Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build’s measured performance with the Intel Core i7-14700KF and Intel Arc B390 combination shows a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics component, yet the CPU’s high-end specifications ensure that the processor never becomes the bottleneck across any tested configuration. The data set for this pair includes 12 distinct FPS measurements spanning three resolutions and four quality presets, all captured as true measured results. The Intel Core i7-14700KF, with its 20 cores, 28 threads, and boost clock of 5.60 GHz, sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Arc B390, an integrated graphics part based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. That disparity defines every result in this benchmark run.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is severe and consistent across all settings, pointing unambiguously to the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 106 FPS at 1920x1080 to 67 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 39 FPS, and then further to 35 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 67% decrease in average FPS from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the same trajectory is visible: 60 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K. The scaling pattern is not linear; the drop from 1440p to 4K is proportionally larger than the drop from 1080p to 1440p in every preset, which is typical for a GPU-bound workload where pixel count outpaces the rendering resources.

The Medium preset shows the most complete data, including minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average is 81 FPS with a range of 69 to 93 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 Medium, the average drops to 51 FPS with a range of 44 to 59 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the average falls to 27 FPS with a range of 23 to 31 FPS. The minimum FPS values track closely with the averages, indicating that there are no sudden frame-time spikes that would suggest CPU stalls; instead, the consistent scaling across all settings indicates a steady GPU workload increase with resolution.

Ultra settings are the most punishing. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 41 FPS; at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 26 FPS; and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 14 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at the same resolution widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (106 FPS) and Ultra (41 FPS) is 65 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (35 FPS) and Ultra (14 FPS) is only 21 FPS. This narrowing suggests that at 4K, even the Low preset is so demanding that the GPU cannot exploit the reduced settings to the same degree as at lower resolutions.

Given that the Intel Arc B390’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, placing it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs and within 1.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, the measured FPS data aligns with expectations for a low-end graphics solution. The CPU’s role in this scaling is minimal; the Core i7-14700KF’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and single-core score of 6235 indicate a processor capable of far higher frame rates than what the GPU delivers. The data shows no evidence of CPU limitation, as the FPS drops are proportional to the pixel count increase, not to any CPU-related metric.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy of playable configurations. At 1920x1080, Low settings deliver 106 FPS average, which is the highest frame rate in the entire data set. Medium settings at 1080p produce 81 FPS average, still comfortably above 60 FPS, with a minimum of 69 FPS that ensures no dips below the common 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 1080p drop to 60 FPS average, which is exactly at the 60 FPS mark, but with no minimum FPS recorded, the consistency is uncertain. Ultra at 1080p falls to 41 FPS average, which may be acceptable for a city builder genre where precise timing is less critical, but it is a noticeable step down.

For 1440p, Low settings yield 67 FPS average, which is playable, while Medium drops to 51 FPS average with a minimum of 44 FPS. High at 1440p is 38 FPS average, and Ultra is 26 FPS. At 4K, all presets fall below 35 FPS, with Low at 35 FPS, Medium at 27 FPS, High at 20 FPS, and Ultra at 14 FPS. No 4K configuration achieves a 60 FPS average, so players targeting that resolution must accept significantly reduced frame rates.

The best experience per the measured rows is Medium settings at 1080p. It offers the highest average FPS above 60 (81 FPS) while retaining the quality improvements over Low. The minimum FPS of 69 FPS ensures that the frame rate never drops below the 60 FPS threshold, which is a strong guarantee of smoothness. Low settings at 1080p provide a higher average (106 FPS) but sacrifice visual fidelity; for a city builder where readability of the map is important, the jump from Low to Medium is worth the 25 FPS average cost. High at 1080p is a borderline choice at exactly 60 FPS average, but the lack of minimum FPS data makes it riskier than Medium, which has a documented floor of 69 FPS.

If a player prioritizes 1440p, Medium settings at 51 FPS average are the best compromise, though the 44 FPS minimum indicates occasional dips that may be noticeable. Low at 1440p (67 FPS) is smoother but visually reduced. Ultra settings are not recommended at any resolution, as the 41 FPS average at 1080p is the only Ultra result above 30 FPS, and the 14 FPS at 4K is effectively unplayable for most users. The data suggests that the Intel Arc B390 is best paired with 1080p Medium or Low, and that higher resolutions require significant quality reductions that may not be worthwhile.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake-R architecture, fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz, and it boosts to 5.60 GHz. It has an L3 cache of 33 MB shared, 2 MB L2 per core, and 80 KB L1 per core. This CPU scores 44167 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 6235 in single-core, along with a Geekbench multi-core score of 21462 and single-core score of 2578. In Passmark multithread, it achieves 52425, and in Passmark single thread, 4480. The CPU’s percentile rank is 94, meaning it is among the top 6% of all CPUs in the database.

In Steamworld Build, a city builder genre, the CPU handles simulation logic, pathfinding, and entity updates. The data shows that the Core i7-14700KF is never the limiting factor in this combo. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 106, which is high but still far below what this CPU could theoretically push if paired with a stronger GPU. The nearest CPU rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.4% higher), and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.9% higher), while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is 1% lower. These differences are negligible in gaming contexts, and the Core i7-14700KF’s 20 cores and 28 threads are more than sufficient for a city builder’s threading demands.

The CPU’s memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5, with a dual-channel bus, and it supports ECC memory. It has PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The 125 W TDP indicates a high-power part, but no thermal throttling is evident in the FPS data. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (106 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (41 FPS) shows a 65 FPS difference that is entirely attributable to GPU workload, not CPU capability. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain similar across settings at a given resolution, but the wide spread across presets confirms GPU limitation.

