Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder released in late 2023, presents an interesting workload that balances CPU-driven simulation with GPU rendering. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, focusing on how the system scales across resolutions and settings. The data reveals a configuration that is capable but often constrained by the GPU, particularly at higher visual fidelity and resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent progression as resolution increases, indicating where the performance bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves a very high average of 225 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 143 FPS, a reduction of 36.4%. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 76 FPS, which is a 66.2% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline at lower settings is classic behavior for a system where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases.

At higher settings, the scaling pattern shifts. For High settings, the progression from 1080p to 1440p is a drop from 129 FPS to 82 FPS (a 36.4% reduction), and then from 1440p to 4K it drops to 43 FPS (a 47.6% reduction). The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than from 1080p to 1440p, which is typical as the GPU struggles with the 4K pixel count under a heavier load. With Ultra settings, the trend is similar but the absolute numbers are much lower: 87 FPS at 1080p, 55 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS indicates a very heavy load that the RTX 4060 cannot handle smoothly.

The data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 265 provides ample headroom at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the high FPS counts. However, the GPU's performance ceiling is reached quickly. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings is 47 FPS, but the difference between 1440p and 4K at High settings is 39 FPS. This shows that the cost of each additional pixel is not linear, and the GPU's rendering capabilities are the dominant factor in determining final framerates across all tested resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its benchmark percentile of 61 indicates it sits slightly above the median of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals are notably older or lower-tier parts, including the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and the integrated AMD Radeon 780M. This suggests that while the card is competent, it is not a high-end performer in the current landscape.

In Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is significant. The 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, showing that the card's 8 GB frame buffer and compute capabilities are overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum settings. The 4K Medium average of 58 FPS is more playable, but the frame time data shows a minimum of 49 FPS, indicating potential stutter. The 4K Low average of 76 FPS is the only 4K result that approaches a smooth experience.

The GPU's performance scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is instructive. Low yields 143 FPS, Medium 110 FPS, High 82 FPS, and Ultra 55 FPS. This shows a clear cost for each step up in visual quality. The gap between High and Ultra at this resolution is 27 FPS, which is substantial. This indicates that the Ultra preset demands significantly more from the GPU, and the RTX 4060's capabilities are insufficient to maintain high framerates. The card's performance is adequate for 1080p gaming, where it can push past 100 FPS on most settings, but it is not designed for high-refresh-rate 4K play in this title.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, with 30 MB of shared L3 cache. Its benchmark percentile of 93 places it in the top 7% of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals are server-class parts like the AMD EPYC 4464P and AMD EPYC 9124, showing its strong multi-threaded capabilities. The processor's performance is not a limiting factor in the measured results.

At 1080p Low, the system achieves 225 FPS. This high framerate confirms the CPU's ability to feed the GPU quickly in a scenario where the graphics load is low. The CPU's high boost clock and 20 cores ensure that the game's simulation and logic threads are handled efficiently. However, as resolution increases, the framerate drops, indicating that the CPU is no longer the bottleneck. The fact that the 1080p Low result is so much higher than the 4K Low result (225 vs 76 FPS) proves that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component in this configuration.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent when comparing the Low settings results across resolutions. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 82 FPS, which is a massive reduction. If the CPU were the primary constraint, this drop would be less severe. The data supports the conclusion that the Core Ultra 7 265 provides more than enough processing power for Steamworld Build, even at high frame rates. Its performance is consistently in the top percentile, and the benchmark results for this game are dictated by the GPU's rendering speed, not the CPU's calculation speed.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo for a high refresh rate?

A: The 1920x1080 resolution is the only one that consistently provides framerates above 100 FPS across all settings, with a peak of 225 FPS on Low and a minimum of 87 FPS on Ultra.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the RTX 4060 in this game?

A: The data shows that 4K is only viable on Low settings, where the average FPS is 76. Medium settings yield 58 FPS, and High and Ultra drop to 43 and 29 FPS respectively, which are not ideal for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its close rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has an average benchmark score of 64640, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD EPYC 4464P and 0.7% lower than the AMD EPYC 9124, but 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F and 0.7% higher than the AMD EPYC 7343.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its close rivals?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639. It is 0.2% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790, but 0.3% faster than the AMD Radeon 780M, 0.5% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 560, and 0.7% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 460.

Q: What is the framerate difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 110 FPS, while the High preset averages 82 FPS. This represents a 28 FPS difference, making Medium a significantly faster option.

Q: What is the impact of the Ultra preset on performance?

A: The Ultra preset has a severe impact on performance. At 1080p, it reduces the average FPS from 129 on High to 87. At 4K, it drops the framerate to 29 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most users.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks at 1992 out of 3706 tested combos for Steamworld Build. This places it in the 46th percentile of all tested systems, which is a middle-of-the-pack result. The ranking reflects the balance of the high-performing CPU and the mid-range GPU. The CPU's top-tier percentile (93) is dragged down by the GPU's more modest standing (61st percentile).

The benchmark results show that this combo is not optimized for maximum performance in this game. The high CPU percentile does not translate into a high in-game rank because the GPU is the limiting factor. The rank of 1992 indicates that many other combinations, likely with more powerful GPUs, achieve better performance. The data suggests that the CPU is significantly overqualified for the task, while the GPU holds the system back from achieving a higher placement in the rankings. This is a clear case where the system's overall performance is dictated by its weakest link, which is the graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p, the High preset is the recommended choice, as it provides a high average of 129 FPS, which is well-suited for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 1080p still delivers a playable 87 FPS, but the 42 FPS drop from High suggests a significant performance cost for marginal visual gains. The Low and Medium presets are unnecessary at this resolution, as High already exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors.

For 1440p, the Medium preset is the most balanced option. It achieves an average of 110 FPS, with a minimum of 93 FPS, ensuring a stable experience. The High preset at 1440p is also viable at 82 FPS, but the Medium preset offers a 28 FPS advantage, which is likely worth the reduction in graphical detail. The Ultra preset at 1440p dips to 55 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but it is not recommended for fast-paced gameplay.

For 4K, the Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth framerate, with an average of 76 FPS. The Medium preset's average of 58 FPS is borderline, and its minimum of 49 FPS could cause noticeable stutters. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended, as they both fall below 60 FPS. Therefore, users targeting 4K should accept the Low preset to get a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete list of measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination.

1920x1080:

• Low: 225 FPS average
• Medium: 172 FPS average (min 147, max 198)
• High: 129 FPS average
• Ultra: 87 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 143 FPS average
• Medium: 110 FPS average (min 93, max 126)
• High: 82 FPS average
• Ultra: 55 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 76 FPS average
• Medium: 58 FPS average (min 49, max 67)
• High: 43 FPS average
• Ultra: 29 FPS average

The data shows a clear hierarchy. The 1080p Low result of 225 FPS is the maximum performance achievable. The 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS is the minimum. The frame time data for Medium settings shows that the minimum FPS is consistently about 15-20% lower than the average, which is a normal variation for a city builder with fluctuating simulation loads. The results confirm that the RTX 4060 is the primary performance limiter, as the framerate scales almost entirely with resolution and graphics settings, independent of the CPU's high benchmark scores.