Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents a unique load profile that stresses the system differently than typical first-person shooters. The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor and the Intel Arc B370 integrated graphics produces a dataset that is heavily skewed toward CPU performance. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all resolutions and settings indicate that the integrated GPU becomes the primary bottleneck very quickly, while the CPU's substantial cache and core configuration handle the simulation logic with relative ease. The benchmark results, derived from the 3419th rank out of 3706 tested combinations, show a system that is playable only at lower resolutions and settings, with the data revealing a stark performance cliff as graphical fidelity increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 95, achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D's average benchmark score of 33079 is effectively tied with its closest rivals, showing a 0% deltaPct compared to the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and Intel Core i7-13650HX, and a negligible -0.4% difference from the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H.

Q: What is the performance percentile of the Intel Arc B370 GPU?

A: The Intel Arc B370 GPU scores in the 5th percentile among all tested GPUs, indicating it is in the bottom tier of performance. Its average 3DMark Steel Nomad score is 1184.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440 resolution, the average FPS drops from 61 on Low settings to 23 on Ultra settings, a difference of 38 frames per second.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7800X3D a recent release?

A: The CPU was released on 2023-01-03, with a launch MSRP of $449. It is based on the Zen 4 architecture and is produced on a 5 nm process node.

Q: What is the best performance recorded for this combo at 4K resolution?

A: The best average FPS at 3840x2160 is 32, which is achieved with the Low settings preset. Higher settings at this resolution yield significantly lower frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a desktop processor built on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The processor is manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC and has a TDP of 120 watts. A defining characteristic of this CPU is its large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is often beneficial in simulation-heavy titles. The benchmark data shows strong multi-threaded capabilities, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16817 and a Geekbench multicore score of 15610. Its single-thread performance is also competent, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1713.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation logic, including the behavior of the population, resource flows, and construction queues. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample parallelism for these tasks. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7980 and the max-thread score of 7967 indicate that scaling is consistent when all cores are utilized. The Passmark multithread score of 34293 further supports this. Given that the CPU sits in the 83rd percentile overall, it is a high-performing part. However, the FPS data for this combo reveals that the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. The system's performance ceiling is dictated by the GPU, as the frame rates do not fluctuate wildly between the CPU's benchmark scores and the integrated graphics' capabilities.

The CPU holds its own against its nearest rivals, with the average benchmark score of 33079 being nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G (33089) and Intel Core i7-13650HX (33089). This parity in synthetic benchmarks suggests that in a CPU-bound scenario, the 7800X3D would perform on par with these parts. Yet, Steamworld Build's measured FPS does not reflect a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 95 shows the game is running well, but this is likely the point where the CPU's high performance is beginning to be fully utilized. As settings increase, the demand on the GPU rises, and the frame rate drops, confirming that the processor has sufficient headroom to feed the integrated graphics unit.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, known as Panther Lake. It has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 20 render output units (ROPs). The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. A critical limitation is its memory configuration, which is "System Shared," meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which can vary based on the system's RAM configuration.

The GPU's performance is the primary constraint in this combo. It scores in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, which is an extremely low standing. Its average benchmark score for the 3DMark Steel Nomad test is 1184, placing it on par with much older discrete graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190, deltaPct -0.5%). This indicates that the Arc B370 is not designed for high-end gaming, and its performance is closer to entry-level integrated solutions from a decade ago. The FP32 compute power of 6.144 TFLOPS is modest, further limiting its rendering capabilities.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is to render the game's visuals, including the 3D environment, buildings, and the "Steamworld" aesthetic. The data shows that the GPU struggles significantly at higher resolutions and settings. For example, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is a slideshow-like 12. Even at 1080p, the GPU is the bottleneck once settings are increased past Low. The measured FPS at 1080p High is 55, and at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 37. This pattern shows that the GPU's fill rate and shading capabilities are insufficient for the demands of the game's higher graphical presets. The shared memory architecture likely contributes to this, as the bandwidth is not dedicated and can be a limiting factor when the GPU needs to access large amounts of texture data.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the combo's capabilities across nine distinct configurations. At 1920x1080, the performance ranges from a playable 95 FPS average on Low settings to a choppy 37 FPS average on Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p yields an average of 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84, showing some frame pacing variance but a generally smooth experience. The High preset at 1080p drops to an average of 55 FPS, which is still technically playable but represents a significant step down from Medium.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades further. The Low preset yields an average of 61 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset drops to 46 FPS (min 39, max 53). The High preset at 1440p manages an average of 35 FPS, which is on the edge of playability, while the Ultra preset falls to 23 FPS. At 3840x2160, the results are mostly unplayable. The Low preset gives an average of 32 FPS, the Medium preset averages 25 FPS (min 21, max 28), the High preset drops to 18 FPS, and the Ultra preset bottoms out at 12 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: each step up in settings costs a significant number of frames. For instance, at 1080p, the difference between Low and Medium is 22 FPS, between Medium and High is 18 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 18 FPS. This linear degradation suggests a GPU that is being overwhelmed by the increasing shader complexity and texture loads. The minimum FPS values recorded for the Medium presets (62 at 1080p, 39 at 1440p, 21 at 4K) show that the frame time spikes are more pronounced at higher resolutions, indicating that the system struggles to maintain consistent frame pacing when the GPU is under heavy load.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Intel Arc B370 ranks 3419th out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, which is a poor result. The ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's severe performance limitations. While the CPU is a high-end part, the integrated graphics unit drags the entire system's gaming performance down to a level comparable to much older and lower-tier components.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (deltaPct -0.2%) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (deltaPct -0.5%). These are legacy parts from over a decade ago, and their scores are nearly identical to the Arc B370. This comparison underscores the fact that the GPU is not a modern gaming solution. In contrast, the CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and Intel Core i7-13650HX, are modern parts, but their performance is irrelevant here because the GPU cannot translate that CPU power into higher frame rates.

