Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a specific workload profile that stresses both the CPU and GPU. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the Intel Arc B570 across multiple resolutions and settings presets. The data provides a clear picture of where this combination excels and where it falls short, particularly at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with High settings yields an average of 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target. Dropping to Medium settings at this resolution provides a comfortable 79 FPS average. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 93 FPS, offering a more substantial performance buffer.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rivals in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The Intel Arc B570's average benchmark score is 20556. It is essentially neck-and-neck with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (deltaPct of 0.1) and the Intel Arc A750 (deltaPct of -0.1). It is 0.4% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M and 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M390X, indicating a very tight performance cluster.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: The difference is substantial. At 3840x2160, the Low preset achieves an average of 55 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to an average of 21 FPS. This represents a 34 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset at 4K is too demanding for this hardware configuration.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D a top-tier CPU in general benchmarks?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score is 39768, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs. It is tightly grouped with its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS (0.4% higher score) and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (0.7% lower score), showing it is a high-performing but not singularly dominant chip.

Q: Does the combo perform better at 1080p or 1440p in terms of frame rate headroom?

A: At 1080p with the High preset, the average FPS is 93. At 1440p with the same preset, the average is 59. The 34 FPS drop indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor here, as the resolution increase directly impacts frame rate. The 1080p result offers more headroom above 60 FPS.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of visual quality and performance at 2560x1440?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 provides an average of 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS. This is the only preset at this resolution that maintains an average above 60 FPS while offering a step up from Low settings. The High preset's 59 FPS average is marginally below the target.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the primary graphics processor in this configuration, built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation). It features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a consistent clock speed of 2500 MHz for both base and boost, and its memory runs at an effective speed of 19 Gbps. With 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, the card is designed for mainstream 1080p and 1440p gaming.

In the context of Steamworld Build, the GPU's role becomes increasingly critical as resolution increases. The benchmark data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1920x1080 High settings, the average FPS is 93. At 2560x1440 High, this drops to 59 FPS, and at 3840x2160 High, it plummets to 31 FPS. This steep decline demonstrates that the B570's 10 GB frame buffer and 380 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p but become a bottleneck at higher pixel counts. The GPU's compute capabilities, rated at 11.52 TFLOPS FP32, are put under significant strain when rendering the detailed city-building game at 4K. The GPU's benchmark percentile against all GPUs is 65, indicating it is an above-average performer, but the measured FPS data shows its limits in this specific title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. For a standard 60 FPS target, the 2560x1440 resolution with the Medium preset is the recommended choice. This configuration achieves an average of 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay even during complex city simulations. The High preset at 1440p is a borderline case, averaging 59 FPS, which is just under the target but may be playable for some.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the best choice, delivering 93 FPS average. This provides a solid experience with good visual fidelity. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 162 FPS, but this is excessive for a city builder and sacrifices too much visual quality. The Ultra preset at any resolution is not recommended for a 60 FPS experience. At 1080p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 63 FPS, which is close but not ideal. At 1440p Ultra, it falls to 40 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it is a slideshow at 21 FPS. For the best balance of visuals and performance, the Medium or High presets at 1440p, or High at 1080p, are the most viable options.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Steamworld Build, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2320 out of 2924 combos. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, suggesting that while it is capable, there are many more powerful configurations available for this game. The rank reflects the overall performance across all tested resolutions and settings. The GPU's 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU's 87th percentile ranking do not translate to a top-tier result in this game, primarily due to the demanding nature of the Ultra preset and 4K resolution. The combo's performance is respectable but not exceptional, making it a mid-to-low tier option for players seeking maximum settings or high-resolution gameplay.

This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations. The CPU is more than capable of feeding the GPU, but the Arc B570 cannot maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming with Medium to High settings, where it provides a playable experience. The 2320 rank serves as a warning that pushing this system to 4K or Ultra settings will result in poor performance.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a powerful processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge). It has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and can boost up to 5.20 GHz. Its defining feature is the large 96 MB shared L3 cache, which is beneficial for gaming workloads. The CPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23230 and a single-core score of 2080, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs.

In Steamworld Build, a city builder, the CPU's role is significant due to the simulation of numerous entities and AI routines. The 9800X3D's high single-thread performance (Passmark single-thread score of 4430) and its substantial cache should help maintain consistent frame pacing. However, the measured FPS data indicates that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. At 1080p, the frame rates are high (93 FPS on High), but they scale down dramatically with resolution, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. The CPU's average benchmark score of 39768 is closely matched by its rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (40048) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (40081), confirming it is a high-end chip. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is providing ample headroom, but the GPU cannot consistently deliver frames beyond a certain point.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data offers a detailed view of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 162 FPS, which is the highest recorded. Medium settings drop this to an average of 124 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. The High preset averages 93 FPS, while Ultra settings bring the average down to 63 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 103 FPS. The Medium preset provides an average of 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS. High settings average 59 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only one to maintain a playable frame rate, averaging 55 FPS. The Medium preset averages 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 48. High settings drop to an average of 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to a low 21 FPS. These numbers show a consistent scaling pattern, with each step up in resolution or settings tier resulting in a significant drop in average FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 93 at 1080p to 59 at 1440p, a 34 FPS decrease, and then to 31 at 4K, another 28 FPS decrease. This linear decline with resolution is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is capable of processing the game's simulation logic, but the Intel Arc B570's rendering capabilities are overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count.

This pattern is consistent across all settings. At 1080p Low, the frame rate is 162 FPS, which drops to 103 FPS at 1440p and 55 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is roughly 66%, indicating that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors. The data strongly suggests that for this game, the GPU is the primary constraint. The CPU's high performance, evidenced by its benchmark scores, is not the limiting factor here. To achieve higher frame rates at 1440p or 4K, a more powerful GPU would be necessary, as the current configuration's performance is capped by the Arc B570's capabilities. The 4K results, particularly the 21 FPS Ultra average, confirm that this resolution is not viable for a smooth experience with this hardware.