Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder that leans heavily on simulation logic, shows a distinct performance profile when paired with the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. The measured data indicates a system that scales predictably with resolution, where the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts while the CPU’s strong multi-threaded throughput carries the load at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the frame rate data, component roles, and practical settings for this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound curve, but with notable plateaus that point to the CPU's ceiling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces an average of 225 FPS. This is a high watermark that suggests the CPU is feeding frames efficiently, but the fact that it does not scale higher indicates that this is near the practical limit for the game's simulation thread. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 143 FPS, a significant 36% reduction, which is a direct result of the increased pixel count demanding more from the RTX 4060's 8 GB frame buffer and 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 76 FPS, showing a steady decline as the GPU's fill rate becomes the limiting factor.

The scaling from Medium to Ultra settings at each resolution tells a story of the GPU's raw compute limits. At 1080p, the jump from Medium (172 FPS) to High (129 FPS) is a 25% drop, and then to Ultra (87 FPS) is another 33% drop. This steep degradation at the top preset indicates that Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 performance of the AD107 chip. At 4K, the pattern is even more exaggerated: Medium yields 58 FPS, High drops to 43 FPS, and Ultra falls to just 29 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 4K is a 33% loss, suggesting that the Ultra preset's additional visual fidelity—likely involving complex shading and draw calls—is disproportionately expensive on this hardware. The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot for balancing visual quality and playability, as the drop from 1080p to 1440p is linear, but the drop from 1440p to 4K is exponential, confirming that the RTX 4060's 128-bit memory bus is a hard limit for 4K gaming.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific configuration of the Core i7-14700F and RTX 4060 ranks 1992 out of 3706 tested combos for Steamworld Build. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms a slight majority of other configurations but is not a top-tier performer. This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the component profile: the CPU is a high-end desktop part, ranking in the 91st percentile against all CPUs, but the GPU is a mainstream offering, sitting in the 61st percentile against all GPUs. The combo's rank is dragged down by the graphics card, which is the bottleneck in this game's most demanding scenarios.

When looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the i7-14700F's average benchmark score of 53620 is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6505P (53701, a -0.2% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (53288, a 0.6% delta). This suggests that the CPU is not the differentiator in this combo; any of these processors would yield similar frame rates in a GPU-bound scenario. The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, a -0.2% delta) and the AMD Radeon 780M (17588, a 0.3% delta), have nearly identical average scores, highlighting that the RTX 4060's absolute performance is the deciding factor for the combo's rank. The data indicates that for Steamworld Build, the combo's rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's mid-range standing, not the CPU's high-end capability.

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 33 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 make it a robust part for simulation-heavy titles. In Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation logic, including AI pathfinding, resource distribution, and building management. The benchmark results show that even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed, the average FPS caps at 225. This is not a limitation of the GPU, but rather a sign that the game's single-threaded simulation is the bottleneck, despite the CPU's high boost clock.

The multi-threaded performance of the i7-14700F is exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35122 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 19620. However, Steamworld Build does not appear to scale perfectly across all 28 threads, as evidenced by the fact that the frame rate does not increase proportionally when moving from 1440p to 1080p at the same settings. The single-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4958, is what likely governs the minimum frame rates in dense city areas. The data suggests that while the CPU has ample headroom for this game, its architecture's single-thread speed is the limiting factor at lower resolutions, preventing the GPU from reaching even higher frame rates. The 65 W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility are standard for this class, but the performance ceiling is defined by the game's engine, not the CPU's raw throughput.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 225 FPS, which is the highest recorded in the dataset. The Medium preset yields 172 FPS with a minimum of 147 and a maximum of 198, indicating a stable frame time. High settings produce 129 FPS, and Ultra drops to 87 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the combo can easily drive high-refresh-rate monitors at Medium settings, but Ultra will require a 60 Hz display to avoid tearing.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 143 FPS on Low, 110 FPS on Medium (with a min of 93 and max of 126), 82 FPS on High, and 55 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 1440p is a strong performer, offering a smooth experience that stays well above 60 FPS. The High preset is also playable, but the Ultra preset falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that users should stick to High for a locked 60 FPS experience. At 3840x2160, the results are more constrained: Low yields 76 FPS, Medium drops to 58 FPS (with a min of 49 and max of 67), High produces 43 FPS, and Ultra is only 29 FPS. The 4K data reveals that the RTX 4060's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is not sufficient for Ultra settings, likely causing texture thrashing, and the 29 FPS average is below playable standards for a city builder where smooth scrolling is essential.

The variance between the minimum and maximum FPS values is only available for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the range is 147 to 198 FPS, a 51 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 93 to 126 FPS, a 33 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the range is 49 to 67 FPS, an 18 FPS spread. This narrowing range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's consistent workload reduces frame time spikes, whereas at 1080p, the CPU's variable simulation load causes more fluctuation. Overall, the data shows that the combo is a 1080p and 1440p performer, with 4K only viable on Low or Medium settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The highest average FPS is 225, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Steamworld Build?

A: Yes, but only at lower presets. The data shows 76 FPS at 4K Low and 58 FPS at 4K Medium, but performance drops to 43 FPS on High and 29 FPS on Ultra, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay.

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

A: The Core i7-14700F has an average score of 53620, which is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (53288) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7313P (53206), but 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon 6505P (53701).

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1992 out of 3706 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to all other GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile, indicating it performs better than 61% of all GPUs in the database.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 93 FPS, with a maximum of 126 FPS and an average of 110 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation. The 172 FPS average ensures a fluid experience on 144Hz or even 165Hz monitors, and the minimum of 147 FPS guarantees that there are no drops below the refresh rate of most standard gaming displays. The High preset at 129 FPS is also viable, but the jump to Ultra at 87 FPS introduces a significant performance penalty without a proportional visual gain, making it less desirable for competitive or fast-paced play.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is again the sweet spot, with an average of 110 FPS and a minimum of 93 FPS, which keeps the experience above 90 FPS for most of the gameplay. The High preset at 82 FPS is acceptable for 60Hz displays, but users with higher refresh rate monitors will notice the difference. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is not recommended for 1440p, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and can cause stuttering during intensive city expansions. For 4K, the Low preset at 76 FPS is the only viable option for a playable experience, but the Medium preset at 58 FPS is acceptable for those who prioritize visuals over frame rate, as the minimum of 49 FPS is still above 30 FPS, which is the minimum playable standard for a city builder. The High and Ultra presets at 4K (43 and 29 FPS respectively) should be avoided, as the frame rates are too low for smooth camera movement and interaction. In summary, the data suggests that Medium settings at 1080p or 1440p offer the best balance of performance and visual fidelity, while 4K is best reserved for Low or Medium presets.