Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents a unique challenge for the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B370. This combination represents a low-power, integrated-class graphics solution paired with a capable quad-core processor. The measured frame rates across resolutions and settings reveal a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component, yet the data also shows how the CPU's architecture supports playable performance at lower graphical loads.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe and non-linear, clearly identifying the Intel Arc B370 as the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 55 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that figure falls to 35 FPS, a 36% reduction. The jump to 4K is catastrophic, with average FPS collapsing to just 18, which is a 67% drop from the 1440p result and a 67% drop from 1080p as well. This steep curve indicates that the Arc B370's fill rate and memory bandwidth are simply overwhelmed as the pixel count increases.

The pattern holds across all settings. At Low settings, the system achieves 95 FPS at 1080p, which is a very playable number. Dropping to 1440p reduces this to 61 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 32 FPS. This shows that even when the graphical load is minimized, the 4K resolution presents an insurmountable hurdle for the integrated GPU. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings (a 36% drop) is less steep than the drop from 1440p to 4K (a 48% drop), suggesting that the GPU's resources are exhausted faster at higher resolutions. The data suggests that for a smooth experience, resolutions below 4K are mandatory for this specific hardware pairing.

The impact of resolution is more pronounced than the impact of settings changes. For example, at 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra costs 58 FPS (from 95 to 37). However, moving from 1080p to 4K at Low settings costs 63 FPS (from 95 to 32). This indicates that the resolution scaling is the dominant factor limiting this combo's performance in Steamworld Build.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU/GPU combo to maintain a 60 FPS average?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 with Low settings is the only configuration that achieves a 60 FPS average, hitting 95 FPS. At Medium settings, 1080p yields a 73 FPS average, which also comfortably exceeds 60 FPS. No 1440p or 4K settings reach the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much of a performance gain is there from using Low settings over Ultra at 1440p?

A: The data shows a significant gain. At 2560x1440, the Low preset produces an average of 61 FPS, while the Ultra preset produces only 23 FPS. This represents a 165% increase in average frame rate when switching from Ultra to Low.

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100F a limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. The Core i3-12100F has 4 cores and 8 threads with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The most significant performance drops correlate with resolution increases, which primarily stress the GPU. The CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p, as evidenced by the 95 FPS average on Low settings.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K resolution at any settings?

A: No. At 4K, the highest average FPS recorded is 32 on the Low preset. The Medium preset averages 25 FPS, High averages 18 FPS, and Ultra averages 12 FPS. These figures are all well below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, playable performance.

Q: What does the GPU's percentile rank indicate about its relative performance?

A: The Intel Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This indicates that it performs better than only 5% of the benchmarked GPUs in the database, confirming its position as a low-performance, entry-level part. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score is 1184, placing it in direct competition with much older discrete graphics cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

Q: What is the performance difference between the High and Medium presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the High preset averages 55 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 73 FPS. This is a 33% performance increase when dropping from High to Medium. The Medium preset also reports a minimum FPS of 62, indicating a more consistent frame time than the High preset, which has no reported minimum.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from Intel's Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks places it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer. For a city builder like Steamworld Build, which often involves complex simulation and AI calculations, this CPU provides a competent foundation.

The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the primary constraint in this pairing. The 3DMark scores for the i3-12100F are notable: a single-thread score of 893, a 4-thread score of 2859, and a max-thread score of 4023. These numbers indicate that while the CPU has decent single-core performance, its multi-threaded scaling is limited by its 4 physical cores. In a game like Steamworld Build, where the simulation thread is often the bottleneck, this could be a factor at very high frame rates, but the data shows the GPU becomes the limiting factor far earlier.

