Steamworld Build

# Steamworld Build with Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

This combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a remarkably consistent experience in Steamworld Build, with the data showing a system capable of pushing very high frame rates across all tested resolutions. The measured results reveal a clear pattern: this city builder is heavily GPU-bound at higher settings, while the CPU's strong multi-threaded performance keeps the simulation running smoothly even when frame rates climb to extreme levels. The 12-core, 20-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, combined with a 16 GB GDDR6X graphics card, produces results that place this combo at rank 246 out of 3706 tested combinations — a position that suggests strong overall performance, though not without some interesting bottlenecks at lower settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings 12 cores and 20 threads to Steamworld Build, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. This processor uses the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, featuring a 25 MB shared L3 cache. The benchmark data shows strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5, placing it at the 84th percentile among all CPUs tested. In the context of a city builder, where simulation logic often scales with population and building count, this multi-threaded performance is likely what keeps the game responsive when the city grows large.

The nearest rivals in CPU benchmark scores include the Intel Core i5-13600T with an average score of 35305 (a -0.1% delta), the Intel Core i7-12700KF at 35365 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-13700T at 35403 (-0.3%). The very small deltas here — all within 0.4% — indicate that the i7-12700K sits in a tightly contested performance band. For Steamworld Build specifically, the data suggests that the CPU is not the primary limiting factor at most settings. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 355 FPS, which is an extremely high frame rate that would stress any CPU's ability to feed the GPU quickly. The fact that this frame rate is achieved suggests the processor's single-thread performance, reflected in its Geekbench single-core score of 2308, is sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck even in this CPU-intensive scenario.

The processor's Passmark multi-thread score of 34404 and 3DMark max-threads score of 9979 further confirm its capability. However, the data also hints at a potential ceiling: at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 355 FPS is so high that the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls may be approaching its limit. This is a common pattern in city builders, where the simulation thread can become a limiting factor at very high frame rates, even with a capable processor like the i7-12700K. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 versus the max-threads score of 9979 shows good scaling, but the game's performance at lower resolutions suggests that the CPU's single-thread performance is what matters most for maximum frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a substantial piece of hardware, featuring 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz, with memory clocked at 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective). Built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, this card has 9728 shading units and 76 RT cores. Its benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 34457 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 263779, placing it at the 86th percentile among all GPUs.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 4080 include the RTX 4080 SUPER with an average score of 54209 (a 0.1% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54828 (-1.1%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB at 55698 (-2.6%). The RTX 4080's average benchmark score is 54247, which means it sits in a competitive group where performance differences are minimal. In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role becomes increasingly important as resolution and settings increase. At 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 52 FPS, while at 4K Low it reaches 134 FPS — a clear indication that the GPU is heavily loaded by the higher settings and resolution.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is notably generous for a city builder, which typically does not require large amounts of texture memory. However, the data shows that the GPU is still the primary bottleneck at higher settings, as evidenced by the significant frame rate drops when moving from Low to Ultra settings at the same resolution. The RTX 4080's pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s provide the raw throughput needed for smooth rendering, but the demands of Ultra settings at 4K prove challenging, resulting in the 52 FPS average. This suggests that Steamworld Build's Ultra preset includes effects that are particularly taxing on the GPU, possibly related to shadow quality, ambient occlusion, or post-processing effects.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of diminishing frame rates as resolution increases, but the scaling is not uniform across settings. At High settings, the transition from 1080p (228 FPS) to 1440p (145 FPS) represents a drop of 36.4%, and then from 1440p to 4K (77 FPS) a further drop of 46.9%. This steep decline at 4K indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor, as the RTX 4080 struggles to maintain high frame rates at this resolution with High settings. In contrast, at Low settings, the drop from 1080p (355 FPS) to 1440p (253 FPS) is 28.7%, and from 1440p to 4K (134 FPS) is 47.0%. The similar percentage drops at High and Low settings suggest that the GPU is consistently the bottleneck across all settings when resolution increases.

At Medium settings, the pattern is slightly different. The 1080p result (304 FPS) drops to 194 FPS at 1440p (a 36.2% decrease), and then to 102 FPS at 4K (a 47.4% decrease). The presence of min and max FPS data for Medium settings shows that the 4K Medium result has a range of 87 to 118 FPS, indicating some frame time variance. Ultra settings show the most dramatic drops: from 154 FPS at 1080p to 98 FPS at 1440p (a 36.4% decrease), and then to 52 FPS at 4K (a 46.9% decrease). This consistent pattern of roughly 36% drops from 1080p to 1440p and 47% drops from 1440p to 4K across all settings strongly suggests that the limiting component is the GPU, with its performance scaling predictably with pixel count.

The data reveals that at 1080p, even Ultra settings achieve 154 FPS, which is well beyond what most displays can show. This indicates that at this resolution, the system has substantial headroom, and the CPU's role becomes more prominent as the GPU is less stressed. The fact that 1080p Low achieves 355 FPS while 4K Low only reaches 134 FPS illustrates how the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at higher resolutions. For players targeting 4K, the choice of settings will be critical, as the difference between Low (134 FPS) and Ultra (52 FPS) is substantial.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience. At 1080p, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, with even Ultra achieving 154 FPS. However, the jump from Medium (304 FPS) to High (228 FPS) is significant, and the further drop to Ultra (154 FPS) suggests that Ultra settings impose a heavy performance cost. For 1080p users, High settings at 228 FPS provide a smooth experience with good visual quality, while Medium at 304 FPS offers a substantial performance buffer. The data indicates that Ultra at 1080p is still very playable, but the 50% performance drop from High may not be worth the visual gains.

