Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder that scales heavily with resolution, and the measured data for the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination shows a clear progression of performance degradation as pixel count increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers an average of 200 FPS, which is an excellent baseline. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same Low preset, the average drops to 127 FPS, a substantial 36.5% decrease. At 4K (3840x2160) with Low settings, the average falls further to 67 FPS, representing roughly a 47% drop from the 1440p figure and a 66.5% drop from the 1080p result. This pattern indicates that at higher resolutions, the rendering load increases dramatically, and the system’s capability is progressively strained.

The scaling from Medium to High to Ultra settings at each resolution provides further insight into the limiting component. At 1080p, the transition from Medium (153 FPS) to High (115 FPS) to Ultra (77 FPS) shows a steady decline, with the Ultra preset demanding more than double the processing power relative to Low. At 1440p, the same pattern emerges, but the margins tighten; Medium runs at 97 FPS, High at 73 FPS, and Ultra at 49 FPS, illustrating that the GPU is becoming the primary constraint as resolution climbs. At 4K, the situation is most pronounced: Medium achieves 52 FPS, High drops to 39 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS, which is barely playable for a genre that benefits from smooth camera panning. The data suggests that while the CPU is capable of feeding high frame rates at lower resolutions, the RTX 5050’s 8 GB VRAM and bandwidth limits become the bottleneck at 4K, especially with higher graphical presets that increase texture and shading complexity.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling curve, but with some nuance specific to Steamworld Build. Starting at 1920x1080, the system is clearly CPU-limited at Low settings, hitting 200 FPS, which is a ceiling imposed by the processor’s ability to push frames. As settings increase to Medium (153 FPS) and High (115 FPS), the GPU begins to take on more work, but the frame rates remain high enough to suggest that neither component is fully saturated. The jump to Ultra (77 FPS) indicates a significant increase in shader and geometry complexity, but the RTX 5050 still manages a playable result.

At 2560x1440, the scaling becomes more linear and GPU-dependent. Low settings produce 127 FPS, which is still very fluid, but the drop from 1080p Low (200 FPS) shows that the GPU is no longer idle. Medium at 97 FPS and High at 73 FPS demonstrate that the RTX 5050’s 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth and 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are being utilized more effectively. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS is the first point where the experience becomes marginal, suggesting that the 8 GB frame buffer is starting to feel pressure from higher-resolution textures.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is the unambiguous limiting factor. Even Low settings only yield 67 FPS, which is a 66.5% reduction from the 1080p Low result. Medium (52 FPS) and High (39 FPS) are below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra at 26 FPS is nearly unplayable for a city builder where you need to rotate the camera frequently. This steep drop-off—from 200 FPS at 1080p Low to 26 FPS at 4K Ultra—indicates that the RTX 5050’s memory bus width of 128 bit and 8 GB VRAM are insufficient for 4K rendering at higher detail levels. The data strongly suggests that 4K playable performance is limited to Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is not ideal.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, and its benchmark results indicate it is more than capable of handling Steamworld Build’s simulation logic. In synthetic tests, the CPU scores 12412 in 3dmark_max_threads and 30745 in cinebench_cinebench_r23_multicore, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, show only a 0.2% to 0.5% difference in average benchmark score, meaning the i7-13700K is essentially on par with these alternatives for CPU-intensive tasks.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU’s role is primarily to manage the game’s simulation, including AI pathfinding, resource management, and building placement logic. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (200 FPS) suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the frame rate is likely capped by the GPU’s output. Even at 1440p Low (127 FPS), the CPU is still providing enough throughput to avoid limiting the GPU. However, the high core count (16) and boost clock of 5.40 GHz are beneficial for maintaining consistent frame pacing, especially when the city grows large and the simulation becomes more complex. The CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache also helps with data locality, reducing latency in simulation updates.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration for Steamworld Build. The 3dmark_2_threads score of 2262 and single-thread score of 1136 suggest that single-threaded performance is strong, which is critical for a city builder that often relies on a single main thread for game logic. Even at 4K Ultra (26 FPS), the frame rate is so low that the CPU is likely waiting for the GPU to finish rendering, rather than being constrained by its own computational limits. This is a positive result for the i7-13700K, as it confirms that users can focus on GPU upgrades or settings adjustments without worrying about CPU limitations in this game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is a 5 nm Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU with 2560 shading units and 80 tensor cores, but its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus are the key features that determine its performance in Steamworld Build. The GPU’s benchmark scores, such as 17326 in passmark_g3d and 2502 in 3dmark_3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12, place it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which is 1.6% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, which is 0.6% slower, indicating that the RTX 5050 sits in a mid-range performance tier.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU’s role is to handle all rendering tasks, from terrain to building models to UI elements. The measured FPS data shows that the RTX 5050 is capable of delivering high frame rates at 1080p, with 200 FPS on Low and 153 FPS on Medium. However, as resolution increases, the GPU’s memory bandwidth (320.0 GB/s) and VRAM capacity become critical. At 4K, the 8 GB frame buffer is insufficient for Ultra settings, leading to a 26 FPS average, which is a 53% drop from the 4K Low result. This suggests that the GPU is running out of memory or bandwidth to store and process the higher-resolution textures and effects.

