Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a distinct set of performance demands that differ from fast-paced action titles. This analysis examines the data for a system pairing the Intel Core i5-12400 processor with the Intel Arc B580 graphics card. The benchmark results provide a clear picture of how this combination handles the game across a range of resolutions and quality presets.

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake family, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Intel Arc B580, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture, brings 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, offering a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. The measured frame rates show that this system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gameplay, with performance scaling that indicates a balanced pairing for most settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with High settings?

A: The system achieves an average of 105 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings. This score is comfortably above the standard 60 FPS threshold, making it a strong option for smooth gameplay at this resolution.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 24 FPS on Ultra settings to 62 FPS on Low settings. High settings produce 35 FPS, while Medium settings yield 47 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming is only viable with reduced quality presets.

Q: What is the best performance ratio at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset reaches 117 FPS, Medium hits 89 FPS, and High achieves 67 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 45 FPS. The Medium and High presets provide a good balance between visual quality and frame rate.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The highest measured frame rate is 184 FPS at 1080p Low, which suggests the CPU can push a high number of frames. However, the Intel Core i5-12400's multi-threaded performance, as shown by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, is likely to be a limiting factor at the highest frame rates.

Q: How does this system's overall performance compare to other tested combos?

A: The combo ranks 2781st out of 3706 tested combinations for Steamworld Build, placing it in the middle of the field. The Intel Core i5-12400 has a percentile rank of 72 against all CPUs, while the Arc B580 has a percentile rank of 68 against all GPUs.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 119 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 76 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 40 FPS. These numbers are useful for understanding potential frame drops.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580 is a critical component for Steamworld Build's visual fidelity. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory is a key factor at higher resolutions, as the game's textures and draw distances demand a large frame buffer. The 456.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is sufficient to feed the GPU's 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs, ensuring smooth texture streaming and pixel throughput. The GPU's base and boost clocks are both 2670 MHz, which is a consistent clock speed for sustained performance.

The Arc B580's benchmark results show a PassMark G3D score of 15748, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP (deltaPct -0.2) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (deltaPct 0.6). This places it in a performance class that is capable of handling a city builder like Steamworld 2. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) is essential for modern graphical features, and the data indicates the card is not a bottleneck at 1080p.

The GPU's VRAM capacity becomes more important at 4K. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 62 FPS on Low, 47 FPS on Medium, 35 FPS on High, and 24 FPS on Ultra. The step from Low to Ultra represents a 38 FPS drop, showing that the card's rendering workload increases significantly with higher settings. The 12 GB VRAM is a key asset, as it allows the game to load high-resolution textures without stuttering, but the GPU's raw compute power is the limiting factor at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system averages 105 FPS on High, which is more than double the 35 FPS at 4K High. This drop of 70 FPS (a reduction of 66.7%) from 1080p to 4K indicates that the GPU's workload increases dramatically with pixel count. The Arc B580's pixel rate of 213.6 GPixel/s is a limiting factor at 4K, as it must process 8.3 million pixels per frame.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is less severe. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 105 FPS to 67 FPS, a reduction of 38 FPS (36.2%). The 1440p resolution has 3.7 million pixels, which is 78% more than 1080p, but the frame rate drop is less than half, indicating that the GPU is still efficient at this resolution. The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combo is 1440p, where the Arc B580 can maintain 67 FPS on High.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. The 24 FPS at Ultra settings and 35 FPS at High are below the playable threshold for most users. The 4K Low setting of 62 FPS is the only playable option, and it still represents a significant drop from the 1080p Low score of 184 FPS. This scaling behavior is typical for a GPU of this class, where the pixel load at 4K overwhelms the 80 ROPs.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p (1920x1080)

• Low: 184 FPS average. This is the highest score in the test suite, showing the game is not CPU-bound at this resolution.
• Medium: 141 FPS average, with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS. The frame time is consistent, with a 43 FPS spread between min and max.
• High: 105 FPS average. This is a solid score for a visually demanding city builder.
• Ultra: 71 FPS average. This is still playable and shows the GPU's headroom at 1080p.

