Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder with a heavy simulation load, and the measured performance of the Intel Core i7-14700F paired with the Intel Arc B570 reveals a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions but struggles to maintain playability at 4K. The data indicates a configuration where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution increases, while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded performance ensures high frame rates at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS rows to explain how the combo behaves across the tested resolutions and presets.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic, clearly showing the GPU’s workload scaling faster than the CPU’s. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 162 at 1920x1080 to 55 at 3840x2160, a reduction of 107 FPS or roughly 66%. This steep decline indicates that at 4K, the Arc B570’s rendering capabilities are saturated, and the CPU’s headroom is irrelevant. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Low settings shows a drop from 103 FPS to 55 FPS, which is a 47% decrease, further confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Moving to Medium settings, the scaling pattern is consistent. The average FPS goes from 124 at 1080p to 79 at 1440p, then down to 42 at 4K. The 1440p to 4K drop is 37 FPS, or 47%, mirroring the Low setting’s relative decline. This consistency suggests that the resolution scaling is independent of the preset, as the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth become the decisive factors. At High settings, the averages are 93 FPS at 1080p, 59 FPS at 1440p, and 31 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that the combo is not suited for high-fidelity 4K gaming in this title.

The scaling data points to a clear conclusion: the limiting component at 4K is the GPU. The Arc B570’s 10 GB of VRAM and 160-bit memory bus are adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but the rendering load at 3840x2160 exceeds its capabilities. At 1080p, the CPU’s 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the 162 FPS Low result. The system is balanced at 1440p, where the GPU can still deliver playable frame rates across most presets, but 4K is only viable at the lowest settings, and even then, the 55 FPS average is not ideal for smooth gameplay.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. Its base and boost clocks are both 2500 MHz, with memory running at 2375 MHz or 19 Gbps effective. The memory configuration includes 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is a critical factor in the measured results, as city builders often require large texture loads and complex scene rendering, which strain memory throughput. The GPU’s pixel rate is 200.0 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 360.0 GTexel/s, which are the raw throughput limits that determine FPS at high resolutions.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU’s role shifts from being a capable partner at 1080p to a bottleneck at 4K. The benchmark results show that the Arc B570’s average score of 20556 places it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the Intel Arc A750 with a deltaPct of -0.1%. This means the B570 is essentially performance-equivalent to the A750, which is a older generation card. The data suggests that the GPU’s 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is enough for 1440p gaming, but the Ultra preset at 4K yields only 21 FPS, indicating that the shading units (2304) and ROPs (80) are overwhelmed.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is not the primary issue here, as the game does not appear to exceed it at the tested settings, but the bandwidth is. The 380.0 GB/s bandwidth is modest by modern standards, and the 4K results reflect this limitation. At Low settings, the 55 FPS at 4K shows that the GPU can still function, but it requires dropping graphical fidelity significantly. The measured FPS rows for Medium settings include min and max values (35-48 FPS at 4K), showing that even within a single preset, the GPU’s performance varies, likely due to scene complexity and memory access patterns.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i7-14700F and Intel Arc B570 combo ranks 2320 out of 2924 combos for Steamworld Build. This places it in the bottom 21% of all tested configurations, which is surprising given the CPU’s high benchmark scores. The i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53620 and sits in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (deltaPct 0.6%) and AMD EPYC 7313P (deltaPct 0.8%) performing similarly. However, the combo rank is dragged down by the GPU’s limitations at higher resolutions.

The rank of 2320 suggests that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU is not. The Arc B570’s 65th percentile ranking among GPUs means it is outclassed by many mid-range and high-end cards. When paired with a powerful CPU, the GPU becomes the limiting factor in this game, especially at 1440p and 4K. The data indicates that other combos with more robust GPUs achieve higher ranks, even if their CPUs are weaker. For example, the CPU’s nearest rivals all have similar average scores, so the CPU choice does not differentiate performance; the GPU does.

