Hard West

Resolution Scaling

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and it shows in how the frame rate scales across resolutions. The measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination reveals a title that is heavily CPU-bound at lower resolutions, with the GPU only becoming the primary limiting factor at 4K with the highest settings.

At 1080p, the frame rates are extraordinarily high, indicating that the RTX 5090 D is not being taxed. Moving from Low to Ultra settings at 1920x1080, the average FPS only drops from 231 to 176. This is a mere 24% performance penalty for the highest visual quality preset. The delta between Low and High is even smaller, with High producing 195 FPS against Low's 231 FPS. This narrow spread suggests that the game's engine is not scaling its graphical workload efficiently enough to fully utilize the GPU's massive compute resources at this resolution. The bottleneck is squarely on the CPU, which must process game logic, AI, and draw calls for the turn-based battlefield.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the trend continues but the GPU begins to assert itself more. The Low setting still hits an impressive 198 FPS, while High produces 158 FPS and Medium sits at 185 FPS. The most demanding Ultra preset drops to 118 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is relatively gentle for the lower settings. For instance, High at 1440p (158 FPS) is only 19% slower than High at 1080p (195 FPS). This indicates that the CPU is still managing to feed the GPU adequately at this resolution, but the increased pixel count is starting to add measurable load to the graphics card.

The most significant shift occurs at 3840x2160. Here, the GPU's workload becomes substantial. The average FPS for High settings falls to 83, a 47% drop from the 158 FPS seen at 1440p. This is a clear indication that the rendering resolution is now the dominant factor. The RTX 5090 D is finally being pushed, though the absolute numbers are still high. The scaling from Ultra at 1440p (118 FPS) to Ultra at 4K (62 FPS) is a 47% reduction, showing a consistent pattern of performance loss when doubling the pixel count. Low at 4K still manages 131 FPS, which is higher than Ultra at 1440p, demonstrating that the graphics preset has a more substantial impact on the GPU load than the resolution step from 1440p to 4K.

The data suggests that for most of the resolution and settings matrix, the Ryzen 5 5600 is the limiting component. The massive performance headroom of the RTX 5090 D is left untapped until the resolution is pushed to 4K and the settings are raised to High or Ultra. At 1080p and 1440p, the frame rates are so high that they exceed the refresh rate of most monitors, making the experience buttery smooth regardless of the preset chosen.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In the context of Hard West, a turn-based tactics game from 2015, the CPU's role is critical. The game's logic, unit pathfinding, and turn-based AI calculations are primarily single-threaded or lightly threaded workloads.

Benchmark results for the Ryzen 5 5600 show a single-thread score of 882 in 3DMark and 2584 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores, which place the CPU in the 74th percentile compared to all CPUs, are more than sufficient to handle the demands of a game from this era. The game does not require the massive multi-threaded throughput that modern AAA titles demand. The multi-core scores, such as 18309 in Cinebench R23, are largely irrelevant for this title, as Hard West is unlikely to utilize all 12 threads effectively.

The performance data confirms this analysis. At 1080p, where the CPU is most likely to be the bottleneck, the RTX 5090 D is able to push frame rates above 175 FPS on every preset. This high frame rate ceiling is a direct result of the Ryzen 5 5600's strong single-core performance. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 3313 is particularly relevant, as many games of this generation were optimized for quad-core processors. The CPU's ability to handle these four primary threads efficiently is what allows the GPU to run at full speed.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5600's average benchmark score of 20468 is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (20454) and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G (20425), with a deltaPct of only 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively. This indicates that the 5600 is a very capable processor for its class. In a game like Hard West, this level of performance is more than adequate, ensuring that the CPU is rarely the reason for a frame rate drop, even at 4K with lower settings. However, the data shows that at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 62 FPS, suggesting that while the CPU is strong, it may still be contributing to the performance ceiling when combined with the most demanding GPU settings.

FAQ

Q: Is the frame rate in Hard West limited by the CPU or the GPU?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, the frame rates are extremely high and scale only mildly with resolution, indicating a CPU bottleneck. The GPU becomes the primary limiting factor only at 4K, where the frame rate drops significantly from 1440p (e.g., High settings from 158 FPS to 83 FPS).

Q: Can the RTX 5090 D run Hard West at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, it can. The measured data shows an average of 62 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is playable, though not as high as the frame rates seen at lower resolutions or with less demanding presets.

Q: How does the High preset compare to the Ultra preset in terms of performance?

A: The Ultra preset is significantly more demanding. At 4K, the average frame rate drops from 83 FPS on High to 62 FPS on Ultra, a 25% reduction. At 1440p, the drop is from 158 FPS on High to 118 FPS on Ultra. At 1080p, it drops from 195 FPS to 176 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hard West if I want the highest possible frame rate?

