Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents an interesting stress test for the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily balanced toward high refresh rate gameplay at standard resolutions, but which encounters a significant bottleneck when pushed to 4K with maximum settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, examining the specific roles the CPU and GPU play in shaping the experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and telling. At Medium settings, the system produces 266.3 FPS at 1920x1080, which falls to 168.7 FPS at 2560x1440, and then plummets to 87.1 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 67% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, a scaling pattern that indicates the workload is becoming increasingly GPU-bound as pixel count rises.

The Low preset shows a similar trend, with 323.5 FPS at 1080p dropping to 219.5 FPS at 1440p and finally 113.6 FPS at 4K. The fact that even the Low preset cannot maintain a high frame rate at 4K suggests that the GPU's rendering capabilities are the limiting factor at that resolution. However, the scaling from 1440p to 4K is less severe for the Low preset (a 48% drop) compared to the Ultra preset (a 46% drop from 84.3 to 45.2 FPS), indicating that the game's visual effects at higher presets add a substantial pixel-processing burden.

The Ultra preset data is particularly revealing. At 1080p, the system hits 134.2 FPS, but this falls to 84.3 FPS at 1440p and a playable-but-low 45.2 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a 46% reduction, which is consistent with a GPU that is running out of fill rate or memory bandwidth at the highest resolution. The data implies that for 4K gaming, the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary constraint, while at 1080p the system has ample headroom, likely allowing the CPU to dictate maximum achievable frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark scores show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21279 and a single-core score of 3004. The CPU's percentile ranking of 82 versus all CPUs indicates it sits above average, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-13620H, scores nearly identically with a deltaPct of just 0.1.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU's role becomes apparent at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 323.5 FPS, a figure that likely approaches the engine's simulation or draw-call limits. The fact that the 1080p High preset still manages 197.1 FPS shows that the 13400F's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 16 threads provide ample processing power for the game's city-building logic and entity management. The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1080p, as the GPU is still able to render frames at extremely high rates.

However, the CPU's performance ceiling is evident when comparing 1080p Low to 1440p Low. The 323.5 FPS at 1080p drops to 219.5 FPS at 1440p, a reduction that is less steep than the 4K drop but still significant. This indicates that while the GPU is becoming more involved at 1440p, the CPU is still capable of feeding it enough data. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and 2-thread score of 1880 suggest that the game, like many city builders, may rely on a few primary threads for simulation, but the 13400F's high boost clock appears sufficient to avoid major frame pacing issues at the measured settings.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the High preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1080p, it delivers 197.1 FPS, which is more than enough for any display. At 1440p, it maintains a smooth 124.4 FPS, providing an excellent balance between visual fidelity and performance. Even at 4K, the High preset achieves 68.8 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold for comfortable play.

The Ultra preset, while visually superior, exacts a heavy toll. At 4K, it drops to 45.2 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The jump from High to Ultra at 4K costs 23.6 FPS, a 34% reduction. For users with 1440p monitors, Ultra is viable at 84.3 FPS, but the question becomes whether the marginal visual improvements justify the performance loss. The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with 87.1 FPS at 4K and 168.7 FPS at 1440p, but the data implies that High provides a better overall experience, as it sits closer to the performance ceiling without the steep penalties of Ultra.

The Low preset is only recommended for maximum frame rates, particularly at 1080p where it hits 323.5 FPS. However, given that High at 1080p already exceeds 190 FPS, the Low preset's visual compromises are rarely necessary unless targeting the absolute highest refresh rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with High settings provides the best balance, delivering 124.4 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and offers significantly better performance than the 4K High result of 68.8 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: The measured data indicates a 4K Ultra average of 45.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS standard. While technically playable, the frame rate is noticeably lower than the 4K High result of 68.8 FPS.

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

A: At 1440p, High delivers 124.4 FPS compared to Medium's 168.7 FPS, a 26% reduction. At 4K, High offers 68.8 FPS versus Medium's 87.1 FPS, a 21% reduction. The visual fidelity increase may be worth this cost for many users.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the system hits 323.5 FPS, suggesting a CPU or engine limitation, as the GPU is unlikely to be saturated at that setting. The CPU's strong multi-threaded performance (Cinebench R23 multi-core of 21279) supports this.

Q: How does the 13400F compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-13620H has an average score of 25201, which is 0.1% higher than the 13400F's 25236 average. This makes them effectively identical in synthetic performance.

Q: What is the performance drop from 1440p to 4K on High settings?

A: The frame rate falls from 124.4 FPS at 1440p to 68.8 FPS at 4K, a 45% reduction. This indicates a strong GPU dependency at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it features 7168 shading units. The GPU's percentile ranking of 84 versus all GPUs places it well above average, though its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A6000, scores slightly higher with a deltaPct of -0.2.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is most apparent at higher resolutions. The transition from 1440p High (124.4 FPS) to 4K High (68.8 FPS) shows a clear dependence on pixel throughput. The GPU's compute performance, measured at 35.48 TFLOPS FP32, is substantial, but the 4K Ultra result of 45.2 FPS suggests that the game's Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU's shading and memory subsystems. The 12 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for the game, as no memory-related stuttering is indicated in the average FPS data.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Passmark G3D score of 29995, aligns with its in-game behavior. The data implies that the RTX 4070 SUPER is a capable 1440p powerhouse and a solid 4K performer at High settings, but it reaches its limits when Ultra settings are combined with 4K resolution. The significant drop from Medium to Ultra at any resolution highlights how the GPU's architectural features, such as its 224 texture mapping units and 80 render output units, are stressed by the game's advanced visual effects.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of performance scaling. At 1920x1080, the system delivers 323.5 FPS on Low, 266.3 FPS on Medium, 197.1 FPS on High, and 134.2 FPS on Ultra. These figures show that even the most demanding 1080p preset achieves high frame rates, leaving ample headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 2560x1440, the results are 219.5 FPS on Low, 168.7 FPS on Medium, 124.4 FPS on High, and 84.3 FPS on Ultra. The Ultra preset at 1440p is the first point where the system dips below 100 FPS, indicating that the GPU is becoming a limiting factor for the most demanding settings. The 1440p High result remains excellent for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system produces 113.6 FPS on Low, 87.1 FPS on Medium, 68.8 FPS on High, and 45.2 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is notably low, suggesting that users targeting 4K should stick to High settings for a consistent 60+ FPS experience. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is consistent across all presets, with an average reduction of roughly 45-50%, confirming the GPU as the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination ranks 283rd out of 1730 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 16% of all configurations, a strong showing for a mid-range to high-end pairing. The rank reflects the system's ability to deliver high frame rates at mainstream resolutions while falling short of the absolute top-tier performance seen in more expensive combinations.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 82 and the GPU's percentile of 84 suggest that both components are well-matched, with neither significantly dragging down the other's performance. The combo's rank indicates that it outperforms the vast majority of systems, likely including those with weaker GPUs or older CPUs. The data implies that while this combo is not the absolute fastest available, it offers a level of performance that places it well within the top tier for this specific game, making it a reliable choice for smooth gameplay at 1440p and capable 4K performance at reduced settings.