Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination. As a city builder, its performance profile differs from typical shooters, with the data revealing a significant dependency on resolution and settings. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the board indicate a system that is highly capable at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to show its limitations as the pixel count and graphical fidelity increase toward 4K Ultra. This analysis breaks down the measured performance data to understand where the bottlenecks lie.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly indicates a shift in the limiting component. At 1080p High settings, the combo achieves an average of 171 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, that number drops to 109 FPS, a reduction of 62 FPS. Scaling up to 4K High brings the average down to 57 FPS, which is a further reduction of 52 FPS from the 1440p result. This pattern shows that while the CPU is capable of feeding frames at lower resolutions, the GPU's workload becomes the primary constraint as resolution increases.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly telling. The 4K High result of 57 FPS is just barely above the 60 FPS threshold often considered the target for smooth gameplay. This suggests that at 4K, the RTX 3080 is being pushed to its limits with the High preset. The trend is consistent across all settings. For instance, at Medium settings, the average FPS goes from 228 at 1080p to 145 at 1440p, and finally to 77 at 4K. The frame time data for Medium settings further illustrates this, with the 1080p minimum of 194 FPS being higher than the 4K average of 77 FPS.

This scaling behavior points to a system where the Intel Core i7-14700F provides ample headroom at lower resolutions, allowing the RTX 3080 to work at its full potential. However, the 4K resolution, with its 8.3 million pixels, presents a massive workload for the GPU's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 8704 shading units. The data suggests that for a consistently smooth experience at 4K, users would need to consider lower settings, as even the High preset struggles to maintain a high frame rate, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 39 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the dominant factor in this game's performance, especially at higher resolutions. Its specifications, such as a 10 GB GDDR6X memory buffer and a 320-bit memory bus providing 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth, are crucial for handling the textures and draw calls in a city-building game where the entire scene is often in view. The GPU's boost clock of 1710 MHz and its FP32 performance of 29.77 TFLOPS are the engines that process the complex geometry and lighting calculations. The data shows that as resolution increases, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced, with frame rates dropping in near-linear fashion relative to the pixel count increase.

The VRAM capacity is a significant factor in this analysis. At 1080p and 1440p, the 10 GB buffer appears sufficient for the High and Medium presets, as the average frame rates are very high. However, at 4K, the Ultra preset likely stresses the memory capacity, which is reflected in the 39 FPS average. While the High preset at 4K maintains a playable 57 FPS, the substantial drop to Ultra suggests a combination of increased memory pressure and shader complexity. The RTX 3080's performance percentile of 68 places it in the upper tier of tested GPUs, but its nearest rivals in the synthetic benchmarks are not representative of its gaming performance in this title. The measured data shows it is a strong performer, but 4K Ultra is beyond its comfortable reach in Steamworld Build.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS for this combo at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 115.

Q: How does the performance at 4K Medium compare to 1440p High?

A: The 4K Medium preset yields an average of 77 FPS, while 1440p High achieves an average of 109 FPS. This indicates that 1440p High provides a significantly higher frame rate than 4K Medium.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K with the High preset, it achieves an average of 57 FPS, which is playable. However, the Ultra preset drops to an average of 39 FPS, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay.

Q: Which setting provides the highest minimum frame rate?

A: The data shows that the 1080p Medium preset has a minimum FPS of 194, which is the highest minimum recorded across all tested configurations.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 189 FPS, whereas the Ultra preset averages 73 FPS. This represents a significant 116 FPS performance cost for the highest visual fidelity.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 ranks 1008 out of 3706 tested combos for Steamworld Build, placing it in the top 27% of systems.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates exceptional capability. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 298 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 228 FPS, with a minimum of 194 FPS and a maximum of 262 FPS. The High preset yields a 171 FPS average, and the Ultra preset brings the average down to 115 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is never strained, and even the most demanding preset is far beyond the refresh rate of most standard monitors.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains robust. The Low preset averages 189 FPS, and the Medium preset averages 145 FPS, with a minimum of 123 FPS and a maximum of 167 FPS. High settings deliver a 109 FPS average, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset, while still providing a playable 73 FPS average, shows a more significant performance hit compared to the High preset, signaling the increased GPU load.

The 3840x2160 results are where the system's limits become apparent. Low settings achieve a 100 FPS average, which is impressive for 4K. Medium settings average 77 FPS, with a minimum of 65 FPS and a maximum of 88 FPS. High settings drop to a 57 FPS average, which is on the border of smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, bringing the average down to just 39 FPS. This data confirms that while the RTX 3080 can handle 4K, users must make significant compromises in visual quality to maintain high frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the overall ranking for Steamworld Build, the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 combination is placed at 1008 out of 3706 tested combos. This puts it in the upper echelon of systems tested for this game, indicating that it is a high-performance pairing. The rank suggests that while there are many less capable systems, there are also a significant number of more powerful combinations that can push higher frame rates, particularly at 4K Ultra settings.

This ranking is a holistic view of the system's performance. Given the measured data, the combo's position is logical. It excels at 1080p and 1440p, where it delivers top-tier performance. Its 4K performance is also respectable, but it falls short of the very best systems that can maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra. The rank of 1008 reflects a system that is a strong all-around performer, capable of high-refresh-rate gaming at lower resolutions and a solid 4K experience with adjusted settings. It is not a top-tier 4K Ultra machine, but it is certainly far from a mid-range option.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display resolution and performance target. For users with a 1080p display, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation. With an average of 115 FPS, it provides a significant visual upgrade over the High preset while still delivering frame rates that are smooth on most monitors. The performance headroom at this resolution is so large that there is no reason to compromise on visual quality.

For 1440p users, the High preset is the sweet spot. It achieves a 109 FPS average, which is ideal for 1440p monitors with refresh rates of 120Hz or higher. The Ultra preset, at 73 FPS, is also a viable option for users who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rate and have a 60Hz or 75Hz monitor. The data shows that the jump from High to Ultra at this resolution costs 36 FPS, but the visual difference may be worth it for some players.

For 4K users, the choice is more complex. The Medium preset, with a 77 FPS average, is the best option for a smooth experience. It provides a significant performance boost over the High preset (57 FPS) while likely maintaining a high level of graphical quality. The High preset is playable but may be subject to noticeable frame drops in busy scenes. The Ultra preset, at 39 FPS, is not recommended for comfortable play. The data suggests that at 4K, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F plays a crucial, albeit secondary, role in Steamworld Build's performance. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it provides substantial processing power that is essential for a city builder, where the game must simulate the actions of numerous citizens, manage complex supply chains, and process the state of a large, dynamic world. Its high boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for the game's main logic thread and UI responsiveness. The CPU's strong benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a single-core score of 4958, indicate it has ample headroom for these tasks.

The data from the measured FPS shows that at 1080p, the CPU is not a limiting factor. The frame rates are extremely high, suggesting that the CPU can easily keep up with the GPU's output. This is further evidenced by the fact that the performance scales almost entirely with the GPU's workload as resolution increases. The CPU's role becomes more about ensuring consistent frame times and preventing stutters in complex scenes, rather than pushing the maximum frame rate. Its performance percentile of 91, with an average benchmark score of 53620, places it in the top tier of CPUs, and its nearest rivals, like the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, show it is a highly competitive processor for gaming and simulation tasks. In this title, the i7-14700F provides a solid foundation, ensuring that the RTX 3080 is the primary determinant of visual performance.