Steamworld Build

Steamworld Build, a city builder from late 2023, presents a distinct performance profile for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K paired with the Intel Arc B570. The benchmark data shows a configuration that is heavily influenced by graphical settings and resolution, with the GPU acting as the primary constraint at higher loads. The combination ranks 2977 out of 3706 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the database, a position that reflects the Arc B570's mid-range standing rather than the CPU's capability. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates to understand where this pairing excels and where it struggles.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces an average of 93 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings, the average drops to 59 FPS, a reduction of approximately 37%. The most significant hit occurs when stepping up to 4K, where the average FPS falls to 31, a further 47% decrease from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component, as its fill rate and memory bandwidth are increasingly strained by the higher pixel counts.

The scaling pattern becomes even more telling when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 162 FPS, which is a very high frame rate, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU well at lower resolutions. However, at 4K Low, the average drops to 55 FPS. While this is a playable number, it is a 66% reduction from the 1080p result. This substantial drop at 4K, even with Low settings, underscores that the GPU's raw processing power is the ceiling; the resolution dictates the workload, and the Arc B570's performance scales down accordingly.

The data also shows that the gap between settings narrows at higher resolutions, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 99 FPS (162 vs. 63). At 4K, this difference compresses to 34 FPS (55 vs. 21). This convergence demonstrates that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even reducing the graphical fidelity cannot proportionally increase the frame rate, as the sheer number of pixels is the primary bottleneck. The 265K, with its 20 cores and 20 threads, is not the limiting factor in these higher resolution scenarios.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570's specifications directly explain the observed performance limits. Its 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s, which is a moderate figure. In a city builder like Steamworld Build, where the scene complexity can be high, this bandwidth is likely a key factor in the 4K performance, where the average FPS at High settings is just 31. The 2,304 shading units and 80 ROPs are responsible for the pixel output, and the data suggests they are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but are overwhelmed at 4K with higher presets.

The GPU's clock speeds are fixed at a base and boost of 2500 MHz. This consistent clock speed means there is no dynamic frequency variation to mitigate the load, so performance scales linearly with the workload. The Arc B570's overall position in the database is the 65th percentile, with a Passmark G3D score of 14,195. This places it in the upper mid-range tier, but its nearest rivals show it is a competitive but not dominant card. The data shows it is within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and Intel Arc A750, indicating a similar level of performance, which aligns with the observed frame rates in this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combination is found at 1440p with High settings. This configuration yields an average of 59 FPS, which is a smooth and responsive frame rate for a city builder. While 1080p High offers a higher 93 FPS, the resolution drop may not be worth the performance gain. The 1440p Medium preset provides 79 FPS, but the jump to High at the same resolution is a 25% reduction in frame rate for a likely significant improvement in visual quality, making High the better choice for visual fidelity.

At 4K, the data suggests that only the Low preset is viable, with an average of 55 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS, which may be borderline for a playable experience. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as it produces an average of just 21 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is 1440p High, offering a balance of visual quality and performance that the hardware can consistently maintain.

For users prioritizing frame rate over resolution, 1080p Medium is a strong option, with an average of 124 FPS and a minimum of 106 FPS, ensuring a stable experience. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 63 FPS, is also playable and provides the highest visual settings at that resolution. However, the 1440p High setting is the sweet spot, as it provides a higher resolution with a still-very-playable frame rate, making it the superior choice for the overall experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K and Intel Arc B570 combination ranks 2977 out of 3706 tested combos in Steamworld Build. This places it in the 80th percentile of the database, meaning that about 80% of tested systems perform better in this specific game. This ranking is primarily a reflection of the GPU's performance class, as the Arc B570 is not a top-tier card. The CPU's high benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 35,850, do not translate into a high game ranking when paired with a mid-range GPU.

