Steamworld Build

# Steamworld Build with Intel Core i7-14700KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 produces a highly playable experience across most of Steamworld Build's settings spectrum, though the data reveals a distinct GPU-bound ceiling at 4K Ultra and a CPU that never becomes the limiting factor. The combo ranks 1755th out of 2924 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database, yet the measured frame rates tell a more nuanced story depending on resolution and preset.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all four quality presets, indicating that the RTX 5050's rendering throughput is the primary constraint as pixel count rises. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 200 at 1920x1080 to 127 at 2560x1440, a 36.5% reduction, and then to 67 at 3840x2160, a further 47.2% drop from 1440p. This scaling pattern shows that even at the lowest graphical load, the GPU cannot maintain the headroom needed to keep 4K frame rates competitive with lower resolutions.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar in proportion but slightly less severe in absolute terms: 153 FPS at 1080p, 97 FPS at 1440p, and 52 FPS at 4K. The 1440p to 4K transition costs 45 FPS, which is a 46.4% reduction. High settings follow the same trajectory, with 115 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 39 FPS at 4K — the latter being a 66.1% drop from 1080p. Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling penalty: 77 FPS at 1080p, 49 FPS at 1440p, and 26 FPS at 4K, meaning the 4K Ultra result is just one-third of the 1080p Ultra figure.

The pattern strongly suggests that Steamworld Build is rendering-bound at 4K regardless of preset, as the FPS values at that resolution cluster tightly between 26 and 67 across the entire quality range. At 1080p, the spread from 77 to 200 FPS indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU well beyond what the graphics hardware can process at higher resolutions. The limiting component shifts from the GPU at 4K to a more balanced state at 1440p, where the 73 to 127 FPS range still shows GPU dominance but with less margin.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is adequate for Steamworld Build's needs, as the game is a city builder that typically does not demand extreme texture loads, but the 4K Ultra result of 26 FPS suggests that the GPU's compute resources — 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs — are the bottleneck rather than memory capacity. The GPU's boost clock of 2572 MHz and base clock of 2317 MHz drive a FP32 throughput of 13.17 TFLOPS, which is modest for 4K rendering.

The RTX 5050's benchmark profile further contextualizes its position. Its Passmark G3D score of 17326 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 place it at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 21035. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which scores 20713 and trails by 1.6%, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, which scores 21153 and leads by 0.6%. This places the RTX 5050 in a performance tier where 1080p gaming is strong but 4K is a stretch, which aligns exactly with the measured FPS data.

The GPU's pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s explain why lower resolutions perform so well: at 1080p, the fill rate is more than sufficient to sustain 200 FPS at Low settings. However, at 4K, the pixel throughput required to fill 8.3 million pixels per frame at 60 FPS would demand roughly 500 GPixel/s — far exceeding the RTX 5050's capability. The 4K Medium result of 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59, shows the GPU operating near its practical ceiling for this title.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700KF and RTX 5050 combination sits at rank 1755 out of 2924 tested combos, which places it in the 60th percentile of all system configurations in the database. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the CPU's high performance, but it reflects the GPU's limiting role in gaming workloads. The CPU alone is a top-tier part — its average benchmark score of 70163 places it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs — yet the combo's overall rank is dragged down by the GPU's mid-range standing.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database illustrate its position: the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, a 0.2% lead, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a 0.4% lead. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, which is 1% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, 0.9% lower. This tight clustering means the i7-14700KF is effectively peerless in its segment, with no rival more than a percentage point away. The combo rank of 1755, therefore, is almost entirely attributable to the RTX 5050's 66th-percentile GPU standing.

In practical terms, this combo outperforms roughly 40% of all tested configurations in Steamworld Build, which is a reasonable result for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU. The data suggests that users seeking higher combo rankings would need to pair this CPU with a stronger GPU, as the processor has substantial headroom to drive faster graphics hardware.

