Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build pairs the AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, a combination that delivers a wide performance envelope across resolutions and presets. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher settings, while the CPU's strong multi-threaded capabilities ensure headroom at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to explain where this combo excels and where its limits lie.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It operates on the AMD Socket AM4 platform and features a base clock of 3.80 GHz with a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The CPU has a 32 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory through a dual-channel interface. Its 7 nm process node and 4,150 million transistors place it as a high-end desktop part from the 5000 series.

Benchmark results for the CPU show strong multi-threaded performance. It scores 23,794 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,359 points in single-core. In 3DMark, the 16-thread test yields a score of 7,683, while the max-thread score is 7,680, indicating near-linear scaling up to its full thread count. The PassMark multithread score is 28,053, and the data compression test reaches 352,002 points. These numbers position the Ryzen 7 5800XT at the 81st percentile among all CPUs.

For a city builder like Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is significant because these games often simulate many entities simultaneously. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample parallel processing power for simulation logic. However, the measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo reaches 313 FPS, which suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution. At 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 52, indicating the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and graphical load increase.

The nearest rivals for the Ryzen 7 5800XT include the AMD Ryzen 7 7840H with a deltaPct of 0, meaning they perform identically in average benchmark score. The Ryzen 7 8845HS and Ryzen 7 7840HS are 0.3% behind, while the Ryzen 5 9600X is 0.6% ahead. These close margins suggest that the 5800XT's performance is well-aligned with modern mobile and desktop alternatives.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD103 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster operation units, along with 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores. Its base clock is 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and memory runs at 22.4 Gbps effective.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 4080 scores 34,457 in PassMark G3D and 20,671 in GPU compute. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test yields a score of 6,567. Geekbench results show 214,739 in OpenCL and 263,779 in Vulkan. These scores place the GPU at the 86th percentile among all graphics cards, indicating it is a top-tier performer.

The GPU's 16 GB VRAM is substantial for Steamworld Build, which may load large textures for city environments. The measured frame rates show that this VRAM capacity is sufficient even at 4K resolution, where the combo achieves 77 FPS on High settings. The RTX 4080's nearest rivals include the RTX 4080 SUPER with a 0.1% higher average score, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 1.1% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% lower respectively.

The GPU's raw compute power is evident in the FPS data. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 313 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's limit for frame generation. As settings increase to Ultra at 1080p, FPS drops to 154, still very playable. The RTX 4080's architecture with 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 performance provides ample headroom for this game's graphical demands.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Ryzen 7 5800XT and RTX 4080 ranks 293rd out of 3,706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 8% of all configurations tested, which is a strong showing given the high number of possible pairings. The rank of 293 indicates that while there are 292 combos that perform better, the vast majority of systems (3,413) score lower.

This ranking reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 7 5800XT's 81st percentile CPU performance and the RTX 4080's 86th percentile GPU performance work together effectively. The data shows that the combo is not held back by a weak link; both components are above the 80th percentile in their respective categories.

Compared to other combos, this pairing is likely limited by the CPU in lower resolution scenarios. At 1080p Low, the 313 FPS result is high, but it may not be the absolute maximum achievable with a faster CPU. However, at 4K Ultra, the 52 FPS result is more indicative of the GPU's capabilities, as the resolution demands more from the graphics card. The 293rd rank out of 3,706 suggests that most higher-ranked combos likely feature newer CPUs with higher single-thread performance or GPUs with even more raw power.

The deltaPct values from the nearest rivals show that the RTX 4080 is very close to the RTX 4080 SUPER (0.1% difference), suggesting that the combo's ranking could improve slightly with a SUPER variant. Similarly, the CPU's rivals are within 0.6% performance, meaning small changes in CPU choice would have minimal impact on the overall ranking.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 313 FPS on Low, 284 FPS on Medium, 228 FPS on High, and 154 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 242 FPS and a maximum of 327 FPS, indicating some frame variance but generally smooth gameplay.

