Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique challenge for hardware due to its simulation-heavy gameplay and relatively modest graphical demands. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X paired with the Intel Arc B370, using the data from the benchmark run. The results reveal a system where the processor's substantial multi-threading capabilities are largely neutralized by a graphics solution that struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Steamworld Build?

A: The combo ranks 2683 out of 2924 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 9% of all systems tested. This indicates a severely performance-limited configuration for this title.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 GPU compare to its nearest rivals based on average benchmark scores?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its closest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186, making the Arc B370 0.2% slower. It is also 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (score 1190) and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (score 1192), but 1.4% faster than the AMD FirePro M2000 (score 1168).

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved at 1920x1080 resolution, and at which settings?

A: The highest average FPS recorded for this combo at 1080p is 95, achieved with the Low preset. This is the only setting level at this resolution that approaches the 100 FPS mark.

Q: What is the playable frame rate at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system produces an average of 46 FPS, with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS. This is generally considered a playable experience for a city builder.

Q: Is the 4K Ultra preset a viable option for this hardware combination?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate drops to 12 FPS, which is an unplayable slideshow. Even the High preset at this resolution only manages an average of 18 FPS.

Q: What percentage of all CPUs does the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X outperform?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X has a percentile rank of 87, meaning it performs better than 87% of all CPUs in the benchmark database. This shows it is a high-end processor, making the low in-game rank primarily attributable to the GPU.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, known by the codename "Vermeer". It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and can boost up to 4.80 GHz. This is a high-end desktop CPU that scores in the 87th percentile of all processors, indicating that its raw computational power is far above average. In synthetic workloads like Cinebench R23, it achieves a multicore score of 16262 and a single-core score of 1527. This processing capability is essential for city builders, which need to manage complex simulations, agent pathfinding, and resource management.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is to handle the game's logic, which includes the simulation of the mining operation, the needs of the colonists, and the flow of goods. The 12 cores and 24 threads provide ample headroom for these tasks. The data shows that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in this configuration. Even at 1920x1080 with Low settings, where the GPU load is minimal, the frame rate only reaches 95 FPS. This is a strong result but is not the 200+ FPS that a top-tier processor might achieve in a less GPU-bound scenario, suggesting that the GPU still limits the frame delivery at this low-resolution setting. However, as resolution increases, the CPU's influence on the frame rate diminishes, and the GPU becomes the sole limiting factor.

The processor's nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (0.3% faster), the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (0.4% faster), and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 (0.4% faster). The Intel Core i7-14650HX is 0.5% slower than the 5900X. These tiny deltas indicate that the 5900X is in the same performance class as these modern mobile and desktop chips, reinforcing its capability as a strong simulation processor. The game's engine appears to be well-optimized for multi-threading, as the CPU's high multi-core scores translate to a stable foundation for the simulation, even if the visual output is compromised by the GPU.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. Its clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. The memory subsystem is "System Shared", meaning it uses a portion of the system's main memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent". This is a fundamental limitation for gaming performance, as it relies on slower system memory and shares bandwidth with the CPU.

The GPU's performance is exceptionally low. Its average benchmark score is 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. It is virtually tied with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, a GPU from over a decade ago. In Steamworld Build, this translates to severe frame rate limitations. The 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is insufficient for high-resolution rendering. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 further confirms its entry-level status.

The GPU's role in the measured results is the dominant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 95 FPS, but this plummet to 37 FPS at 1080p Ultra. This scaling is almost entirely due to the GPU's inability to handle the increased shader complexity and texture detail of the Ultra preset. The system-shared memory architecture is likely a major contributor to this, as it creates a bandwidth bottleneck that limits the fill rate and texture fetching. The data shows a clear pattern: the GPU's low pixel rate (48.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (96.00 GTexel/s) are directly responsible for the sub-60 FPS performance at higher settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's limitations across different resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the entry-level resolution, the system performs at its best. With the Low preset, it achieves an average of 95 FPS. Medium settings reduce the average to 73 FPS, with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS. High settings lower the average further to 55 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, bringing the average down to 37 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system can provide a smooth experience only on Low settings, with Medium being borderline acceptable and High being a bit choppy.

At 2560x1440, the performance takes a significant hit. The Low preset yields an average of 61 FPS, which is playable but a 36% drop from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 46 FPS (min 39, max 53), which is on the edge of smoothness for a city builder. High settings drop to an average of 35 FPS, and the Ultra preset is virtually unplayable at an average of 23 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p illustrates the GPU's limited headroom.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system is overwhelmed. The Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 32 FPS. Medium settings manage an average of 25 FPS (min 21, max 28), which is a stuttery experience. High settings drop to 18 FPS, and Ultra settings bottom out at 12 FPS. None of these 4K results are suitable for a smooth gameplay experience, confirming that this combo is not intended for 4K gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 9 5900X and Arc B370 ranks 2683 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the bottom 8-9% of all systems. This is a remarkably low ranking for a CPU that is in the top 13% of processors. The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile (87th) and the combo's low rank highlights a massive imbalance in the system.

The performance is entirely dictated by the GPU. The CPU's high multi-threaded scores (e.g., 16262 in Cinebench R23, 39002 in Passmark) are rendered irrelevant because the GPU cannot output frames fast enough to utilize them. The system is effectively a high-performance simulation engine paired with a display adapter that is several generations behind. The rival comparisons for the GPU, which show it trading blows with the ATI Radeon HD 5770 from 2009, underscore its inadequacy for modern gaming. Even with the powerful CPU, the system cannot overcome the GPU's fundamental architectural limitations. The ranking suggests that in Steamworld Build, this combo provides a performance level akin to a budget laptop or an entry-level desktop from a previous era.

Settings Recommendations

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

For a playable experience, the 1920x1080 Low preset is the only configuration that consistently delivers a high frame rate, averaging 95 FPS. This is the recommended setting for a smooth, responsive game. The 1920x1080 Medium preset, with an average of 73 FPS and a minimum of 62 FPS, is also a viable option for those who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum smoothness, as the frame rate remains above 60 FPS for the most part.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only one that maintains an average above 60 FPS (61 FPS). The Medium preset is borderline, with an average of 46 FPS, which may be acceptable for a slower-paced city builder, but it will not feel as fluid. The High and Ultra presets at this resolution are not recommended due to sub-35 FPS averages.

At 3840x2160, no settings are recommended for a satisfactory experience. The Low preset's 32 FPS average is a slideshow compared to the 1080p results. The data strongly suggests that users with this hardware should avoid 4K resolution for this game. The best experience, balancing visual quality and performance, is the 1920x1080 Medium preset, which offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while staying within a reasonable performance envelope.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 95 FPS at 1080p to 61 FPS at 1440p and finally to 32 FPS at 4K. This is a 66% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is similar across all settings, with the Ultra preset dropping from 37 FPS at 1080p to 12 FPS at 4K.

This dramatic scaling is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. As the resolution increases, the number of pixels the GPU must render grows quadratically. The Arc B370, with its limited pixel rate and system-shared memory, cannot cope with this increased workload. The CPU, which has the processing headroom to handle the simulation at any resolution, is not the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limit, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions.

The scaling also indicates that the game's settings have a compounding effect with resolution. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 58 FPS (95 vs 37). At 4K, the difference is only 20 FPS (32 vs 12). This is because at 4K, the GPU is so overwhelmed by the pixel fill rate that the additional shader work from the Ultra preset has a smaller relative impact on the already-catastrophic frame times. The data confirms that the Intel Arc B370 is the definitive performance limiter in this configuration, and its weakness is most pronounced at higher resolutions.