A: If maximizing frame rate is the goal, 1920x1080 with a Low preset yields the highest average at 231 FPS. However, even at 2560x1440 with a High preset, the game runs at 158 FPS, which is still very high and likely exceeds most monitors' refresh rates.

Q: Does the game benefit from the 32 GB of VRAM on the RTX 5090 D?

A: The fact pack does not provide VRAM usage data. However, given the game's 2015 release date and the high frame rates observed, it is unlikely that the game's textures and effects would require anywhere near 32 GB of VRAM. The performance is more dependent on the CPU's single-thread speed.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600 compare to other CPUs in its benchmark class?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600 has an average benchmark score of 20468, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (20454) and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G (20425), with a deltaPct of just 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This shows it is a well-rounded performer in its tier.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the measured average FPS for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination in Hard West.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 231 FPS average
• Medium: 215 FPS average, with a minimum of 183 FPS and a maximum of 247 FPS
• High: 195 FPS average
• Ultra: 176 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 198 FPS average
• Medium: 185 FPS average, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 212 FPS
• High: 158 FPS average
• Ultra: 118 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 131 FPS average
• Medium: 108 FPS average, with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS
• High: 83 FPS average
• Ultra: 62 FPS average

The data shows a clear pattern. At 1080p, all presets deliver exceptionally high frame rates, with a performance gap of only 55 FPS between Low and Ultra. At 1440p, the gap between Low and Ultra widens to 80 FPS, indicating a growing GPU influence. At 4K, the gap becomes 69 FPS, but the absolute numbers for High and Ultra are significantly lower, highlighting the rendering resolution as the primary bottleneck. The Medium preset at each resolution provides a balanced point, with the 4K Medium setting offering a playable 108 FPS average.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a behemoth of a graphics card, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. It has a boost clock of 2407 MHz and a staggering 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power. This hardware is designed for the most demanding 4K and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

In Hard West, the RTX 5090 D's role is somewhat unusual. The game is old enough that its graphical demands are not particularly high by modern standards, and the resolution scaling data shows that the GPU is not fully utilized until 4K. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is effectively "waiting" for the CPU to send it data, resulting in frame rates that are likely far beyond the refresh rate of any display. The GPU's immense power is only truly leveraged when rendering at 4K with High or Ultra settings.

The benchmark results for the RTX 5090 D show it performing at the 92nd percentile for all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77712. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which has a deltaPct of -1.6% (meaning the 5090 D is 1.6% faster), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which is 2.4% slower. This solidifies its position as a top-tier performer.

However, the data indicates that in Hard West, the GPU's high compute throughput is not the deciding factor for most of the tested configurations. The performance difference between Low and Medium settings at 1080p is only 16 FPS, and between Medium and High is another 20 FPS. This plateau suggests that the game engine is not able to scale its rendering complexity enough to fully stress the 5090 D's 21,760 shading units. The GPU only becomes a clear bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate drops to 62 FPS, a figure that is still respectable but shows the game's engine being pushed to its limits by the combination of high resolution and the most demanding preset.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the user's display resolution and refresh rate. The data shows that the game is capable of running at extremely high frame rates, and the best experience will balance visual fidelity with the monitor's capabilities.

For users with a 1080p or 1440p display with a standard 60Hz or 144Hz refresh rate, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation. At 1080p, it delivers an average of 176 FPS, which is well above any standard refresh rate. At 1440p, the Ultra preset produces an average of 118 FPS, which is also more than sufficient for a smooth experience on a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor. The visual improvements from High to Ultra are worth the small performance cost at these resolutions, as the frame rates remain exceptionally high.

For users with a 4K display, the recommendation is more nuanced. If the display has a 60Hz refresh rate, the High preset is the best choice. It delivers an average of 83 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 62 FPS, which is still playable, but the 25% performance hit compared to High may not be justified by the marginal visual gains in a game from 2015. For 4K displays with a 120Hz or higher refresh rate, the Medium preset, with an average of 108 FPS, is the sweet spot, as it offers a much smoother experience than High while still looking good.

The Low preset is not recommended for any scenario, as the performance gains are minimal compared to Medium or High, and the visual quality degradation is likely to be significant. For example, at 4K, Low yields 131 FPS, but Medium provides 108 FPS, a 23 FPS difference that is noticeable but not worth the loss of graphical detail. Ultimately, the benchmark data suggests that players should prioritize the Ultra preset at 1080p and 1440p, and the High preset at 4K for the best balance of image quality and performance.