Steamworld Build

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 265th out of 3,706 tested combinations in Steamworld Build, placing it in the top 7.2% of all recorded configurations. This is a strong result that reflects the game’s moderate CPU demands, allowing the high-end GPU to stretch its legs, though the ranking also shows that other pairings with more powerful processors do pull ahead in this city builder.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested combinations in Steamworld Build?

A: The combo ranks 265th out of 3,706 tested combinations, which puts it in the top 7.2% of all configurations recorded for this game.

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 305 FPS, which is the highest recorded result across all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: Does the RTX 5080 bottleneck the i3-12100F at lower resolutions?

A: The data suggests CPU limitation at 1080p: the gap between Low (305 FPS) and Medium (277 FPS) is only 28 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High (236 FPS) is 41 FPS, indicating diminishing returns as settings increase and the CPU becomes more of a factor.

Q: How does the i3-12100F compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13,494, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core 3 N355 (13,492, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13,452, 0.3% ahead). It also sits slightly above the Intel Core 5 120UL (13,594, -0.7%) and the Intel Core i7-1250U (13,351, 1.1%).

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 54, achieved at 4K with Ultra settings, which is still playable but shows the most demanding configuration tested.

Q: How much faster is this GPU than its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 56,083, which is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S (55,757) and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698). It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (57,367) by 2.2%.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals a clear shift in bottleneck behavior. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 305 FPS, but at 4K Low, it falls to 139 FPS—a drop of 54.4%. This indicates that at 1080p, the i3-12100F’s four cores are the limiting factor, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The game’s city-building simulation logic, which can be single-threaded, likely caps performance at lower resolutions.

Moving to 1440p, the scaling is more linear. At Low settings, 1440p delivers 262 FPS, which is 14.1% lower than 1080p, while 4K Low is 46.9% lower than 1440p. This suggests that the GPU begins to take over as the primary constraint at 1440p, though the CPU still contributes. At 4K, the RTX 5080’s raw power is fully engaged, and the frame rates become more dependent on resolution and settings.

The most telling data point is the Medium settings row, where min and max FPS are recorded. At 1080p Medium, the range is 235 to 318 FPS (average 277), while at 1440p Medium, it’s 171 to 231 FPS (average 201). At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 90 to 122 FPS (average 106). The tightening of the min-max spread at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is becoming the consistent bottleneck, reducing frame time variance. At 1080p, the CPU causes more fluctuation, as seen in the wider 83 FPS spread.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 305 FPS, which is the peak performance recorded. Medium settings drop to 277 FPS (min 235, max 318), High settings yield 236 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 159 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 146 FPS, or a 47.9% reduction, showing that even at 1080p, the GPU’s rendering load significantly impacts results.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance scales down as expected. Low settings average 262 FPS, Medium averages 201 FPS (min 171, max 231), High averages 150 FPS, and Ultra averages 101 FPS. The drop from 1080p Ultra (159 FPS) to 1440p Ultra (101 FPS) is 36.5%, which is a substantial penalty but still leaves the combo well above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5080’s limits become apparent. Low settings average 139 FPS, Medium averages 106 FPS (min 90, max 122), High averages 79 FPS, and Ultra averages 54 FPS. The Ultra result is the only configuration that dips below 60 FPS, making it the sole setting where the combo cannot maintain a consistently smooth experience. The min FPS of 90 at 4K Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the combo stays comfortably playable.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache is modest, but the data shows it is sufficient for Steamworld Build’s simulation-heavy gameplay. The CPU’s synthetic benchmarks reveal a strong single-thread performance: Cinebench R23 single-core scores 1,674, and Geekbench single-core scores 1,932, which are respectable for a budget chip.

However, the multi-threaded results are less impressive, with Cinebench R23 multi-core at 11,860 and 3DMark max threads at 4,023. This suggests that while the CPU can handle the game’s main logic thread, it may struggle with any heavily parallelized tasks. In Steamworld Build, the 1080p results support this: the combo hits 305 FPS at Low, but the scaling to Medium (277 FPS) and High (236 FPS) shows a diminishing return that points to CPU limitation. The 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicates it outperforms a majority of processors, but it is not a top-tier part.

The i3-12100F’s nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-9500 (0.3% ahead), both of which have similar multi-core capabilities. This places the i3-12100F in a competitive mid-range position, but its 4-core limit is the primary constraint in this game at lower resolutions. For a city builder where population and resource management can tax the CPU, the data shows that the i3-12100F holds its own but does not boost the combo beyond the 265th rank.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the best experience depends on the target resolution. At 1080p, Ultra settings deliver an average of 159 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The jump from High (236 FPS) to Ultra (159 FPS) is a 32.6% drop, but the result is still excellent, making Ultra the recommended choice for 1080p users.

At 1440p, Ultra settings average 101 FPS, which is still very playable and offers the best balance of quality and performance. High settings at 150 FPS are also viable, but the extra visual detail from Ultra is worth the 49 FPS loss. For users prioritizing frame rate, Medium at 201 FPS is the sweet spot, but Ultra is recommended for the full experience.

At 4K, Ultra drops to 54 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may result in noticeable stutters. High settings at 79 FPS are the best choice here, as they stay above 60 FPS while delivering a high level of detail. Medium at 106 FPS is a safer option for those who want headroom, but High is the recommended preset for 4K gameplay. Low settings at 139 FPS are unnecessary, as the visual compromise is too great for the performance gain.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is a flagship GPU with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 10,752 shading units and 112 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 293.1 GPixel/s, and the FP32 performance of 56.28 TFLOPS is among the highest recorded. The boost clock of 2617 MHz ensures high throughput, and the data confirms that the GPU is the dominant component at 1440p and 4K resolutions.

The RTX 5080’s average benchmark score of 56,083 places it in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Radeon 8060S (0.6% behind) and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (2.2% ahead). In Steamworld Build, the GPU’s role becomes clear at 4K, where the frame rates drop more steeply with settings. At 4K Low, the card achieves 139 FPS, but at 4K High, it falls to 79 FPS—a 43.2% reduction. This indicates that the game’s visual effects, such as lighting and shadows, are heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

The 16 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, as the minimum FPS at 4K Medium (90 FPS) shows no signs of memory pressure. The GPU’s 87th percentile ranking underscores its high-end positioning, and the measured results show that it can handle 4K High settings comfortably. The only weakness is at 4K Ultra, where the 54 FPS average suggests that even this powerful GPU hits its limits with all settings maxed out.