Given that the Arc B370 is a 25W integrated part, the i3-12100F is more than capable of keeping up with it. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 suggests it can handle complex workloads, but in this specific game, the GPU's performance ceiling is hit first. The combo is CPU-bound only at the lowest resolutions and settings, where the GPU can push out high frame rates. For example, at 1080p Low, the system hits 95 FPS, which is a high enough frame rate that the CPU's single-thread performance could start to matter, but the overall experience is still limited by the graphics card's inability to push higher at more demanding settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Steamworld Build, the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B370 combo ranks 3419 out of 3706 tested configurations. This places it in the bottom 8% of all tested combos, a reflection of the Arc B370's very low performance tier. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking is the primary driver of this overall low rank.

This ranking is consistent with the measured frame rates. A combo that cannot achieve a stable 60 FPS at 1080p on High settings is going to be outclassed by the majority of systems in the database. The i3-12100F's 68th percentile CPU ranking shows that the processor is not the reason for the low overall position. If the Arc B370 were replaced with a more capable GPU, this combo's rank would improve dramatically, as the CPU has the headroom to support much higher performance.

The data shows a clear disconnect between the CPU's capabilities and the GPU's output. The i3-12100F is a competent processor, but it is paired with a GPU that is designed for basic tasks rather than gaming. This results in a system that is fundamentally unbalanced for demanding titles like Steamworld Build, even at lower settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive factor in this system's performance. It is a 25W integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a boost clock of 2400 MHz and 1280 shading units. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs, making it one of the weakest graphics solutions in the database. This is further confirmed by its nearest rivals, which include the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M, both of which are over a decade old.

The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. This limits its memory bandwidth and capacity, which is a major reason for its poor performance at higher resolutions. The 4K results are particularly telling: at High settings, the GPU manages only 18 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 12 FPS. These numbers are essentially unplayable.

The Arc B370's performance is not just low; it scales poorly with settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 58 FPS (95 vs. 37). While this is a large absolute difference, the relative scaling shows that the GPU's architecture struggles to handle the increased shader and texture complexity of the Ultra preset, which includes features like higher quality shadows and more detailed geometry. The result is a graphics solution that is only viable for 1080p gaming at low-to-medium settings in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of this combo's performance across all settings and resolutions.

At 3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: 12 FPS average (unplayable)
• High: 18 FPS average (unplayable)
• Medium: 25 FPS average (unplayable), with a minimum of 21 FPS and a maximum of 28 FPS
• Low: 32 FPS average (unplayable)

At 2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: 23 FPS average (unplayable)
• High: 35 FPS average (marginal)
• Medium: 46 FPS average (playable), with a minimum of 39 FPS and a maximum of 53 FPS
• Low: 61 FPS average (playable)

At 1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: 37 FPS average (marginal)
• High: 55 FPS average (playable)
• Medium: 73 FPS average (smooth), with a minimum of 62 FPS and a maximum of 84 FPS
• Low: 95 FPS average (smooth)

The data demonstrates a clear hierarchy. No 4K setting is playable. At 1440p, only the Low preset achieves a 60+ FPS average. At 1080p, the Medium and Low presets provide smooth frame rates, while the High preset is playable but not ideal, and Ultra remains below 40 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience for this combo is found at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This configuration delivers a 73 FPS average with a minimum of 62 FPS, ensuring consistent and smooth gameplay without sacrificing too much visual fidelity. The Medium preset is the sweet spot, balancing a 33% performance increase over High while maintaining a much more stable frame time.

For players who prioritize visual quality and can tolerate slightly lower frame rates, the High preset at 1080p is a viable option, producing a 55 FPS average. However, the lack of a reported minimum FPS for this preset suggests potential frame time inconsistency. For the most fluid experience, the Low preset at 1080p offers a 95 FPS average, but this comes at a significant cost to graphical detail.

At 1440p, the only recommended setting is Low, which achieves a 61 FPS average. This is a playable experience but will look noticeably less detailed than 1080p Medium. All other 1440p settings and all 4K settings should be avoided, as they fall below acceptable performance thresholds. The data strongly suggests that this system is best utilized as a 1080p gaming machine for Steamworld Build, with the Medium preset providing the best balance of performance and visual quality.