Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, places unique demands on hardware, favoring simulation logic over raw graphical fidelity. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 across three resolutions and four quality presets. The data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while the processor's substantial multi-threading capabilities are sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU at standard 1080p gaming. The following sections break down the scaling behavior, component roles, and practical settings for this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance curve as resolution increases, indicative of a GPU-bound scenario. At the 1920x1080 High preset, the combo delivers an average of 99 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High drops the average to 63 FPS, a reduction of 36 FPS. The transition to 3840x2160 High yields an average of 33 FPS, which is a further 30 FPS decrease from the 1440p result. This pattern—where performance nearly halves with each step up in resolution—clearly demonstrates that the rendering load is overwhelming the RTX 2060.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at the High preset results in a 66% drop in average frame rate. This magnitude of loss is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput and memory bandwidth. The RTX 2060, with its 6 GB of VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth, appears to be the limiting factor. The data suggests that the CPU is not the primary constraint in these higher resolution scenarios, as the frame rate drops are consistently proportional to the increase in pixel count.

At the Low preset, the scaling is less severe in absolute terms but still significant. The average FPS at 1080p Low is 173, which falls to 110 at 1440p and 58 at 4K. The 4K Low result is still 75% higher than the 4K High result, indicating that reducing graphical load can partially offset the resolution penalty. However, even at Low settings, the 4K resolution proves too demanding for a smooth 60 FPS experience. The pattern across all settings confirms that the RTX 2060's computational ceiling is reached long before the Intel Core Ultra 7 265's processing headroom is exhausted.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling. At 1080p, the average is 67 FPS, which is already below the High preset's 99 FPS. At 1440p, this falls to 43 FPS, and at 4K, it drops to a playable-but-stuttery 23 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects or asset loads that disproportionately tax the GPU's 6 GB memory buffer or its 1920 shading units. The frame time data for the Medium preset, which includes min and max values, shows consistency with the average scores, reinforcing that the bottleneck is stable and consistent rather than sporadic.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its benchmark results place it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating a high level of performance for heavily threaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and a Passmark multithread score of 49682 highlight its strength in parallel processing tasks, which are relevant to the simulation and pathfinding calculations common in city builders like Steamworld Build.

In this specific game, however, the CPU's role appears secondary to the GPU at the tested settings. The fact that frame rates scale so heavily with resolution suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU frames faster than the GPU can render them. At 1080p Low, the 173 FPS average suggests the CPU is capable of handling the game's logic at high speed, but the RTX 2060 cannot maintain that pace at higher graphical loads. The processor's high single-core performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4689, ensures that the game's primary simulation thread is not a limiting factor.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 265 sits in a tight performance band. It trails the AMD EPYC 4464P by 0.3% in average benchmark score, while leading the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by 0.3% and the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7%. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming scenarios. The data indicates that the processor's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory provide ample bandwidth for the game's data structures. The 65 W TDP suggests efficient operation, but the performance data shows that the bottleneck is firmly on the graphics side for this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the clear performance limiter in this configuration. Based on the Turing architecture and manufactured on a 12 nm process, this card features 1920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Its memory subsystem consists of 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card's benchmark scores place it at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 14111.

The measured FPS data aligns perfectly with this mid-range positioning. At 1080p, the card can deliver playable frame rates across most presets, with a High preset average of 99 FPS and a Medium average of 133 FPS. However, the Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 67 FPS, indicating that the card's 6 GB VRAM capacity is likely being exceeded or its compute units are saturated. The 4K Ultra average of 23 FPS is nearly unplayable, confirming that the RTX 2060 is not designed for high-resolution gaming in this genre.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database show how tight the competition is at this performance tier. The RTX 2060 matches the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 with a 0% delta, sits just 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon 680M, and trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM by 0.6% and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 by 0.8%. These figures suggest that the RTX 2060 is performing as expected for its class. The card's 160 W TDP and PCIe 3.0 x16 interface are standard for its generation, but they do not offer the headroom needed for the demanding 4K resolution. The data strongly indicates that for a smoother experience at higher resolutions, a more powerful GPU would be necessary.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves at 1920x1080?