This ranking implies that the combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where the GPU can keep up with the CPU. At 1440p, the combo is still viable, but the rank reflects that many other systems deliver better performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 63 FPS, which is playable, but the same preset at 4K drops to 21 FPS, making the combo unsuitable for high-end displays. The data suggests that users with this combo should prioritize lower resolutions or settings to achieve a good experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset offers an average of 124 FPS with a min of 106 and max of 143, providing a smooth experience with a balance between visual quality and performance. The High preset at 93 FPS is also viable, but Medium gives a 33% FPS boost over High, making it the better choice for most users. The Low preset at 162 FPS is overkill for most displays, but it shows the CPU is not a bottleneck.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset delivers 79 FPS (min 67, max 91), which is the recommended option for a playable experience. The High preset at 59 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 40 FPS is below the ideal threshold for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 103 FPS is the highest achievable, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. For 1440p users, Medium is the sweet spot, offering a 34% improvement over High while maintaining playability.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset at 55 FPS is the only option that approaches playability, but it is not ideal. The Medium preset at 42 FPS (min 35, max 48) is stutter-prone, and the High preset at 31 FPS is not recommended. The Ultra preset at 21 FPS is unplayable. For 4K, users should either drop to Low settings or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p. The data shows that the combo is not designed for 4K gaming, and users should expect to compromise significantly.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the most consistent resolution, with all presets yielding average FPS above 60. The Medium preset at 1080p provides 124 FPS, which is the best balance of performance and quality.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rival?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750 (20582). This indicates they perform nearly identically in synthetic benchmarks.

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

A: The measured FPS at 4K shows a significant drop from 1440p, indicating the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU’s high benchmark scores (91st percentile) cannot compensate for the GPU’s rendering limitations at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings?

A: The data shows an average of 59 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is below the 60 FPS threshold, so users may prefer Medium settings for a smoother experience.

Q: Does the combo rank well among other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 2320 out of 2924, placing it in the bottom 21% for this game. This is due to the GPU’s mid-range performance, despite the CPU’s strong showing.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS values are 106 at 1080p, 67 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K for Medium settings. These values indicate that frame pacing remains stable at lower resolutions but degrades at 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 2 MB of L2 per core and 33 MB of shared L3, which supports its strong multi-threaded performance. In Cinebench R23, it scores 35122 in multicore and 4958 in single-core, placing it in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. This indicates that the CPU has ample processing power for the simulation logic in Steamworld Build.

In this game, the CPU’s role is to handle the game’s simulation and AI, which are single-threaded in nature but benefit from high clock speeds. The boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks are executed quickly, as evidenced by the 162 FPS at 1080p Low settings. However, the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities are less relevant, as the game does not appear to scale perfectly with the 20 cores. The nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, has a deltaPct of 0.6%, meaning the i7-14700F performs slightly better in average benchmark scores.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo. At 1080p, the FPS is high across all settings, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU without issue. Even at 1440p, the CPU maintains high frame rates, and the bottleneck only appears at 4K, where the GPU is overwhelmed. The CPU’s 65W TDP is modest for a 20-core processor, but it does not impact gaming performance. The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, while not directly measured here, contributes to its overall capability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the Low setting yields an average of 162 FPS, which is the highest recorded across all configurations. The Medium setting averages 124 FPS (min 106, max 143), and the High setting averages 93 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1080p averages 63 FPS, which is still playable but shows a significant drop from Medium. This demonstrates that the GPU can handle 1080p with ease, and the CPU’s performance is not limiting.

At 2560x1440, the Low setting averages 103 FPS, which is a 36% decrease from 1080p Low. The Medium setting averages 79 FPS (min 67, max 91), and the High setting averages 59 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p averages 40 FPS, which is below the playable threshold. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent performance drop, but the system remains usable at Medium settings. The min and max values for Medium (67-91) indicate stable frame pacing.

At 3840x2160, the Low setting averages 55 FPS, which is the only preset that approaches playability. The Medium setting averages 42 FPS (min 35, max 48), and the High setting averages 31 FPS. The Ultra setting at 4K averages 21 FPS, which is not playable. The data shows a clear degradation as resolution increases, with the 4K results being the weakest. The min FPS of 35 at 4K Medium indicates significant frame drops, likely during complex scenes. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is best used at 1080p or 1440p with Medium settings, while 4K should be avoided unless Low settings are acceptable.