Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination shows a system that is heavily skewed toward GPU performance. The pairing of a 2018 mid-range CPU with a 2023 high-end GPU creates a noticeable bottleneck at lower resolutions, while the 4K results reveal the GPU's raw capabilities. This analysis walks through the measured FPS data to explain how each component contributes to the game's performance across different settings and resolutions.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. It features a 16 MB shared L3 cache and a 65 W TDP, positioning it as a solid mid-range desktop part from its 2018 release. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11186 and a single-core score of 1579, which places it in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 19616 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-1345U (19691, -0.4% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (19508, 0.6% delta), indicating that its compute capability is well within the expected range for its class.

In Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is primarily to manage game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit actions rather than to push high frame rates in real-time rendering. The data suggests that the Ryzen 5 2600 is sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 at higher resolutions but becomes a limiting factor at 1080p. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 160.8, which is the highest recorded in the entire dataset. However, when moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings, the average drops to 135.2 FPS, a reduction of 15.9%. This drop is relatively small compared to the jump from 1440p to 4K, where Low settings yield 83.7 FPS, a 38.1% decrease. The pattern indicates that at 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance (Cinebench R20 single-core score of 663) is likely the ceiling, as the GPU is not being fully utilized. The 12 threads do provide headroom for background tasks, but the game's age means it likely relies more on single-core performance, which is a known weakness for this generation of AMD processors.

The CPU's impact is most visible when comparing the 1080p Ultra (122.5 FPS) to the 1440p High (102.2 FPS) results. The 1080p Ultra result is lower than the 1440p High result, which is counterintuitive if the GPU were the sole bottleneck. This suggests that at 1080p with higher settings, the CPU is struggling to maintain the frame pacing needed for the GPU to render at its maximum potential. The benchmark data does not include minimum FPS values, so we cannot quantify stutter, but the average FPS trend strongly implies a CPU limitation at 1080p. For a game like Hard West, where frame rates above 60 FPS are not critical for gameplay, this bottleneck is less of a concern, but it is a measurable factor in the results.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a modern Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2475 MHz, and it has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The GPU's compute capabilities are substantial, with a FP32 throughput of 29.15 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 158.4 GPixel/s. In the Passmark G3D benchmark, it scores 26927, placing it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 37283 is closely matched by its nearest rivals, including the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37507, -0.6% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38135, -2.2% delta), showing that while the 4070 is strong, it does not dominate the field in raw synthetic tests.

In Hard West, the RTX 4070 demonstrates its strength in the 4K resolution tests, where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 42.5, which is playable for a turn-based game but below the 60 FPS threshold. The High settings at 4K yield 54.3 FPS, while Medium produces 70.3 FPS, and Low reaches 83.7 FPS. This scaling shows that the GPU has enough headroom at 4K to handle the workload, but the Ultra preset pushes it to its limits. The 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for this 2015 title, as Hard West does not have demanding texture requirements, so memory capacity is not a limiting factor. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s is also ample for the game's data throughput.

The GPU's performance at 1440p is where it starts to show its full potential. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 102.2, and with Low settings, it reaches 135.2 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 76 FPS, which is still smooth. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 can handle Hard West at 1440p with any settings preset, maintaining frame rates well above what the CPU can provide at 1080p. The 4K results are the most telling for the GPU's role: the difference between Low (83.7 FPS) and Ultra (42.5 FPS) is 41.2 FPS, a 49.2% reduction, which is a direct reflection of the GPU's rendering workload scaling with settings. This is a clear indicator that the GPU is fully engaged at 4K, unlike at 1080p where the CPU holds it back.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 in Hard West?

A: Yes, at 1080p resolution. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS is 160.8, but at 2560x1440 with Low settings, it drops to 135.2. If the GPU were the only limit, the 1440p result would be proportionally lower than the 1080p result based on pixel count, but the smaller than expected drop indicates the CPU is capping performance at 1080p.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this system in Hard West?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 160.8, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is followed closely by 148.8 FPS at 1080p Medium and 135.3 FPS at 1080p High.

Q: Can the RTX 4070 maintain 60 FPS at 4K in Hard West?

A: Yes, but only with lower settings. At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 70.3, and with Low settings, it is 83.7. However, at High settings, the average drops to 54.3 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 42.5 FPS, both below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the CPU's synthetic benchmark score compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 2600 has an average benchmark score of 19616. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-1345U, scores 19691, which is a -0.4% delta, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U scores 19508, a 0.6% delta. This places the CPU in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and does it affect Hard West performance?

A: The RTX 4070 has a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. For Hard West, a game from 2015, this bandwidth is more than sufficient, and the benchmark data does not show any performance anomalies that would suggest memory bandwidth is a limiting factor at any resolution or settings preset.

