Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B580 combination delivers a playable, though not uniformly smooth, experience in Hard West. The data shows a clear hierarchy where performance scales predictably with resolution and settings, but the relationship between the CPU and GPU shifts depending on the workload.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. Its base clock is 3.60 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. In a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, pathfinding, and AI decision-making, which are typically single-thread or lightly threaded tasks. The processor's single-thread performance, as indicated by a 3dmark single-thread score of 696, is modest by modern standards, but it is sufficient for this genre.

Benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 5 3600 sits in the 76th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18129. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-11400, scores 18150, placing the AMD chip a marginal -0.1% behind. This near-identical performance suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the two processors would be indistinguishable. Conversely, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS scores 18101, a 0.2% delta, further reinforcing that the 3600's compute capabilities are well within the expected range for its class.

In Hard West, the impact of the CPU is most visible at lower resolutions and settings, where the GPU is less taxed. At 1080p Low, the combination achieves 151.2 FPS, which is the highest frame rate in the dataset. This high number suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this setting, as it can feed the GPU enough data to reach such a high frame rate. However, the game's turn-based nature means that even frame rates well below this threshold would be perfectly playable, as the action is not time-sensitive. The data implies that the Ryzen 5 3600's 6 cores and 12 threads are more than adequate for Hard West, as the game likely does not utilize more than a few threads at any given time.

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

The Intel Arc B580 is the primary driver of visual fidelity in this setup. It features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s. The GPU's base and boost clocks are both 2670 MHz, and it operates with a 190 W TDP. With 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the Arc B580 is a capable mid-range graphics card, placing in the 66th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 23021.

The GPU's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 760M, scores 22999, a 0.1% delta, showing the Arc B580 is essentially tied with this integrated solution in synthetic benchmarks. More relevantly, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 scores 23181, a -0.7% delta, meaning the Intel card is slightly behind this popular discrete option. The 12 GB VRAM is a significant asset for a game like Hard West, which, despite being from 2015, can still have high-resolution textures that consume memory. The 456.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and data transfer are not limiting factors.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU's influence is clear. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 23.6, indicating that the Arc B580 is struggling to maintain playable frame rates at the highest settings and resolution. Conversely, at 1080p Low, the GPU can achieve 151.2 FPS, showing it is more than capable of handling the game's demands when visual effects are reduced. The GPU's performance scaling across settings is consistent: at 1440p, High yields 63.1 FPS, Medium 78.9 FPS, and Low 93.8 FPS. This pattern suggests that the Arc B580's performance is primarily limited by its raw compute power and memory bandwidth, which are taxed more heavily at higher resolutions and settings.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain a 60 FPS average?

A: The data shows that 1440p High achieves an average of 63.1 FPS, which is the only settings/resolution combination at or above 1440p that clears the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, no setting reaches 60 FPS, with the highest being Low at 48.2 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 3600 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 3600 has an average benchmark score of 18129, which is a -0.1% delta compared to the Intel Core i5-11400's score of 18150. This indicates a near-statistical tie in overall CPU performance.

Q: Does the Arc B580 have enough VRAM for Hard West?

A: Yes, the Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. The game, released in 2015, is unlikely to exceed this capacity even at 4K Ultra settings, as the highest frame rate at that resolution is 23.6 FPS, suggesting a compute limitation rather than a memory one.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p Low and 4K Ultra?

A: The average FPS drops from 151.2 at 1080p Low to 23.6 at 4K Ultra, a decrease of 127.6 FPS. This represents a significant performance penalty for the higher resolution and settings.

Q: How does the GPU's synthetic score compare to the RTX 4060?

A: The Arc B580's average benchmark score is 23021, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 scores 23181. This places the Intel card at a -0.7% delta, meaning it is slightly slower in these tests.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to be the bottleneck at 1080p Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 151.2 FPS, the highest in the dataset. This high frame rate suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU adequately, and the GPU is not overwhelmed, indicating a balanced workload at this setting.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and Intel Arc B580 combination is ranked 1321 out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West. This places the pair in the lower-middle portion of the ranking, suggesting that while it is not a top-tier performer, it is also not among the worst. The rank of 1321 means that there are 378 combos that perform worse, but also 1320 that perform better.

