Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder where simulation depth meets GPU demand, and the Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER produces a clear, predictable performance curve. The data reveals a system that scales well with resolution, but the relationship between CPU and GPU changes drastically depending on your target display and quality settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a classic pattern of diminishing returns as resolution climbs, but with a notable twist: the gap between settings narrows significantly at 4K. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is massive—208.5 FPS versus 79.8 FPS, a 128.7 FPS spread. This indicates the CPU has substantial headroom, and the GPU is the primary limiter even at lower resolutions. At 1440p, the spread compresses to 79.4 FPS (131.4 Low versus 52.0 Ultra), showing the GPU workload increasing. At 4K, the spread tightens further to 38.9 FPS (69.0 Low versus 30.1 Ultra), confirming that the GPU is now the dominant bottleneck.

The 1080p to 1440p transition is particularly telling. High settings drop from 120.2 FPS to 77.5 FPS—a 35.5% reduction—while Ultra drops from 79.8 to 52.0, a 34.8% reduction. The consistency of these percentage drops suggests the game is scaling predictably with pixel count. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the drop is steeper: High falls from 77.5 to 43.0 FPS (44.5% reduction), and Ultra falls from 52.0 to 30.1 (42.1% reduction). This steeper decline at 4K indicates the RTX 2070 SUPER's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being taxed heavily at that resolution.

What the data suggests for a practical user: 1080p is where this combo excels, delivering well above the 60 FPS threshold even on Ultra. At 1440p, High settings at 77.5 FPS is a sweet spot, while Ultra dips to 52.0 FPS—playable but not ideal for a smooth experience. At 4K, only Low settings (69.0 FPS) cross the 60 FPS line; High at 43.0 FPS and Medium at 51.5 FPS are borderline, and Ultra at 30.1 FPS is a slideshow. The limiting component at 4K is unequivocally the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and it has a 12 MB shared L3 cache. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 10,297 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 1,453 in single-core. Its average benchmark score of 14,168 places it at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.4% ahead) and Intel Core i5-8500 (1.1% behind).

For a city builder like Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is typically in managing simulation logic, entity counts, and pathfinding. The data shows this is not a CPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, the system hits 208.5 FPS, which is far beyond what most displays can show. Even at 1080p Ultra, the 79.8 FPS result is likely GPU-limited, as the CPU has demonstrated it can push far higher frame rates in lighter settings. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4,748 and max-thread score of 4,735 indicate the CPU's multithreading capabilities are sufficient for this game's demands.

The Passmark multithread score of 12,115 and data compression score of 185,944 suggest strong general-purpose performance. However, the single-thread Passmark score of 2,541 and Geekbench single-core score of 1,454 are modest by modern standards. In Steamworld Build, this means the CPU will not bottleneck the GPU at 1080p or 1440p, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved. The only scenario where the CPU might matter is if the simulation becomes extremely complex late-game, but the measured data does not indicate a CPU limitation. The 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are adequate for this workload.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the star of this pairing, built on the Turing architecture with a 12 nm process. It features 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with a base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its FP32 performance is 9.062 TFLOPS, and it has 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores.

The GPU benchmarks put it at the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 22,206. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA RTX A400 (0.5% ahead), NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z (0.9% ahead), and AMD Radeon RX 5700 (2.5% behind). The Passmark G3D score of 18,169 and DirectX 12 score of 67 indicate solid DirectX 12 performance, which is relevant since Steamworld Build likely uses modern API features.

The GPU's role in the measured results is clear: it is the primary limiter at 4K and even at 1440p Ultra. The 4K Ultra result of 30.1 FPS is a stark indicator that the 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are strained at that resolution and quality level. The 4K Low result of 69.0 FPS shows the GPU can perform well when texture and shading loads are reduced. The 1440p results, ranging from 52.0 FPS at Ultra to 131.4 FPS at Low, demonstrate the GPU's capability in the mid-range resolution space. The 1080p results, topping out at 208.5 FPS on Low, show the GPU is more than adequate for competitive or high-refresh gaming at that resolution.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Steamworld Build at 60 FPS on 1440p?

A: Yes, but only up to High settings. High delivers 77.5 FPS, Medium hits 101.6 FPS, and Low reaches 131.4 FPS. Ultra drops to 52.0 FPS, which falls short of 60 FPS.

Q: What settings should I use for 4K gaming?

A: Low settings deliver 69.0 FPS, which is the only preset above 60 FPS at 4K. Medium gives 51.5 FPS and High gives 43.0 FPS, both playable but not ideal. Ultra at 30.1 FPS is not recommended.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck. The CPU can push over 200 FPS at 1080p Low (208.5 FPS), and the frame rate drops to 79.8 FPS at Ultra, indicating the GPU workload is the limiting factor.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 22,206 is 0.5% behind the RTX A400, 0.9% ahead of the GTX TITAN Z, and 2.5% ahead of the RX 5700. This puts it in a tight performance band with those cards.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: 1440p with High settings provides a strong balance at 77.5 FPS. It offers higher visual fidelity than 1080p while maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS, unlike 4K which struggles to stay above 60 FPS except on Low.

Q: Does the CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration matter for this game?

A: The data suggests it is sufficient. The 3DMark 8-thread score of 3,929 and max-thread score of 4,735 show solid scaling, and the high frame rates at 1080p indicate the CPU is not a limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo ranks 1,052 out of 1,730 tested combinations in Steamworld Build. This places it in the 39.2nd percentile—roughly in the lower-middle range of all tested systems. For context, this means a significant portion of other combos (678, or 39.2%) perform worse, while the majority (1,051, or 60.8%) perform better. The rank reflects the hardware's age: the CPU is from 2020 and the GPU from 2019, both now mid-range at best.

The ranking makes sense given the performance data. At 1080p, this combo is capable of excellent frame rates (120.2 FPS at High), which would likely put it ahead of many older or lower-end systems. However, at 4K, it falls to 43 FPS on High, which would be below many newer GPUs with more VRAM and higher bandwidth. The CPU's 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs is respectable, but the GPU's 65th percentile ranking is more modest, and this drags the overall combo ranking down.

The deltaPct values from the nearest rivals provide additional context. The CPU is essentially tied with the EPYC 7552 (0.4% ahead) and slightly behind the i5-8500 (1.1% behind). The GPU is similarly close to its rivals, with the RTX A400 just 0.5% ahead. This shows that both components are in a crowded performance band, and the overall combo rank reflects this middle-tier positioning.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1080p, High settings at 120.2 FPS is the best experience—it offers a smooth, high-refresh experience that exceeds 120 FPS. Medium at 160.9 FPS is even faster but with reduced visual quality; Ultra at 79.8 FPS is still smooth but shows a significant 33.6% drop from High. For most users, High at 1080p is the sweet spot.

At 1440p, High settings at 77.5 FPS is the recommended preset. It delivers a comfortable frame rate above 60 FPS while maintaining good visual fidelity. Medium at 101.6 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing frame rate, but the jump from Medium to High is only a 23.7% FPS cost for better visuals. Ultra at 52.0 FPS is borderline—it works for slower-paced city building but may feel less responsive.

At 4K, Low settings at 69.0 FPS is the only truly smooth option. Medium at 51.5 FPS is playable but not ideal, and High at 43.0 FPS is for users who prioritize visuals over smoothness. Ultra at 30.1 FPS is not recommended for general play. The data shows a clear trade-off: at 4K, you must sacrifice visual quality to maintain playable frame rates. For this combo, the best overall experience is 1440p High, which balances quality and performance without forcing compromises.