Steamworld Build

FAQ

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Core i3-12100F?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has a launch MSRP of $97.

Q: How does the Core i3-12100F compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The i3-12100F's average benchmark score is 13516, placing it 1.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-7700K (score 13280) and 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10105 (score 13430). It trails the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX by just 0.1% (score 13534).

Q: What is the RTX 4080 SUPER's performance percentile relative to all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53610. It leads the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by 0.2% (score 53489) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700S by 2.1% (score 52505).

Q: What frame rates does this combo achieve at 1080p Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers an average of 151.3 FPS. This is notably lower than the 226.5 FPS at High settings but still highly playable.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Intel Core i3-12100F has no integrated graphics, meaning a discrete GPU like the RTX 4080 SUPER is mandatory for display output.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations for Steamworld Build?

A: This specific CPU-GPU pairing ranks 134th out of 1730 tested combos in Steamworld Build, placing it in the top 8% of all configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a TDP of 58 W. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and a single-core score of 1681, while Geekbench reports 7413 multicore and 2224 single-core.

In Steamworld Build, a city builder genre title, the CPU's role is primarily managing simulation logic, pathfinding, and entity updates rather than raw rendering. The data shows that the i3-12100F's single-thread performance is strong—its 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Passmark single-thread score of 3444 indicate solid per-core capability. This matters because city builders often bottleneck on a single main simulation thread. The processor's 72nd percentile ranking among all CPUs reflects that while it is not a top-tier part, it delivers competent performance for this workload.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i3-12100F's average benchmark score of 13516 places it effectively at parity with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (13534, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Core i7-1250U (13462, +0.4% delta). The 1.8% advantage over the older Core i7-7700K (13280) demonstrates generational efficiency gains from Alder Lake's architecture. The 4-core, 8-thread configuration is modest by modern standards, but the high boost clock compensates in lightly-threaded scenarios typical of simulation games.

The CPU's memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel configuration provides flexibility, though the lack of ECC and locked multiplier (unlocked multiplier is false) means it is a fixed-function part. The PCIe Gen 5 support with 16 lanes ensures ample bandwidth for the GPU, though the RTX 4080 SUPER uses PCIe 4.0 x16, which is fully compatible. For Steamworld Build, the data suggests the CPU is sufficient to avoid major bottlenecks at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved at 1080p.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5nm process, with a die size of 379 mm² and 45,900 million transistors. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2550 MHz, with memory clocked at 1438 MHz (23 Gbps effective). It contains 10240 shading units, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores, producing 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is centered on rendering the game's isometric visuals, which include detailed building models, environmental effects, and potentially large-scale city views. The RTX 4080 SUPER's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53610, indicates top-tier rasterization capability. The data shows it leads the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by 0.2% (53489) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700S by 2.1% (52505), while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti trails by 2.9% (52086).

The GPU's substantial VRAM allocation of 16 GB is particularly relevant for a city builder, where large maps with numerous assets can consume significant memory. The high bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s ensures texture streaming remains fluid even when zoomed out over a sprawling metropolis. The 320W TDP and suggested 700W PSU indicate this is a power-hungry part, but the performance payoff is clear in the measured frame rates.

At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the combo achieves 131.5 FPS average, while at 2560x1440 Low it reaches 252.2 FPS, and at 1920x1080 Low it hits 305.4 FPS. These numbers demonstrate that the GPU has ample headroom for this game, even at 4K resolution. The pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s provide the raw throughput needed for high-resolution rendering without compromising visual fidelity settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data reveals a clear progression across settings presets at each resolution. At 3840x2160, the frame rates are 50.8 FPS (Ultra), 79.1 FPS (High), 100.6 FPS (Medium), and 131.5 FPS (Low). The Ultra preset drops below 60 FPS, which may be undesirable for smooth gameplay, while High maintains a playable 79.1 FPS.

For 2560x1440, the results are more comfortable: High delivers 143.3 FPS, Medium achieves 190.5 FPS, and Low reaches 252.2 FPS. Ultra still produces a respectable 97.8 FPS at this resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with High at 226.5 FPS, Medium at 278.3 FPS, Low at 305.4 FPS, and Ultra at 151.3 FPS.

The data indicates that the High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 4K, High provides 79.1 FPS—a 28.3 FPS improvement over Ultra while still maintaining substantial visual fidelity over Medium. At 1440p, High's 143.3 FPS is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate displays, and at 1080p, the 226.5 FPS ensures no display will bottleneck the output.

Choosing Ultra at 4K (50.8 FPS) sacrifices smoothness for marginal visual gains, especially in a city builder where camera movement is often steady. The Medium preset at 4K (100.6 FPS) could be an alternative for users prioritizing frame rate, but High offers the best compromise. For competitive or high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, even Medium (278.3 FPS) exceeds typical monitor refresh rates, making Low unnecessary unless targeting extreme frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

This Intel Core i3-12100F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 134th out of 1730 tested combos in Steamworld Build, placing it in the top 7.7% of all configurations evaluated. This ranking reflects a pairing where a mid-range CPU is matched with a high-end GPU, creating a system that performs well above average but is limited by the processor's 4-core architecture.

The CPU's position in the 72nd percentile of all processors, combined with the GPU's 88th percentile, creates an asymmetric pairing. In a simulation-heavy game like Steamworld Build, the CPU's single-thread performance becomes critical, and the i3-12100F's strong boost clock helps mitigate the low core count. The 134th rank suggests that while this combo is not at the absolute top, it outperforms the vast majority of tested systems.

The nearest CPU rivals—the Threadripper PRO 3975WX (-0.1% delta) and Core i7-1250U (+0.4% delta)—have comparable average benchmark scores, indicating the i3-12100F is well-matched in overall compute capability. However, the GPU's massive headroom means the CPU is likely the limiting factor in achieving higher frame rates at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 305.4 FPS ceiling is more likely CPU-bound, while at 4K Ultra, the 50.8 FPS result is probably GPU-limited.

The combo's rank of 134 out of 1730 demonstrates that this configuration is a strong performer for Steamworld Build, offering excellent frame rates at 1440p and 1080p across most settings. The 4K Ultra preset remains challenging, but the High preset at 4K provides a smooth experience. This pairing occupies a sweet spot for gamers who prioritize high refresh rates at 1440p or solid 4K performance with adjusted settings, making it a versatile option for city-building enthusiasts.