The rank of 3419 indicates that in this specific game, the system is severely handicapped. The data suggests that any user with this combo would experience a profoundly subpar gaming experience in Steamworld Build, especially when compared to the vast majority of other tested systems. The bottleneck is so pronounced that even lowering the resolution to 1080p and using Low settings does not yield a high ranking; it simply makes the game playable. The combo is effectively a low-end system for gaming purposes, despite the high-end CPU at its core.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal experience for this combo is found at the 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset, which delivers an average of 95 FPS. This is the only configuration that provides a high frame rate that would be considered smooth for a city builder. The 1080p Medium preset, with an average of 73 FPS, is also a viable option, offering a better visual experience while still maintaining a playable frame rate. The minimum FPS of 62 for this preset suggests that there may be occasional dips, but these are unlikely to be severely disruptive.

The 1080p High preset, at 55 FPS average, is the highest visual quality that remains marginally playable. However, the drop from Medium to High is significant, and users sensitive to frame rate drops may find it less comfortable. The 1080p Ultra preset, at 37 FPS average, is not recommended for a smooth experience, as the frame rate is likely to feel stuttery and unresponsive. At higher resolutions, the Low preset at 1440p (61 FPS) is the only playable option, but it requires a resolution downscale from the native display if the monitor is 1440p. The 4K Low preset (32 FPS) is not recommended for any gameplay.

The data indicates that the visual quality settings have a more substantial impact on performance than the resolution. For example, moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs 58 FPS, while moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings costs 63 FPS. This suggests that the GPU's shading and texture processing are the primary bottlenecks. Therefore, users should prioritize setting the preset to Low or Medium and then adjust the resolution to the highest level that can maintain a target frame rate. For a balance of visuals and performance, the 1080p Medium preset is the recommended starting point, as it offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while keeping the average FPS above 70.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals the extent to which the GPU is the limiting factor. At the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 95 at 1080p to 61 at 1440p and finally to 32 at 4K. This represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 66%. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU that is severely bandwidth and compute limited; as the pixel count increases by 4x from 1080p to 4K, the GPU's fill rate and shading capacity are quickly exhausted.

At the Medium preset, the scaling is slightly different. The FPS drops from 73 at 1080p to 46 at 1440p, a 37% reduction, and then to 25 at 4K, a 46% reduction from 1440p. The absolute drop from 1080p to 4K is 48 FPS (66%). The pattern is consistent: the GPU cannot handle the increased resolution, and the frame rate falls off a cliff. This behavior confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor, as a CPU-bound system would show a much smaller FPS drop when resolution increases, since the simulation load remains constant.

The data points to the GPU being the sole bottleneck. The Intel Arc B370, with its shared memory architecture and low fill rate, is overwhelmed by the demands of higher resolutions. Even at Low settings, the 4K resolution is not playable, and the 1440p resolution is only borderline. The scaling analysis suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, and even then, only at lower settings. The substantial FPS drops with each resolution increase highlight the fact that the GPU should be the primary target for any potential upgrade, as the Ryzen 7 7800X3D clearly has the processing headroom to support a much more powerful graphics solution.