Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder where the simulation's appetite for CPU threads and the GPU's rendering load are both on display. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT provides the foundational processing power, while the Intel Arc B390 handles the graphical output. This pairing produces a frame rate curve that clearly shifts from a CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions to a heavily GPU-bound one at 4K. The data reveals a combo capable of smooth 1080p play, but one that requires careful settings management to remain playable at higher resolutions.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is a desktop processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It offers 8 cores and 16 threads, a configuration well-suited for the multi-threaded simulation logic that drives city-building games. Its base clock is 3.80 GHz and it boosts up to 4.80 GHz, providing the high single-thread performance that typically governs UI responsiveness and game logic. The processor has a 105 W TDP and uses the AMD Socket AM4 platform. It supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

In the context of the measured results, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p. At this resolution, the GPU is less taxed, allowing the processor's capabilities to shine. The Ryzen 7 5800XT posts strong benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23794 and a single-core score of 3359. It also achieves a Passmark multithread score of 28053 and a single-thread score of 3535. These numbers indicate a processor with substantial headroom for the computational demands of Steamworld Build. The CPU's performance percentile vs. all CPUs is 81, suggesting it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database.

However, the data shows that this CPU power is not the primary bottleneck in most measured scenarios. The processor's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H and the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS, have nearly identical average benchmark scores of 29868 and 29955, respectively, with deltaPct values of 0 and -0.3. This places the 5800XT in a high-performance tier, but the frame rate data indicates that the integrated GPU becomes the limiting factor well before the CPU runs out of steam. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration ensures that the game's simulation will not stutter due to a lack of processing threads, but it is the graphics solution that dictates the final frame rate output.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node. It is part of the Arc Graphics-M generation for Panther Lake. A critical detail is its memory configuration: the GPU uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the system's main RAM for both capacity and bandwidth. The memory type is also "System Shared," with a bus width and bandwidth that are "System Dependent." This architecture is a significant factor in its performance characteristics.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 raster operation units (ROPs). It also includes 12 ray tracing cores. The theoretical compute performance is 7.680 TFLOPS for FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS for FP16. Its TDP is a modest 80 W, and it uses no power connectors as it is an IGP with a slot width of "IGP." The performance percentile vs. all GPUs is a low 9, which places it in the bottom tier of the database.

This low percentile is reflected in the gaming results. The GPU's benchmark score from 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1482. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end discrete GPUs, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, deltaPct 2.7). The Arc B390's reliance on shared system memory for VRAM creates a bandwidth bottleneck, particularly at higher resolutions where the demand for texture data and frame buffer space increases. This is the primary reason for the significant frame rate drop observed when moving from 1080p to 4K. The GPU's compute power is sufficient for 1080p gaming, but the memory subsystem limits its ability to handle the increased pixel load of higher resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear and dramatic scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 106 FPS. This is a very playable frame rate. Moving to 1440p with the same Low settings, the average drops to 67 FPS, a reduction of 39 FPS. At 4K with Low settings, the average falls to 35 FPS, a further drop of 32 FPS. This progression shows a consistent decline, but the percentage drop is telling.

From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops by approximately 37%. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, it drops by approximately 48%. This accelerating decline is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound bottleneck. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data at 1080p, but as the resolution increases, the GPU must process more pixels and access more memory. The Arc B390's shared memory architecture becomes the limiting factor, as it cannot provide the necessary bandwidth to keep up with the rendering demands.

The pattern holds across all settings. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 60 at 1080p to 38 at 1440p and then to 20 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 22 FPS, and from 1440p to 4K is 18 FPS. This shows that while the load increases, the GPU is already saturated at 1440p. The data indicates that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU, specifically its memory bandwidth. The CPU's performance remains relatively constant, but the GPU's inability to render frames at higher resolutions is the primary constraint on the entire system.

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

The data suggests that the "Low" preset provides the most playable experience across all tested resolutions. At 1080p, Low settings yield an average of 106 FPS, which is excellent for a city builder, providing a smooth and responsive simulation. At 1440p, Low settings still manage an average of 67 FPS, which is perfectly playable and offers a better visual experience than 1080p. Even at 4K, Low settings produce an average of 35 FPS, which is on the edge of playability but might be acceptable for a slower-paced game.

The "Medium" preset is a viable option for users with 1080p or 1440p monitors. At 1080p, Medium settings deliver an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS. This is a comfortable frame rate that should feel fluid. At 1440p, Medium settings drop to an average of 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS. This is still playable, but the minimum frame rate suggests there may be occasional stutters during heavy simulation moments. At 4K, Medium settings are not recommended, as the average falls to 27 FPS.

The "High" preset is only recommended for 1080p displays. It offers an average of 60 FPS, which is the standard for smooth gameplay. At 1440p, High settings produce an average of 38 FPS, which is borderline, and at 4K, High settings drop to an average of 20 FPS, which is not a playable experience. The "Ultra" preset should be avoided entirely. Even at 1080p, Ultra settings only achieve an average of 41 FPS, and at 4K, the average plummets to 14 FPS. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, the data strongly points to the Low preset for any resolution above 1080p, with Medium being a good choice for 1080p users who want better visuals.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2573 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places the system in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations. This low ranking is almost entirely due to the Intel Arc B390's performance. The CPU is a high-tier component, but the integrated GPU drags the entire combo down in the rankings.

This rank of 2573 indicates that there are 2572 other CPU/GPU combinations that perform better in this specific game. Given the CPU's high percentile ranking (81st), it is clear that the GPU is the weak link. If this combo were paired with a more powerful discrete GPU, the ranking would improve dramatically. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor; it is the integrated graphics solution that holds this system back. For users considering this combination, the rank serves as a warning that the GPU's performance will be the primary obstacle to a high-quality gaming experience in Steamworld Build.

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

The following table represents the exact measured average FPS data from the FACT PACK.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 106 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 81 | 69 | 93 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 60 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 41 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 67 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 51 | 44 | 59 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 38 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 26 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 35 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 27 | 23 | 31 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 20 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 14 | - | - |

The data reveals that the only configuration that consistently provides a frame rate above 60 FPS is 1080p with Low settings. The 1080p Medium setting is close, with an average of 81 FPS. The 1440p Low setting offers a playable 67 FPS. All other settings at 1440p and 4K fall below the 60 FPS threshold. The minimum FPS data, where available, shows that the frame time consistency is also affected. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 69 FPS, which is good. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 44 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it is 23 FPS. This indicates that the game will experience noticeable hitches and stutters at higher resolutions. The maximum FPS values are also telling; at 4K Medium, the max is only 31 FPS, showing that the GPU is consistently unable to achieve higher frame rates. This detailed breakdown confirms that the system is only truly comfortable at 1080p, with playable performance possible at 1440p only on the lowest settings.