Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build places the Intel Core i5-11400F and Intel Arc B580 combo at rank 2781 out of 3706 tested combinations, positioning it in the lower half of the database. This rank reflects a pairing that delivers playable, though not exceptional, frame rates in a genre that typically favors CPU throughput. The data shows a system that is capable of handling the game’s demands at mainstream resolutions, but it struggles to maintain high performance at 4K with maximum settings, indicating a clear hardware ceiling.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2781 out of 3706 puts this configuration in the 25th percentile of all tested pairings for Steamworld Build. This is a modest standing, suggesting that while the system is far from the bottom, it lacks the headroom required for top-tier performance. The ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance at higher resolutions, where the Arc B580’s 12 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus are stressed. The CPU’s contribution is more consistent, but the overall rank indicates that this is a mid-pack solution, best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming rather than 4K.

Benchmark results show the CPU holds its own against direct rivals, with an average benchmark score of 17177. It sits within 0.6% of the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120) and the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17074), and it is only 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239). This places the i5-11400F in a tight competitive cluster, where no single rival has a decisive edge. The GPU, however, tells a different story, with an average benchmark score of 23021 that puts it within 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895) and the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (23061). This suggests the Arc B580 is a solid performer, but its rank in the game is dragged down by 4K Ultra results that dip to 24 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. For Steamworld Build, a city builder that relies heavily on simulation logic and AI pathfinding, the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are critical. The data shows strong synthetic performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, indicating that the processor can handle both the game’s background simulation and the main game thread.

The CPU’s 3DMark scores further illustrate its threading efficiency, scaling from 1691 in the 2-thread test to 5652 in the max-thread test. This scaling suggests that the processor effectively utilizes its 12 threads, which is beneficial for Steamworld Build’s complex city simulations. However, the CPU’s 65W TDP and end-of-life production status mean it is not a modern part, but its 71st percentile ranking versus all CPUs shows it remains relevant. In-game, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the simulation tick rate, and at 1080p, the measured FPS indicates the CPU is not a bottleneck, as frame rates reach 184 FPS on Low settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is the primary graphics driver, featuring the Xe2-HPG architecture on a 5 nm process with 19,600 million transistors. It has 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, with a base and boost clock of 2670 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For Steamworld Build, which has modest graphical demands compared to AAA shooters, the B580’s compute power is more than sufficient at lower resolutions, but the memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor at 4K.

The GPU’s synthetic benchmarks show a PassMark G3D score of 15748 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3068, indicating it is a capable DirectX 12 performer. Its 68th percentile ranking versus all GPUs places it just above the RTX 2080 and RX 580 2048SP, but its performance in this game is less impressive. At 4K Ultra, the B580 averages only 24 FPS, which is well below playable thresholds, and even at 4K High, it only manages 35 FPS. This suggests that while the GPU has enough raw compute for lower settings, its memory subsystem and driver overhead limit high-resolution performance. The 190W TDP and dual-slot design are standard for this class, and the PCIe 4.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth for the card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo is highly playable across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 184 FPS, Medium averages 141 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS, and High averages 105 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 71 FPS, which is still smooth for a city builder. This resolution shows the system has ample headroom, and the CPU and GPU are well balanced.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down but remains solid. Low settings average 117 FPS, Medium averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS, and High averages 67 FPS. Ultra settings fall to an average of 45 FPS, which is still playable but begins to show the GPU’s limitations. The frame time consistency at Medium is respectable, with a 27 FPS spread between minimum and maximum, indicating stable performance.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings average 62 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS and a maximum of 54 FPS. High settings average 35 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 24 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K is only viable on Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is not ideal for a simulation game where consistent performance matters. The lack of min/max data for High and Ultra suggests the frame pacing becomes erratic at these settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is stark and reveals the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system averages 184 FPS, which drops to 62 FPS at 4K Low, a reduction of 66%. At Medium settings, the drop is from 141 FPS to 47 FPS, a 67% decrease. High settings see a decline from 105 FPS to 35 FPS, a 67% reduction, and Ultra settings fall from 71 FPS to 24 FPS, a 66% drop. This consistent ~66% reduction across all settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s performance remains constant regardless of resolution.

The scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s pixel and texture fill rates become the limiting factor. The Arc B580’s pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 427.2 GTexel/s are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the 8.3 million pixels per frame overwhelm the GPU’s ROPs and memory bandwidth. The 456.0 GB/s bandwidth is not enough to sustain high-quality textures at 4K, leading to the observed FPS collapse. This suggests that for 4K gaming, users would need to either lower settings to Low or consider a more powerful GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The data shows the combo is best suited for 1920x1080, where it averages 105 FPS on High settings and 71 FPS on Ultra. At 2560x1440, it remains playable with 67 FPS on High, but 4K performance is limited to Low settings for playable frame rates.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177, which is 0.3% above the AMD EPYC 7H12 (17120) and 0.6% above the Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17074). It is 0.4% below the Intel Core i5-12450H (17239), showing these CPUs perform nearly identically.

Q: Is the GPU strong enough for 4K gaming?

A: No, the Intel Arc B580 averages 35 FPS at 4K High and 24 FPS at 4K Ultra, which are below playable thresholds. It only achieves 62 FPS at 4K Low, indicating the GPU is the bottleneck at this resolution.

Q: What settings provide the most stable frame times?

A: At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers an average of 141 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS, showing a 43 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the spread is 27 FPS (76 to 103), which is also stable. Higher settings lack min/max data, suggesting less consistent performance.

Q: How does the CPU’s multi-threading affect the game?

A: The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads scale well in synthetic tests, from 5619 in the 3DMark 16-thread test to 5652 in the max-thread test. This threading capacity supports the game’s simulation demands, as shown by 184 FPS at 1080p Low, where the CPU is not a bottleneck.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU and GPU?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has a launch MSRP of $157, and the Intel Arc B580 has a launch MSRP of 249 USD. These figures are provided for reference only.