Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique workload that stresses both CPU simulation and GPU rendering. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060. The data indicates this combination ranks 1246th out of 2924 tested combos within this specific game, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. The Ryzen 7 9700F, an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 processor, and the RTX 5060, with 8 GB of GDDR7 memory, produce a range of frame rates that shift dramatically based on resolution and quality settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best performance this combo can achieve in Steamworld Build?

A: According to the measured data, the highest average frame rate is 240 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the dataset that reaches this level.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, performance varies significantly by preset. The average FPS ranges from 81 on Low settings to 31 on Ultra settings. The High preset yields an average of 46 FPS, while Medium produces 62 FPS.

Q: What is the difference in performance between the Medium and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers an average of 117 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 59 FPS. This represents a 58 FPS drop, or roughly half the frame rate, when moving to the highest quality preset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU becomes a significant factor at 1080p. The gap between Low (240 FPS) and Ultra (93 FPS) settings is substantial, but the high frame rates at lower settings indicate the CPU is capable of pushing a large number of frames, with the GPU load increasing as settings rise.

Q: What are the minimum FPS figures recorded for this combo?

A: Minimum FPS data is only available for the Medium preset across all three resolutions. The lowest recorded minimum is 53 FPS at 4K, with 99 FPS at 1440p and 156 FPS at 1080p.

Q: How does the RTX 5060's benchmark score compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 26331. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 860M, has a nearly identical score, with a delta of -0.3%. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT is 1.2% behind, while the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is 0.8% ahead.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is positioned at rank 1246 out of 2924 tested combos for Steamworld Build. This places it in the 57th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms a majority of configurations but is far from the top tier. The data shows this is a capable pairing for this title, but it does not represent a high-end enthusiast setup.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU is a strong performer, sitting in the 94th percentile versus all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 69996 places it in close competition with several high-end desktop and mobile processors. For instance, it is a mere 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700KF. It also edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X by 0.7% and the Intel Core i7-14700K by 0.9%.

The GPU, however, is a more mid-range component, ranking in the 72nd percentile versus all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 26331 is closely matched by its nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon 860M is essentially tied, with a delta of -0.3%, and the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 is also within 0.3%. This suggests the GPU is the more limiting component in this pairing, which is reflected in the frame rates that drop significantly at higher resolutions and settings. The overall combo rank is a synthesis of these two components, and the data indicates the CPU has more headroom than the GPU in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus. This provides a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 2280 MHz, with a boost clock of 2497 MHz. These specifications are the foundation for the frame rates observed, but their impact is heavily modulated by the game's settings.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and visual fidelity increase. At 1080p with Low settings, the game runs at 240 FPS, suggesting the GPU is not the primary constraint. However, as settings are raised, the load on the GPU increases. At 4K Ultra, the average frame rate plummets to 31 FPS, indicating the GPU is heavily saturated. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a key factor here, as higher resolutions and texture qualities demand more memory.

The data shows a clear pattern: the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The RTX 5060's performance, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming at medium settings, is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher presets. Its benchmark scores, which are comparable to the integrated AMD Radeon 860M and the older NVIDIA GeForce MX550, reinforce that this is not a high-end graphics card. The measured FPS data for this game directly reflects this, with the GPU's capabilities dictating the performance ceiling as settings are increased.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The dataset includes average FPS for all combinations, with minimum and maximum FPS only recorded for the Medium preset.

At 1920x1080, the combo is highly performant. The Low preset yields an average of 240 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 184 FPS, with a minimum of 156 and a maximum of 212. The High preset averages 138 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still smooth, averages 93 FPS. This shows a steady decline in performance as settings increase, but even the lowest result is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 153 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset averages 117 FPS, with a minimum of 99 and a maximum of 135. The High preset averages 88 FPS. The Ultra preset sees a significant drop to 59 FPS. This resolution is a good balance for this hardware, offering high frame rates on lower presets and playable performance on Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset averages 81 FPS, which is playable. The Medium preset drops to 62 FPS, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 71. The High preset averages 46 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for smooth play. The Ultra preset averages just 31 FPS, making it the least playable configuration in the dataset. The data shows a steep performance cliff at 4K, particularly when moving from Medium to High settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the user's target resolution and frame rate preference.

For 1080p, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 138 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS standard and provides a very smooth experience. The Ultra preset, at 93 FPS, is also viable, but the ~45 FPS difference between High and Ultra may not justify the visual gains for all users. The Medium preset at 184 FPS is for those with high-refresh-rate monitors seeking maximum frame rates.

For 1440p, the High preset at 88 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a great balance of visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 117 FPS is also an excellent choice for users who prioritize frame rate. The Ultra preset, at 59 FPS, is playable but sits right at the edge of what is considered smooth, making it a less safe recommendation.

For 4K, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a consistently playable experience, averaging 62 FPS. The Low preset at 81 FPS is also playable, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The High preset at 46 FPS and the Ultra preset at 31 FPS are not recommended, as they fall below the 60 FPS threshold and would result in a less responsive feel. The data suggests that 4K gaming with this combo requires significant compromises in visual quality to achieve acceptable frame rates.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This is a modern, high-performance desktop CPU, and its benchmark scores confirm this, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs. Its strong single-threaded performance, as evidenced by a Passmark single-thread score of 4691, is crucial for simulation-heavy games like Steamworld Build.

In a city builder, the CPU is responsible for managing the game's simulation logic, including citizen AI, resource management, and pathfinding. The data suggests the 9700F is well-equipped for this task. At 1080p, the game can reach 240 FPS on Low settings, a clear indicator that the CPU is not the bottleneck at that resolution. The frame rate then scales down as the GPU load increases with higher settings.

The CPU's performance is also reflected in its Passmark multithread score of 36470, which shows strong scaling across its 16 threads. This is beneficial for handling the complex calculations that occur in a large city. The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is close, with a 0.2% lead over the Intel Core i7-14700KF and a 0.7% lead over the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. This indicates that the 9700F is a competitive part for this workload, and its role is to provide a stable, high-frame-rate foundation that the GPU can then build upon.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. This scaling is the primary indicator of which component is the limiting factor.

At High settings, the average FPS is 138 at 1080p, 88 at 1440p, and 46 at 4K. This represents a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. The frame rate is almost halved at each step up in resolution.

At Medium settings, the trend is similar. The average FPS is 184 at 1080p, 117 at 1440p, and 62 at 4K. This is a 36% drop to 1440p and a 47% drop to 4K. The pattern is also visible in the minimum FPS, which goes from 156 at 1080p to 99 at 1440p and finally 53 at 4K.

This scaling behavior is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. As the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render grows exponentially. The CPU's workload, which is primarily tied to game logic and draw calls, does not scale with resolution in the same way. Therefore, the GPU's rendering capability becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The data confirms this. At 1080p, the CPU is able to feed the GPU enough frames to reach 240 FPS on Low settings. However, as resolution and settings increase, the GPU's rendering time per frame increases, and the frame rate drops. The steep decline in FPS from 1440p to 4K indicates that the RTX 5060's 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are insufficient for the demands of 4K rendering in this game. The CPU, in contrast, likely has more headroom, as its performance is not directly tied to pixel count.