Given the game's age and turn-based nature, the ranking is likely influenced by the GPU's performance at higher resolutions. The data indicates that the combo struggles at 4K, with an average FPS of 32.4 at High settings, which is below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer. The 1080p results are much stronger, with High achieving 97.4 FPS and Low reaching 151.2 FPS. This suggests that the combo's rank is pulled down by its 4K performance, which is a common weakness for mid-range GPUs.

The rank is also contextualized by the CPU and GPU's individual percentiles. The CPU is in the 76th percentile, while the GPU is in the 66th percentile. The combo rank of 1321 out of 1699 (roughly the 22nd percentile) indicates that the pairing is less effective in this game than its individual components' synthetic scores might suggest. This could be due to the game's optimization or the specific demands it places on the GPU, which may not align perfectly with the Arc B580's strengths.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 151.2 FPS on Low, 124.7 FPS on Medium, 97.4 FPS on High, and 70.9 FPS on Ultra. These numbers show a smooth scaling curve, with Ultra still maintaining a playable 70.9 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 93.8 on Low, 78.9 on Medium, 63.1 on High, and 46.3 on Ultra. The Ultra setting at 1440p falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that players seeking smooth gameplay should stick to High or lower. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent, with a roughly 30-40% reduction in frame rate across all settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops further. The average FPS is 48.2 on Low, 39.2 on Medium, 32.4 on High, and 23.6 on Ultra. None of these settings reach 60 FPS, and even Low at 4K offers a sub-optimal experience. The data shows a clear pattern: the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as the frame rates drop significantly regardless of settings. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 24.6 FPS, which is smaller in absolute terms than at lower resolutions, suggesting the GPU is fully saturated.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Ultra setting provides an average of 70.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold and offers the highest visual fidelity. This is the recommended preset for players with a 1080p display, as it balances performance and image quality effectively.

For 1440p, the High setting is the optimal choice, delivering 63.1 FPS. This is the only setting at 1440p that maintains a playable frame rate above 60 FPS. Medium at 1440p yields 78.9 FPS, which is higher, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the extra 15.8 FPS for a turn-based game where smoothness is less critical. Ultra at 1440p is not recommended, as it drops to 46.3 FPS, which could feel sluggish even for a tactical title.

At 4K, the data suggests that no setting provides a consistently smooth experience. The highest average FPS is 48.2 on Low, which is below 60 FPS. For players with a 4K display, the Low setting is the only viable option if they wish to maintain a frame rate above 40 FPS. However, the visual compromise may be significant. Given the game's turn-based nature, a 32.4 FPS average on High might be tolerable for some, but it is not recommended for those sensitive to stutter. The best overall experience is likely at 1080p Ultra, where the combo can provide a high-quality visual experience with a comfortable frame rate.

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

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 97.4 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 63.1 FPS, a reduction of 34.3 FPS (or roughly 35%). At 4K High, the average FPS is 32.4, which is a further drop of 30.7 FPS from 1440p, representing a 48.7% reduction.

This pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is the primary limiting component as resolution increases. The CPU's performance, which is adequate at 1080p, becomes less relevant at higher resolutions because the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are exhausted. The 12 GB of VRAM is not the issue, as the frame rates drop consistently across settings, suggesting a compute or bandwidth limitation.

The data also shows that the scaling is not linear. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is proportionally similar to the drop from 1440p to 4K, but the absolute FPS values become so low at 4K that the experience degrades rapidly. At 4K Ultra, the 23.6 FPS average is a clear indication that the combo is not suited for this resolution. The limiting component is unambiguously the GPU, as the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck when the frame rate is below 50 FPS. This analysis implies that for the best experience, players should stick to 1080p or 1440p with the appropriate settings, as the GPU cannot sustain high frame rates at 4K.