Q: Which resolution provides the best balance of performance and visual quality?

A: Based on the measured data, 2560x1440 with High settings provides an average of 102.2 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target. The 1440p Medium preset yields 129.4 FPS, and even the Ultra preset at 76 FPS is smooth, making 1440p the optimal resolution for this system.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how the system performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 160.8 FPS, Medium yields 148.8 FPS, High reaches 135.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 122.5 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 38.3 FPS, or a 23.8% reduction, which is relatively modest and suggests that the CPU is the primary constraint at this resolution. The 1080p results are all above 120 FPS, indicating that the system is capable of high refresh rate gaming, but the gains from lowering settings are less pronounced than at higher resolutions.

At 2560x1440, the performance profile shifts. Low settings produce 135.2 FPS, Medium yields 129.4 FPS, High reaches 102.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 76 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 59.2 FPS, a 43.8% reduction, which is more substantial than at 1080p. This indicates that the GPU is starting to become more involved in the workload, particularly with the Ultra preset, which demands more from the shading units and texture units. The 1440p results show that the system can handle High settings comfortably at over 100 FPS, making it a strong choice for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the dominant factor. Low settings produce 83.7 FPS, Medium yields 70.3 FPS, High reaches 54.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 42.5 FPS. The reduction from Low to Ultra is 41.2 FPS, a 49.2% decrease, which is the largest relative drop across all resolutions. This is expected, as 4K resolution quadruples the pixel count from 1080p, placing a heavy burden on the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth. The 4K results show that the system is only capable of 60+ FPS at Low or Medium settings, while High and Ultra presets fall short of this mark. The data confirms that Hard West is playable at 4K with the RTX 4070, but users must sacrifice visual quality to achieve smooth frame rates.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The scaling of FPS across resolutions reveals the nature of the bottleneck in this system. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 with Low settings, the average FPS drops from 160.8 to 135.2, a 15.9% decrease. This is a relatively small drop considering that 1440p has 1.78 times the pixels of 1080p. If the GPU were the limiting factor, we would expect a more proportional decrease in FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is holding the system back, and the GPU has spare capacity that is not being utilized. At Medium settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 148.8 to 129.4, a 13.0% decrease, further confirming the CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions.

When scaling from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 with Low settings, the FPS drops from 135.2 to 83.7, a 38.1% decrease. This is a much larger relative drop, and it aligns more closely with the 2.25 times increase in pixel count. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is now the primary limiting component. The same pattern holds for Medium settings, where the drop from 1440p to 4K is from 129.4 to 70.3, a 45.7% decrease, and for High settings, where it drops from 102.2 to 54.3, a 46.9% decrease. These larger drops at 4K are a clear sign that the RTX 4070 is working at its full capacity, and the CPU is no longer the bottleneck.

The analysis of resolution scaling points to a system where the Ryzen 5 2600 is the limiting factor at 1080p, but the RTX 4070 takes over as the bottleneck at 4K. At 1440p, the system is more balanced, with the CPU and GPU sharing the workload more evenly. This is evidenced by the fact that the FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p is smaller than the drop from 1440p to 4K, regardless of settings. The data suggests that for this specific game, the optimal resolution for this hardware combination is 1440p, where the CPU's limitations are less pronounced, and the GPU's power is fully utilized without being overwhelmed.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this system in Hard West depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings presets deliver average FPS well above 120, so the recommendation is to use the Ultra preset, which yields 122.5 FPS. This provides the highest visual quality without sacrificing smoothness, as the frame rate is still more than double the standard 60 FPS target. The data shows that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, so lowering settings does not yield significant FPS gains; the difference between Ultra and Low is only 38.3 FPS, and the visual improvements from Ultra are worth the slight reduction.

At 2560x1440, the High preset with an average of 102.2 FPS is the recommended choice for a balanced experience. It offers excellent visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 76 FPS is also viable and provides the best image quality, but the 26.2 FPS drop from High to Ultra may not be worth the marginal visual difference for some users. The Medium preset at 129.4 FPS is a good option for those who prioritize higher frame rates, but it sacrifices noticeable visual details. For most players, High at 1440p offers the best combination of performance and quality.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset with an average of 70.3 FPS is the recommended choice for a playable experience. The Low preset at 83.7 FPS is smoother, but Medium provides a significant improvement in visual quality for a relatively small FPS cost. The High preset at 54.3 FPS and Ultra at 42.5 FPS are below the 60 FPS target, which can be acceptable for a turn-based tactics game where frame rate is less critical, but they may result in noticeable stutter during camera movements. Given that Hard West is a turn-based game, the 42.5 FPS at Ultra 4K might still be playable, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance at 4K.