Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination reveals a classic case of a modern GPU being held back by an older, mid-range CPU. The measured results show a system that delivers excellent frame rates at every resolution, but the scaling patterns indicate that the processor is the primary limiting factor, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work to do.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the bottleneck sits. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces 182.1 FPS, which drops to 150.1 FPS at 2560x1440, and then falls dramatically to 76.5 FPS at 3840x2160. This is a 58% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly steep, at 49%, which is typical of a GPU that is finally being allowed to stretch its legs. The RTX 5090 is clearly capable of much higher output, but at 1080p and 1440p, the Ryzen 5 5500’s six cores and twelve threads are the ceiling.

Looking at the Low preset, the pattern is even more telling. At 1080p Low, the system hits 218.6 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it only drops to 187.3 FPS. That is just a 14% reduction, which is minuscule compared to the 4K Low result of 126.3 FPS. The relatively small gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings suggests that the CPU is maxed out even at 1080p, and the GPU has enough headroom to handle the increased pixel count without much penalty. The data shows that the processor’s single-thread performance, measured at 836 in 3DMark single-thread, is the limiting factor for this game’s engine.

The Ultra preset shows the most significant scaling, from 167.4 FPS at 1080p to 113.9 FPS at 1440p and then 57.3 FPS at 4K. This is a 66% drop from 1080p to 4K, indicating that at Ultra, the GPU is finally becoming the primary constraint. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are being taxed by the higher resolution and more demanding visual effects. The data suggests that for players prioritizing frame rates over visual fidelity, the Ultra preset is the point where the GPU starts to dominate the performance equation.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is an absolute monster on paper, with a boost clock of 2407 MHz and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. The benchmark results in Hard West, however, show that its raw power is often wasted. At 1080p High, the 182.1 FPS result is impressive, but it is not far off from what a much less powerful GPU could achieve with this processor. The GPU’s passmark G3D score of 39650 places it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, yet the game’s performance at lower resolutions is not representative of that ranking.

The VRAM capacity is effectively irrelevant in this title at these settings. Even at 4K Ultra, the game only manages 57.3 FPS, which is not a memory capacity issue but rather a combination of the CPU’s limitations and the game’s engine. The RTX 5090’s memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is far beyond what a 2015 turn-based tactics game needs. The data indicates that the GPU is operating well below its potential in most scenarios, particularly at 1080p and 1440p where the CPU is the clear bottleneck.

The 575 W TDP and dual-slot design are not reflected in the performance here because the GPU is often waiting on the processor. The real story is the delta between the Low and Ultra presets at each resolution. At 4K, the gap between Low (126.3 FPS) and Ultra (57.3 FPS) is 69 FPS, showing that the GPU is doing significantly more work when the settings are raised. At 1440p, the gap is 73 FPS between Low and Ultra, which is a similar spread, but the absolute numbers are higher because the CPU is less of a constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5500 and RTX 5090 ranks 121st out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the top 7% of all systems. This ranking is respectable, but it is heavily influenced by the GPU’s raw capability. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 20875 puts it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, is only 0.1% faster. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 5500 is a solid mid-range processor, but it is not a top-tier part.

The ranking of 121 out of 1699 suggests that many other combinations with more balanced pairings achieve better results in this game. The data implies that the RTX 5090 is being held back by the Ryzen 5 5500, and the combo rank would likely be higher with a more powerful CPU. The GPU’s nearest rivals, such as the RTX 5090 D (0.1% faster) and the RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2% faster), are virtually identical in raw compute, but the performance in Hard West is more about the CPU’s ability to feed the GPU.

The 1080p High result of 182.1 FPS is strong, but it is not the kind of number that justifies the GPU’s position at the top of the stack. The data shows that the combo rank is a reflection of the system’s overall capability, not just the GPU’s. For a game like Hard West, which is not graphically demanding, the CPU’s single-thread performance is the deciding factor, and the Ryzen 5 5500’s 836 3DMark single-thread score is adequate but not exceptional.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance for the best experience with this combo. At 4K, the High preset at 76.5 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a significant improvement over Ultra (57.3 FPS) while maintaining good visual quality. The Medium preset at 103.1 FPS is also viable if you prefer higher frame rates, but High is the best balance of performance and fidelity. Ultra at 4K is not recommended, as the 57.3 FPS result is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth.

At 1440p, the High preset at 150.1 FPS is excellent and should be the default choice. The Ultra preset at 113.9 FPS is also playable and offers better visuals, but the difference between High and Ultra is not worth the 36 FPS drop. Medium at 170.7 FPS is only slightly faster than High, so there is little reason to drop below High. The Low preset at 187.3 FPS is unnecessary unless you have a high-refresh-rate monitor and want to maximize frame rates.

At 1080p, the High preset at 182.1 FPS is the recommended setting. Ultra at 167.4 FPS is also excellent and provides the best visual experience. The gap between High and Ultra is only 15 FPS, so Ultra is a reasonable choice if you want the best-looking game. Medium at 203.3 FPS and Low at 218.6 FPS are only marginally faster, and the visual sacrifices are not worth the small frame rate gains. The data shows that High is the best all-around preset at every resolution, offering a good balance of quality and performance.

FAQ

Q: Is the RTX 5090 being bottlenecked by the Ryzen 5 5500 in Hard West?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests this. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 218.6 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it only drops to 187.3 FPS. This small drop indicates the CPU is the limiting factor, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hard West with this combo?

A: The 1440p High preset at 150.1 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance. It provides a high frame rate that is well above the 60 FPS threshold, and the resolution is sharp enough for modern displays.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 121st out of 1699 combos, placing it in the top 7%. This is a strong result, but it is not at the very top due to the CPU’s limitations.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at 4K?

A: No. The Ultra preset at 4K produces only 57.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 76.5 FPS is a better choice, offering a smoother experience with only a minor visual downgrade.

Q: Does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM matter for this game?

A: No. Hard West is a 2015 turn-based tactics game, and the benchmark data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the frame rate is limited by the CPU and GPU compute, not memory capacity. The 32 GB VRAM is overkill for this title.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-thread performance, and does it affect the game?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 scores 836 in the 3DMark single-thread test. This is a moderate score, and it is the primary reason the combo cannot achieve higher frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, as the game’s engine is likely single-thread dependent.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a six-core, twelve-thread processor from the 5000 series, built on the Zen 3 architecture with a 7 nm process. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.20 GHz are respectable, but the benchmark data shows that its single-thread performance is the key factor in Hard West. The 3DMark single-thread score of 836 is the lowest among the CPU’s benchmark results, and this is the metric that matters most for a turn-based tactics game that likely relies on a single game thread for logic and AI.

The CPU’s multi-thread performance is much stronger, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and a passmark multi-thread score of 19330. However, these results do not translate into higher frame rates in Hard West. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system hits 218.6 FPS, but this is likely the maximum the CPU can push, regardless of the GPU’s capabilities. The 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are adequate, but the CPU’s average benchmark score of 20875 puts it in the 79th percentile, which is solid but not exceptional.

The CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, has an average score that is only 0.1% higher, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE is also 0.1% faster. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 5500 is well-matched against its direct competitors, but none of them are top-tier processors. In Hard West, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The data shows that it does this adequately at 4K, where the GPU is the bottleneck, but at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is the limiting factor, preventing the RTX 5090 from reaching its full potential. The benchmark results indicate that this is a balanced system for 4K gaming, but for high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p play, the CPU is the weak link.