Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build with an Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a performance profile defined by massive headroom. The data shows this combo delivers highly playable frame rates across all tested settings and resolutions, with the RTX 5090 D clearly dominating the workload. The i5-12400, while a capable 6-core, 12-thread Alder Lake part, is rarely the limiting factor in this city builder, as the GPU's raw power and 32 GB of VRAM ensure that even the most demanding presets remain fluid. This analysis breaks down the measured results to show exactly where the bottlenecks lie and how to best configure the game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases, but with an unusual twist: the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is less severe than typical for a high-end GPU. This suggests that even at 4K, the RTX 5090 D is not fully saturated, leaving performance on the table. The data shows that at High settings, the average frame rate falls from 251 FPS at 1920x1080 to 175 FPS at 2560x1440, a 30% reduction. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops to 92 FPS, which is a 47% reduction from the 1440p figure. This scaling is more gradual than expected, indicating that the CPU and game engine are starting to impose limits even at lower resolutions.

At Low settings, the pattern shifts. The 1080p result is 307 FPS, which drops to 264 FPS at 1440p (a 14% decrease) and then to 161 FPS at 4K (a 39% decrease from 1440p). The smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is a strong indicator that the i5-12400 is the primary limiter at these lower resolutions and graphical loads. The CPU's single-thread performance, shown by a 3dmark single-thread score of 910, becomes the ceiling when the GPU is not working hard. Conversely, the larger drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings shows the GPU beginning to take over as the bottleneck.

The Ultra preset tells a different story. Here, the frame rate at 1080p is 186 FPS, at 1440p it is 118 FPS (a 37% drop), and at 4K it is 62 FPS (a 47% drop from 1440p). This consistent scaling pattern across all resolutions indicates that Ultra settings are heavily GPU-bound. The RTX 5090 D's compute power, measured at 104.8 TFLOPS FP32, is being fully utilized, and the performance degradation is directly proportional to the pixel count increase. The 4K Ultra result of 62 FPS is the only data point that approaches a challenging scenario, but it remains perfectly playable.

The key takeaway is that the limiting component shifts based on the preset. For Low and Medium settings, the i5-12400's architecture, with its 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 12 threads, is more likely to be the constraint at 1080p and 1440p. For High and Ultra settings, the RTX 5090 D becomes the definitive bottleneck, especially at 4K. The data suggests that users with high refresh rate monitors will find the most balanced experience at 1440p, where the combo can push beyond 175 FPS on High settings without being held back by the CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 307 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This shows the immense headroom available when graphical load is minimized.

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

A: Yes, the data shows it is more than capable. At 4K with High settings, the average frame rate is 92 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K Ultra, the average is 62 FPS, which remains playable.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 D in this game?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU can be a limiting factor at lower resolutions and settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the average is 307 FPS, but the jump to 1440p Low only reduces it to 264 FPS. This smaller than expected drop suggests the CPU is capping performance at 1080p.

Q: How much of a performance gain is there from Medium to High settings at 1440p?

A: The average frame rate decreases from 234 FPS on Medium to 175 FPS on High at 2560x1440. This is a 25% reduction in performance for the visual fidelity increase, indicating that High is still very fast but Medium offers a significant speed advantage.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K?

A: The average frame rate drops from 161 FPS on Low to 62 FPS on Ultra at 3840x2160. This represents a 61% performance penalty for the maximum visual quality settings, showing a massive range of performance scaling.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB of VRAM make a difference in this game?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory provides substantial headroom. While the game's VRAM usage is not detailed, the sheer capacity ensures that memory is never a bottleneck, allowing the GPU's 21760 shading units to work without interruption, even at 4K Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration. Its specifications are extraordinary, and the measured results confirm that it is the primary reason for the high frame rates. The GPU's 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, which is more than sufficient for the textures and assets in Steamworld Build, even at 4K resolution. This massive memory pool ensures that the game never has to swap assets to slower system memory, preventing stutters and frame time spikes that can plague other systems.

The clock speeds of the RTX 5090 D are also a key factor. With a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, the GPU is able to sustain high throughput. This is reflected in the benchmark scores, such as the 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and the passmark G3D score of 44065. These scores place the GPU in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs, confirming its top-tier status. The high pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s are directly responsible for the smooth rendering at high resolutions.

The GPU's role becomes more prominent as settings and resolution increase. The data shows a clear divergence between the Low and Ultra presets. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 307, but this is likely constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU with draw calls. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 62, a figure that is almost entirely determined by the GPU's raw compute power. The RTX 5090 D's 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance is being fully taxed by the Ultra preset's effects, lighting, and shadow calculations.