At 1440p, the picture changes. High settings deliver 145 FPS, which is excellent for most displays. Medium settings at 194 FPS provide even more headroom, while Ultra drops to 98 FPS. The 1440p Medium result includes min and max values of 165 and 223 FPS, respectively, indicating consistent performance. For 1440p users, High settings appear to offer the best balance, as 145 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and the visual quality improvement over Medium is likely noticeable. Ultra at 1440p with 98 FPS is still playable, but the 32% drop from High might be considered too steep.

At 4K, the recommendations become more nuanced. High settings deliver 77 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold and should provide a good experience. Medium settings at 102 FPS offer a more comfortable margin, with min and max values of 87 and 118 FPS, respectively. Ultra at 4K drops to 52 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may exhibit noticeable stuttering. Low settings at 4K achieve 134 FPS, but the visual quality trade-off is substantial. The data suggests that 4K users should choose between Medium (102 FPS) and High (77 FPS), with Medium providing a safer frame rate buffer and High offering better visuals. The Ultra preset at 4K is likely to be disappointing due to its 52 FPS average, which falls below what many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 246th out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 6.6% of all tested combinations, indicating strong overall performance. The rank reflects the system's ability to deliver high frame rates across most resolution and settings combinations. However, the ranking also suggests that there are 245 other combinations that perform better, likely featuring more powerful GPUs or newer CPUs. Given that the RTX 4080 is listed as end-of-life and its nearest rivals include the RTX 4080 SUPER (with a 0.1% higher benchmark score), it is clear that this combo sits just below the top tier of performance.

The CPU's 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs and the GPU's 86th percentile among all GPUs indicate that both components are above average, but neither is in the top tier. The combo's rank of 246 out of 3706 suggests that the combination of these two mid-to-high-end components produces a system that is well-suited for Steamworld Build, but not the absolute best available. The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings, so upgrading to a more powerful GPU would likely improve the 4K Ultra performance (52 FPS) more than upgrading the CPU. Conversely, at lower resolutions like 1080p Low, the CPU's performance becomes more relevant, and a faster processor might yield higher frame rates than the current 355 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers 355 FPS at Low settings, 304 FPS at Medium (with min 259 and max 350 FPS), 228 FPS at High, and 154 FPS at Ultra. The progression shows a clear performance hierarchy, with Ultra costing roughly 56% of the performance of Low settings. At 2560x1440, the results are 253 FPS at Low, 194 FPS at Medium (min 165, max 223), 145 FPS at High, and 98 FPS at Ultra. This represents performance drops of 28.7% for Low, 36.2% for Medium, 36.4% for High, and 36.4% for Ultra compared to 1080p. At 3840x2160, the system achieves 134 FPS at Low, 102 FPS at Medium (min 87, max 118), 77 FPS at High, and 52 FPS at Ultra. The 4K results show even steeper drops from 1440p: 47.0% for Low, 47.4% for Medium, 46.9% for High, and 46.9% for Ultra.

The data reveals that the performance gap between settings becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 201 FPS (355 vs 154), while at 4K it is 82 FPS (134 vs 52). However, the percentage difference remains similar across resolutions, with Ultra typically delivering about 39-43% of the performance of Low settings. The Medium settings consistently provide a middle ground, with 4K Medium at 102 FPS being the only sub-100 FPS result at Medium across all resolutions. The min FPS values for Medium settings show that 1080p has a minimum of 259 FPS, 1440p a minimum of 165 FPS, and 4K a minimum of 87 FPS, indicating that frame rates remain relatively stable even at the lowest points.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Steamworld Build at 4K smoothly?

A: Yes, but settings matter significantly. At 4K Medium, the system achieves 102 FPS average (min 87, max 118), while High delivers 77 FPS. Ultra drops to 52 FPS, which may not be smooth enough for some players. Low settings reach 134 FPS but with reduced visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4080's average benchmark score of 54247 is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER (54209, a 0.1% difference) and slightly lower than the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (54828, -1.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55698, -2.6%). In practice, this means performance differences would be minimal.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck in Steamworld Build?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings. This is evident from the consistent frame rate drops when moving from 1080p to 4K across all settings. At 1080p Low with 355 FPS, the CPU may become a limiting factor, but for most playable scenarios, the GPU dictates performance.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p display?

A: High settings at 1440p deliver 145 FPS, which is excellent for most monitors. Medium settings provide 194 FPS with a minimum of 165 FPS, offering more headroom. Ultra drops to 98 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant performance cost over High.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems in Steamworld Build?

A: The combo ranks 246th out of 3706 tested combinations, placing it in the top 6.6% of all systems. This is a strong result, though 245 other combos achieve higher performance, likely due to more powerful GPUs or newer CPUs.

Q: Does the 16 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4080 make a difference in this game?

A: The 16 GB GDDR6X memory with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for Steamworld Build, as city builders rarely require large texture memory. The performance differences between settings are more likely due to computational load rather than VRAM capacity constraints.