Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique stress profile that differs significantly from action titles. The measured data for the Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B570 shows a configuration that is well-balanced for this genre, though with distinct limitations at higher resolutions. The data set reveals a clear pattern: the game is demanding, but the frame rates scale predictably with settings and resolution, offering a clear view of where the bottleneck lies.

Resolution Scaling

The progression from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals how the Arc B570’s rendering load increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 162 FPS, indicating a strong performance ceiling. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops the average to 103 FPS, a reduction of 59 FPS. The jump to 3840x2160 at Low settings yields 55 FPS, which is a substantial 48 FPS drop from the 1440p figure. This downward trend is consistent across all settings presets, highlighting that resolution is a primary factor in performance degradation.

The scaling factor becomes more pronounced at higher graphical presets. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 93 at 1080p to 59 at 1440p, and finally to 31 at 4K. The Ultra preset shows the most severe impact, with averages of 63, 40, and 21 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The pattern indicates that the GPU is the limiting component as resolution increases; the CPU has sufficient headroom to feed the Arc B570 at lower resolutions, but the GPU’s pixel throughput becomes saturated as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

Specifically, the delta between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings is 45 FPS (124 to 79), while the delta between 1440p and 4K at the same preset is 37 FPS (79 to 42). This suggests that the scaling is not perfectly linear, but the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s and 10 GB of GDDR6 memory are likely being pushed harder at 4K. The data implies that for a consistent 60 FPS experience, 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo, as 4K requires dropping to Low settings to approach playability.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average frame rate in the measured data is 162 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this hardware combination run Steamworld Build at 4K with playable performance?

A: At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset yields an average of 21 FPS, which is not playable. The High preset averages 31 FPS, while Medium averages 42 FPS. Only the Low preset, with an average of 55 FPS, approaches a playable threshold, though it may still struggle in demanding scenes.

Q: How does the Medium preset perform across different resolutions?

A: The Medium preset produces average frame rates of 124 FPS at 1920x1080, 79 FPS at 2560x1440, and 42 FPS at 3840x2160. The minimum frame rate at 1080p is 106 FPS, and at 1440p it drops to 67 FPS.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 103 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. This represents a 63 FPS difference, or a 61% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12600KF a limiting factor for this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU’s benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391 and a 3DMark max threads score of 7952, indicate strong multi-threaded capability. The consistent frame rate drops with resolution increases point to GPU limitation rather than CPU constraint.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded for the Medium preset at 1080p?

A: The minimum frame rate for the Medium preset at 1920x1080 is 106 FPS, with a maximum of 143 FPS.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture, is the clear driver of performance scaling in Steamworld Build. With a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, 2304 shading units, and 80 ROPs, the GPU’s raw compute capability is substantial. The 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s, which is adequate for the textures and geometry typical of a city builder. However, the data shows that at 4K, the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become taxed, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops.

The GPU’s average benchmark score of 20556 places it at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which has a score of 20534. This indicates that the Arc B570 sits in a mid-range performance tier. In Steamworld Build, this translates to strong 1080p performance, but the GPU’s 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with higher presets. The 4K Medium result of 42 FPS demonstrates that the GPU is working hard, but the architectural limits prevent it from achieving the 60 FPS target at that resolution without compromising settings.

The GPU’s memory configuration also plays a role. While the 10 GB capacity is sufficient for this game, the 160-bit bus width limits memory bandwidth compared to wider-bus competitors. This is likely a contributing factor to the performance cliff observed when moving from 1440p to 4K, where the demand for texture data increases substantially. The data suggests that for this title, the GPU is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where its bandwidth and fill rate are not saturated.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Arc B570 ranks at 2320 out of 2924 combos for Steamworld Build. This places it in the lower 21st percentile of all tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, many other configurations deliver higher frame rates. The rank reflects the balance between the CPU’s capability and the GPU’s mid-range performance, which together do not push this game to its highest potential.

The combo’s rank is likely influenced by the GPU’s performance tier. The Arc B570’s passmark G3D score of 14195 is solid, but its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc A750 with a score of 20582, which is slightly higher. This suggests that the B570 is positioned just below some other mid-range options. In the context of Steamworld Build, this means the combo will not compete with high-end systems that can easily sustain 4K Ultra settings. However, the rank does not imply poor performance; rather, it highlights that for a city builder, this configuration offers a playable experience at mainstream resolutions, but it is not optimized for extreme settings.

The rank also contextualizes the CPU’s contribution. The i5-12600KF is a capable processor, ranking at the 79th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 27799. Despite this, the combo rank is lower than the CPU’s individual percentile, which reinforces that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. The data indicates that upgrading the GPU would yield a more significant improvement in Steamworld Build performance than upgrading the CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF provides a robust foundation for the Arc B570. With 10 cores and 16 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture, the CPU can handle the simulation and AI calculations inherent to a city builder. Its boost clock of 4.90 GHz ensures responsive single-threaded performance, which is often critical for game logic. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391 and single-core score of 3302 demonstrate its capability in both multi-threaded and lightly-threaded workloads.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU’s role is to manage the game’s underlying systems, such as resource distribution and citizen pathfinding, while the GPU handles rendering. The data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this configuration. For instance, at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo reaches 162 FPS, which is high enough to suggest the CPU can feed the GPU quickly. The fact that frame rates drop significantly at 4K, regardless of settings, points to the GPU being the primary limiter.

The CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provide ample bandwidth for game data. Its benchmark scores, such as a Geekbench multicore score of 12137, indicate strong performance for a 12th-generation processor. The percentileVsAllCpus score of 79 confirms that this CPU outperforms the majority of processors on the market. In this game, the CPU’s headroom means that players are unlikely to see CPU-related stutters or frame rate dips, provided the GPU is not overburdened.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 162 FPS, the Medium preset averages 124 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS, and the High preset averages 93 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution averages 63 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 103 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS. The High preset at this resolution averages 59 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold, and the Ultra preset averages 40 FPS. The 1440p results show that the combo can handle the game well at lower presets, but high and ultra settings require compromises.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 55 FPS, the Medium preset averages 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, and the High preset averages 31 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K averages just 21 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. The data clearly shows that 4K is only viable with the Low preset, and even then, the frame rate is marginal.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the user’s target resolution. For 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, offering an average of 124 FPS with a minimum of 106 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without significant dips. The High preset at 93 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset provides better frame pacing for a city builder where camera panning can be frequent. The Ultra preset at 63 FPS is playable but may exhibit stutter in busy scenes.

For 2560x1440, the Low preset is recommended for the highest frame rates, averaging 103 FPS. However, the Medium preset, with an average of 79 FPS and a minimum of 67 FPS, offers a better visual experience while still maintaining a high frame rate. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline; players who prioritize visual fidelity over a strict 60 FPS lock may find it acceptable, but the Medium preset is the safer choice for consistent performance.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only viable option, averaging 55 FPS. The Medium preset at 42 FPS is still playable for a slower-paced game like Steamworld Build, but the minimum of 35 FPS indicates potential stutters. The High and Ultra presets at 31 FPS and 21 FPS respectively are not recommended, as the frame rates are too low for a comfortable experience. In summary, the data suggests that this combo is best used at 1080p with Medium or High settings, or at 1440p with Medium settings, to balance visual quality and performance.