Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a specific challenge for hardware. The combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X processor with an Intel Arc B370 graphics solution produces a distinct performance profile. The data for this pairing, ranked 2683 out of 2924 tested combos, indicates a system that operates at the lower end of the spectrum for this title. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings, examining the roles of the CPU and GPU in shaping the experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a playable frame rate?

A: According to the measured data, the only resolution where the average FPS exceeds 60 is 1920x1080. At this resolution, the Low settings preset achieves an average of 95 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X has an average benchmark score of 27578. This puts it at a 0% delta compared to the Intel Core i5-12600K, 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H.

Q: What is the most demanding settings preset for this system at 4K?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding at 3840x2160 resolution, yielding an average FPS of 12. The High preset follows with an average of 18 FPS, Medium at 25 FPS, and Low at 32 FPS.

Q: Does the GPU have its own dedicated memory?

A: No, the Intel Arc B370 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning its memory size, type, and bus width are all designated as "System Shared," with bandwidth being "System Dependent."

Q: How does the CPU's single-threaded performance in Cinebench R23 compare to its multi-core score?

A: In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 13184 points in the multicore test and 1499 points in the singlecore test. This shows a significant scaling from single to multi-threaded workloads.

Q: What is the FPS range for the Medium settings preset at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 resolution with Medium settings, the measured FPS ranges from a minimum of 39 to a maximum of 53, with an average of 46 FPS.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, along with a shared 32 MB L3 cache. These specifications place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs in the benchmark database.

The CPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks helps contextualize its role in Steamworld Build. In Cinebench R23, it scores 13184 points in multicore and 1499 points in singlecore. The PassMark multithread score is 26612, while the single-thread score is 3385. This indicates a processor with substantial multi-threading capability, which is often relevant for city-building games that need to simulate many entities.

However, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this pairing, even at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 95 FPS. When moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 73 FPS. This scaling with graphical settings indicates that the GPU is likely becoming the limiting factor as the workload increases. The processor's benchmark scores, which rival the Intel Core i5-12600K with a 0% delta, show it has ample compute headroom for the game's logic.

The CPU's nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, show performance deltas of 0.2% and -0.2% respectively. This tight grouping means the 5700X's processing power is essentially on par with its direct competitors. For Steamworld Build, the data implies the CPU can feed frames adequately, but the overall system performance is capped by the graphics solution, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Arc B370 is ranked 2683 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places the system in the lower percentile of tested configurations, indicating that it will struggle to deliver high performance in this game. The rank is a composite measure that reflects the system's overall capability across all tested resolutions and settings.

This low ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's performance. The Intel Arc B370 has a percentile rank of 5 among all GPUs, placing it in the bottom 5% of the database. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1184, which is comparable to older discrete graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which has a score of 1190 and a delta of -0.5%. This puts the Arc B370's performance in a legacy tier.

The CPU, in contrast, is a high-performing component. Its rank in the 79th percentile of all CPUs shows it is a capable processor. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU creates a significant imbalance. In Steamworld Build, this means the system's frame rates will be dictated by the GPU's limits. The combo's rank of 2683 is a direct consequence of this bottleneck, as the powerful CPU cannot compensate for the GPU's inability to render frames quickly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance. At 1920x1080, the system is capable of playable frame rates on lower presets. The Low preset yields an average of 95 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84 FPS. High settings drop the average to 55 FPS, and Ultra brings it down to 37 FPS.

At 2560x1440, performance takes a noticeable hit. The Low preset averages 61 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 46 FPS, with a range of 39 to 53 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS, and Ultra drops to 23 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a significant scaling cost, with the Low preset losing about 36% of its average FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is largely unable to maintain smooth gameplay. The Low preset averages 32 FPS. Medium settings average 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 28 FPS. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra settings are nearly unplayable at an average of 12 FPS. The data shows a consistent decline in performance as resolution and settings increase, with the gap between Low and Ultra widening at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units. It also includes 10 ray tracing cores. The graphics card's memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's RAM, with bandwidth being "System Dependent."

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are modest, with an FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This performance level is competitive with very old discrete graphics cards, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which has a score of 1186 and a delta of -0.2%. The Arc B370's TDP is 25 W, and it is designed as an IGP, which explains its limited performance envelope.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU is the primary limiting factor. The measured FPS data shows that performance scales heavily with resolution and settings, which is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The GPU's inability to handle the game's rendering load is evident at 4K, where even the Low preset only manages an average of 32 FPS. The system's overall rank of 2683 is a direct reflection of this GPU's low performance ceiling.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this system depend heavily on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the only viable option is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 95 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p is also a strong choice, offering an average of 73 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that averages above 60 FPS, with a score of 61. For gamers who prefer visual fidelity over raw frame rate, the Medium preset at 1440p provides an average of 46 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced city builder. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution are not recommended due to their sub-40 FPS averages.

At 3840x2160, no settings preset achieves a playable frame rate. The best option is the Low preset, which averages 32 FPS. This is below the standard for smooth gameplay, but may be tolerable for some users. The data suggests that for the best balance of performance and visual quality, users should stick to 1080p with Medium settings, which delivers 73 FPS and includes the extra detail of the preset. The High preset at 1080p, with an average of 55 FPS, is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visuals and can tolerate slightly lower frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Low settings preset, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1080p, to 61 at 1440p, and finally to 32 at 4K. This represents a 36% decrease when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 66% decrease from 1080p to 4K.

This scaling pattern is a strong indicator that the system is heavily GPU-limited. The number of pixels to render quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the frame rate drops by roughly two-thirds. This is a typical signature of a graphics card that runs out of pixel processing power. The CPU, with its high benchmark scores, is not the limiting factor here.

At the Ultra settings preset, the scaling is even more severe. The average FPS drops from 37 at 1080p to 23 at 1440p and 12 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is about 68%. This further confirms that the GPU's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint in Steamworld Build. The data indicates that the Intel Arc B370 is simply not equipped to handle the demands of higher resolutions, making 1080p the only practical resolution for this game with this hardware combination.