Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder where simulation tick and draw calls scale heavily with population and structure count, and the measured results for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 show a combination that is firmly positioned at the lower end of the performance spectrum. The data indicates that this setup achieves playable frame rates only at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, while higher resolutions and presets push it into unplayable territory. The Arc B390, scoring in the 9th percentile of all GPUs and ranking near the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, is the dominant bottleneck, while the i5-12400F’s six cores and twelve threads provide ample headroom that is never fully utilized in this title.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features 18 MB of shared L3 cache and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the memory bandwidth is listed as system-dependent in this configuration. For a city builder like Steamworld Build, which relies on single-threaded game logic for simulation steps and multi-threaded rendering tasks, this CPU’s specifications suggest it should handle the game’s CPU demands without breaking a sweat. However, the benchmark results tell a different story: the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions are far below what the CPU’s synthetic scores would predict.

Looking at the CPU’s synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400F scores 12,380 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,680 in single-core. In 3DMark, it achieves 5,912 with max threads and 909 in single-thread tests. These figures place the processor in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,039. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (deltaPct 0), Intel Core 3 201E (deltaPct -0.1), and Intel Core i5-1335U (deltaPct 0.3), all of which are within a fraction of a percent in average score. This indicates that the i5-12400F is a mid-range performer by CPU standards, more than capable of feeding a discrete GPU in most games.

Yet in Steamworld Build, the frame rates are capped by the GPU, not the CPU. The Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its boost clock reaches 2,500 MHz, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. However, its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is only 1,482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals for the GPU are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (deltaPct 1.3), GeForce 800M (deltaPct 1.5), GeForce GT 625 OEM (deltaPct 2.5), and GeForce GT 710 (deltaPct 2.7) — all of which are over a decade old and represent entry-level or integrated-class performance.

The CPU’s role in this combo is therefore reduced to ensuring the game logic runs smoothly, but the bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU at every measured setting. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 106 FPS on average, which suggests the CPU can push frames well above 100 when the GPU load is minimal. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 41 FPS, a clear sign that the GPU is struggling with the increased shading and texture work. The CPU’s 12 threads are likely underutilized, as the game’s simulation is not the limiting factor at any resolution — the GPU is.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Steamworld Build, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS is 106, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that exceeds 100 FPS, and it indicates that the GPU can handle the game’s basic rendering load at 1080p when effects and shadows are minimized.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the best average FPS is 35 with Low settings, and it drops to 20 with High and 14 with Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K yields 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 31, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data shows that 4K is not viable for this combination.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1,482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1,463, deltaPct 1.3), GeForce 800M (1,460, deltaPct 1.5), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1,446, deltaPct 2.5), and GeForce GT 710 (1,443, deltaPct 2.7). The Arc B390 is slightly ahead of all four, but the margins are tiny, ranging from 1.3% to 2.7%.

Q: What is the CPU’s percentile ranking, and what does that mean for this game?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,039. This suggests it is a capable mid-range processor, but in Steamworld Build, the GPU bottleneck means the CPU’s performance is not the deciding factor. The CPU’s scores are irrelevant at the frame rates measured because the GPU cannot keep up.

Q: Does the combo’s rank in the database reflect playable performance?

A: The combo ranks 2,573 out of 2,924 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. This low rank is driven by the GPU’s weak 3DMark score, not the CPU. The measured FPS data confirms that only the 1080p Low and Medium presets offer acceptable performance.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 Medium, the average FPS is 81, with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average FPS drops to 51, with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59. This represents a 37% reduction in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p, highlighting the GPU’s limited pixel throughput.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-12400F + Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2,573 out of 2,924 tested combos in Steamworld Build, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations in the database. This is a very poor ranking, and it aligns with the GPU’s 9th percentile standing among all GPUs. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 73rd percentile, which means the pairing is heavily unbalanced — a mid-range processor is being held back by an integrated GPU that performs near the bottom of the charts.

The rank of 2,573 out of 2,924 means that 351 combos are worse than this one, but the vast majority of tested systems outperform it. The data shows that this combo is not suitable for any demanding gaming scenario, and Steamworld Build is no exception. The measured FPS values confirm the low rank: at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 14, which is effectively a slideshow. Even at 1440p High, the average FPS is 38, which is below the 40 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for a city builder.