FAQ

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

A: 1920x1080 is the strongest resolution, with all presets delivering at least 77 FPS. At 2560x1440, High settings achieve 73 FPS, but 4K at any preset drops below 67 FPS, making 1440p a viable alternative only for High or lower presets.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its closest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 is 0.6% lower than the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21153) and 1% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 8970M (21237). It is 1.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713) and 1.6% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21379) is above it.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured 4K Ultra average FPS is 26, which is below playable thresholds. Even 4K Low only reaches 67 FPS, so 4K is only feasible at Low or Medium settings, with Medium averaging 52 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The GPU is the bottleneck at all resolutions and settings. The CPU's 94th-percentile performance and the fact that 1080p Low reaches 200 FPS indicate the processor is never limiting, while the GPU's 66th-percentile standing constrains frame rates, especially at 4K.

Q: How does the i7-14700KF compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The i7-14700KF's average score of 70163 is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (69996) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (69875). It is 0.9% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (69515) but 1% lower than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (70879).

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

A: It ranks 1755th out of 2924 combinations, which places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, reflecting the GPU's mid-tier performance despite the CPU's top-tier standing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5050 delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 200 FPS, Medium averages 153 FPS with a minimum of 130 and maximum of 176, High averages 115 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS. All presets at this resolution exceed the 60 FPS threshold, and even Ultra maintains a comfortable margin above it.

At 2560x1440, performance drops notably but remains playable for most presets. Low averages 127 FPS, Medium averages 97 FPS with a minimum of 83 and maximum of 112, High averages 73 FPS, and Ultra averages 49 FPS. The Ultra preset dips below 60 FPS, making it marginal for smooth gameplay, while High remains solid.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become clear. Low averages 67 FPS, Medium averages 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 and maximum of 59, High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. Only the Low preset stays above 60 FPS, and Medium hovers near it, while High and Ultra are not suitable for fluid play.

The full data set shows a consistent pattern: each step up in quality costs roughly 25-30% performance, and each step up in resolution costs a similar amount. The Medium preset at each resolution provides the most stable frame pacing, as evidenced by its narrower min-max range compared to the theoretical extremes of other presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its 33 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample headroom for a city builder like Steamworld Build, which typically involves significant simulation logic and entity tracking.

The CPU's benchmark scores underscore its capability: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 44167 and single-core score of 6235, plus a Geekbench multi-core score of 21462 and single-core score of 2578. These figures place it at the 94th percentile among all CPUs, and its Passmark multithread score of 52425 and single-thread score of 4480 confirm that both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads are handled exceptionally well.

In Steamworld Build, the CPU's role is to manage the simulation and game logic, which scales with city size and complexity. The measured FPS data shows that the CPU never becomes the bottleneck: at 1080p Low, the 200 FPS result is likely near the game engine's internal limit or the GPU's maximum output, not a CPU constraint. Even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor at 26 FPS, the CPU has ample headroom. The 125 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support further indicate that this processor is designed for sustained heavy workloads, though the game itself does not appear to tax it meaningfully.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 77 FPS is the best choice for visual fidelity while maintaining smooth gameplay, as it clears the 60 FPS bar with a 17 FPS margin. Users who prioritize frame rate over visuals can drop to High at 115 FPS or Medium at 153 FPS, but the Ultra preset offers the best balance of quality and playability.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 73 FPS is the recommended setting, as it stays above 60 FPS and provides strong visual quality. The Medium preset at 97 FPS offers more headroom for demanding scenes, but High's frame rate is sufficient for a city builder where absolute responsiveness is less critical than in action genres. The Ultra preset at 49 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended for consistent play.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset at 67 FPS is the only option that maintains a stable 60+ FPS experience, though it sacrifices visual quality. The Medium preset at 52 FPS is a viable alternative for users who prefer better visuals and can tolerate frame rates in the 44-59 FPS range, but it risks noticeable stutter during heavy simulation moments. High and Ultra at 39 FPS and 26 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for playable frame rates.

For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 Ultra preset is the clear winner, delivering 77 FPS with maximum visual settings. At 1440p, High is the sweet spot, and at 4K, Low is the only truly playable option. The data does not support using 4K Ultra under any circumstances, as the 26 FPS result is well below playable thresholds for a simulation-heavy game where UI responsiveness matters.