Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from 2023, shows a distinct performance profile on the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination. The data indicates that this pairing is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while at 1080p, the CPU’s capabilities become the defining factor for achieving peak frame rates. The benchmark results place this combo in the 180th position out of 3706 tested configurations, marking it as a top-tier performer for this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Steamworld Build?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 ranks 180th out of 3706 total tested hardware combinations in the database for this game, placing it in the top 5% of all configs.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235 has an average benchmark score of 46062, placing it at the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, scores 46030, making the Intel chip just 0.1% faster. It is also 0.1% faster than the Intel Core i9-13900HX and 0.2% faster than both the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303.

Q: What are the key specifications of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 processor?

A: This is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2 (Arrow Lake architecture). It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a 65W TDP. It uses an Intel Socket 1851 and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory.

Q: What are the key specifications of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card?

A: The RTX 4080 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 9728 shading units and 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus. Its memory operates at 22.4 Gbps effective, providing a bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. The card has a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz.

Q: What is the best performance you can achieve at 4K resolution with this hardware?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution, the highest average FPS recorded is 134, but this is on Low settings. The highest quality preset tested is Ultra, which yields an average of 52 FPS. The High preset achieves 77 FPS, and Medium achieves 102 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more of a bottleneck at 1080p resolution?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system reaches an average of 397 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. This suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at this resolution, as lower settings put less strain on the GPU, allowing the processor's performance to cap the frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture and built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and can boost up to 5.00 GHz. The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth are critical for feeding game data to the cores. Its general processing power is substantial, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14769 and a single-core score of 2085. This places the CPU at the 89th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 46062.

In Steamworld Build, a genre that often involves complex simulations and pathfinding, the CPU's role is significant. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves its peak average FPS of 397. This high frame rate at low graphical fidelity strongly indicates that the processor is the primary driver of performance when the GPU is not heavily taxed. The CPU's performance is closely matched with its nearest rivals, being only 0.1% faster than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 and the Intel Core i9-13900HX, and 0.2% faster than the AMD EPYC 4364P and AMD EPYC 7303. This suggests that within this performance tier, the processor's ability to handle the game's simulation logic is consistent with other high-end chips, and it is not a significant outlier in either a positive or negative direction.

The 14 threads, while not offering the hyper-threading found in some competitors, are fully utilized by the game's engine. The benchmark results indicate that the processor has enough headroom to push frame rates to very high levels at lower resolutions, but its performance ceiling becomes the limiting factor. The shift from 397 FPS at 1080p Low to 253 FPS at 1440p Low shows how the resolution increase begins to shift the workload, but the CPU is still capable of driving very high frame rates. The data suggests that for players targeting maximum frame rates at 1080p, this CPU provides a robust foundation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a high-end graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and built on a 5 nm process. It features a substantial 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s. With 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs, the card is designed for high-resolution rendering. Its boost clock of 2505 MHz and FP32 performance of 48.74 TFLOPS highlight its raw compute power. The GPU sits at the 86th percentile of all graphics cards, with a Passmark G3D score of 34457 and an average benchmark score of 54247.

The GPU’s dominance becomes apparent as resolution increases. At 4K (3840x2160), the frame rates scale dramatically with settings, from 52 FPS on Ultra to 134 FPS on Low. This scaling is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance, where the graphics card's rendering workload is the primary constraint. The RTX 4080's 16 GB of VRAM is a critical asset here; it is sufficient to handle the high-resolution textures and assets that a city builder can accumulate as your population and building count grows. The bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s ensures that this large memory pool can be fed data quickly, preventing stutters and maintaining smooth frame pacing in complex scenes.

