across all tested configurations. For instance, at 1080p with Medium settings, the combo produces an average of 81 FPS. However, when the resolution is increased to 4K with the same settings, the average drops to 27 FPS. This 54 FPS difference cannot be attributed to the CPU, which is consistent across these tests. The GPU's rasterization and pixel throughput are being saturated.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database are all older NVIDIA discrete parts, such as the GeForce GT 520MX and GeForce GT 710, with deltaPct values of 1.3% and 2.7% respectively. This indicates that the Arc B390's raw 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is comparable to those legacy cards, which are not designed for modern gaming at high resolutions. The data shows that the GPU's capabilities are best suited for 1080p gaming at lower settings. The 4K and 1440p results, with averages as low as 14 and 26 FPS respectively on Ultra, demonstrate that the GPU simply does not have the fill rate or memory bandwidth to handle those workloads smoothly. The system shared memory also means that performance can vary depending on the system's RAM speed and capacity, which the "System Dependent" bandwidth specification highlights.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. It has a 16 MB L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. In the broader benchmark landscape, the CPU's average benchmark score of 25517 places it at the 78th percentile versus all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon D-2752TER and AMD Ryzen 5 6600H, with deltaPct values of -0.1% and -0.1% respectively, indicating a tightly contested performance tier.

In the context of Steamworld Build, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU. The measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in any tested scenario. For example, at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 106 FPS. This is a relatively high frame rate, but it is likely limited by the GPU's ability to draw the scene, not the CPU's ability to simulate the game world. A more powerful CPU would not yield significantly higher frame rates in this configuration because the GPU is already maxed out.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance is strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20655 and a Passmark multithread score of 24303. This suggests that the Ryzen 7 5700 can handle complex simulations with many entities, which is typical of city builders. However, the game's frame rate is not reflecting this capability. The data indicates that the CPU is "waiting" on the GPU to complete its rendering tasks. The gap between the CPU's high percentile ranking (78th) and the GPU's low percentile ranking (9th) is stark. This mismatch confirms that any performance issues in Steamworld Build are attributable to the Intel Arc B390, not the Ryzen 7 5700. The CPU's 16 threads are likely underutilized, as the frame rate is bound by the graphics pipeline.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings. This configuration yields an average of 81 FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS recorded at this setting is 69, and the maximum is 93, indicating a reasonably stable experience without major frame time spikes. This is a significant improvement over the High preset at the same resolution, which averages 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset, which drops to 41 FPS.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset delivers 67 FPS, which is playable but requires sacrificing visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 51 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced city builder, but the minimum of 44 FPS could be noticeable in busy scenes. The High and Ultra presets at 1440p are not recommended, as they produce averages of 38 and 26 FPS, respectively, which fall below the standard for a smooth experience.

The 4K resolution is not recommended for this combo under any settings. The best result at 4K is 35 FPS on Low, which is still below the 60 FPS target for most users. The Medium preset at 4K averages just 27 FPS, and the Ultra preset is unplayable at 14 FPS. Therefore, the data strongly suggests that users should stick to 1080p. Between the presets, Medium offers the best experience. It provides a 35% increase in average FPS over High (81 vs 60) while only a slight visual downgrade. The Low preset offers a higher frame rate (106 FPS) but at a significant visual cost. For a game like Steamworld Build, where readability of the city layout is important, Medium at 1080p is the sweet spot.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2573 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places the pairing in the bottom 12% of all systems tested. This low ranking is almost entirely due to the GPU's performance. The CPU is a capable processor, but the integrated graphics solution drags the overall combo ranking down.

The data shows a clear disconnect between the components. The Ryzen 7 5700's average benchmark score of 25517 puts it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs, a strong showing. In contrast, the Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The combo's rank of 2573 is a direct result of this disparity. The system's performance in this game is limited by the weakest link, which is the GPU.

When compared to other combos in the database, this pairing is at a significant disadvantage. The measured FPS results confirm that the system is only viable for 1080p gaming at lower-to-medium settings. The high rank number (2573) out of 2924 indicates that there are over 2500 other CPU-GPU combinations that deliver better performance in Steamworld Build. This is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities, but rather evidence of the fact that the Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor that is not designed for demanding gaming workloads. Users with this combo should accept that it is a low-end gaming solution, and their expectations should be set accordingly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across all tested configurations. The table below summarizes the average, minimum, and maximum FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

At 1920x1080, the results are:

• Low: Average 106 FPS.
• Medium: Average 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93.
• High: Average 60 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 41 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: Average 67 FPS.
• Medium: Average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59.
• High: Average 38 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 26 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: Average 35 FPS.
• Medium: Average 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31.
• High: Average 20 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 14 FPS.

The data shows a consistent trend. At each settings preset, the FPS drops by roughly 40-50% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and then by another 40-50% when moving from 1440p to 4K. This linear scaling with resolution is a hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. The minimum and maximum FPS values, where recorded, show that the frame times are relatively stable, with a spread of about 24 FPS at Medium settings across all resolutions. This stability is good, as it prevents stuttering, but the overall averages are too low for high-resolution gaming.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Steamworld Build at 4K?

A: The data shows that 4K performance is poor. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 35 on Low settings, and the Ultra preset averages just 14 FPS. This is not a playable experience for most users.

Q: What is the best settings preset and resolution for this combo?

A: The best experience is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This yields an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS, which provides a smooth and stable gameplay experience.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 has an average benchmark score of 25517. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon D-2752TER, has a score of 25530, which is a deltaPct of -0.1%. The AMD Ryzen 5 7640U is 0.1% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 6600H is -0.1% slower. The CPU is performing as expected for its class.

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

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rates drop dramatically with increased resolution and settings, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high benchmark scores and percentile ranking suggest it is not being fully utilized.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 rank compared to other GPUs?

A: The GPU has a percentile ranking of 9 versus all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which has a score 1.3% higher. This shows that the Arc B390 is an entry-level graphics solution.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2573 out of 2924 tested combinations. This places it in the lower percentile of all tested systems, which is consistent with the low GPU performance.