Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique scaling challenge for the combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. The measured data reveals a system that transitions from a CPU-bound state at lower resolutions to a GPU-bound state at 4K, offering a clear picture of where each component's workload peaks. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to interpret the performance characteristics of this specific pairing.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a dramatic and consistent drop as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, indicating a significant shift in the bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. At the High preset, performance falls from 178 FPS at 1080p to 113 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 60 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern, where 1440p retains a substantial portion of 1080p performance but 4K represents a major cut, suggests the game becomes increasingly reliant on the GPU's pixel throughput as resolution climbs.

The transition from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is particularly steep across all settings. For instance, at Medium settings, the average frame rate drops from 151 FPS at 1440p to 80 FPS at 4K, a reduction of nearly half. This steep decline points to the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 192-bit memory bus being pushed harder, as the higher pixel count demands more memory bandwidth and fill rate. The data indicates that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-11400F is likely the limiting factor, given the extremely high frame rates that outpace what the GPU can typically render at higher resolutions.

At 4K, the RTX 4070 becomes the clear primary constraint. The High preset at 4K yields 60 FPS, which is a playable target, but the Ultra preset drops to 40 FPS, showing that the GPU's 29.15 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 64 ROPs are overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a range from 104 FPS down to 40 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU has the headroom for lighter loads but is saturated by the Ultra preset. This data suggests that for a balanced experience, users should prioritize resolution scaling over preset quality at higher resolutions, as the frame rate cost of moving from Medium to Ultra is more severe than the cost of moving from 1080p to 1440p.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination holds a rank of 978 out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places the pairing in the upper 26% of all tested systems, indicating a strong performance tier for this specific game. The rank reflects a system that can deliver high frame rates at mainstream resolutions but may not be at the absolute top tier for 4K ultra settings, where more powerful GPUs would inevitably rank higher.

The ranking is influenced by the balance between the CPU and GPU. The RTX 4070, with a percentile rank of 81 against all GPUs, is a high-performing component, but the Core i5-11400F, with a percentile rank of 71 against all CPUs, is a more mid-range processor. In a city builder like Steamworld Build, which can be sensitive to CPU logic for simulation and unit pathfinding, the CPU's performance is critical. The data shows that at 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, suggesting the CPU is keeping up well, but the rank of 978 suggests that there are many combos with faster CPUs that could push even higher frame rates in scenarios with large, complex cities.

The average benchmark scores support this interpretation. The CPU's average benchmark score is 17177, and its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, scores 17120, a difference of only 0.3%. The GPU's average benchmark score is 37648, with the NVIDIA Tesla P4 as its closest rival at 37628, a 0.1% difference. These scores indicate that the components are solid but not class-leading, and their combined rank in Steamworld Build reflects a system that delivers a smooth experience at 1440p and is capable at 4K with settings adjustments, but it is not at the extreme performance frontier for this title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the data shows that the Ultra preset delivers 120 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset offers 238 FPS, and Low provides 264 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss may not be worth the frame rate increase when the Ultra preset already provides a triple-digit frame rate. The High preset at 178 FPS is a strong middle ground, but for a city builder, the visual clarity of Ultra likely enhances the experience without sacrificing playability.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 113 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the Ultra preset, which drops to 76 FPS, and it remains well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 151 FPS is also viable, but the High preset offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. The data suggests that at 1440p, the Ultra preset is too demanding for consistent high-refresh gameplay, but High provides a smooth experience that takes advantage of the RTX 4070's capabilities.

For 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it delivers an average of 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS and a maximum of 92 FPS. This is the only 4K setting that consistently stays above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset at 60 FPS is playable but leaves no headroom for frame time spikes, while the Ultra preset at 40 FPS is too slow for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 104 FPS is playable but sacrifices significant visual fidelity. The data clearly indicates that for 4K gaming, Medium settings are the optimal balance between visual quality and performance for this combo.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate achievable at 1080p with this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate measured at 1920x1080 is 264 FPS, achieved with the Low preset. The Medium preset reaches 238 FPS, High reaches 178 FPS, and Ultra reaches 120 FPS.

Q: Can this system maintain a stable 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only at Medium settings, which produce an average of 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 FPS. The High preset averages 60 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 40 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance in this game?

