Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents an interesting scaling pattern for the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination. The data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions but reveals substantial CPU headroom at 1080p, where frame rates exceed what most displays can show.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS demonstrates a classic resolution scaling curve, but with a steep drop-off that highlights the game's engine characteristics. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 378 FPS, which is an exceptional figure indicating that neither component is breaking a sweat. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 252 FPS, a 33% reduction that still leaves massive performance headroom. At 4K Low, the average falls to 133 FPS, which is a further 47% decrease from the 1440p result.

The scaling becomes more pronounced at higher settings. At Medium quality, the frame rates are 303 FPS at 1080p, 193 FPS at 1440p, and 102 FPS at 4K. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Medium settings represents a 47% performance loss, which is significant but not unexpected for a 4K resolution that contains over twice the pixels of 1440p. The High preset tells a similar story: 227 FPS at 1080p, 144 FPS at 1440p, and 76 FPS at 4K.

The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p Ultra, the combo still manages 153 FPS, but this falls to 97 FPS at 1440p and just 51 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only measured configuration that drops below 60 FPS, indicating that this is where the GPU finally hits its limit with maximum visual fidelity. The pattern across all settings reveals that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary bottleneck at 4K, while at 1080p and 1440p, the system is likely constrained by the game's engine or CPU in certain scenarios, given the extraordinarily high frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F brings substantial processing power to this city builder, which is relevant because simulation games often stress the CPU heavily. This processor features 20 cores and 28 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The architecture is Raptor Lake-R on a 10 nm process, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Benchmark results for this CPU show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 35122 and a Geekbench multicore score of 19620. Single-thread performance is also solid, with Cinebench R23 singlecore at 4958 and Geekbench singlecore at 2429. These scores place the CPU in the 91st percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53620.

The nearest rival comparisons show this CPU sits in a tight cluster with other high-end processors. It trails the Intel Xeon 6505P by just 0.2% in average score, while it leads the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X by 0.6% and the AMD EPYC 7313P by 0.8%. This narrow margin suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the i7-14700F performs competitively with top-tier alternatives.

In Steamworld Build specifically, the CPU's role becomes apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is not saturated. The fact that 1080p Medium produces 303 FPS and 1080p High produces 227 FPS suggests the CPU can feed the GPU at these rates without becoming a limiting factor. The processor's 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache likely help with the game's simulation logic and entity management, though the data does not directly measure CPU utilization. The lack of integrated graphics on this CPU is irrelevant here since a discrete GPU is present.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for visual output. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU is built on the AD103 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process, containing 45,900 million transistors. Its boost clock reaches 2550 MHz, and it delivers 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

In terms of benchmark standing, the RTX 4080 SUPER sits in the 86th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 54209. Its nearest rivals are extremely close: the standard RTX 4080 is only 0.1% ahead, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% ahead. The AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and AMD Radeon 8060S are 2.7% and 2.8% ahead, respectively, in the aggregate benchmark scores.

The GPU's performance in Steamworld Build is clearly the deciding factor at 4K resolution. At 4K Ultra, the 51 FPS average indicates the GPU is fully utilized, and this is the only setting where frame rates become marginal for smooth gameplay. The 16 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient even at 4K Ultra, as there are no reported issues with texture loading or stuttering in the measured data. The memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s helps maintain consistent frame delivery at high resolutions, evidenced by the min FPS of 86 at 4K Medium and 164 at 1440p Medium, which show reasonable frame time consistency rather than severe drops.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot, delivering 144 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides excellent visual quality without the steep performance cost of 4K.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High, the combo produces 76 FPS, and at 4K Medium it reaches 102 FPS. However, 4K Ultra drops to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 SUPER compare to the standard RTX 4080?

A: Based on the closest rival data, the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, while the RTX 4080 is 0.1% higher at 54247. This makes them effectively equivalent in performance.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700F a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: At 1080p, the combo reaches up to 378 FPS on Low settings, suggesting the CPU is not a significant bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as frame rates drop to 51-133 FPS depending on settings.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured data shows 153 FPS average at 1080p Ultra, which is still very high and indicates the system has plenty of performance headroom even at maximum settings.

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

A: This combo ranks 232 out of 3706 tested combinations for Steamworld Build, placing it in the top 6.3% of all tested systems.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration of Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 232 out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 6.3% of all tested systems, which reflects the high-end nature of both components. The ranking is determined by the measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings, and the combination's performance is strong enough to position it well within the top tier.

The rank is particularly notable because it represents the aggregate performance across the entire test matrix. The CPU's 91st percentile ranking and the GPU's 86th percentile ranking individually contribute to this strong overall position. The gap between this combo and the very top configurations likely comes from the GPU, as the RTX 4080 SUPER is not the absolute fastest GPU available, but it is close enough to deliver excellent results in this game.

Given that the CPU scores competitively with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, which is only 0.6% behind in average benchmark score, the CPU is not the limiting factor in this ranking. The GPU's position relative to the RTX 4080, which is essentially tied, and the fact that the nearest rivals are within 2.8%, suggests that small variances in GPU performance could shift the ranking slightly, but the overall tier placement would remain consistent.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience with this hardware. At 1440p, the High preset delivers 144 FPS, which is an excellent balance of visual fidelity and performance for most users with high-refresh-rate monitors. For those with 144Hz displays, this is the ideal choice. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 193 FPS, which could benefit users with 240Hz displays, but the visual quality trade-off may not be worth it for a city builder where UI readability and detail matter.

For 4K users, the High preset at 76 FPS is the recommended choice, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold while providing good visual quality. The Medium preset at 4K yields 102 FPS and is suitable for those who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided, as the 51 FPS average falls below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay, and the visual improvement over High is likely marginal in a game of this genre.

At 1080p, all settings are viable, with even Ultra producing 153 FPS. However, the High preset at 227 FPS is the most balanced recommendation for 1080p users with high refresh rate displays, as it provides excellent visual quality without the performance cost of Ultra. The Low preset at 1080p produces 378 FPS, which is only relevant for competitive scenarios that do not apply to a city builder, making it an unnecessary choice for typical play. Overall, the 1440p High and 4K High settings represent the best balance of visual quality and performance across the measured configurations.