A: The highest average frame rate is 173 FPS, achieved at the Low preset. The Medium preset achieves 133 FPS, High achieves 99 FPS, and Ultra drops to 67 FPS.

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

A: At 3840x2160, the best result is 58 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset averages 45 FPS, High averages 33 FPS, and Ultra averages 23 FPS. While the Low preset is playable, higher presets do not provide a smooth experience.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 2560x1440?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The High preset averages 63 FPS, while the Low preset averages 110 FPS. This significant difference indicates that graphical settings have a much larger impact on performance than CPU capabilities.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265 trails the AMD EPYC 4464P by 0.3% in average benchmark score and the AMD EPYC 9124 by 0.7%. It leads the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by 0.3% and the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7%.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The only preset with min/max data is the Medium preset. The minimum FPS recorded is 38 at 3840x2160, 72 at 2560x1440, and 113 at 1920x1080. The maximum FPS for these same settings are 51, 97, and 153, respectively.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 falls in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15290. This places it in the mid-range tier of graphics cards.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal balance between visual quality and performance for this system is the High preset at 1920x1080. This configuration delivers an average of 99 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS target and provides a smooth experience for a city builder. The Medium preset at 1080p offers an even higher average of 133 FPS, but the visual improvement from Medium to High is often more noticeable than the frame rate drop from 133 to 99 FPS.

For users with 2560x1440 monitors, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It averages 84 FPS with a minimum of 72 FPS, ensuring consistent frame pacing. The High preset at 1440p averages 63 FPS, which is acceptable for a strategy game but leaves less headroom for complex scenes with many entities. The Low preset at 1440p achieves 110 FPS but sacrifices too much visual fidelity for the genre.

At 3840x2160, the data suggests that this combination is not well-suited for high-quality gaming. The Low preset averages 58 FPS, which is playable but visually compromised. The Medium preset at 45 FPS may be acceptable for players who prioritize resolution over smoothness, but the High and Ultra presets at 33 FPS and 23 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for a satisfying experience. The 1080p High preset offers the best overall experience, providing high visual detail while maintaining a frame rate that easily handles the game's simulation demands.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the complete set of measured average frame rates for this combo. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 173 FPS, Medium achieves 133 FPS, High achieves 99 FPS, and Ultra achieves 67 FPS. The Medium preset has documented variability, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 153 FPS. The 1080p results show a clear linear progression, with each preset step reducing performance by roughly 30 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS for Low is 110, Medium is 84, High is 63, and Ultra is 43. The Medium preset's min/max range is 72 to 97 FPS, indicating a slightly wider variance than at 1080p. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in a 36% performance drop for the High preset, from 99 to 63 FPS, and a 37% drop for the Low preset, from 173 to 110 FPS. These consistent reductions underscore the GPU's resolution sensitivity.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 58 FPS for Low, 45 FPS for Medium, 33 FPS for High, and 23 FPS for Ultra. The Medium preset shows a min/max of 38 to 51 FPS. The step from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing, with the High preset falling by 48% from 63 to 33 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the lowest recorded result, at 23 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play. Across all resolutions, the Ultra preset consistently reduces performance by approximately 30% compared to High, demonstrating the heavy load of its additional effects.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 2263 out of 2924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the lower-middle tier of all systems tested for this game. The ranking reflects the significant bottleneck imposed by the RTX 2060, which limits the overall performance despite the high-tier CPU.

The CPU itself is a top-tier performer, ranking in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. Its inclusion in this combo ensures that there is no processor-related stuttering or slowdown in simulation-heavy moments. However, the GPU's 58th percentile ranking drags the combined score down. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a higher-performing GPU would yield a significantly better rank.

The 2263rd ranking out of 2924 combos indicates that the majority of tested systems achieve better performance in this title. This is likely due to the game's scalability with GPU power. The measured FPS data confirms that the system struggles at higher resolutions and presets, which is a typical characteristic of a mid-range GPU from the RTX 20-series. While the CPU provides a solid foundation, the overall combo is held back by the graphics card's limitations in this specific game. For users seeking to improve their rank, upgrading the GPU would be the most impactful change.