The gap between this combo and more capable systems is stark. The GPU’s nearest rivals are all NVIDIA parts from the GT 700 or 800 series, which were entry-level discrete GPUs from a decade ago. The Arc B390’s 3DMark score of 1,482 is only 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710’s 1,443, putting it in the same performance class. This explains why the combo ranks so low: the GPU simply cannot render Steamworld Build’s scenes at playable frame rates beyond 1080p Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results: 106 FPS on Low, 81 FPS on Medium (min 69, max 93), 60 FPS on High, and 41 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p Low and Medium presets are the only configurations in the entire dataset that deliver consistently smooth frame rates, with Medium still offering a 69 FPS minimum that keeps gameplay fluid.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low settings yield 67 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium falls to 51 FPS (min 44, max 59), and High drops to 38 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is 26 FPS, which is borderline unplayable for a city builder where constant camera panning and zooming are common. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings is steep: Low goes from 106 to 67 FPS (a 37% reduction), Medium from 81 to 51 FPS (a 37% reduction), High from 60 to 38 FPS (a 37% reduction), and Ultra from 41 to 26 FPS (a 37% reduction). This consistent percentage drop indicates that the GPU’s pixel fill rate is the limiting factor, as all presets scale almost identically with resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unusable. Low settings produce 35 FPS, Medium 27 FPS (min 23, max 31), High 20 FPS, and Ultra 14 FPS. The 4K Medium preset is the only one with a full min/max range, showing a minimum of 23 FPS that would cause visible stuttering during population growth or construction. The 4K Low preset at 35 FPS is technically above 30 FPS, but it still falls short of the smoothness required for a game where players constantly manage multiple viewports. The data shows that 4K is not a realistic option for this combo, even at the lowest settings.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling pattern in the measured data is remarkably uniform. From 1080p to 1440p, every setting preset drops by approximately 37% in average FPS. From 1440p to 4K, the drops are larger in absolute terms but similar in percentage. For example, Low settings go from 106 FPS at 1080p to 67 FPS at 1440p (a 37% drop) and then to 35 FPS at 4K (a 48% drop from 1440p). Medium goes from 81 to 51 to 27 FPS, High from 60 to 38 to 20 FPS, and Ultra from 41 to 26 to 14 FPS.

This consistent scaling is a clear indicator that the GPU is the limiting component. The Intel Arc B390 has a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, but its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," meaning it shares system memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. This shared memory architecture is a major constraint, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth. The result is that increasing resolution — which increases the number of pixels to fill and textures to sample — directly and proportionally reduces performance.

The CPU’s role in this scaling is negligible. The i5-12400F’s single-thread score of 1,680 in Cinebench R23 and multi-thread score of 12,380 are more than sufficient for a city builder’s simulation logic, which typically runs at a fixed tick rate. The fact that FPS drops so predictably with resolution, and that the 1080p Low preset reaches 106 FPS, proves that the CPU can deliver high frame rates when the GPU load is low. The bottleneck is unambiguously the GPU’s limited shading, texture, and memory bandwidth capabilities.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the only preset that delivers a consistently smooth experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which averages 106 FPS. This is the recommended configuration for any player using this combo. The Low preset at 1080p provides a frame rate that is more than double the 60 FPS target, ensuring that even during heavy simulation load with large populations, the game will remain responsive. The data shows no minimum FPS for this preset, but the average is high enough to absorb occasional dips.

For players who prefer slightly better visuals, 1920x1080 with Medium settings is a viable alternative, averaging 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93. The 69 FPS minimum is still above the 60 FPS threshold, making this preset playable, though the extra visual fidelity comes at a 24% cost in average FPS compared to Low. The Medium preset at 1440p (51 FPS average, 44 minimum) is borderline; the 44 FPS minimum could cause noticeable stutter in crowded scenes, so it is not recommended unless the player is willing to tolerate occasional slowdowns.

All other presets and resolutions are not recommended. The 1080p High preset at 60 FPS is technically playable, but it offers no margin for error — any drop below 60 FPS would be noticeable, and the minimum FPS is not measured. The Ultra preset at any resolution is too demanding for this GPU, with 1080p Ultra at 41 FPS and 1440p Ultra at 26 FPS. The 4K presets are all below 40 FPS, with the best case being 35 FPS on Low, which is insufficient for a game where precise cursor placement and smooth scrolling are essential. The verdict is clear: stick to 1080p and choose Low for the best experience, or Medium if visual quality is a priority and a 69 FPS minimum is acceptable.