Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents a unique stress profile that combines simulation logic with rendering demands. This analysis evaluates the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X paired with the Intel Arc B390, based on measured data. The combination ranks 2573rd out of 2924 tested combos, placing it in the lower 12th percentile of all configurations. The data reveals a profound bottleneck, with the GPU struggling significantly against the CPU's capabilities, a dynamic that defines the entire performance picture across all tested resolutions and settings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X is a high-end desktop processor built on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This CPU has a TDP of 105W and is produced on a 5 nm process by TSMC. In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates strong multi-threaded capability, scoring 19,088 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,987 in single-core. Its 3DMark scores scale well with thread count, going from 2,112 with 2 threads to 8,859 with 16 threads, indicating efficient utilization of its resources.

In the context of Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is substantial. City builders are typically simulation-heavy, requiring constant updates to agent behaviors, resource flows, and economic systems. The 7700X's 8-core/16-thread design provides ample headroom for these tasks. Its performance percentile is 85, meaning it outperforms 85% of all CPUs in the database. When compared to its nearest rivals, it holds a slight edge; it is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845, 0.5% ahead of both the Intel Core 7 250H and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350, and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H. These deltas are minimal, indicating that the 7700X sits at the top of its performance tier.

However, the measured frame rates in Steamworld Build show that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The data indicates a severe GPU constraint. At 1080p Low settings, where CPU load is typically highest relative to GPU load, the system achieves 106 FPS. This is a strong result, suggesting the CPU is capable of feeding frames at a high rate. The core count and high boost clocks ensure that even complex city simulations with many entities do not stall the rendering pipeline. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache also helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing latency in simulation updates. The CPU's 16 threads are likely utilized well by the game's logic, preventing a single-threaded bottleneck that could cripple frame times in late-game scenarios with large populations.

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, part of the Panther Lake chip. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. This GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. A critical detail is that its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the host system's DDR5 RAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This architecture immediately positions the GPU as a major liability for gaming performance.

The GPU's synthetic benchmark score is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result of 1,482. This places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating very low performance relative to the rest of the database. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: it is 1.3% faster than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710. These are all low-end or very old graphics solutions, painting a clear picture of the Arc B390's standing. The 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is not effectively utilized in a game like Steamworld Build due to memory bottlenecks and the inherent limits of an IGP.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows a dramatic drop when settings are increased, which is typical of a GPU struggling with fill rate and memory bandwidth. The shared memory architecture means the GPU must compete with the CPU for DDR5 bandwidth, which is a significant handicap. Even at 1080p Low, the 106 FPS figure might seem acceptable, but it falls to 60 FPS at High and 41 FPS at Ultra, demonstrating a severe lack of raw pixel throughput. The 24 ROPs are insufficient for high-resolution rendering, and the system-dependent memory bandwidth chokes on larger texture sets and higher draw distances. The GPU is a fundamental limiter, preventing the powerful CPU from showcasing its full potential in this title.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average frame rate scales from 106 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 35 FPS at 4K. This is a drop of 36.8% from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47.8% from 1440p to 4K. Such a steep decline with increasing resolution is the definitive signature of a GPU bottleneck. The rendering workload at 4K is four times that of 1080p, and the Arc B390 simply does not have the compute or memory bandwidth to handle it.

At High settings, the trend is similar but more compressed. The average FPS goes from 60 at 1080p to 38 at 1440p and 20 at 4K. The percentage drops are 36.7% and 47.4%, respectively, indicating that the GPU is saturated at all resolutions. The fact that the 1080p High score (60 FPS) is lower than the 1440p Low score (67 FPS) is telling. It shows that the settings preset has a more substantial impact on performance than resolution alone, which is typical when a GPU is close to its limits. The GPU is struggling to maintain 60 FPS at 1080p High, so moving to 4K is catastrophic.

