Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the Intel Arc B370 is a combination that struggles significantly in Hard West, landing at rank 2721 out of 2949 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all system configurations, indicating a fundamentally limiting experience for this title. The data shows that while the CPU is a modern, capable six-core processor, the GPU's performance ceiling is the dominant factor, restricting frame rates to levels that are mostly unplayable outside of the lowest settings at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2721 out of 2949 is a clear verdict: this is a low-performing pairing for Hard West. The system sits in the bottom percentile, meaning the vast majority of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates. The primary bottleneck is evident from the GPU's own benchmark percentile, which stands at 5, indicating it performs worse than 95% of all GPUs in the database. This is a severe limitation that the CPU cannot overcome, regardless of its own standing.

The Ryzen 5 5600F, by contrast, is a solid performer in general compute tasks, holding an 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 36945 places it in a virtual tie with its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 (36938, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37018, -0.2% delta). This confirms that the processor is not the source of the system's poor gaming performance. It has ample headroom, but the Arc B370's integrated graphics architecture is simply not equipped for the demands of this game at higher resolutions or detail levels.

The measured frames per second (FPS) data reinforces this ranking. The system can achieve a playable average of 79 FPS at 1080p Low, but this is the absolute peak of its capability. Every other setting and resolution combination results in average frame rates below 65 FPS, with many falling into the 12-31 FPS range. The combination of a top-tier CPU with a bottom-tier GPU creates a massive imbalance, and the combo rank accurately reflects the resulting poor gaming experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive component in this system's performance, and its specifications explain why the frame rates are so constrained. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. Its performance is fundamentally limited by its design, as it relies on System Shared memory for both its frame buffer and bandwidth. This means the memory bus width and bandwidth are "System Dependent," creating a significant bottleneck compared to dedicated graphics cards with their own high-speed VRAM.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are low. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 20 render output units (ROPs). Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is rated at 6.144 TFLOPS. These figures place it in a performance tier comparable to very old discrete GPUs, as shown by its nearest rivals in the database, which include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186 avg score, -0.2% delta) and the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190 avg score, -0.5% delta). This is a stark indicator of its limitations.

The clock speeds, with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz, are not the primary issue; rather, it is the sheer lack of execution resources and memory bandwidth. With a TDP of only 25 W, the Arc B370 is designed for power efficiency, not high-performance gaming. The single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1184 confirms this, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. For Hard West, this means the GPU becomes the absolute ceiling for performance, and the data shows it cannot push frame rates high enough for a smooth experience at most settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, which is a textbook sign of a GPU-bound system. At 1080p High, the system averages 49 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops the average to 31 FPS, a reduction of 18 FPS (or roughly 37%). At 4K High, the average plummets to 16 FPS, which is a further drop of 15 FPS from the 1440p result and a 33 FPS drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern shows that the GPU is being overwhelmed by the increasing pixel count.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the system goes from 79 FPS at 1080p to 50 FPS at 1440p and then to 26 FPS at 4K. At Medium settings, it drops from 64 FPS at 1080p to 41 FPS at 1440p and 21 FPS at 4K. Even at Ultra, which already yields unplayable frame rates, the drop from 37 FPS at 1080p to 23 FPS at 1440p and 12 FPS at 4K is proportional. The data indicates that for every resolution step up, the system loses roughly a third to half of its frame rate.

This behavior confirms that the limiting component is the Intel Arc B370. The CPU is not the constraint because the frame rate scales so dramatically with resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the CPU's workload does not change as much as the GPU's when the resolution is increased. The steep drops are a direct consequence of the GPU's limited pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, making it unable to cope with the increased data load at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete FPS data for this configuration in Hard West is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: Average 79 FPS.
• Medium: Average 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 74 FPS.
• High: Average 49 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 37 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: Average 50 FPS.
• Medium: Average 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47 FPS.
• High: Average 31 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 23 FPS.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: Average 26 FPS.
• Medium: Average 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 25 FPS.
• High: Average 16 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 12 FPS.

Analyzing the 1080p results, the jump from Low to Medium is a 15 FPS drop, which is a significant cost for the visual upgrade. The drop from Medium to High is another 15 FPS, and the drop from High to Ultra is 12 FPS. The only configurable setting with a measured minimum and maximum is Medium, which shows a 55-74 FPS range, indicating some frame time variance but still a playable experience.

At 1440p, the system begins to struggle. The Low setting is the only one that maintains an average above 50 FPS. The Medium setting, while averaging 41 FPS, has a minimum of 35 FPS, which might be noticeable in slower-paced tactical gameplay. High and Ultra settings are not recommended for a fluid experience, with averages of 31 and 23 FPS, respectively. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with even the Low setting averaging only 26 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth motion. The Ultra setting at 4K is nearly a slideshow at 12 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the only configuration that provides a consistently smooth and responsive experience is 1920x1080 with Low settings, which yields an average of 79 FPS. This is the clear recommendation for any player using this hardware. The 1080p Medium setting is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, as its 64 FPS average is still within a playable range. However, the minimum of 55 FPS suggests there may be occasional dips.

For players with a 1440p monitor, the 1440p Low setting is the only acceptable choice, averaging 50 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a turn-based tactics game, where twitch reflexes are not required. However, it is a significant downgrade from the 1080p experience, with a 29 FPS average loss. The 1440p Medium setting, at 41 FPS, is borderline and may be acceptable for some, but the data suggests it is pushing the GPU too hard.

At 4K, no setting is recommended for a good experience. The highest average is 26 FPS at Low, which is too low for comfortable gameplay. The data clearly shows that this system is not suited for 4K gaming in Hard West. The recommendation is to stick to 1080p Low for the best balance of performance and stability, or 1080p Medium if visual fidelity is more important than a higher frame rate. Pushing beyond these settings will result in a compromised experience.

FAQ

Q: Is this CPU and GPU combo capable of running Hard West smoothly?

A: The data shows it can run the game smoothly, but only at the lowest settings and resolution. The combo achieves an average of 79 FPS at 1080p Low, which is the only configuration that provides a high frame rate. At any higher settings or resolution, the frame rate drops significantly.

Q: What is the main bottleneck for this system in Hard West?

A: The Intel Arc B370 GPU is the overwhelming bottleneck. Its benchmark percentile is 5, and its performance is comparable to very old discrete GPUs like the ATI Radeon HD 5770. The steep frame rate drops when increasing resolution confirm that the GPU's processing power and memory bandwidth are the limiting factors, not the CPU.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this hardware?

A: 1920x1080 (1080p) is the only resolution that offers playable frame rates across most settings. While 1440p Low is playable at 50 FPS, the experience is much better at 1080p. 4K resolution is not viable, as the highest average frame rate achievable is 26 FPS.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5600F's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600F is a strong performer. Its average benchmark score of 36945 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with a 0% delta compared to the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and a -0.2% delta compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D. It is not the source of the system's low gaming performance.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B370 a dedicated graphics card?

A: No, the data identifies it as an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a bus interface of "IGP". It relies on System Shared memory, which is a major performance disadvantage compared to dedicated GPUs with their own dedicated VRAM and memory bus.

Q: Can I play Hard West on Medium settings with this system?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p. The system averages 64 FPS at 1080p Medium with a minimum of 55 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 41 FPS, which is still playable but less smooth. At 4K Medium, the average is only 21 FPS, which is not recommended.