Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder where the simulation and rendering load scales heavily with population and visual complexity. The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a high-performance experience, ranking in the top third of all tested configurations. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings, with the pairing proving capable of excellent frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K Ultra pushes the system to its limits.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. In the context of Steamworld Build, a genre that requires simulating numerous entities and processing game logic, the CPU's multi-threaded performance is critical. The processor's benchmark scores reflect a strong capacity for this workload; its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 29241 and 3DMark max-thread score of 9979 indicate substantial parallel processing power.

However, the game's frame rate results across different settings suggest that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at most configurations. For instance, at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 296.6 FPS, a figure so high that it indicates the CPU is feeding the GPU efficiently. The processor's single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4013, ensures that the core game logic and draw calls are processed without stalling the graphics pipeline. The CPU's percentile rank of 89 versus all CPUs confirms it is a high-tier part, and its average benchmark score of 35684 places it in close contention with rivals like the Intel Core i7-13700T, which scores 35468 (a 0.6% delta). This data implies that for Steamworld Build, the i7-12700K provides more than enough computational headroom to keep up with the RTX 3080, especially as the resolution and graphical load increase, shifting the bottleneck to the GPU.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The specific pairing of the Core i7-12700K and RTX 3080 achieves a combo rank of 508 out of 1730 tested combinations in Steamworld Build. This places the system in the 71st percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms the majority of other tested hardware pairings. This high rank confirms the balance between the CPU and GPU; neither component is severely holding back the other in a way that would drag the system down the rankings. The data indicates that this setup is positioned for high-refresh-rate gaming at mainstream resolutions and high settings.

While the combo rank is strong, it is not at the very top, suggesting that there are more powerful combinations that can push higher frame rates, particularly at 4K Ultra. The ranking reflects the system's overall capability across the tested matrix of resolutions and settings. The RTX 3080's average benchmark score of 35787 is nearly identical to the CPU's, showing a well-matched pair. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (scoring 36101, a -0.9% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile (scoring 35435, a 1% delta), are all within a 1% performance margin, indicating that this tier of graphics hardware is tightly clustered in raw compute power. The combo's rank of 508 is a direct result of this balanced, high-end pairing.

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

The measured FPS data shows a predictable and steep decline as resolution increases, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. At High settings, the system delivers 172.7 FPS at 1080p, 107.7 FPS at 1440p, and 59.5 FPS at 4K. This represents a 38% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling pattern is classic evidence of a GPU-bound scenario at 4K, where the RTX 3080's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated by the increased pixel count.

At lower settings, the same trend is visible but with even higher absolute numbers. For example, at Low settings, the frame rate goes from 296.6 FPS at 1080p to 189.5 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 96.5 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K Low setting (96.5 FPS) is higher than the 4K High setting (59.5 FPS) demonstrates that the drop in graphical fidelity directly translates to a significant performance gain, further confirming the GPU's role as the bottleneck. The CPU's performance is sufficient to maintain these high frame rates, as evidenced by the 1080p Low result exceeding 290 FPS. This indicates that for users targeting 4K, the RTX 3080 is the limiting component, and adjusting settings is the primary lever for improving performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 296.6 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo rank compare to other tested systems?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination ranks 508th out of 1730 tested combos, placing it in the top 30% of all configurations.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K. At High settings, the frame rate drops to 59.5 FPS at 4K from 172.7 FPS at 1080p, while the CPU's strong single-thread performance allows for very high frame rates at lower resolutions.

Q: What are the frame rate differences between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate is 189.5 FPS on Low settings and 72 FPS on Ultra settings, representing a substantial performance gap of over 117 FPS between the two presets.

Q: Does this processor have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-12700K includes UHD Graphics 770, although the presence of a discrete RTX 3080 makes the integrated graphics irrelevant for gaming performance.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the GPU in this setup?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 in this combo features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 760.3 GB/s.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the driving force behind the system's visual output in Steamworld Build. Its specifications include a boost clock of 1710 MHz and a memory clock of 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The 10 GB of GDDR6X VRAM is a crucial asset for a city builder, as large, detailed cities with numerous buildings and entities can consume significant video memory. The GPU's 8704 shading units and 272 texture mapping units allow it to process the complex geometry and textures typical of the genre.

The GPU's performance in this game is directly correlated with its benchmark scores. Its Passmark G3D score of 25086 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407 are strong indicators of its gaming capability. The percentile rank of 80 versus all GPUs confirms its high-end status. The data shows that at 1080p and 1440p, the RTX 3080 is more than capable of delivering high refresh rates, even at Ultra settings (115.6 FPS at 1080p and 72 FPS at 1440p). However, at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 38.6 FPS, which is below the smooth 60 FPS threshold. This suggests that while the VRAM capacity is sufficient, the raw compute power of the GA102 chip is stretched at the highest resolution and preset combination. The GPU's close performance parity with rivals like the AMD Radeon 880M (0.4% delta) and AMD Radeon Pro Duo (-0.2% delta) highlights that it is a solid, competitive performer in its class.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For a 60 FPS target at 4K, the High preset is the only viable option, as it achieves 59.5 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K falls to 38.6 FPS, which is likely too low for a smooth experience. Therefore, for 4K gaming, High settings are the recommended choice to balance visual fidelity with playability.

For 1440p, the data shows that the High preset delivers 107.7 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors (100Hz+). The Medium preset offers an even higher 143 FPS, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it given the High preset's already excellent performance. Ultra at 1440p provides 72 FPS, which is still smooth, but the jump from High to Ultra yields a significant performance cost (a 35.7 FPS drop) for what is often a marginal visual improvement. For 1080p users, the High preset offers 172.7 FPS, which is excellent. The Medium preset is also a strong option at 230 FPS for competitive play or very high refresh rate displays, but High is the best balance of quality and speed. In summary, the High preset provides the best overall experience at all three resolutions, offering the most consistent high frame rates without the excessive performance penalty of Ultra.

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

The following is the complete measured FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination in Steamworld Build:

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 296.6 FPS. Moving up to Medium, the average FPS is 230. The High preset records 172.7 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset still produces a very playable 115.6 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU-bound at lower settings, as evidenced by the near-300 FPS ceiling.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 189.5 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 143 FPS. High settings yield 107.7 FPS, which is still above the 100 FPS mark. The Ultra preset brings the average down to 72 FPS. This resolution offers an excellent balance of image quality and performance, with High being the sweet spot for 144Hz displays.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck. The Low preset averages 96.5 FPS, which is still quite smooth. The Medium preset lowers the average to 76.1 FPS. The High preset achieves 59.5 FPS, just shy of a 60 FPS cap. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of 38.6 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay. This data confirms that 4K gaming requires setting compromises, with High being the recommended preset for a stable experience.