1440p (2560x1440)

• Low: 117 FPS average. This is a strong result, showing the combo can handle 1440p with ease.
• Medium: 89 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 FPS and a maximum of 103 FPS. The 76 FPS minimum is well above the 60 FPS threshold.
• High: 67 FPS average. This is a good target for a 60 Hz monitor.
• Ultra: 45 FPS average. This is a noticeable drop from High, indicating a significant frame rate cost for the extra settings.

4K (3840x2160)

• Low: 62 FPS average. This is the only 4K preset that achieves a comfortable frame rate.
• Medium: 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS. The frame rate can dip near the lower end.
• High: 35 FPS average. This is below the 60 FPS target and is best avoided.
• Ultra: 24 FPS average. This is not a viable option for gameplay.

The data shows a clear progression: the combo is best at 1080p, good at 1440p, and only playable at 4K on Low settings. The Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance, delivering 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Arc B580 ranks 2781st out of 3706 tested combinations in this game. This puts it in the 25th percentile of all combos, meaning it is in the lower quarter. However, this rank is influenced by the fact that the database includes many high-end configurations.

The Intel Core i5-12400 has a percentile of 72 against all CPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 (delta -0.1) and the Intel Core i7-1355U (delta -0.3). This indicates that the CPU's performance is in the upper-mid range. The Intel Arc B580 has a percentile of 68 against all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Radeon RX 580 2040 (delta -0.2) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (delta 0.6). The GPU is also in the upper-mid range.

When combined, these two components produce a system that is capable of 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results pull down the rank. The combo's 45 FPS at 1440p Ultra is a good indicator of its overall capability, as it shows the system can handle demanding settings at a playable frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

The measured frame rates provide a clear guide for choosing the best settings for this hardware.

For 1080p, the High preset at 105 FPS is the best choice for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 71 FPS is also playable, but the 105 FPS on High offers a better frame rate without a significant visual drop. The Medium preset at 141 FPS is an option for players who want a high refresh rate, but the High preset is balanced.

For 1440p, the High preset at 67 FPS is the target. The Medium preset at 89 FPS is also excellent, providing a higher frame rate with a slight reduction in visual quality. The Low preset at 117 FPS is ideal for competitive play, but the Medium preset is the best compromise between quality and performance.

For 4K, the Low preset at 62 FPS is the only viable option. The Medium preset at 47 FPS has a minimum of 40 FPS, which is near the lower bound of playability. The High and Ultra presets at 35 FPS and 24 FPS, respectively, are not recommended.

In summary, the 1440p Medium preset is the best overall experience. It provides a high frame rate (89 FPS) with a minimum of 76 FPS, which ensures smooth gameplay. The 1080p High preset is a strong alternative for players who prioritize visual quality over resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 plays a significant role in this game's performance, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are well-suited for a city builder, which often uses multiple threads for simulation and AI. The base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz provide a solid foundation for single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks.

The CPU's benchmark scores show its capability. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 15989, and the single-core score is 2257. The Geekbench multi-core score is 8564, and the single-core score is 1848. The 3DMark 16-thread score is 5873, and the single-thread score is 910. These numbers indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this game, as the frame rates scale well with GPU load.

The key evidence is the 1080p Low setting, which achieves 184 FPS. This high frame rate shows that the CPU can handle the game's logic at a high speed. At 4K, the frame rates drop to 24-62 FPS, which is a GPU limitation. The CPU's performance is consistent, and the data shows that the i5-12400 does not restrict the Arc B580's potential in this title.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, along with its dual-channel memory bus, provides a solid foundation for the system. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache is also a benefit for gaming, as it reduces the latency of data access. The combination of the i5-12400 and the Arc B580 is balanced, with the CPU handling the game's logic and the GPU rendering the visuals.