This scaling behavior confirms that the CPU is not a limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across resolutions, as the simulation load would dominate. Instead, the frame rate almost halves with each resolution step up, indicating that the GPU's pixel processing and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The 4K Ultra result of 14 FPS is nearly unplayable, and even 1080p Ultra at 41 FPS is below the smoothness threshold for most users. The data suggests that to achieve playable frame rates, users must aggressively reduce both resolution and quality settings to compensate for the GPU's weaknesses.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2573rd out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the bottom 12% of all system configurations tested. This low rank is entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The pairing of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU creates a massive imbalance, resulting in a system that performs poorly in this game despite having a powerful processor.

The rank of 2573 indicates that almost all other tested combinations, even those with much weaker CPUs, outperform this pairing. The bottleneck is so severe that the CPU's advantages are effectively nullified. The data shows that the system's performance is capped by the GPU's limits, and the high-end CPU is left underutilized. The delta between the CPU's high percentile and the combo's low rank quantifies the extent of the waste. This combination is a textbook example of a mismatched pairing, where the overall system performance is dragged down by the weakest link. The measured FPS data, such as the 20 FPS average at 4K High, directly correlates with this low rank, showing that the system struggles to deliver a playable experience at higher settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 106 FPS on Low settings. This drops to 81 FPS on Medium, with a minimum of 69 and a maximum of 93. High settings yield 60 FPS, while Ultra settings result in 41 FPS. The 1080p results are the only resolution where the system approaches playable frame rates on higher settings, though the 41 FPS at Ultra is not ideal for a city builder where smooth panning is important.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades significantly. Low settings produce an average of 67 FPS. Medium settings average 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59. High settings drop to 38 FPS, and Ultra settings plummet to 26 FPS. The 1440p results show that the system is only viable on Low or Medium settings, as the average frame rates on High and Ultra are below the 60 FPS target and may feel stuttery.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 35 FPS. Medium settings average 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and a maximum of 31. High settings drop further to 20 FPS, and Ultra settings are nearly unplayable at 14 FPS. The 4K results unequivocally show that this combination is not suitable for 4K gaming, as even the lowest settings cannot consistently deliver 30 FPS. The data across all resolutions shows a clear pattern: the GPU's performance ceiling is reached at 1080p Medium, and any increase in resolution or settings results in a significant FPS drop.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers the best balance, delivering an average of 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 FPS. This ensures smooth gameplay while maintaining a level of visual fidelity. The Low preset is the only other option that guarantees high frame rates, but it sacrifices too much visual quality. High and Ultra settings are not recommended at 1080p, as the 60 FPS and 41 FPS averages, respectively, are below the smoothness threshold for a game that involves frequent camera movement.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only viable option, providing an average of 67 FPS. The Medium preset at 51 FPS is playable but may experience occasional dips, as indicated by the 44 FPS minimum. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended at this resolution, as their average frame rates of 38 FPS and 26 FPS, respectively, fall into the range where the game feels sluggish. The data suggests that users with 1440p monitors should stick to Low settings to ensure a consistent experience.

For 3840x2160, no preset provides a fully smooth experience. The Low preset at 35 FPS is the highest achievable average, but it is still below the 60 FPS target and may cause eye strain during extended play. The Medium preset at 27 FPS is on the edge of playability, while High and Ultra are effectively unplayable. The recommendation for 4K is to avoid it entirely or to use a lower resolution. Overall, the best experience is achieved at 1080p with the Medium preset, which provides the highest frame rate that still maintains a reasonable level of detail without dropping below 60 FPS.

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

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average frame rate is 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS and a maximum of 93 FPS.

Q: How does this combination rank among all tested combos in Steamworld Build?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2573rd out of 2924 tested combos.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable at 4K resolution?

A: The highest average FPS at 4K is 35 FPS, achieved on the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU is in the 85th percentile, while the GPU is in the 9th percentile. The frame rate drops significantly with increasing resolution and settings, indicating a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p on High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1440p on High settings is 38 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 7700X compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H?

A: The Ryzen 7 7700X has an average benchmark score that is 0.7% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H.