Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder where the simulation's demands on the processor and the rendering load on the graphics card create a unique performance profile. For the Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, the benchmark data reveals a system where the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities and the GPU's raw rendering power interact in unexpected ways across different resolutions and settings. This analysis examines the measured frame rates to understand which component is the primary driver of performance and how this particular combination stacks up against a vast field of other tested systems.

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

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its base clock of 2.50 GHz can boost up to 4.60 GHz, providing a significant dynamic range for handling both simulation logic and game thread scheduling. The processor's 20 MB of shared L3 cache is substantial, likely aiding in keeping frequently accessed game data close to the cores. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates a strong scaling from 2 to 8 threads, with scores jumping from 1880 to 5591 in 3DMark tests, and then to 7314 with 16 threads. This indicates robust multi-threading capabilities, which are essential for a city builder that must track numerous entities and their interactions.

The benchmark results suggest that the CPU is a capable partner for the RTX 4090, but the data indicates it may not be the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 322.4 FPS, a frame rate so high that it suggests the CPU is working near its limit to feed the GPU. However, as resolution increases and the GPU workload becomes heavier, the CPU's role shifts. The processor's performance in Cinebench R23, where it scores 21279 in multi-core and 3004 in single-core, shows a balanced capability that allows it to handle the game's simulation threads while still providing the single-thread responsiveness needed for frame pacing. The data implies that the i5-13400F provides a solid foundation, but the absolute frame rates in this title are heavily influenced by the graphics settings and resolution, pointing to the GPU as the more dynamic variable in this pairing.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a powerhouse based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, featuring a massive 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. Its boost clock of 2520 MHz and 16,384 shading units provide immense compute throughput, reflected in its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This hardware is designed to eliminate any GPU-side constraints in most scenarios. The 24 GB VRAM buffer is particularly relevant for a game like Steamworld Build, where high-resolution textures and complex scenes can consume significant memory; this capacity ensures that the GPU is unlikely to be hampered by memory swapping.

The measured data shows that the RTX 4090's performance is the defining factor in this combination. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 59.9 FPS, a substantial reduction from the 81.3 FPS at 4K High. This dramatic fall-off when transitioning from High to Ultra settings indicates that the most demanding presets impose a heavy computational load on the GPU, likely through advanced shading and post-processing effects. The GPU's performance in synthetic tests, such as a Passmark G3D score of 38194, confirms its top-tier status, but the game's frame rates show that even this hardware has limits when pushed to the absolute maximum. The data suggests that the RTX 4090 is the primary driver of frame rate variations across settings, with the CPU providing a stable enough platform to allow the GPU's capabilities to be fully expressed.

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

The frame rate progression across resolutions reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. Moving from 1080p to 1440p on High settings, the average FPS drops from 251.7 to 160.2, a reduction of approximately 36%. Scaling further to 4K High, the average FPS falls to 81.3, which is another 49% drop from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that as the pixel count increases, the GPU's rendering workload grows exponentially, making it the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The Low settings preset provides a clearer picture of the CPU's potential ceiling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 322.4 FPS, but this only drops to 277.7 FPS at 1440p Low (a 14% decrease) and then to 148.2 FPS at 4K Low (a 47% decrease from 1440p). The relatively small drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings suggests that the CPU is able to keep up with the increased resolution demand, and the system is not entirely GPU-bound until 4K. This analysis shows that at lower settings and resolutions, the i5-13400F is a more significant contributor, but the RTX 4090's raw power still dominates the scaling curve. The data implies that for this combination, the RTX 4090 is the primary performance lever, with the CPU becoming a secondary factor only at very high frame rates.

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

The measured average frame rates for this combination are as follows. At 1920x1080, the system achieves 322.4 FPS on Low, 291.0 FPS on Medium, 251.7 FPS on High, and 173.0 FPS on Ultra settings. At 2560x1440, the scores are 277.7 FPS on Low, 213.2 FPS on Medium, 160.2 FPS on High, and 109.7 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the frame rates drop to 148.2 FPS on Low, 110.6 FPS on Medium, 81.3 FPS on High, and 59.9 FPS on Ultra.

