Steamworld Build

# Steamworld Build with Intel Core i5-11400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 832nd out of 1,730 tested combos in Steamworld Build, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the database. This is a measured configuration, not an estimate, and the data shows a system that handles the city-building genre comfortably at most settings, though it struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum quality. The combination of a 6-core, 12-thread Rocket Lake processor with a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU produces a balanced platform where the graphics card typically becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 832 out of 1,730 tested combinations places this system squarely in the 48th percentile of all tested configurations for Steamworld Build. This mid-pack position reflects a pairing where neither component dominates the other, but the overall result is respectable for a city builder. The CPU itself sits at the 75th percentile against all processors in the database, with an average benchmark score of 17,181. Its nearest rivals in raw CPU performance include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17,189, 0% delta), Intel Core i7-1260P (17,212, -0.2% delta), Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17,215, -0.2% delta), and Intel Core i5-1240U (17,141, 0.2% delta). These margins are negligible, meaning the i5-11400F is effectively performance-equivalent to a wide range of mobile and low-power desktop chips in synthetic tests.

The GPU, meanwhile, ranks at the 73rd percentile among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 30,109. Its closest competitors are the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (30,097, 0% delta), AMD Radeon RX 570 (30,158, -0.2% delta), NVIDIA Tesla M60 (29,969, 0.5% delta), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile (29,928, 0.6% delta). The fact that the GPU sits 25 percentile points higher than the CPU suggests that, in synthetic workloads, the RTX 5060 has more headroom than the i5-11400F can fully utilize. In Steamworld Build specifically, this manifests as the GPU becoming the bottleneck at higher resolutions, while at 1080p the CPU's limitations become more apparent.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 brings 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective transfer rate. The GPU's base clock is 2280 MHz with a boost of 2497 MHz, and it houses 3,840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines. With 30 ray tracing cores and 120 tensor cores, the card is architecturally prepared for modern rendering features, though Steamworld Build's isometric city-builder visuals do not heavily stress ray tracing.

The GPU's pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s provide substantial fill rate for the game's detailed building textures and terrain. The 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance is more than adequate for the simulation overhead in a city builder, which often involves many on-screen entities. The 145 W TDP with a suggested 300 W power supply indicates this is an efficient card, and the PCIe 5.0 x8 interface provides ample bandwidth for the game's asset streaming. In Steamworld Build, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p play, but the data shows frame rates dropping significantly at 4K Ultra, suggesting the memory bandwidth or capacity may be strained at that resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates reveal a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the system produces 241 FPS, which drops to 149.7 FPS at 1440p Low (a 37.9% reduction) and further to 80.5 FPS at 4K Low (a 46.2% reduction from 1440p). This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is being pushed harder at higher pixel counts, and the fact that even Low settings at 4K only reach 80.5 FPS indicates the RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become limiting factors at 3840x2160.

The scaling pattern shifts slightly at higher quality settings. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 135.1 FPS at 1080p to 89 FPS at 1440p (34.1% reduction) and then to 46.5 FPS at 4K (47.8% reduction from 1440p). The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling: 91.3 FPS at 1080p, 57.9 FPS at 1440p (36.6% reduction), and 30.4 FPS at 4K (47.5% reduction from 1440p). The consistent ~47% drop from 1440p to 4K across High, Medium, and Ultra settings suggests the GPU is the dominant bottleneck at 4K, regardless of quality preset. The 1080p to 1440p drop of roughly 34-38% is more moderate, indicating that at 1080p, the CPU may be providing some limiting influence, particularly at lower quality settings where frame rates exceed 180 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5060 and i5-11400F combination delivers strong performance across all presets. Low settings produce 241 FPS, Medium drops to 181.7 FPS, High reaches 135.1 FPS, and Ultra manages 91.3 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset provides a smooth experience well above 60 FPS, and Low settings approach the 240 Hz refresh rate territory. The gap between Low and Ultra is 149.7 FPS, showing that quality settings have a substantial impact at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains playable at most settings. Low produces 149.7 FPS, Medium hits 118 FPS, High reaches 89 FPS, and Ultra drops to 57.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p falls just below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable in a city builder where camera panning and zooming are frequent. The Medium and High presets offer comfortable margins above 60 FPS, while Low provides a high-refresh-rate experience.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes considerably. Low settings deliver 80.5 FPS, Medium drops to 63.9 FPS, High falls to 46.5 FPS, and Ultra manages only 30.4 FPS. Only Low and Medium presets remain above 60 FPS at 4K. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 17.4 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 16.1 FPS, indicating that each quality tier costs roughly the same performance at this resolution. The 4K Ultra result of 30.4 FPS falls below what most users would consider acceptable for a game that requires frequent scrolling and zooming, making that preset effectively unusable at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gameplay, the data supports using Ultra settings, as the 91.3 FPS average provides a smooth experience while preserving maximum visual quality. If higher refresh rates are desired, High settings at 135.1 FPS nearly double the frame rate with only a modest visual reduction, making it an excellent choice for 144 Hz displays. Low and Medium presets at 241 and 181.7 FPS respectively are only recommended for users with 240 Hz monitors or those prioritizing maximum frame rates above all else.

At 1440p, High settings at 89 FPS offer the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness, comfortably exceeding 60 FPS while maintaining detailed textures and effects. Medium at 118 FPS is preferable for users with 120 Hz or higher refresh displays. Ultra at 57.9 FPS is borderline, and users sensitive to frame rate dips may prefer to drop to High. Low at 149.7 FPS is viable for competitive play but sacrifices too much visual quality for a city builder where aesthetics matter.

For 4K, Medium settings at 63.9 FPS provide the only reliable above-60 FPS experience. Low at 80.5 FPS is smoother but visibly degrades the game's visual presentation. High at 46.5 FPS and Ultra at 30.4 FPS fall below the 60 FPS threshold and are only suitable for users who prioritize image quality over smoothness and are tolerant of sub-60 FPS gameplay. Overall, the recommended presets are Ultra at 1080p, High at 1440p, and Medium at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: High settings at 1440p produce 89 FPS, which offers the best combination of visual quality and smooth performance. Medium reaches 118 FPS for higher refresh rates, while Ultra drops to 57.9 FPS, just below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: Yes, but with limitations. Medium settings achieve 63.9 FPS at 4K, which is playable. High drops to 46.5 FPS, and Ultra falls to 30.4 FPS, which is not recommended for comfortable play.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5060's average benchmark score of 30,109 is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT at 30,097 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 570 at 30,158 (-0.2% delta). It is also within 0.6% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system produces 241 FPS, and the drop to 149.7 FPS at 1440p Low (37.9% reduction) suggests the GPU becomes more limiting at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU likely limits performance in low-quality settings, given its 75th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 73rd percentile.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p?

A: Low settings produce 241 FPS, while Ultra produces 91.3 FPS, a difference of 149.7 FPS. This represents a 62.1% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra at 1080p.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 5060 have, and does it matter for this game?

A: The RTX 5060 has 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 30.4 FPS, indicating the memory configuration becomes a limiting factor at high resolutions and settings.