Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build places unusual demands on a desktop system because it is a city builder where the simulation logic and rendering load can scale independently. The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 produces a pairing that is clearly capable of playable performance at most settings, but the benchmark data reveals a distinct shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution and graphical fidelity change. The processor provides substantial headroom for simulation, while the graphics card becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and quality presets, leading to a performance profile that rewards users who understand their own display and settings priorities.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake Refresh architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which gives it strong single-thread performance for game logic and simulation ticks. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache, which is relevant for city builders where many agents and building states must be tracked simultaneously. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory and has a PCIe Gen 5, 16-lane interface for the CPU.

Benchmark results position this processor as a high-tier part. In Cinebench R23, it scores 32,544 points in multi-core and 4,594 in single-core tests. Geekbench results show 17,085 in multi-core and 2,445 in single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 38,697, and the single-thread score is 4,273. These numbers place the CPU in the 90th percentile of all processors in the database. The average benchmark score across all tests is 49,394, which puts it in close competition with several rivals. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900 averages 49,228 and is just 0.3% ahead, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G averages 49,196 and is 0.4% ahead. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 averages 48,995 and is 0.8% ahead. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 averages 49,796, meaning the i5-14600KF is 0.8% ahead of that part.

In the context of Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is to keep the simulation running smoothly. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 200 FPS average, which is far beyond what a display can typically show, indicating that the CPU is not limiting performance at that point. Even at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 67, which is still well above playable thresholds. The processor's high single-core score (4,594 in Cinebench R23) suggests it can handle the per-frame game logic without becoming a bottleneck. The multi-core advantage (32,544 in Cinebench R23) becomes more relevant as the city grows and more entities require updates, but the benchmark data indicates that even in the most demanding scenarios tested, the CPU does not drag down the average FPS below playable levels.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process at TSMC, featuring 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory clocked at 2500 MHz (20 Gbps effective). It includes 2,560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, 32 ROPs, 20 ray tracing cores, and 80 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 82.30 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 205.8 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance rated at 13.17 TFLOPS.

The GPU's benchmark scores show it sits in the 66th percentile of all graphics cards. The PassMark G3D score is 17,326, and the average benchmark score is 21,035. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, which averages 21,153 and is 0.6% ahead, and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, which averages 21,237 and is 1% ahead. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT averages 20,713 and is 1.6% behind, while the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile averages 21,379 and is 1.6% ahead. This places the RTX 5050 in a competitive mid-range position.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role becomes dominant at higher resolutions and quality settings. The 8 GB VRAM is a notable factor; at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 26, which is just above the threshold of playability but not smooth. The memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s appears sufficient for most settings, but the GPU's raw compute power (13.17 TFLOPS) becomes the limiting factor when resolution and texture quality increase. The data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p Low, the GPU is underutilized and the system hits 200 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully saturated and delivers only 26 FPS. The RTX 5050's performance class is adequate for 1080p gaming at high settings, but it struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K, especially with Ultra presets.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves 115 FPS average. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 73 FPS, a decrease of 36.5%. At 4K High, the average FPS falls to 39, which is a 66.1% drop from 1080p High. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, but as pixel count rises, the RTX 5050's rendering capabilities are exhausted.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, 1080p yields 200 FPS, 1440p yields 127 FPS, and 4K yields 67 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.5%, and from 1080p to 4K is 66.5%. At Medium settings, the averages are 153 FPS at 1080p, 97 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 66.0% drop from 1080p to 4K. The consistency of these percentage drops across settings strongly suggests that the scaling is resolution-bound rather than settings-bound, confirming that the GPU is the limiting factor.

At Ultra settings, the averages are 77 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.4%, and from 1080p to 4K is 66.2%. This indicates that even at the highest settings, the limiting component remains the GPU. The CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain high FPS at lower resolutions, but the RTX 5050 cannot keep pace as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K. The data suggests that for smooth 4K gameplay, users would need to rely on the Low or Medium settings, where the system still delivers 67 and 52 FPS respectively.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1,755 out of 2,924 tested combinations in Steamworld Build. This places it in the 60th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly 60% of the configurations in the database. Given that the CPU is in the 90th percentile of all processors and the GPU is in the 66th percentile, the combo rank being lower than the CPU's percentile but higher than the GPU's percentile is consistent with the GPU being the bottleneck in this pairing.