These numbers illustrate a clear hierarchy. The most significant performance penalty comes from enabling Ultra settings, which costs a substantial amount of frame rate compared to High at every resolution. For instance, at 1440p, the jump from High to Ultra reduces performance by 50.5 FPS (from 160.2 to 109.7). Similarly, at 4K, the same settings change results in a 21.4 FPS drop (from 81.3 to 59.9). The data indicates that the game's Ultra preset is exceptionally demanding, and even the RTX 4090 struggles to maintain high refresh rates at 4K with it enabled. Conversely, the Low preset offers remarkable headroom, with 1080p and 1440p both exceeding 270 FPS, indicating that the system is capable of extreme frame rates when graphical fidelity is not a priority.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested configurations, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a combo rank of 50 out of 1730 tested combos. This places it in the top 3% of all systems tested in Steamworld Build. This high ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 4090's exceptional performance. The CPU's contribution is also significant; it performs near the top of its class, with an average benchmark score of 25236 and a percentile ranking of 82 against all CPUs.

When considering the CPU's nearest rivals, the data shows a very tight grouping. The i5-13400F is within 0.5% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D and the AMD EPYC 9474F, and only 0.1% behind the Intel Core i7-13620H. This indicates that the choice of processor in this performance tier has a negligible impact on the overall system score. The ranking is, therefore, almost entirely attributable to the GPU. The RTX 4090's average benchmark score of 66473 places it in the 91st percentile among GPUs, and its nearest rivals are professional workstation cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4 and Quadro P6000, which are not typical gaming hardware. This confirms that the combination's high rank is a result of pairing a top-tier consumer GPU with a solid, mid-range to high-end CPU that does not bottleneck it.

FAQ

Q: What is the performance difference between the i5-13400F and its closest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-13400F's average benchmark score is 25236, placing it just 0.1% below the Intel Core i7-13620H and 0.5% above the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D and AMD EPYC 9474F. This indicates near-identical synthetic performance among these processors.

Q: Can this system run Steamworld Build at 4K with high refresh rates?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K on High settings, it achieves an average of 81.3 FPS, which is suitable for a 60Hz display. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 59.9, making it difficult to maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience with the highest settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 66473. This is 0.4% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla T4 and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P40, but 0.9% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 and 1.3% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro P6000.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p with Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the system achieves 322.4 FPS. This extremely high frame rate suggests the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has little work to do. The data implies the i5-13400F is the primary constraint at this very low graphical load.

Q: What is the frame rate impact of switching from High to Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 160.2 on High to 109.7 on Ultra. This represents a loss of 50.5 FPS, or roughly a 31.5% reduction in performance, solely from enabling the Ultra preset.

Q: How does this combination rank among all tested systems?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 50th out of 1730 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 3% of all configurations, showcasing its high-end performance capability.

Settings Recommendations

For players seeking the best balance of visual fidelity and smooth gameplay, the High preset is the optimal choice. At 1440p, it delivers an average of 160.2 FPS, which is more than sufficient for a fluid experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. Even at 4K, the High preset maintains an average of 81.3 FPS, providing a smooth and visually rich experience that comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset, while more visually demanding, incurs a performance penalty that is difficult to justify, particularly at 4K where it dips below 60 FPS.

For those with 4K displays, the High preset is the recommended setting to ensure consistent performance. If a higher frame rate is desired, or if the display is 1440p, the Medium preset offers a significant boost to 213.2 FPS at 1440p, which is an excellent option for competitive or fast-paced play. The data suggests that the Ultra preset is best reserved for situations where absolute visual quality is prioritized over frame rate stability, but the High preset provides a more balanced experience that leverages the RTX 4090's power without pushing it to its limits.