Hard West

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, using the Vermeer codename on the 7 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and it carries a 65 W TDP. The chip features a 32 MB shared L3 cache plus 512 KB of L2 per core, and it supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. This is a desktop part on the AMD Socket AM4 platform with PCIe Gen 4 connectivity (20 lanes from the CPU).

In synthetic benchmarks, the processor demonstrates a strong balance between single-thread and multi-thread performance. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2584, while the multi-core score reaches 18309. The Geekbench results show a single-core score of 1936 and a multi-core score of 9158, reflecting a mature architecture that handles both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads efficiently. The PassMark multi-thread score of 21541 further corroborates this, with the single-thread score at 3256. The 3DMark tests show scaling from 882 in single-thread to 5659 at max threads, indicating that the CPU adds performance as more threads are utilized, which is typical for a 6-core/12-thread design.

Relative to its closest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5600 sits within a very tight performance band. The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V scores 20454 (0.1% behind), the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G scores 20425 (0.2% behind), the AMD EPYC 9454P scores 20422 (0.2% behind), and the AMD EPYC 7713 scores 20363 (0.5% behind). The Ryzen 5 5600's average benchmark score is 20468, which places it at the top of this small group despite the margin being negligible. It ranks in the 74th percentile against all CPUs, confirming it as a solid mainstream performer.

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is less about sustaining high frame rates during intense action sequences and more about maintaining consistent frame pacing during unit turns, AI calculations, and map loading. The 6-core/12-thread configuration provides ample headroom for the game's logic, which is typically not heavily multithreaded but benefits from strong single-thread performance. The 3.50 GHz base clock and 4.40 GHz boost ensure that the game's primary thread has access to high clock speeds when needed, while the 32 MB L3 cache helps with data locality for the game's assets. Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combination, as the frame rates scale predictably with resolution changes, which points to the GPU being the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 with the Intel Arc B570 ranks 2360 out of 2949 total combos for Hard West. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking table, which initially might seem surprising given the individual component scores. However, this rank reflects the specific performance envelope of this exact CPU-GPU pairing within this particular game, not their standalone capabilities.

The rank of 2360 out of 2949 (approximately the 80th percentile from the bottom) indicates that a significant number of other combinations deliver higher average frame rates in Hard West. This is largely attributable to the GPU's positioning: the Intel Arc B570 sits in the 65th percentile against all GPUs, which is respectable but not top-tier. When paired with a CPU that ranks in the 74th percentile, the overall combo lands in a mid-pack position. The data suggests that while the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU in most scenarios, the GPU's raw throughput limits the maximum achievable frame rates, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

It is important to note that the combo rank is a holistic measure—it does not isolate whether the CPU or GPU is the bottleneck. Instead, it captures the observed average FPS across all tested configurations. For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, where frame rates are often less demanding than in fast-paced shooters, the 2360th rank still means the game is playable, but it will not compete with high-end combos that push triple-digit frame rates at 4K. The delta between this combo and the top performers is primarily driven by the GPU's mid-range class, as the CPU's synthetic scores show it can keep pace with many higher-ranked processors.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern: as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, average frame rates drop consistently across all settings. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 84 FPS, which falls to 53 FPS at 1440p High (a 37% reduction) and then to 28 FPS at 4K High (a 67% reduction from 1080p). This scaling behavior is typical of a system where the GPU becomes increasingly stressed at higher resolutions, while the CPU's workload remains relatively constant.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced. The 1080p Low average is 134 FPS, dropping to 85 FPS at 1440p Low and then to 44 FPS at 4K Low. The 1080p-to-4K drop here is 67% as well, but the absolute frame rates are higher, indicating that the GPU's pixel throughput is the dominant factor. The Medium settings show a similar trend: 110 FPS at 1080p, 69 FPS at 1440p, and 36 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with 63 FPS at 1080p, 40 FPS at 1440p, and just 21 FPS at 4K.

The resolution scaling suggests that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component, as the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increase in pixel count. The CPU's contribution is relatively fixed across resolutions, meaning that at 1080p, the GPU is still able to produce high frame rates, but at 4K, it is overwhelmed. For a turn-based tactics game, this means players at 1440p can expect smooth gameplay on Medium to High settings, while 4K will require dropping to Low or Medium to maintain playable frame rates. The data does not show any frame rate inversion or anomalous behavior, indicating that the CPU is not causing stutter or bottlenecks that would disproportionately affect lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a granular look at how this combo performs across three resolutions and four quality settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 134 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Medium settings average 110 FPS, with a minimum of 93 FPS and a maximum of 126 FPS, indicating consistent frame delivery. High settings drop to 84 FPS, still comfortably playable. Ultra settings bring the average down to 63 FPS, which is borderline for a 60 FPS display but acceptable for a turn-based game since motion is less frequent.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates become more moderate. Low settings average 85 FPS, which remains smooth. Medium settings average 69 FPS, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS, showing that the frame rate can dip near 60 FPS during heavier scenes. High settings average 53 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable for this genre. Ultra settings average 40 FPS, which is noticeably lower and may require turning down settings for a more consistent experience.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the combo struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 44 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. Medium settings average 36 FPS, with a minimum of 31 FPS and a maximum of 42 FPS, indicating that frame pacing may become inconsistent. High settings drop to 28 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 21 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for smooth gameplay and would be best avoided unless the player prioritizes visual quality over responsiveness. The data shows that for 4K, only Low settings approach a playable frame rate, while 1440p offers a good balance between visual fidelity and performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, using the BMG-G21 chip on a 5 nm process node from TSMC. It features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs, along with 18 ray tracing cores. The GPU has a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, with memory clocked at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective) across a 160-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. It comes with 10 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is adequate for modern games at 1080p and 1440p, but may be a limiting factor at 4K with high-resolution textures.

The GPU's raw compute performance is rated at 11.52 TFLOPS for FP32 and 23.04 TFLOPS for FP16 (2:1 ratio). The pixel rate is 200.0 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 360.0 GTexel/s. In synthetic benchmarks, the Arc B570 scores 14195 in PassMark G3D, placing it in the 65th percentile against all GPUs. Its closest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (scoring 20534, 0.1% behind), the Intel Arc A750 (scoring 20582, 0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (scoring 20480, 0.4% behind), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (scoring 20662, 0.5% ahead). The average benchmark score for the Arc B570 is 20556, placing it in a tight competitive band with these other mid-range GPUs.

In Hard West, the GPU's role is paramount, as the frame rates scale directly with its capabilities. The Arc B570's 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game, which was released in 2015 and is not particularly memory-hungry. However, the GPU's 160-bit bus and 380 GB/s bandwidth may limit performance at 4K, where the data shows a significant drop in frame rates. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is relatively high, but the GPU's compute throughput is what ultimately determines the observed frame rates. The PassMark DirectX 11 score of 118 and DirectX 12 score of 72 suggest that the GPU handles the game's API requirements adequately, though DirectX 9 (score of 164) shows higher efficiency, which aligns with the game's older engine. Overall, the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combo, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings for this combo?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 84 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 21, which is not ideal for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The maximum FPS recorded is 134 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Which component is the primary bottleneck in this combo?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component, as frame rates drop proportionally with pixel count while CPU performance remains constant.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750?

A: The Arc B570's average benchmark score is 20556, while the Arc A750 scores 20582, putting the B570 0.1% behind in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Hard West?

A: The combo ranks 2360 out of 2949 tested combinations for this game.