The rank of 1,755 out of 2,924 indicates that this is a solidly mid-range combination. It is not a top-tier setup, but it is far from the bottom. The data suggests that the CPU is capable of supporting more powerful GPUs, as its 90th percentile standing would allow it to pair well with higher-end graphics cards. Conversely, the GPU holds back the overall system performance, as its 66th percentile standing is the limiting factor. This is reflected in the measured FPS data, where the system achieves playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p but struggles at 4K Ultra.

The combo rank also implies that users with this pairing can expect consistent performance in city builders like Steamworld Build, where the simulation load is significant but the graphics requirements are moderate. The 60th percentile ranking means that many other combinations will perform better, but also that a large number will perform worse. For a mid-range GPU and a high-end CPU, this ranking is reasonable and reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, with the GPU being the more significant constraint under heavy graphical loads.

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

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at how this combination performs across all tested configurations. At 1080p, the system delivers strong performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 200. Medium settings yield 153 FPS, with a minimum of 130 and a maximum of 176. High settings produce 115 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 77 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system is capable of smooth gameplay at all settings, with even Ultra exceeding 60 FPS.

At 1440p, performance remains playable but with more variation. Low settings average 127 FPS. Medium settings average 97 FPS, with a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 112. High settings average 73 FPS. Ultra settings average 49 FPS, which dips below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The data indicates that at 1440p, users should stick to High settings or lower to maintain a consistent frame rate above 60 FPS.

At 4K, the system struggles at higher settings. Low settings average 67 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 59. High settings average 39 FPS. Ultra settings average 26 FPS, which is borderline unplayable for most users. The data shows that at 4K, the system is only suitable for Low or Medium settings, and even then, the frame rates are not ideal for fast-paced gameplay, though they may be acceptable for a city builder where precise timing is less critical.

The minimum and maximum FPS values are only provided for Medium settings across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the range is 130 to 176 FPS, a spread of 46 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 83 to 112 FPS, a spread of 29 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 44 to 59 FPS, a spread of 15 FPS. This narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is more consistently saturated, reducing frame time variance but also lowering the average.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600KF a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 in Steamworld Build?

A: No, the benchmark data shows the CPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 200 FPS, and even at 4K Low it reaches 67 FPS. The processor's 90th percentile ranking and high Cinebench R23 scores (32,544 multi-core, 4,594 single-core) indicate it has ample headroom. The GPU becomes the bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this CPU-GPU pairing?

A: For smooth gameplay above 60 FPS, 1080p with Ultra settings delivers 77 FPS, and 1440p with High settings delivers 73 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings (67 FPS) or Medium settings (52 FPS) are viable, with Medium providing a minimum of 44 FPS. The data suggests 1440p High is the optimal balance for visual quality and performance.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21,035. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is 1.6% behind at 20,713, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL is 0.6% ahead at 21,153, and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M is 1% ahead at 21,237. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile is 1.6% ahead at 21,379. This places the RTX 5050 in a tight competitive cluster.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Low settings, the average FPS is 67, which is playable. At 4K Medium, the average is 52 FPS with a minimum of 44, which is acceptable for a city builder. However, High settings drop to 39 FPS, and Ultra settings to 26 FPS, which are not recommended for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The i5-14600KF averages 49,394 in benchmark scores. It is 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49,228), 0.4% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49,196), and 0.8% behind the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 (48,995). It is 0.8% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 (49,796). These are very close margins, indicating similar performance levels.

Q: What is the expected frame rate variance at different settings?

A: The data only provides minimum and maximum FPS for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 130 to 176 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 83 to 112 FPS. At 4K Medium, it is 44 to 59 FPS. The variance decreases as resolution increases, from a 46 FPS spread at 1080p to a 15 FPS spread at 4K, indicating more consistent frame pacing at higher resolutions.