Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder that stresses both processor and graphics hardware, and the Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a broad spectrum of performance across resolutions and presets. The data indicates a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p and solid 4K playability, though the scaling between settings reveals where the bottleneck shifts. This analysis breaks down the measured frames per second, the role of each component, and how this combination stacks against the broader test pool.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound title at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 329 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same Low preset drops performance to 253 FPS, a 23% reduction, and then to 134 FPS at 4K, which represents a further 47% decline. This steep drop-off from 1440p to 4K strongly indicates that the RTX 4080’s rendering pipeline becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, outpacing the CPU’s ability to feed frames at lower pixel counts.

The scaling pattern shifts when examining higher settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 228 at 1080p, to 145 at 1440p, and finally to 77 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 47%. This consistent, large reduction across all resolution steps suggests that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are being taxed heavily, with the 4K Ultra preset showing the most extreme load at just 52 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is substantial—134 FPS versus 52 FPS—demonstrating that the visual fidelity settings have a multiplicative effect on resolution strain.

Interestingly, the transition from Medium to High at 1440p shows a 25% performance hit (194 to 145 FPS), which is proportionally similar to the 24% drop seen at 4K (102 to 77 FPS). This uniformity implies that the game’s renderer scales effects linearly with resolution, and the RTX 4080’s 16 GB VRAM buffer is sufficient to hold the necessary assets without hitting capacity limits, as evidenced by the lack of catastrophic frame drops or stutter in the min FPS data points. The data suggests that for players targeting 4K, the difference between Low and Medium is a 31% performance uplift (134 to 102 FPS), which is a significant trade-off for visual quality.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055. In Steamworld Build, which is a city builder that relies heavily on simulation logic and AI pathfinding, these scores are relevant. The CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 25470 indicates it can handle complex simulation ticks, but the game’s engine appears to scale well with GPU load at higher resolutions.

The role of the CPU becomes apparent when analyzing the Low preset results. At 1080p Low, the system produces 329 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that likely approaches the CPU’s rendering command submission limit. However, the data does not show a plateau; the 1440p Low result of 253 FPS is still extremely high, suggesting that the CPU is not the primary constraint until frame rates exceed 300 FPS. The single-thread performance, measured by PassMark single thread score of 3701, is critical for game logic, and the boost clock of 4.70 GHz provides adequate headroom for maintaining stable frame pacing in crowded scenes.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database, the i5-14400F sits within a tight performance band. It is 0.1% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i9-11900, while being 0.2% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS. These negligible deltas indicate that for this game, the processor’s core configuration and clock speeds are more than sufficient, and the measured FPS differences are overwhelmingly driven by the GPU. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the game’s asset streaming and entity updates.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combo—Intel Core i5-14400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080—ranks 270th out of 3706 tested combinations for Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 7.3% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing given the high number of entries. The percentile ranking reflects the RTX 4080’s position in the GPU hierarchy, as it falls into the 86th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs.

The combo’s rank of 270 suggests that while it is a high-end pairing, there are 269 other combinations that achieve higher average FPS in this specific title. These superior combos likely include higher-tier CPUs like the Core i9 or Ryzen 9 series paired with the same GPU, or possibly the RTX 4090. However, the data shows that the i5-14400F does not bottleneck the RTX 4080 in a significant way, as the measured FPS at 1440p and 4K are well within the range expected for this GPU class. The GPU’s nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, has an average score 0.1% higher, indicating that the non-SUPER variant is performing essentially identically in this workload.

The ranking also implies that the combination is well-balanced for a city builder, which is often more CPU-intensive than a typical shooter. The fact that the combo achieves such high FPS at 1440p—145 FPS at High settings—suggests that the CPU’s 10 cores are adequately feeding the GPU, and the system is not leaving significant performance on the table. For users seeking higher rankings, the data would suggest that upgrading the CPU would yield diminishing returns, as the GPU is the dominant factor in the 4K Ultra results.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset averages 329 FPS, while Medium reaches 298 FPS with a minimum of 254 FPS and a maximum of 343 FPS. High settings produce 228 FPS, and Ultra drops to 154 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the game is heavily CPU-bound at lower settings, but the GPU still has ample headroom to push high refresh rates on high-refresh monitors. The min FPS of 254 FPS at Medium shows consistent frame delivery, which is crucial for maintaining smooth camera panning in a builder game.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. Low settings yield 253 FPS, Medium produces 194 FPS with a min of 165 FPS and max of 223 FPS, High averages 145 FPS, and Ultra averages 98 FPS. The data shows a clear linear progression, with each preset step reducing FPS by roughly 20-25%. The 1440p Ultra result of 98 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the min FPS data for Medium (165 FPS) suggests that the frame times are stable without significant spikes. This resolution is likely the sweet spot for this combo, balancing visual fidelity with high refresh rates.