The RTX 5050’s boost clock of 2572 MHz and pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s are respectable for a mid-range card, but they cannot compensate for the memory limitations at 4K. The data shows that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at resolutions above 1080p, especially with High and Ultra presets. For users who want to play at 1440p, Medium settings (97 FPS) offer a good balance, while High (73 FPS) is still playable. At 4K, only Low (67 FPS) approaches playability, but the frame rate is still below the 75 FPS that would be ideal for a smooth experience. The GPU’s performance is consistent with its 66th percentile ranking, indicating it is a capable 1080p and entry-level 1440p card, but not a 4K solution.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Steamworld Build with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 provides the highest frame rates, with 200 FPS on Low and 153 FPS on Medium. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 2560x1440 at Medium (97 FPS) is also viable, while 4K is only playable on Low (67 FPS).

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in Steamworld Build?

A: Benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU is likely the bottleneck (200 FPS), but as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus become the constraint, especially at Ultra settings.

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

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is 1.6% slower, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL is 0.6% slower. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile is 1.6% faster, and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M is 1% faster.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: At 3840x2160, the system can only achieve 67 FPS on Low settings, which is playable but not ideal. Medium (52 FPS) and High (39 FPS) are below the 60 FPS threshold, and Ultra (26 FPS) is not recommended for a smooth experience.

Q: What settings should be used for 1440p to maintain a high frame rate?

A: For 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 97 FPS with a minimum of 83 FPS, which is a good choice. High settings (73 FPS) are also acceptable, but Ultra (49 FPS) may cause noticeable stuttering during intense simulation moments.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Low settings, the drop from 1080p (200 FPS) to 4K (67 FPS) is 66.5%. At Medium settings, the drop from 1080p (153 FPS) to 4K (52 FPS) is 66%. At High settings, the drop from 1080p (115 FPS) to 4K (39 FPS) is 66.1%.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset combination, along with the available minimum and maximum values.

1920x1080

• Low: 200 FPS average
• Medium: 153 FPS average, 130 FPS minimum, 176 FPS maximum
• High: 115 FPS average
• Ultra: 77 FPS average

2560x1440

• Low: 127 FPS average
• Medium: 97 FPS average, 83 FPS minimum, 112 FPS maximum
• High: 73 FPS average
• Ultra: 49 FPS average

3840x2160

• Low: 67 FPS average
• Medium: 52 FPS average, 44 FPS minimum, 59 FPS maximum
• High: 39 FPS average
• Ultra: 26 FPS average

The data shows that the Medium preset consistently provides the most stable frame delivery, as evidenced by the minimum FPS values being closer to the average. For example, at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 83 FPS against an average of 97 FPS, whereas at 4K Medium, the minimum is 44 FPS against an average of 52 FPS. This indicates that the Medium preset avoids the extreme frame time spikes that can occur with Ultra settings. The 1080p Medium result (153 FPS) is particularly strong, offering a high refresh rate experience that would satisfy most players. In contrast, the 4K Ultra result (26 FPS) is below what is generally considered playable for a game that requires frequent camera movement.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware configuration depend on the target resolution and the desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the best choice, delivering 153 FPS with a minimum of 130 FPS, which ensures smooth gameplay even during complex city expansions. The High preset at 115 FPS is also viable for users who prefer better visual fidelity, but the difference in quality may not justify the 25% performance loss. The Ultra preset at 77 FPS is playable but may exhibit occasional dips below 60 FPS during heavy simulation loads, so it is not recommended for competitive or fast-paced play.

For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is again the recommended option, with 97 FPS and a minimum of 83 FPS. This provides a fluid experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 73 FPS is acceptable for less demanding scenes, but the 24 FPS drop from Medium suggests that the GPU is struggling with additional effects. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS is borderline, and the 83 FPS minimum on Medium indicates that this setting is more stable than High or Ultra, making it the safer choice for a city builder where map interactions can be unpredictable.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset at 67 FPS is the only setting that approaches playability, but it sacrifices significant visual detail. The Medium preset at 52 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, and the 44 FPS minimum suggests that frame pacing may be inconsistent. For users who insist on 4K, Low settings are the only viable option, but they should be aware that the experience will not be as smooth as at 1080p or 1440p. Alternatively, users should consider dropping to 1440p with Medium or High settings to achieve a better balance of visual quality and performance. Overall, the data indicates that the "sweet spot" for this hardware is 1080p Medium or 1440p Medium, where the system delivers the best combination of frame rate and stability.