Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released at the end of 2023, presents an intriguing case study in component scaling. The pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, a 12-core desktop powerhouse, with the Intel Arc B390, an integrated graphics solution, creates a stark performance dichotomy. Benchmark data reveals that this combo ranks near the bottom of the database, at rank 2573 out of 2924 tested combinations, indicating that the visual experience is heavily constrained by the graphics subsystem. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings tell a story of a CPU with immense headroom that is never fully utilized due to the GPU's limitations.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. According to the nearestRivals data, this places it just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443). This indicates that despite being a newer product, its raw computational power is in the same class as these older, low-end discrete GPUs.

Q: What is the best performance recorded for this CPU and GPU combination in Steamworld Build?

A: The highest average FPS recorded for this combo is 106 frames per second. This figure was achieved at a resolution of 1920x1080 with the game’s settings set to Low. This is a significant outlier compared to other settings at the same resolution, where the average drops to 81 FPS on Medium, 60 FPS on High, and 41 FPS on Ultra.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X a high-performing processor relative to other CPUs?

A: Yes, the data indicates it is a top-tier processor. It holds a percentile ranking of 91, meaning it outperforms 91% of all CPUs in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score is 53288, and it sits within a tight performance band relative to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7313P (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i7-14700F (0.6% slower).

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve a playable 60 FPS average?

A: The only configuration that meets the 60 FPS average threshold is at 1920x1080 resolution with High settings. At 2560x1440, the High preset yields an average of 38 FPS. At 4K (3840x2160), even the Low preset only manages an average of 35 FPS, showing a steep drop-off as resolution increases.

Q: What are the core and clock specifications of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X?

A: The Ryzen 9 7900X features 12 cores and 24 threads, based on the Zen 4 architecture. It has a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This high core count and clock speed contribute to its strong multi-threaded and single-threaded benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 29300 and a singlecore score of 2016.5.

Q: What is the performance delta between the Arc B390 and the fastest rival listed in its nearestRivals array?

A: The Arc B390’s closest rival in terms of score is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX. The data shows the Arc B390 has a deltaPct of 1.3%, meaning it is 1.3% faster than that NVIDIA card. The largest performance gap is against the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, where the Arc B390 is 2.7% faster.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and Intel Arc B390 in Steamworld Build is firmly in the lower echelon of tested systems. With a combo rank of 2573 out of 2924, this pairing sits in the bottom 12% of all combinations in the database. This low ranking is a direct consequence of the graphics processor. While the CPU is a high-end component, the GPU is an integrated solution that is not designed for demanding gaming workloads. The data suggests that this system would perform similarly to any other combo using the Arc B390, as the bottleneck is almost entirely on the graphics side. The CPU’s potential is effectively neutralized, as it can feed frames to the GPU far faster than the GPU can render them. This makes the combo's rank less about the CPU's capability and more about the GPU's hard ceiling in this specific title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is a formidable processor with specifications that suggest it is more than capable of handling the simulation and logic demands of a city builder like Steamworld Build. It is built on the Zen 4 architecture and features 12 cores and 24 threads. The high thread count is particularly relevant for a genre where the CPU must track numerous AI agents, resource chains, and building states. Its base clock of 4.70 GHz and boost clock of 5.60 GHz are among the highest in its class. This is reflected in its benchmark scores, such as a Geekbench single-core score of 2617 and a multi-core score of 19267, which indicate excellent responsiveness and raw throughput.

However, the benchmark results in Steamworld Build show that the CPU's role is largely passive in this particular configuration. The measured FPS is constrained by the GPU at every resolution and settings level. For instance, at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 106 FPS. While respectable, this is likely a limit imposed by the GPU's rendering speed rather than the CPU's processing power. The CPU is capable of far higher frame generation, as evidenced by its PassMark multithread score of 51406. The data implies that in this pairing, the Ryzen 9 7900X is never the limiting factor. It is a component with significant headroom, ready to support a more powerful discrete GPU, but in this specific combo, its advanced capabilities are not the primary driver of the gaming experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent pattern of performance scaling in Steamworld Build. At the most demanding setting, 3840x2160 Ultra, the combo averages a mere 14 FPS, which is effectively unplayable. Dropping to High at 4K improves the average to 20 FPS, while Medium yields 27 FPS (with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 31). Even at 4K Low, the average FPS only reaches 35, which is still below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. This shows that 4K resolution is beyond the capabilities of the Arc B390 for this game.