The boost clock of 5.60 GHz is particularly relevant for single-threaded game logic, and the single-core Cinebench R23 score of 6235 places it well above the thresholds needed for smooth city-builder simulation. The Passmark physics score of 2961 and integer math score of 183056 further indicate strong computational throughput. However, none of these metrics translate into higher FPS in this test because the GPU’s 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 24 ROPS are the ceiling. The Intel Arc B390 has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 12 RT cores, but its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is in the 9th percentile, matching the performance of a GT 520MX. That is the binding constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700KF + Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2573 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the bottom 12% of all combinations in the database. The rank reflects the GPU’s severe limitation; despite having a top-tier CPU in the 94th percentile, the combo’s overall performance is dragged down by a GPU in the 9th percentile. The gap between the CPU’s capability and the GPU’s output is the defining characteristic of this pairing.

To contextualize, the CPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are all high-end parts: the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.2% faster), AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.4% faster), and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.9% faster), with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K being 1% slower. If any of these CPUs were paired with the same Intel Arc B390, the combo rank would likely be similar, because the GPU would still be the bottleneck. Conversely, pairing this CPU with a mid-range or high-end GPU would dramatically improve the combo rank, as the CPU has ample headroom.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in benchmark score are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% higher), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1.5% higher), NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% higher), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (2.7% higher). These are all entry-level or legacy parts, reinforcing that the Intel Arc B390 is positioned at the very bottom of the GPU performance spectrum. The combo rank of 2573 out of 2924 means that 351 combos are worse, but the vast majority (2572) perform better. The data indicates that this pairing is only suitable for low-resolution, low-settings gaming, and even then, the 1080p Low result of 106 FPS is the only configuration that exceeds 100 FPS.

The fact that the data is measured, not estimated, adds weight to the rank. The 12 FPS measurements are consistent with the GPU’s low percentile ranking. The combo’s rank in the bottom 12% is not a surprise given the GPU’s 9th percentile standing; the only reason the combo is not even lower is that the CPU’s high performance prevents any additional CPU-related frame drops. In games that are more CPU-bound, this combo would rank higher, but Steamworld Build’s rendering demands expose the GPU’s weakness.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved in this test?

A: The highest average FPS is 106, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this combo run Steamworld Build at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 35 at Low settings, followed by 27 at Medium, 20 at High, and 14 at Ultra. All 4K results are below 60 FPS, and only Low and Medium exceed 20 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. It is 1.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443). Note that these rivals have lower scores, meaning the B390 is slightly faster than them, but all are in the same low-performance tier.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a smooth experience at 1080p?

A: Medium settings at 1920x1080 provide an average FPS of 81 with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93. This is the only preset at 1080p that maintains an average above 60 FPS while also having a recorded minimum above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-14700KF bottleneck the Intel Arc B390 in this game?

A: No. The CPU is in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and single-core score of 6235. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with GPU-bound behavior, and the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking indicates it is the limiting component.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all other tested combinations?

A: It ranks 2573 out of 2924 combos in Steamworld Build, placing it in the bottom 12% of all tested CPU-GPU pairings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 resolution, the measured average FPS values are as follows: Low settings produce 106 FPS, Medium produces 81 FPS with a minimum of 69 and maximum of 93, High produces 60 FPS, and Ultra produces 41 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 65 FPS, with Medium offering the best balance of quality and performance. The minimum FPS of 69 at Medium indicates that the frame rate never dips below that threshold, which is important for consistent gameplay. High at 60 FPS is exactly at the standard refresh rate, but without a minimum FPS value, it is unclear if dips occur. Ultra at 41 FPS is playable but not smooth for most users.

At 2560x1440 resolution, the average FPS values are: Low at 67 FPS, Medium at 51 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59, High at 38 FPS, and Ultra at 26 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is significant at every preset. Low loses 39 FPS, Medium loses 30 FPS, High loses 22 FPS, and Ultra loses 15 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 44 FPS means that occasional dips below 45 FPS will occur, which may be noticeable in a city builder where camera panning can be frequent. Low at 67 FPS is the only 1440p preset that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160 resolution, the average FPS values are: Low at 35 FPS, Medium at 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 31, High at 20 FPS, and Ultra at 14 FPS. The 4K results are uniformly low, with even the Low preset failing to reach 40 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 23 FPS and maximum of 31 FPS show a narrow band, indicating that the GPU is consistently overwhelmed. High at 20 FPS and Ultra at 14 FPS are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay, and no 4K setting is recommended based on the data.

The complete measured data set follows: 1920x1080 Low 106 FPS, 1920x1080 Medium 81 FPS (min 69, max 93), 1920x1080 High 60 FPS, 1920x1080 Ultra 41 FPS, 2560x1440 Low 67 FPS, 2560x1440 Medium 51 FPS (min 44, max 59), 2560x1440 High 38 FPS, 2560x1440 Ultra 26 FPS, 3840x2160 Low 35 FPS, 3840x2160 Medium 27 FPS (min 23, max 31), 3840x2160 High 20 FPS, 3840x2160 Ultra 14 FPS. These 12 data points represent the entirety of the measured performance for this combination. The trend is unambiguous: the Intel Arc B390 cannot deliver high frame rates at 4K, and even at 1440p, only Low settings exceed 60 FPS. The Intel Core i7-14700KF’s role is to prevent CPU-side bottlenecks, which it does effectively, but the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking caps the overall experience. For users of this combo, 1080p Medium is the sweet spot, with 1080p Low as the fallback for maximum FPS, and all other configurations involve compromise.