At 4K (3840x2160), the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 134 FPS, which is impressive for 4K, but the Medium preset drops to 102 FPS with a min of 87 FPS and max of 118 FPS. High settings average 77 FPS, and Ultra falls to 52 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is 25%, and from High to Ultra is 32%, showing that the Ultra preset includes effects that are disproportionately expensive at 4K. The min FPS of 87 FPS at Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the system maintains playable frame rates, but the Ultra preset’s 52 FPS average suggests that users should avoid it for a consistently smooth experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the observed performance. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is crucial for Steamworld Build, which likely loads many textures and model assets for buildings and terrain. The GPU’s 9728 shading units and 76 RT cores, while not directly relevant to a 2D-heavy city builder, contribute to its overall compute throughput, evidenced by a PassMark G3D score of 34457 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567.

The GPU’s clocks are also a factor: a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz. These high clocks allow the GPU to maintain consistent throughput across various resolutions. The data shows that at 4K, the GPU’s fill rate is the primary constraint, as the FPS drops significantly from Low to Ultra. The pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s are substantial, but the game’s draw calls at 4K Ultra with high object counts can still saturate these units.

Compared to its peers, the RTX 4080 is 0.1% faster than the RTX 4080 SUPER in average benchmark scores, but 1.1% slower than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and 2.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB. These deltas are small, indicating that the GPU’s performance is well within the expected range for its class. The 16 GB VRAM is a notable advantage, as it prevents memory swapping at high resolutions and presets, which is likely why the min FPS at 4K Medium (87 FPS) does not show severe dips. The GPU’s end-of-life production status suggests it is a previous-generation part, but its performance remains competitive for this title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the Ultra preset at 154 FPS is more than sufficient for any high-refresh monitor, and the Medium preset at 298 FPS provides an excellent margin for future-proofing. However, given the high FPS, there is no reason to sacrifice visual quality at this resolution; the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation for the best experience.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset’s 98 FPS is borderline for a 144 Hz monitor, but the High preset at 145 FPS is ideal for hitting the refresh rate ceiling without significant visual compromises. The data shows that the jump from High to Ultra costs 32% performance (145 to 98 FPS), which may not be worth the marginal visual improvements. Therefore, the High preset is the recommended choice for 1440p, as it balances smoothness with fidelity. The Medium preset at 194 FPS is also viable for competitive play, but the visual downgrade is noticeable.

For 4K, the Ultra preset is not recommended, as the 52 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 77 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced camera movements. The Medium preset at 102 FPS is the best balance, offering a smooth experience with a min FPS of 87 FPS, which ensures no significant stutter. The Low preset at 134 FPS is an option for those prioritizing frame rate above all, but the Medium preset provides a substantial visual upgrade for only a 24% performance cost. Thus, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for 4K gaming on this hardware.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 100+ FPS?

A: At 1440p, the High preset averages 145 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 98 FPS. At 4K, the Medium preset averages 102 FPS, so 1440p High is the best choice for consistently exceeding 100 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to the RTX 4080 SUPER in this context?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER, indicating they perform nearly identically in this game.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in Steamworld Build?

A: The data suggests no significant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 329 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 52, showing that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 87 FPS, with an average of 102 FPS and a maximum of 118 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for this game?

A: This combo ranks 270th out of 3706 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7.3% of all systems.

Q: Does the 16 GB VRAM of the RTX 4080 provide enough memory for 4K textures?

A: The measured FPS at 4K Medium (102 FPS) and High (77 FPS) does not show signs of VRAM throttling, indicating that 16 GB is sufficient for this game’s asset load.