Steamworld Build

FAQ

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

A: The Core Ultra 7 265 posts an average benchmark score of 64,640, which is just 0.3% behind the AMD EPYC 4464P (64,823) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64,438). It also edges out the AMD EPYC 7343 by 0.7% but trails the AMD EPYC 9124 by 0.7%.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested CPU-GPU pairings for Steamworld Build?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the RTX 5080 ranks 102nd out of 2,924 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3.5% of all tested systems for this game.

Q: How does the GPU's synthetic benchmark standing compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 56,083. It sits 0.6% above the AMD Radeon 8060S (55,757), 0.7% above the Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698), and 2.3% above the Radeon Pro W5700X (54,828), while trailing the RX 9070 GRE by 2.2% (57,367).

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded at 4K, and at which settings?

A: At 3840x2160, the highest average FPS is 139, achieved at Low settings. For context, Medium delivers 106 FPS, High drops to 79 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 54 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU have integrated graphics, and what are its core specs?

A: Yes, the Core Ultra 7 265 includes Arc Xe-LPG Graphics with 32 execution units. The processor itself features 20 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the CPU, and what type of memory does it support?

A: The Core Ultra 7 265 supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a maximum bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It does not support ECC memory.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread desktop processor built on Intel's Arrow Lake architecture. It operates at a base clock of 2.40 GHz and boosts up to 5.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The chip features a 30 MB shared L3 cache, and each core has 192 KB of L1 and 3 MB of L2 cache. The processor is manufactured on a 3 nm process at TSMC, containing 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

For Steamworld Build, a city builder genre title, the CPU's multi-threaded performance matters for simulation logic and AI pathfinding. The benchmark data shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42,216 and a single-core score of 5,960. The PassMark multithread score is 49,682, while single-thread performance is 4,689. These figures place the CPU in the 93rd percentile among all processors.

The synthetic benchmark average of 64,640 places the Core Ultra 7 265 in close competition with several server-class AMD EPYC parts. It is nearly identical in performance to the EPYC 4464P (64,823, only 0.3% higher) and the Core Ultra 7 265F (64,438, just 0.3% lower). The gap to the EPYC 7343 is 0.7%, and to the EPYC 9124 it is 0.7% in the opposite direction. This clustering suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck in this pairing; the measured FPS data indicates the GPU is the primary driver of frame rate scaling across resolutions.

The CPU's data compression score of 522,983 in PassMark suggests strong integer throughput, which correlates with city-building simulation workloads. The floating-point math score of 172,776 and integer math score of 134,773 further support this. For a game like Steamworld Build, where large populations and complex production chains tax the CPU, the Core Ultra 7 265's 20 cores provide substantial headroom. However, the measured FPS at 1080p Low (412 FPS average) versus 4K Ultra (54 FPS average) shows that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 achieves a rank of 102 out of 2,924 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places the pairing in the top 3.5% of all systems tested for this game, indicating excellent overall performance. The rank reflects the balance between the 20-core CPU and the RTX 5080's capabilities.

Given that the CPU sits in the 93rd percentile of all processors and the GPU in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, the combo's top-102 finish is consistent with both components being high-end parts. The ranking suggests that this system can handle Steamworld Build at high settings across popular resolutions without compromise. The data shows no obvious bottleneck: at 1440p High, the system delivers 150 FPS average, and at 1080p Ultra it hits 159 FPS, demonstrating that both components scale effectively with workload.

