Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from 2023, is not typically a title that stresses top-tier hardware, yet the data for the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination reveals a setup that provides exceptional headroom across all tested configurations. The measured FPS shows that this pairing is capable of delivering high refresh rates even at demanding 4K resolutions, with the primary performance bottleneck shifting from the GPU to the CPU only at lower resolutions and settings. The benchmark results indicate a system that is massively overqualified for the game's requirements, offering a smooth experience regardless of the user's display or quality preferences.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data strongly suggests that Ultra settings are the optimal choice for this hardware combination, provided the user has a display capable of taking advantage of the high frame rates. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 177.3 FPS, which is more than sufficient for a smooth, responsive experience in a city builder. Moving up to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset still maintains a highly playable 110.7 FPS, showing that the system has ample performance headroom. Even at the demanding 3840x2160 resolution, Ultra settings hold an average of 59.3 FPS, which is right at the threshold for console-quality smoothness and perfectly acceptable for a genre where twitch reflexes are not required.

While the High preset offers a significant performance boost over Ultra—jumping from 59.3 to 88.1 FPS at 4K—the visual fidelity difference in a game like Steamworld Build is likely more noticeable than the frame rate increase beyond the 60 FPS mark. The data shows that the system is not struggling with the Ultra preset; it is simply that the game is not optimized to push the RTX 5090 to its limits. Choosing Medium or Low presets is counterproductive, as they sacrifice visual quality for frame rates that far exceed the refresh rate of most monitors. For example, at 1440p, the Medium preset produces 222.2 FPS, and Low produces 291.8 FPS, but these numbers provide no practical benefit over the 110.7 FPS achieved on Ultra. The verdict is clear: max out the settings and enjoy the highest fidelity, as the hardware has more than enough power to handle it.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Steamworld Build at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes. The benchmark results show an average of 59.3 FPS at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra preset, which is a playable frame rate for the city-builder genre.

Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 overkill for this game?

A: The data suggests it is. The GPU reaches an average of 379.3 FPS at 1080p with Low settings, and even at 4K, the average frame rate does not drop below 59.3 FPS on Ultra. This indicates the game is not creating a significant load for the GPU.

Q: How does the performance scale between 1080p and 4K?

A: The performance varies significantly by settings. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops by 66.5% from 177.3 FPS at 1080p to 59.3 FPS at 4K. At Low settings, the drop is more substantial, from 379.3 FPS at 1080p to 153.4 FPS at 4K, a 59.5% reduction.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for a 144Hz monitor?

A: For a 144Hz monitor, 2560x1440 with Ultra settings is the ideal target, as it produces an average of 110.7 FPS. While this is below 144 FPS, the higher settings are preferable for visual quality, and the frame rate is still very high.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance in this game?

A: At 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the frame rates are extremely high. At 4K with Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, as the frame rate drops to 59.3 FPS, indicating a heavier load on the graphics card.

Q: Is there a big difference between the High and Ultra presets?

A: Yes, the performance cost is significant. At 4K, moving from High to Ultra results in a 32.7% reduction in average FPS, from 88.1 to 59.3. This suggests the Ultra preset includes expensive effects that heavily tax the GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and expected scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1920x1080, the system is heavily CPU-bound, with frame rates ranging from 177.3 FPS on Ultra to 379.3 FPS on Low. These extremely high numbers suggest that the Intel Core i5-14600KF is the limiting component at this resolution, as the frame rate is more dependent on the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls than the GPU's rendering power. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is moderate; for instance, the Ultra preset drops from 177.3 FPS to 110.7 FPS, a 37.6% decrease. This indicates that the GPU is starting to take on more work, but the CPU is still contributing to the overall performance ceiling.

