Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents a unique scaling challenge for the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination. The benchmark data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions, with the CPU becoming a more significant factor only as the resolution increases and the rendering load intensifies. The measured frame rates indicate a configuration capable of exceptional performance across the board, but the scaling pattern reveals where the bottlenecks lie.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound curve, but with a steepness that underscores the raw power of the RTX 5070. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 189.8 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that figure drops to 122.9 FPS, a reduction of approximately 35%. At 4K, the average falls to 63.9 FPS, which is about 66% lower than the 1080p result. This aggressive decline indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component, as its rendering workload scales quadratically with pixel count.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 306.5 FPS at 1080p to 214 FPS at 1440p (a 30% decrease), and then to 111.5 FPS at 4K (a 64% decrease from 1080p). This consistency suggests that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU even at the highest frame rates, as the performance penalty tracks almost entirely with the GPU's pixel-pushing capability. The fact that even at 1080p Low, the system achieves over 300 FPS, points to a CPU that is not a bottleneck in this title.

However, the gap between the Low and Ultra settings at each resolution provides a secondary insight. At 1080p, the difference between Low (306.5 FPS) and Ultra (133 FPS) is a massive 173.5 FPS. At 4K, this gap narrows to 67.8 FPS (111.5 vs 43.7). This narrowing indicates that while the GPU is always the main constraint, the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls becomes relatively more important at higher resolutions where the GPU frame time is longer. The data suggests that at 4K Ultra, the system is pushing the RTX 5070 to its limits, while at 1080p Low, the frame rate is likely capped by the CPU's single-thread performance or the game's engine logic.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, with its 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, provides substantial bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is crucial for a city builder like Steamworld Build, which often involves rendering large numbers of objects, textures for buildings, and complex UI elements. The 12 GB capacity is ample for the game's requirements, even at 4K with High or Ultra settings, as the measured data shows playable frame rates at those levels.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2325 MHz and a boost of 2512 MHz, are high for a modern graphics card. These clocks contribute directly to the raw compute throughput of 30.87 TFLOPS FP32, which is a significant factor in the game's rasterization performance. The data shows that the RTX 5070 is not struggling with pixel throughput; at 1440p High, it manages 122.9 FPS, and at 1080p Medium, it reaches 254.9 FPS. The GPU's 80 ROPs and 192 TMUs are well-suited for handling the texture-heavy and fill-rate-intensive scenes typical of the genre.

The 4K Ultra result of 43.7 FPS, while playable, indicates that this is the point where the GPU's architecture is fully saturated. The difference between 4K Medium (88.8 FPS) and 4K High (63.9 FPS) is a 24.9 FPS drop, while the jump from High to Ultra yields a further 20.2 FPS drop. This shows that the Ultra preset likely introduces effects like higher draw distances and more complex shadows that heavily tax the GPU's shading units and memory bandwidth. The GPU is clearly the dominant processor in this pairing, but the CPU must keep up with the game's simulation tick rate, which the data suggests it does admirably given the high frame rates at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 holds a combo rank of 349 out of 1730 tested configurations. This places it in the top 20% of all recorded combos, indicating that it is a high-performance pairing for Steamworld Build. The rank is a holistic measure that accounts for performance across all resolutions and settings, and the data suggests that this system will provide a smooth experience in most scenarios.

The CPU itself, the i5-12400, sits at the 77th percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-9700 (a 0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (a -0.2% difference), placing it in a performance tier with older high-end parts. Given that the combo is ranked 349th overall, it suggests that the GPU is doing the heavy lifting to pull the system up the rankings. The i5-12400's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, are sufficient for the game's logic, but the high frame rates at 1080p are evidence of the RTX 5070's ability to outpace the CPU's processing capacity in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across twelve distinct configurations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional results. On Low settings, it achieves 306.5 FPS, which is extraordinarily high and indicates that the CPU or game logic is the limiting factor, not the graphics hardware. Medium settings produce 254.9 FPS, while High settings yield 189.8 FPS. The most demanding 1080p preset, Ultra, still manages a very smooth 133 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain highly playable. Low settings hit 214 FPS, Medium drops to 163.8 FPS, and High settings maintain a strong 122.9 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution produces 83.1 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This resolution appears to be the sweet spot for this combo, balancing high visual fidelity with high refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the system begins to feel the strain. Low settings still deliver a very playable 111.5 FPS, and Medium settings are also smooth at 88.8 FPS. High settings drop to 63.9 FPS, which is suitable for a 60 Hz display. However, the Ultra preset at 4K produces 43.7 FPS, which is below the ideal for fast-paced action but may still be acceptable for a slower-paced city builder where precision is less critical. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is consistent across all settings, confirming that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display and performance goals. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers 133 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any modern monitor, including high refresh rate panels. This setting provides the best visual quality without sacrificing performance, as the GPU still has significant headroom.

For 1440p displays, the High preset at 122.9 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual fidelity and speed. Users seeking even higher frame rates for competitive play could opt for Medium at 163.8 FPS, but the visual quality difference may not be worth the performance gain for a city builder. The Ultra preset at 83.1 FPS is also a viable choice for those who prioritize maximum visual detail, as it remains comfortably above 60 FPS.

At 4K resolution, the choice becomes more nuanced. The High preset at 63.9 FPS is the recommended setting for a 60 Hz display, providing a solid experience without dipping below the refresh rate. The Medium preset at 88.8 FPS is also an excellent option, offering a significant performance buffer and smoother motion. The Ultra preset at 43.7 FPS is playable but may result in noticeable stutter on some displays. For the best overall experience at 4K, the data suggests that Medium or High settings are the most sensible choices, as they provide a smooth frame rate while still showcasing the game's visual detail. The Low preset, while fast, does not offer a compelling visual experience at this resolution, making it less relevant for users with capable hardware.