The GPU's performance is closely matched with its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, from which it is only 0.1% slower. It also outperforms the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X by 1.1%, but is 2.6% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and 2.7% slower than the AMD Radeon 8060S in average benchmark scores. While these synthetic benchmarks show a tight grouping, the in-game data for Steamworld Build shows that the RTX 4080 is more than capable of delivering playable frame rates at 4K, even on High settings, where it averages 77 FPS. The GPU is the clear performance limiter at 1440p and 4K, as the CPU has enough power to feed it frames, but the rendering load is what dictates the final output.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Steamworld Build provides a detailed look at performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The results are comprehensive, with average FPS recorded for all settings, and minimum and maximum FPS only for Medium settings.

At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates exceptional performance. With Low settings, the average FPS is 397, which is the highest in the entire dataset. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 304 FPS, with a minimum of 259 and a maximum of 350. The High preset delivers an average of 228 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings the average down to 154 FPS. These numbers show that even at the highest quality setting, the system is capable of driving a high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor well beyond its limits.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very high but shows the expected scaling. Low settings produce an average of 253 FPS. The Medium preset averages 194 FPS, with a minimum of 165 and a maximum of 223. High settings maintain an impressive 145 FPS average, while Ultra settings drop to an average of 98 FPS. This resolution is a sweet spot for the hardware, allowing for high refresh rates even on the High preset and maintaining a playable 98 FPS on Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the workload shifts significantly to the GPU. Low settings still provide a smooth experience with an average of 134 FPS. The Medium preset averages 102 FPS, with a minimum of 87 and a maximum of 118. High settings drop to an average of 77 FPS, which is still smooth for a city builder. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding an average of 52 FPS. This is the only preset where the frame rate dips below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that Ultra settings at 4K may require some compromises for a locked 60 FPS experience.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound behavior. When comparing Low settings, the average FPS drops from 397 at 1080p to 253 at 1440p, and then to 134 at 4K. This represents a 36% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% decrease from 1440p to 4K. This steep decline is a direct result of the exponentially increasing number of pixels the GPU must render. The CPU, which is capable of high frame rates at lower resolutions, becomes less of a factor as the GPU's rendering time dominates the frame time.

For the High settings preset, the scaling is similar but starts from a lower base. The average FPS is 228 at 1080p, 145 at 1440p, and 77 at 4K. This shows a 36% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 47% drop from 1440p to 4K, mirroring the Low settings pattern. This consistency indicates that the GPU is the limiting component across all settings at these resolutions. The RTX 4080's workload is defined by pixel count and shading complexity, and the data confirms that this hardware is fully saturated at 4K, particularly on the higher quality presets.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K on Ultra settings is the most dramatic. The average FPS falls from 154 at 1080p to 98 at 1440p (a 36% drop), and then to 52 at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The fact that the percentage drops are nearly identical across all presets strongly suggests that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the primary bottlenecks. The CPU is powerful enough to keep up with the game's logic, but the graphics card's rendering capabilities are what ultimately determine the frame rate at higher resolutions. This makes the RTX 4080 the definitive performance limiter for 1440p and 4K gaming in Steamworld Build.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 4K (3840x2160), the High preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 77 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for a smooth experience. The Medium preset offers a higher average of 102 FPS but may not provide the visual fidelity that High does. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, drops to 52 FPS, which could be noticeable in a game that requires panning and zooming across a busy city. High provides the best balance between visual quality and performance, ensuring a fluid experience without compromising too much on detail.

For 1440p (2560x1440), the High preset is again the standout choice, offering an average of 145 FPS. This is more than enough for high-refresh-rate monitors. For those with 144Hz or 165Hz displays, the Medium preset at 194 FPS might be preferable to push frame rates to the absolute maximum. The Ultra preset at 98 FPS is also a viable option for gamers who prioritize visuals over raw frame rate, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold.

For 1080p (1920x1080), the Ultra preset is the best option for most users. With an average of 154 FPS, it provides a high-quality visual experience that still exceeds the refresh rate of most standard monitors. The High preset at 228 FPS is ideal for competitive play or for users with 240Hz displays. Given the sheer performance on offer, there is little reason to use Low or Medium settings at this resolution, as the system has ample headroom to run the game at its highest visual quality while maintaining high frame rates.