The combo's low rank is further highlighted by the GPU's own percentile ranking. The Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, which is a solid mid-range position. However, in a game like Steamworld Build, which can be demanding on the GPU at high settings and resolutions, this level of performance is not sufficient to push the combo into the upper echelons of the rankings. The data indicates that the 265K is capable of much higher frame rates, as evidenced by the 162 FPS at 1080p Low, but the GPU holds the combo back in more demanding scenarios.

When compared to other combos, this pairing is likely to be outperformed by systems using higher-tier GPUs, even if they have less powerful CPUs. The ranking serves as a reminder that for gaming, the GPU is often the most critical component for achieving high frame rates, especially in graphically intensive titles. The 265K's strengths in multi-threaded workloads are not fully utilized in this game, as the performance ceiling is set by the Arc B570.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is a high-end processor with 20 cores and 20 threads, based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks is exceptional, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 23,085 and a Passmark multi-thread score of 58,594. These scores indicate a processor that can handle heavy multi-threaded workloads with ease. However, in Steamworld Build, the CPU's role appears to be less demanding than the GPU's, as the frame rates at lower settings and resolutions are so high that the CPU is clearly not the bottleneck.

The CPU's base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz are high, which contributes to its strong single-thread performance, as seen in its Geekbench single-core score of 2,713. This is beneficial for a city builder, which may have simulation logic that relies on single-thread performance. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 162 FPS, which is a clear indication that the CPU can deliver a high number of frames when the GPU is not the limiting factor.

The 30 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s also help the CPU feed the GPU efficiently. The fact that the FPS drops significantly as resolution increases, while keeping the CPU constant, confirms that the 265K is not the source of the performance limitation. The CPU's percentile rank among all processors is 94th, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700KF, is only 1% slower in average benchmark score, showing that the 265K is a top-tier performer that is well ahead of the GPU in this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the performance is strong across all presets. The Low preset averages 162 FPS, providing the highest frame rates. The Medium preset averages 124 FPS, with a minimum of 106 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS, showing good consistency. The High preset averages 93 FPS, which is still very smooth. The Ultra preset averages 63 FPS, which is playable and offers the highest visual quality at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates become more moderate. The Low preset averages 103 FPS, which is excellent. The Medium preset averages 79 FPS, with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 91 FPS. The High preset averages 59 FPS, which is a solid rate for a city builder. The Ultra preset averages 40 FPS, which is a noticeable drop and may be less desirable for some users.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 55 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 48 FPS, which is on the edge of playability. The High preset averages 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 21 FPS, both of which are too low for a smooth experience. This breakdown shows a clear hierarchy of performance, with 1080p being the most comfortable and 4K being the most demanding.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K with the Intel Arc B570 in Steamworld Build?

A: The data indicates that 1440p with High settings provides the best balance, yielding an average of 59 FPS. 1080p High offers higher performance at 93 FPS, but 1440p provides a sharper image while maintaining a smooth frame rate.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiting factor. The evidence is clear: at 1080p Low, the system achieves 162 FPS, but this drops to 55 FPS at 4K Low. This significant reduction at higher resolutions, while the CPU remains constant, shows the Intel Arc B570 is the bottleneck.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B570's average benchmark score is within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon R9 M390X. This indicates it performs at a similar level to these GPUs, though it is slightly behind the Intel Arc A750 by 0.1%.

Q: What is the performance at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The 4K Ultra preset averages 21 FPS, which is not suitable for smooth gameplay. The data shows that this setting is too demanding for the Intel Arc B570, and even the High preset at 4K only averages 31 FPS.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems in Steamworld Build?

A: The combination ranks 2977 out of 3706 tested combos. This places it in the lower half of the database, indicating that most other CPU and GPU combinations achieve higher frame rates in this game.

Q: Is the CPU's high multi-core performance beneficial for this game?

A: The CPU's high multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 score of 35,850, is not fully utilized in this game. The frame rates are limited by the GPU, so the 265K's processing power is not the determining factor for performance at higher resolutions and settings.