Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents a unique workload that stresses different components depending on the resolution and settings. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, using only the provided benchmark data. The combination ranks 789th out of 1730 tested configurations in this title, placing it in the upper-middle tier of systems. The data reveals a configuration that delivers highly playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to show its limits at 4K, particularly with the most demanding visual presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the rate of decline is heavily influenced by the graphics settings. This variance is the key to understanding which component—CPU or GPU—is the limiting factor in Steamworld Build.

At the Low settings preset, the frame rates are extraordinarily high, indicating a scenario where the CPU is the primary bottleneck. The average FPS at 1080p is 256.1. Moving to 1440p drops this to 160.5, a reduction of approximately 37%. At 4K, the average is 85.7 FPS, which is another 47% drop from 1440p. While the GPU is still doing more work at higher resolutions, the sheer headroom at 1080p suggests the processor is able to feed frames faster than the graphics card can render them at lower resolutions. The game is likely limited by draw calls and simulation logic, which are CPU-bound tasks, rather than raw pixel throughput.

The High settings preset shows a more balanced scaling, though the GPU becomes more influential. At 1080p, the average FPS is 145.4. This drops to 91.0 at 1440p, a 37% decrease, and then to 50.9 at 4K, a 44% decrease from 1440p. The consistent drop across resolutions indicates that both the CPU and GPU are working in tandem, with the load shifting more towards the GPU as the pixel count increases. The 4K result, while still playable, suggests that the RTX 3070 is being pushed hard with these settings.

The Ultra settings preset demonstrates the most extreme GPU dependency. The performance cost is steep, even at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS is 101.8. This falls to 61.1 at 1440p, a 40% drop. At 4K, the average FPS is just 32.7, a 46% drop from 1440p. This final result is the only one in the entire dataset that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, making the Ultra preset at 4K the only combination that is not consistently smooth. The scaling here points to a scenario where the GPU's compute and memory resources are saturated by the high-fidelity effects, making it the definitive limiting component at this quality level.

The data suggests that for this CPU-GPU pairing, 1080p and 1440p are the optimal resolutions for a smooth experience, regardless of settings. The 4K resolution is viable only when the graphics preset is lowered to Low or Medium, where the average FPS remains above 60.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this configuration?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 256.1 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is this system capable of 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but only with lower settings. The data shows an average of 85.7 FPS at 4K with Low settings and 63.6 FPS with Medium settings. At High settings, the average drops to 50.9 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 32.7 FPS.

Q: How does the performance at 1440p High compare to 1080p High?

A: The average FPS at 1440p High is 91.0, which is a 37% decrease from the 145.4 FPS average observed at 1080p High. This indicates a significant performance cost for the higher resolution.

Q: What is the most demanding settings preset for this game?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding. At every resolution, it produces the lowest average FPS compared to the Low, Medium, and High presets. For example, at 1080p, it achieves 101.8 FPS, while Low achieves 256.1 FPS.

Q: Does the frame rate drop consistently from 1080p to 1440p across all settings?

A: No, the percentage drop varies. For Low settings, the drop is from 256.1 to 160.5 FPS (a 37% decrease). For High settings, it drops from 145.4 to 91.0 FPS (a 37% decrease). For Ultra settings, it drops from 101.8 to 61.1 FPS (a 40% decrease). The pattern is similar but not identical.

Q: Where does this system rank among all tested configurations in Steamworld Build?

A: This specific CPU and GPU combination ranks 789th out of 1730 total tested configurations, placing it in the 46th percentile of all systems tested for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores show it to be a highly capable mid-range CPU. In Cinebench R23, it scores 21914 points in the multi-core test and 3093 points in the single-core test. This strong single-thread performance is critical for city builders, which often have simulation and logic threads that cannot be easily parallelized.

The CPU's impact on Steamworld Build is most evident at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU is not fully taxed. When the RTX 3070 is able to render frames quickly, the i5-14400F must keep up with the game's simulation. The data supports this: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 256.1 FPS. This high frame rate indicates that the CPU is successfully processing game logic fast enough to feed the GPU. The processor's 4.70 GHz boost clock helps ensure that single-threaded tasks are completed with minimal latency.

The i5-14400F's overall performance, as measured by its average benchmark score of 32508, places it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-12800H and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645, with differences of 0% and 0.2% respectively. This indicates that the CPU's compute potential is well within the range needed for modern gaming. In Steamworld Build, the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions or with higher settings, as the frame rate drops are more consistent with a GPU limitation. The processor provides a solid foundation that allows the GPU to be the primary driver of performance at 1440p and 4K, especially when visual fidelity is prioritized.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the average FPS recorded for the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination in Steamworld Build.

1920x1080:

• Low: 256.1 FPS
• Medium: 194.0 FPS
• High: 145.4 FPS
• Ultra: 101.8 FPS

At 1080p, all settings deliver frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold. The difference between Low and Ultra is substantial, with a 154.3 FPS gap, indicating that the graphics card has a significant impact on performance even at this resolution. The 256.1 FPS result at Low suggests the CPU is the limiting component, as the GPU could potentially render even more frames if the processor could supply them faster.

2560x1440:

• Low: 160.5 FPS
• Medium: 124.6 FPS
• High: 91.0 FPS
• Ultra: 61.1 FPS

At 1440p, the performance scales down predictably. All presets remain playable, with Ultra just barely staying above the 60 FPS mark. The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 99.4 FPS, but the relative performance drop from 1080p is consistent across settings, suggesting a balanced load between CPU and GPU.

3840x2160:

• Low: 85.7 FPS
• Medium: 63.6 FPS
• High: 50.9 FPS
• Ultra: 32.7 FPS

The 4K resolution presents the most challenging scenario. Only the Low and Medium presets maintain an average FPS above 60. The High preset falls to 50.9 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 32.7 FPS, which is the only result in the entire dataset that would be considered not smooth. This clearly illustrates the RTX 3070's limitations at this pixel count, especially when high-fidelity effects are enabled.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, based on the Ampere architecture, is the primary driver of visual performance in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is rated at 1725 MHz. The GPU's benchmark scores, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162 and a Passmark G3D score of 22214, place it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs.

In Steamworld Build, the RTX 3070's role becomes increasingly dominant as the resolution and settings are increased. The 4K Ultra result of 32.7 FPS is a clear indication that the GPU is the limiting factor. The game's high-resolution textures and demanding post-processing effects at the Ultra preset appear to saturate the graphics card's memory bandwidth and compute units. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is likely a contributing factor, as 4K textures can exceed this amount, causing the system to rely on slower memory transfers.

The GPU's performance relative to its rivals is notable. The data shows it is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti in average benchmark score. This suggests that the RTX 3070 is a strong performer, but its age is showing in the most demanding scenarios. The transition from 1440p to 4K at High settings results in a 44% drop in FPS (from 91.0 to 50.9), which is a steeper decline than the 37% drop seen from 1080p to 1440p. This non-linear scaling is a classic sign of the GPU's memory bus and bandwidth being overwhelmed by the increased pixel throughput and texture data required at 4K. The GPU is clearly the component that determines the ceiling for visual quality in this game, and its 8 GB memory pool is a limiting factor for the highest resolution and settings combination.