Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, places unique demands on hardware, often favoring strong single-thread performance for simulation logic while also requiring a competent GPU for rendering. The combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU with an Intel Arc B370 GPU produces a specific performance profile that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution. The data shows this pairing ranks at 2683 out of 2924 tested combos, placing it in the 8th percentile of all systems tested for this game. This is a low overall standing, indicating that while the CPU is a strong performer, the GPU is a significant bottleneck that prevents the system from achieving high frame rates in most scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame for this pairing is 2683 out of 2924 combinations, which places it in the bottom 8.3% of all tested systems. This is a poor ranking that suggests the system will struggle to deliver a smooth experience in Steamworld Build, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as its overall benchmark percentile is only 5, while the CPU sits in the 87th percentile.

In practical terms, this means the system is far more capable of handling the game's logic and simulation than it is of rendering the graphics. The CPU is a top-tier part, but the GPU is an entry-level integrated solution that holds the entire system back. When compared to other combos in the database, this pairing will consistently fall behind in frame rate tests, even if the CPU itself is not the bottleneck. The rank suggests that users should expect to play at lower resolutions and settings to achieve acceptable performance, and even then, the frame rates will be modest.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile (87) and the GPU's low percentile (5) is stark. It highlights a severely imbalanced pairing, where the CPU's potential is largely untapped in gaming scenarios due to the GPU's inability to keep up with rendering demands. This is not a combination that will provide a high-refresh-rate experience, and users should temper expectations accordingly.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is a Zen 4 architecture processor built on a 5 nm process, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. This is a powerful desktop CPU that performs exceptionally well in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks, as evidenced by its benchmark scores. In the 3DMark suite, it scores 8484 with 16 threads and 1049 in single-thread tests. Cinebench R23 results show 18760 in multicore and 1930 in single-core tests.

For a city builder like Steamworld Build, the CPU is responsible for simulating the game's economy, population, and infrastructure, which can be heavily reliant on single-thread performance. The Ryzen 7 7700's strong single-thread score of 1930 in Cinebench R23 suggests it can handle the game's simulation logic efficiently. However, the measured FPS in the game is not limited by this CPU; instead, it is the GPU that creates the bottleneck. The CPU's high performance is effectively wasted in this pairing, as it is not the constraining factor.

The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. It also supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. This memory bandwidth is more than sufficient for the game's needs. The CPU's percentile rank of 87 places it above most other CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, which is only 0.1% ahead, and the Intel Core 5 221E, which is 0.2% behind. This indicates that the CPU is on par with other high-end processors.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is a mobile or integrated-class GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The memory is system-shared, meaning it uses a portion of the system's RAM rather than having its own dedicated VRAM. This is a significant limitation for gaming, as it reduces memory bandwidth and increases latency. The GPU has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, along with 10 ray tracing cores.

The GPU's performance is very low, as indicated by its 5th percentile rank among all GPUs. Its only benchmark score in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test is 1184, which is comparable to much older discrete GPUs like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190 and is only 0.5% ahead. This places the Arc B370 in the same performance tier as decade-old hardware, which is insufficient for modern gaming at high settings. The GPU's theoretical throughput is 6.144 TFLOPS for FP32, but in practice, it is heavily limited by the lack of dedicated memory.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU is responsible for rendering the game's 3D environments and UI elements. The measured FPS data shows that this GPU struggles even at lower settings, which is a direct result of its low shading power and shared memory architecture. The system-shared memory means that the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth, further reducing performance in memory-intensive scenes. This is the primary reason why the combo ranks so low in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system achieves an average of 95 FPS on Low settings, which is the only playable configuration. On Medium settings, it drops to 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84 FPS. High settings yield 55 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 37 FPS. This shows a clear trend: the system can only maintain high frame rates at the lowest settings.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops further. Low settings produce an average of 61 FPS, which is acceptable but not ideal. Medium settings yield 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 and maximum of 53 FPS. High settings drop to 35 FPS, and Ultra settings are nearly unplayable at 23 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, with the Low setting average decreasing from 95 to 61 FPS, a 36% reduction.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system is severely overwhelmed. Low settings average only 32 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings average 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 and maximum of 28 FPS. High settings drop to 18 FPS, and Ultra settings are unplayable at 12 FPS. At 4K, even Low settings are not enough to provide a playable experience, as the GPU's limited pixel throughput becomes the dominant bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data reveals the extent to which the GPU is the limiting factor. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS on Low settings drops from 95 to 61, a 35.8% decrease. From 2560x1440 to 3840x2160, it drops from 61 to 32, a 47.5% decrease. This indicates that the system is heavily pixel-bound, meaning the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for higher resolutions.

The percentage drops are much larger than what would be expected if the CPU were the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would scale more linearly with resolution, as the simulation load would remain constant. Instead, the FPS drops disproportionately as resolution increases, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint. This is typical for a system with an integrated or low-end discrete GPU.

The data suggests that the system's optimal performance is at 1080p with Low settings, where it can achieve 95 FPS. At 1080p Medium settings, it still manages 73 FPS, which is playable, but the minimum of 62 FPS may cause occasional stutters in busy scenes. The system is not suitable for 1440p or 4K gaming, as even the lowest settings fail to deliver acceptable frame rates at those resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Steamworld Build?

A: The data indicates the best experience is at 1920x1080 with Low settings, achieving 95 FPS average. Medium settings at 1080p yield 73 FPS, which is also playable, but with a lower minimum of 62 FPS.

Q: Why is the system's performance so poor despite having a strong CPU?

A: The Intel Arc B370 GPU has a 5th percentile ranking and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which is comparable to the ATI Radeon HD 5770. This GPU is the bottleneck, as it cannot keep up with the rendering demands of the game.

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

A: The Ryzen 7 7700 has an average benchmark score of 40081, which is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core 5 221E. It is a top-tier CPU, but this strength is not reflected in the game's frame rates.

Q: Is the system capable of 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the system averages only 32 FPS on Low settings, which is below playable thresholds. Ultra settings at 4K average just 12 FPS, making it unplayable.

Q: What is the limiting component for this combo in this game?

A: The GPU is the clear limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, from 95 FPS at 1080p Low to 61 FPS at 1440p Low, indicating a pixel-bound scenario.

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

A: The Intel Arc B370 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184, which is 0.2% behind the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and 0.5% behind the ATI Radeon HD 5770. It is a very low-performing GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the only settings that provide a smooth, playable experience are at 1920x1080 with Low or Medium presets. The Low preset at 1080p yields an average of 95 FPS, which is excellent for a city builder, ensuring smooth camera movements and responsive UI interactions. The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 73 FPS and a minimum of 62 FPS, is also viable and offers better visual fidelity without a drastic performance hit. This is the recommended balance for most users.

At 1440p, the Low preset averages 61 FPS, which is borderline playable, but the minimum frame rate is likely to dip below 60 FPS in complex scenes. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 46 FPS, which is not ideal for a city builder where smooth scrolling is important. At 4K, all settings are unplayable, with even Low averaging only 32 FPS. The data strongly suggests staying at 1080p for the best experience. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it provides a significant visual improvement but a severe performance penalty, dropping to 37 FPS at 1080p and 12 FPS at 4K.