Stepping down to 2560x1440, the performance improves but remains limited. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 26 FPS. High settings at this resolution provide an average of 38 FPS, which is an improvement but still not smooth. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59, indicating that it is on the edge of playability. The Low preset at 1440p is the only one that breaks past 60 FPS, achieving an average of 67 FPS.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance. The Ultra preset averages 41 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. High settings at 1080p are the first to hit the 60 FPS target, with an average of exactly 60 FPS. Medium settings push this higher to an 81 FPS average, with a range of 69 to 93 FPS. The Low preset at 1080p is the peak performance configuration, delivering an average of 106 FPS. This breakdown indicates that 1080p is the intended resolution for this combo, with settings needing to be adjusted to balance visual quality and frame rate.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture and built on a 3nm process. Its specifications, such as a boost clock of 2500 MHz and 1536 shading units, position it as a low-power solution, with a TDP of 80 W. The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning its performance is dependent on the system's main memory bandwidth. This is a critical factor in its gaming performance. Its benchmark score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs and directly between the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710 in the nearestRivals data.

The measured FPS in Steamworld Build directly reflects the Arc B390's position as an entry-level graphics solution. The data shows a hard performance ceiling. The GPU is the primary limiter in this combo, preventing the system from achieving high frame rates at higher resolutions. For example, the 35 FPS average at 4K Low is a clear indicator of its limitations. Even at 1080p, the difference between the Low preset (106 FPS) and Ultra preset (41 FPS) is stark, showing that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are quickly saturated by higher graphical demands. The GPU's performance is the defining characteristic of this combo's gaming capability, and it is clearly not suited for high-resolution or high-detail gaming.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo in Steamworld Build is found at 1920x1080 resolution. The goal is to balance visual fidelity with a playable frame rate. The data shows that the High preset at 1080p achieves an average of 60 FPS. This is the absolute baseline for smooth gameplay and is the recommended starting point. It provides a stable frame rate without pushing the GPU to its absolute limits.

For players who prioritize a higher frame rate over visual detail, the Medium preset at 1080p is an excellent choice. It delivers an average of 81 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS, ensuring a fluid experience. The increase from 60 to 81 FPS is substantial and can make interactions feel much more responsive. The Low preset at 1080p offers the highest average of 106 FPS and would be the choice for competitive or highly responsive play, though it will compromise visual quality.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset, with an average of 51 FPS, is the only viable option for a semi-smooth experience, but it is below the 60 FPS target. The Low preset at 1440p, which averages 67 FPS, is the better choice for maintaining smoothness at that resolution. All presets at 4K resolution should be avoided, as even the Low preset fails to consistently reach 35 FPS. Therefore, the recommendation is to prioritize 1080p resolution and use the Medium or High presets for the best combination of visual quality and performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a dramatic decline as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At the Low settings preset, the average FPS drops from 106 at 1920x1080 to 67 at 2560x1440, a 37% reduction. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops further from 67 to 35, another 48% reduction. This pattern is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the FPS falls from 60 at 1080p to 38 at 1440p and then to 20 at 4K. This steep scaling curve is the classic signature of a GPU-bound system.

The way the frame rate nearly halves with each significant resolution increase points directly to the Intel Arc B390 as the limiting component. The Ryzen 9 7900X is more than capable of handling the increased pixel data at higher resolutions, but the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are overwhelmed. The fact that the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is only 21 FPS (35 vs 14) further emphasizes that the GPU is struggling with the sheer pixel count, regardless of the graphical complexity. This data implies that the system's performance is not limited by the CPU's ability to process the game logic, but by the GPU's inability to render the frame in a timely manner. Upgrading the GPU would yield a massive improvement in performance, while the CPU would remain a constant, capable foundation.