A: The CPU's benchmark scores show a single-thread score of 2981 in Passmark and a multi-thread score of 16908. The data indicates that the CPU is capable of high frame rates at 1080p, suggesting that single-thread performance is sufficient for the game's logic, but multi-thread performance is also strong for background simulation tasks.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 113 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 76 FPS. This represents a 37 FPS difference, making the High preset significantly more performant for a modest visual quality reduction.

Q: Is the RTX 4070's VRAM a limiting factor at any resolution?

A: The GPU has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. The measured data does not show any specific VRAM-related bottlenecks, but the steep performance drop from 1440p to 4K suggests that the memory bus width of 192-bit may be a constraint at higher resolutions, as the frame rates drop significantly when pixel count increases.

Q: How does this combo's rank in Steamworld Build compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 978 out of 3706 tested combinations, placing it in the top 26.4% of all systems tested for this game. This indicates a strong but not top-tier performance level.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 plays a critical role in determining the performance ceiling at higher resolutions. The GPU's specifications include 5888 shading units, a boost clock of 2475 MHz, and 12 GB of GDDR6X memory. The measured data shows that its performance in Steamworld Build is heavily influenced by resolution, with the frame rate dropping by roughly half when moving from 1440p to 4K at the same settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores support its position as a high-end component. It has a percentile rank of 81 against all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 37648 places it close to the NVIDIA Tesla P4, which scores 37628, a difference of only 0.1%. The GPU's compute capabilities, rated at 29.15 TFLOPS for FP32, are substantial, but the data suggests that the pixel fill rate of 158.4 GPixel/s and the memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s are the primary factors in Steamworld Build's 4K performance.

At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, as the frame rate drops to 40 FPS. This is a significant reduction from the 76 FPS at 1440p Ultra, indicating that the GPU's rendering resources are saturated by the increased pixel count. The Medium preset at 4K delivers 80 FPS, showing that the GPU has sufficient headroom when the graphical load is reduced, but the Ultra preset's demands on the GPU's texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s and ROPs prove too much for a smooth experience. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 is best utilized at 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates across all settings, and at 4K, it requires a reduction in settings to achieve playable performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F serves as the central processing unit in this combo, and its role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. The CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, indicate a solid mid-range performer.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU's influence is most visible at 1080p, where the frame rates are exceptionally high. At Low settings, the combo achieves 264 FPS, which suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough draw calls to sustain frame rates well beyond typical monitor refresh rates. The CPU's percentile rank of 71 against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17177, places it in a competitive position. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, has a score of 17120, a 0.3% difference, showing that the CPU is on par with other processors in its class.

The data indicates that the CPU is not a limiting factor at 4K, as the frame rates are primarily dictated by the GPU's rendering capabilities. However, at 1080p, the CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 4070, as evidenced by the high frame rates. The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s likely contribute to its ability to handle the game's simulation logic efficiently. The benchmark results show that the CPU can handle multi-threaded workloads well, with a Passmark multi-thread score of 16908, which is beneficial for the background simulation tasks typical of a city builder.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the combo's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 264 FPS, Medium delivers 238 FPS with a minimum of 202 and a maximum of 274, High delivers 178 FPS, and Ultra delivers 120 FPS. These numbers demonstrate that at 1080p, the system has ample performance headroom for high-refresh-rate displays, with even the most demanding Ultra preset exceeding 120 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show a noticeable decrease. The Low preset averages 198 FPS, Medium averages 151 FPS with a minimum of 129 and a maximum of 174, High averages 113 FPS, and Ultra averages 76 FPS. This resolution represents the sweet spot for this combo, as it provides a balance between visual fidelity and performance across all settings, with the Ultra preset still maintaining a playable 76 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly, reflecting the increased GPU load. The Low preset averages 104 FPS, Medium averages 80 FPS with a minimum of 68 and a maximum of 92, High averages 60 FPS, and Ultra averages 40 FPS. The data shows that only the Low and Medium presets maintain average frame rates above 60 FPS, while High is exactly at the 60 FPS threshold and Ultra falls below it. This breakdown confirms that the combo is capable of 4K gaming but requires careful settings management to achieve a smooth experience, with Medium being the highest preset that consistently delivers above 60 FPS.