The rank also implies that there are 101 other combinations that outperform this pairing, likely featuring higher-tier CPUs or GPUs. However, for a city builder that is not typically as GPU-intensive as first-person shooters, this combo's position in the top 3.5% is strong. The measured FPS data across all resolutions and settings shows no configuration where the system falls below playable frame rates, with the lowest average being 54 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the RTX 5080 paired with the Core Ultra 7 265 delivers a clear scaling curve across settings. Low settings produce an average of 139 FPS, Medium yields 106 FPS (with a minimum of 90 and maximum of 122), High drops to 79 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration in the entire dataset where the average dips below 60 FPS, making it the most demanding scenario tested.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the system shows substantially higher frame rates. Low settings hit an average of 262 FPS, Medium reaches 201 FPS (minimum 171, maximum 231), High achieves 150 FPS, and Ultra maintains 101 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p at the same settings is significant: Low settings improve by 123 FPS (139 to 262), and Ultra improves by 47 FPS (54 to 101). This indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed at 4K, and 1440p provides a more comfortable margin above refresh rate thresholds.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the performance is exceptional across the board. Low settings produce an average of 412 FPS, Medium reaches 315 FPS (minimum 268, maximum 363), High achieves 236 FPS, and Ultra delivers 159 FPS. The 1080p results show that the system is capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors even at Ultra settings. The scaling from 1440p to 1080p is less dramatic than from 4K to 1440p, suggesting that the CPU begins to play a larger role at lower resolutions.

The data reveals that the Medium preset consistently provides a smooth experience with frame times that are tighter than the averages suggest, as shown by the min/max figures at each resolution. The 1080p Medium result of 315 FPS average with a 268 FPS minimum ensures no perceptible stutter, while the 1440p Medium average of 201 FPS with a 171 FPS minimum is still well above typical display refresh rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using the GB203 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die, with a transistor density of 120.6 million per square millimeter. The GPU has 10,752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 render output units, along with 84 ray tracing cores and 336 tensor cores.

The memory subsystem is a highlight: 16 GB of GDDR7 on a 256-bit bus delivers 960.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2295 MHz and boosts to 2617 MHz, with memory clocked at 1875 MHz (30 Gbps effective). The card has a 360 W TDP and requires a 750 W recommended power supply, connected via a single 16-pin connector. It occupies a dual-slot form factor and measures 304 mm in length.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5080 scores 36,565 in PassMark G3D and 21,789 in PassMark GPU compute. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 8,637, while Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores are 235,901 and 255,450, respectively. The GPU sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56,083.

The nearest rivals in synthetic performance are closely matched. The AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55,757 (0.6% lower), the Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698 (0.7% lower), and the Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828 (2.3% lower). The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE scores 57,367, which is 2.2% higher. This clustering indicates that the RTX 5080's synthetic performance is competitive but not dominant over its peers.

For Steamworld Build, the GPU's role is evident in the measured FPS scaling. At 4K, the drop from 139 FPS at Low to 54 FPS at Ultra represents a 61% reduction, highlighting the GPU's sensitivity to settings. The 16 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for a city builder at any resolution, as the game's textures and geometry do not approach this limit. The 960.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming remains smooth even in complex scenes with many buildings and units.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, all presets deliver playable frame rates, but Ultra at 159 FPS average is the best experience for high-refresh-rate displays. The 236 FPS average at High is also excellent and provides additional headroom for demanding scenes. For most 1080p users, High or Ultra will be the best choice, with Low (412 FPS) and Medium (315 FPS) being overkill for typical 60-144 Hz monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset offers an average of 201 FPS with a minimum of 171 FPS, providing a smooth experience on 144 Hz or 165 Hz displays. High delivers 150 FPS average, which is still excellent for most monitors. Ultra at 101 FPS is playable but may dip below 100 FPS in busy scenes. For the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1440p, the data suggests High is the sweet spot, with Ultra being viable for those prioritizing fidelity over frame rate.

At 4K, the choices are more constrained. Ultra drops to 54 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS target for many players. High at 79 FPS is playable but not silky smooth. Medium at 106 FPS (minimum 90) is the best option for 4K gaming, offering a solid frame rate that stays above 90 FPS even in the worst-case scenario measured. Low at 139 FPS is also viable for competitive play or if frame rate is the top priority.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently provides the most balanced experience, with the minimum FPS figures (90 at 4K, 171 at 1440p, 268 at 1080p) ensuring no significant frame drops. For users with 60 Hz displays at 4K, High is the recommended setting, as it maintains an average above 60 FPS with room to spare. For those with 120 Hz or higher refresh rate 4K monitors, the Medium preset is the only configuration that reliably exceeds 100 FPS.