Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build is a city builder that stresses the processor as much as the graphics card, and the Intel Core i9-14900K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 produces a distinctive performance profile across resolutions. The data shows a system capable of very high frame rates, but the scaling pattern reveals where the bottleneck shifts, and the measured results indicate that settings management is key to a smooth experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K provides the computational foundation for this combo, with its 24 cores and 32 threads operating across a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. In a city builder, the CPU’s role is substantial, as the simulation of population, resource flows, and building logic runs continuously regardless of what is on screen. The processor’s benchmark results reinforce its strength: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 49872 and a single-core score of 7040 place it in the 97th percentile of all CPUs. The data shows that the i9-14900K is not a limiting factor in this game; its multi-threaded capacity is more than sufficient for the demands of a growing settlement.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i9-14900K’s average benchmark score of 79824 sits within a tight cluster. It is 0.7% ahead of the Core Ultra 7 265KF and 0.9% ahead of the Core Ultra 7 265K, while being 0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 7413. These deltas are minuscule, indicating that in pure CPU compute, this chip is effectively at parity with its closest competitors. For Steamworld Build, the practical implication is that the processor will not create a ceiling for frame rates; the measured FPS at 1080p Low (333.4) suggests the CPU is feeding the GPU with data fast enough to reach very high output. The processor’s 36 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory also contribute to its ability to handle the game’s simulation overhead without stutter, though the benchmark data does not isolate memory bandwidth effects.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 handles the rendering workload, equipped with 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2512 MHz and base clock of 2325 MHz are paired with 6144 shading units, which drive the game’s visual output. The GPU’s benchmark scores are solid, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5077 and a Passmark G3D score of 29137, placing it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs. In Steamworld Build, the GPU is responsible for drawing the isometric world, handling textures, and rendering the effects of resource extraction and construction. The 12 GB VRAM is a key asset here, as higher resolutions and settings will demand more memory for textures and draw distances.

However, the GPU’s performance is not without context. Its average benchmark score of 41687 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (0.2% ahead) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (0.6% ahead), while being 0.5% behind the NVIDIA Tesla M40. This suggests that while the RTX 5070 is a capable card, it is not a class leader in raw compute; its strength lies in modern features and efficiency rather than brute force. In the measured game data, the GPU’s role becomes evident as resolution increases. At 1080p, the system achieves high frame rates across all settings, but the scaling to 1440p and 4K shows the GPU taking on more responsibility, with frame rates dropping as pixel count and graphical fidelity rise.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of resolution scaling that highlights the interaction between CPU and GPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the system produces 333.4 FPS, which is the highest recorded. This is a CPU-bound scenario; the RTX 5070 is not working hard, and the i9-14900K is delivering frames as fast as the game logic allows. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 215 FPS, a reduction of 118.4 FPS, which is a 35.5% decrease. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls further to 112.8 FPS, showing that as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, the GPU becomes the primary limiter, yet the system still maintains a playable frame rate.

The scaling with higher settings is more pronounced. At 1080p High, the system hits 192.2 FPS, but at 1440p High it drops to 120.6 FPS, and at 4K High it reaches 64.4 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K at High settings is 56.2 FPS, which is a 46.6% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K, as the increased resolution and texture detail demand more from the RTX 5070’s 12 GB VRAM and shading units. For Ultra settings, the pattern is similar but steeper: 131.4 FPS at 1080p, 79.9 FPS at 1440p, and 43.2 FPS at 4K. The data shows that the transition from Medium to Ultra has a larger impact than the transition from Low to Medium, suggesting that Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU, such as advanced shadows or post-processing, which are not present in lower presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 ranks 319th out of 1730 combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the top 18.4% of all systems tested, which is a strong showing for a combination that features a high-end CPU and a mid-range-to-high-end GPU. The rank is likely driven by the CPU’s exceptional compute power, which excels in simulation-heavy genres, while the GPU holds the system back from a higher placement in the overall rankings. The data suggests that if the GPU were paired with a less capable processor, the rank would be lower, as the CPU’s ability to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions is what pushes the system above many rivals with similar GPUs.

The percentile data reinforces this interpretation: the CPU’s 97th percentile ranking is much higher than the GPU’s 83rd percentile, indicating that the processor is the stronger component in this combo. In practical terms, this means that the system is well-balanced for 1440p gaming, where the CPU can feed the GPU adequately, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as evidenced by the frame rate drops. The combination is not optimized for maximum 4K performance, but it excels in delivering high refresh rates at lower resolutions, which is a common use case for competitive or simulation games.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p, the data shows that even Ultra settings produce 131.4 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This makes Ultra a viable choice for users seeking maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing performance. The High preset at 1080p yields 192.2 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors, and Medium at 256 FPS is sufficient for esports-level response times. Low settings at 333.4 FPS offer no practical benefit over Medium, as the visual downgrade is not worth the extra frames.

For 1440p, the recommended setting is High, which produces 120.6 FPS. This provides a solid balance between visual quality and performance, as Ultra at 79.9 FPS is still playable but may have occasional dips in busy scenes. Medium at 161.8 FPS is a good alternative for users who prefer higher frame rates, but the drop from High to Medium may be noticeable in texture quality and shadow detail. Low at 215 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual fidelity. For 4K, the data suggests that High is the best choice, delivering 64.4 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. Medium at 88.2 FPS is a safer option for maintaining a consistent frame rate, while Ultra at 43.2 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the playable threshold. Low at 112.8 FPS is a viable option for users who prioritize smoothness over visuals, but it will make the game look dated. Overall, the data indicates that High settings at 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, offering a high frame rate without pushing the GPU to its limits.