Moving to 2560x1440, the FPS drops as expected. Low settings yield 253 FPS, Medium produces 194 FPS, High delivers 145 FPS, and Ultra falls to 98 FPS. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 165 FPS and maximum of 223 FPS. These numbers suggest that 1440p is well within the combo's comfort zone, even at High settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance scales down further. Low settings give 134 FPS, Medium produces 102 FPS with a minimum of 87 FPS and maximum of 118 FPS, High yields 77 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only one below 60 FPS, which might be a consideration for players with high refresh rate 4K displays.

The FPS progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern. At 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 159 FPS (from 313 to 154), which is a 50.8% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is 155 FPS (from 253 to 98), a 61.3% reduction. At 4K, the drop is 82 FPS (from 134 to 52), a 61.2% reduction. The percentage drop is similar between 1440p and 4K, but the absolute values are lower at 4K.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals the bottleneck characteristics of this combo. Starting with Low settings, the transition from 1080p to 1440p reduces FPS from 313 to 253, a drop of 60 FPS or 19.2%. From 1440p to 4K, FPS drops from 253 to 134, a reduction of 119 FPS or 47.0%. The larger drop at higher resolution indicates increasing GPU load.

For Medium settings, 1080p to 1440p drops from 284 to 194, a 31.7% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, FPS goes from 194 to 102, a 47.4% reduction. The pattern is similar: the GPU becomes more dominant as resolution increases.

High settings show 1080p at 228 FPS, 1440p at 145 FPS, and 4K at 77 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.4%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 46.9%. Ultra settings show 1080p at 154 FPS, 1440p at 98 FPS, and 4K at 52 FPS, with drops of 36.4% and 46.9% respectively.

The consistent pattern of larger drops from 1440p to 4K compared to 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom, which is why the FPS is higher and the drop to 1440p is less severe. This suggests that for players targeting high refresh rates at 1080p, the CPU might be a secondary consideration, but for 4K gaming, the GPU's capabilities are the main determinant.

The data also shows that the FPS at 4K Low (134) is higher than at 1080p Ultra (154), which is counterintuitive but makes sense given the different settings. This indicates that settings have a larger impact on performance than resolution alone.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, all presets provide playable performance, but the Medium preset stands out with 284 FPS average and a minimum of 242 FPS. This gives a smooth experience with better visual quality than Low, while still maintaining high frame rates. The High preset at 228 FPS is also excellent, and the Ultra preset at 154 FPS remains above typical 144Hz refresh rates.

For 1440p, the High preset at 145 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 194 FPS is smoother but with less visual fidelity, while the Ultra preset at 98 FPS is still above 60 FPS but may not fully utilize high refresh rate displays. The Low preset at 253 FPS is unnecessary unless competitive play is a priority.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 102 FPS provides a good experience for 100Hz displays, with a minimum of 87 FPS ensuring consistent performance. The High preset at 77 FPS is suitable for 60Hz displays but may feel less smooth on higher refresh rate monitors. The Ultra preset at 52 FPS is below 60 FPS and might be too demanding for smooth gameplay, while the Low preset at 134 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions, offering a balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. At 1080p, Medium gives 284 FPS, at 1440p it gives 194 FPS, and at 4K it gives 102 FPS. This consistency makes Medium the recommended preset for most players, with High being a viable option for those with slower displays or a preference for better graphics.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings for this combo?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the measured average FPS is 145.

Q: How does the RTX 4080's performance compare to its nearest rival in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54,247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER's 54,209. It is 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54,828.

Q: What is the lowest FPS recorded across all measured configurations?

A: The lowest average FPS is 52, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Steamworld Build?

A: The combo ranks 293rd out of 3,706 tested combinations, placing it in the top 8% of all systems.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5800XT scores 3,359 points in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the combo achieve its highest average FPS?

A: The highest average FPS is 313, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.