The RTX 5090 D's architecture, Blackwell 2.0, is built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 750 mm² and 92,200 million transistors. This immense complexity allows for the 21760 shading units and 176 ROPs to work efficiently. In Steamworld Build, a game that likely relies on draw calls and object rendering, the GPU's geometry processing power is critical. The 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores also contribute to any advanced rendering features, though the game's specific use of these is not detailed. The data shows that the GPU is never the weakest link in this combo, except at the most extreme settings where it is simply doing all the heavy lifting.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 88th out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 3% of all systems tested, which is an outstanding result. The rank of 88 confirms the GPU's dominance, as the CPU is a mid-range part from 2022. The data indicates that the RTX 5090 D's massive performance headroom is enough to compensate for the i5-12400's more modest capabilities in this specific game.

To put this rank in context, the i5-12400 itself holds a percentile rank of 72 among all CPUs, based on an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD EPYC 7643, which scores 18697 (a 0.1% difference), and the Intel Core i7-1355U, which scores 18730 (a 0.3% difference). These scores show that the CPU is solidly mid-pack in general compute tasks. However, in Steamworld Build, the combo's rank is much higher, at 88 out of 2924. This discrepancy highlights that the game is heavily GPU-bound, and the CPU's relative weakness is not a significant drawback.

The GPU, on the other hand, is a top-tier performer. Its average benchmark score of 77712 places it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (score 76904, a 1.1% difference) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (score 78940, a -1.6% difference). These rival GPUs are significantly less powerful than the RTX 5090 D in real-world gaming, but the synthetic scores are close. This suggests that the synthetic benchmarks may not fully capture the RTX 5090 D's strengths in specific scenarios like Steamworld Build.

The combo rank of 88 is impressive, but it is not number one. The data shows that there are 87 other combos that achieve better performance in this game. While the specific details of those combos are not provided, it is logical to assume they feature even more powerful CPUs, such as top-tier Core i9 or Ryzen 9 processors. Those systems would likely avoid any CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions, pushing frame rates even higher. For the vast majority of users, however, a rank of 88 out of 2924 is exceptional, and this combo will deliver a premium experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all major resolutions and settings. The data is organized by resolution, with settings ranging from Low to Ultra. The following breakdown is based solely on the provided numbers.

At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across the board. The Low preset averages 307 FPS. The Medium preset averages 279 FPS, with a minimum of 237 FPS and a maximum of 320 FPS. The High preset averages 251 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 186 FPS. This shows a linear scaling from Low to Ultra, with a 39% reduction in performance from Low to Ultra. The 1080p results are all well above any refresh rate, making this resolution ideal for competitive play or maximum smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. The Low preset averages 264 FPS. The Medium preset averages 234 FPS, with a minimum of 199 FPS and a maximum of 269 FPS. The High preset averages 175 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 118 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant, particularly for the High setting (251 to 175 FPS, a 30% reduction). This resolution offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with High settings still delivering a triple-digit frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the performance is still strong, but the GPU is clearly working harder. The Low preset averages 161 FPS. The Medium preset averages 124 FPS, with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 142 FPS. The High preset averages 92 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 62 FPS. The 4K results show a clear hierarchy, with Low being 2.6 times faster than Ultra. The High preset at 4K, with an average of 92 FPS, is the sweet spot for a smooth 4K experience, while Ultra is best suited for slower-paced gameplay or screenshots.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 237-320 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 199-269 FPS. At 4K, the range is 105-142 FPS. This data indicates good frame pacing, with no significant stutters, as the minimum frames are still quite high. The spread between min and max FPS is relatively consistent, suggesting stable performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's display and preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. The data shows that this combo has enough power to run the game at maximum settings at most resolutions, but the cost in frame rate is significant.

For users with a 4K display, the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 92 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for console-like smoothness. The Ultra preset, at 62 FPS, is playable but sits close to the 60 FPS threshold, and any complex scene could cause drops. The High preset provides a comfortable margin. For users who prioritize maximum visual quality, Ultra is viable, but they should be prepared for the lower frame rate. Low and Medium presets at 4K are unnecessary, as they sacrifice too much visual fidelity for frame rates that exceed most 4K displays' refresh rates.

For users with a 1440p display, the High preset is the best balance. It averages 175 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors (144Hz or 165Hz). The Medium preset is even faster at 234 FPS, but the visual upgrade to High is worth the 59 FPS cost for most users. The Ultra preset at 118 FPS is also excellent, and if the user has a 120Hz monitor, this is the best choice for maximum quality. Low settings at 1440p are not recommended, as the frame rate of 264 FPS is beyond the capabilities of most monitors and the visual downgrade is severe.

For users with a 1080p display, any setting will provide an exceptionally smooth experience. The High preset averages 251 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 186 FPS. For competitive play or if the user has a 240Hz monitor, the Medium or High presets are ideal. The Ultra preset is also a great choice, as it still delivers a frame rate that is far beyond the standard 60Hz. The Low preset is only recommended for users with very high refresh rate esports monitors (360Hz or more), as it is the only way to approach the 307 FPS ceiling.

In summary, the data recommends using High settings for a balanced experience at any resolution. The High preset provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining frame rates that are playable for all but the most demanding 4K Ultra scenarios. The Ultra preset is best reserved for users with 1440p displays or those who prioritize visual fidelity over raw frame rate at 4K.