The most telling change occurs when moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160. At 4K, the frame rates on all presets drop significantly, with the Ultra preset falling to 59.3 FPS. This substantial reduction—a 46.4% drop from the 1440p result—confirms that the RTX 5090 is now the primary bottleneck. The game's rendering load at 4K is finally enough to stress the GPU, even one as powerful as the RTX 5090. The data shows that at 4K, the performance scaling is more linear, with the difference between Low and Ultra being a 61.5% performance swing (from 153.4 to 59.3 FPS). This pattern indicates that the game's performance is limited by different components depending on the resolution, with the CPU at 1080p and the GPU at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of an Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 6th out of 1730 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This is a top-tier ranking, placing the system in the top 0.3% of all configurations tested by the benchmark database. This ranking is unsurprising given the individual performance of both components. The CPU itself is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 49367, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, scores 49166, a delta of only 0.4%, showing that the "KF" variant is virtually identical in performance. Similarly, the GPU is a powerhouse, with an average benchmark score of 84306, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. Its performance is closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, which has a delta of just 0.1%.

The high combo rank is a direct result of pairing two top-tier components. The data indicates that there is no significant bottleneck in the system that would prevent it from achieving near-maximum performance. The rank of 6th out of 1730 combos suggests that only a handful of other pairings, likely those using a more powerful CPU, can extract slightly more performance from the RTX 5090 in this specific game. However, the difference in overall experience is likely negligible, as the frame rates are already extremely high. This combo is firmly in the enthusiast tier, delivering a level of performance that will satisfy even the most demanding users.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. In the context of Steamworld Build, a city builder where simulation and AI calculations are frequent, the CPU's multi-core performance is crucial. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not a limiting factor, even at lower resolutions where it is the primary driver of performance. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, indicating that the processor can easily handle the game's simulation load.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32889 demonstrates its strong parallel processing capabilities, which are beneficial for a game that must track numerous entities and their states. Its single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 4643, is also robust, ensuring that the main game thread is not a bottleneck. The data suggests that the i5-14600KF provides enough headroom to allow the RTX 5090 to work without being held back, even in CPU-intensive scenarios. The processor's 24 MB of shared L3 cache likely helps in keeping frequently accessed game data close at hand, reducing latency. Overall, the CPU's role in this combination is to provide a stable, high-performance foundation that does not impede the GPU's capabilities.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured average FPS for this combo provides a comprehensive view of its performance.

• 1920x1080: At this resolution, the system delivers exceptional performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 379.3. Moving to Medium yields 344.0 FPS, and High produces 260.5 FPS. The Ultra preset still achieves a very high 177.3 FPS.

• 2560x1440: The performance remains extremely high at 1440p. The Low preset averages 291.8 FPS. Medium settings provide 222.2 FPS, while High produces 164.1 FPS. The Ultra preset maintains a smooth 110.7 FPS.

• 3840x2160: At 4K, the GPU is put to work. The Low preset averages 153.4 FPS, and Medium settings yield 116.7 FPS. High settings produce 88.1 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 59.3 FPS.

These numbers show a clear and consistent hierarchy. The performance cost of the Ultra preset is substantial, particularly at 4K, but it remains playable. The data confirms that this system can handle any combination of resolution and settings, offering a wide range of options to the user.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its architecture, Blackwell 2.0, is built on a 5 nm process. This immense memory capacity and bandwidth are overkill for Steamworld Build, a game that does not require large textures or high-resolution assets. The GPU's role becomes the primary performance limiter only at 4K resolution with higher settings, where its rendering capabilities are more fully utilized.

The benchmark data shows that the RTX 5090 is capable of producing staggering frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but these are often limited by the CPU. At 4K, the GPU's workload increases, and it is here that we see its true potential in this game. The drop from 110.7 FPS at 1440p Ultra to 59.3 FPS at 4K Ultra shows that the GPU is finally being challenged. The card's high boost clock of 2407 MHz and its 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are more than sufficient to handle the game's rendering requirements. In this context, the RTX 5090 is a future-proofing investment, ensuring that the system will handle any current or future city-building title with ease. Its performance percentile of 94% versus all GPUs confirms its top-tier status, and its average benchmark score of 84306 places it in the highest echelon of graphics cards.