Hard West

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 processor built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.00 GHz and boosts up to 4.00 GHz. This CPU carries 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Its 65 W TDP places it in a modest power envelope for a desktop part.

In PassMark testing, the 5600F achieves a single-thread score of 2872 and a multithread score of 19236. Its average benchmark score of 36945 places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with an average score of 36938 (0% delta), followed by the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018 (-0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093 (-0.4%), and the Intel Core i9-12900T at 37112 (-0.5%). This grouping shows the 5600F sits within a tight performance cluster — the difference between it and the i9-12900T is less than half a percent.

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics game from 2015, the CPU's single-thread performance is the dominant factor. The game's logic, AI pathfinding, and turn processing rely heavily on single-core throughput. The 5600F's single-thread score of 2872 is strong for this workload. The multithread score of 19236 indicates the CPU can handle background tasks and any parallel processing the game engine might spawn, but the genre's gameplay loop rarely stresses all 12 threads simultaneously.

The data shows the 5600F's 6-core/12-thread configuration provides ample headroom for Hard West's CPU demands. At 1080p, where the GPU is less saturated, the CPU must keep up with frame pacing. The measured results — 199 FPS at Low settings and 151 FPS at Ultra at 1080p — suggest the CPU is not a bottleneck even at the lowest settings, as the frame rates remain extremely high.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 9728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units. It features 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2205 MHz and a boost clock of 2505 MHz. Memory is 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, yielding 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective).

The RTX 4080's compute capabilities are substantial: 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s. Its pixel rate is 280.6 GPixel/s. In PassMark, the GPU scores 34457 in G3D and 20671 in GPU compute. The average benchmark score is 54247, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54209 (0.1% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54828 (-1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB at 55698 (-2.6%), and the AMD Radeon 8060S at 55757 (-2.7%). The RTX 4080 trails the SUPER by a mere 0.1%, making them effectively identical in synthetic performance.

For Hard West, the RTX 4080's 16 GB of VRAM is far more than the game requires, even at 4K Ultra. The game's visuals, while stylized, are not texture-heavy by modern standards. The GPU's raw rasterization power is what drives the measured frame rates. At 4K, the RTX 4080 delivers 69 FPS at High settings, which drops to 51 FPS at Ultra. This shows the game's Ultra preset imposes a significant rendering cost, likely through increased shadow quality, ambient occlusion, and post-processing effects.

The RTX 4080's 716.8 GB/s memory bandwidth is more than sufficient for Hard West's data transfer needs. The GPU's boost clock of 2505 MHz ensures consistent throughput in scenes with multiple characters and environmental effects. The data indicates the GPU is the primary determinant of performance at higher resolutions, as the CPU's role diminishes when pixel count increases.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a combo rank of 653 out of 3722 tested combinations in Hard West. This places the combo in the top 17.5% of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the balanced nature of this pairing — the CPU is mid-range while the GPU is high-end, and the game's engine responds well to this combination.

The rank of 653 is notable because it places this combo above many systems with newer or more expensive CPUs, but below those with top-tier processors like the Ryzen 7 or Core i7/i9 series paired with similar GPUs. The 0.1% delta between the RTX 4080 and RTX 4080 SUPER in synthetic benchmarks suggests that swapping to the SUPER would yield a negligible improvement in Hard West, likely keeping the combo rank within a few positions.

The data shows that the combo's rank is limited more by the CPU than the GPU. At 1080p, the frame rates exceed 150 FPS even at Ultra settings, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. At 4K, the frame rates drop to 51-109 FPS depending on settings, showing the GPU becomes the limiting factor. This behavior is typical for a pairing where the GPU is disproportionately powerful relative to the CPU.

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

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are:

• Low: 199 FPS average
• Medium: 185 FPS average, with a minimum of 157 and maximum of 213
• High: 168 FPS average
• Ultra: 151 FPS average

At 2560x1440:

• Low: 170 FPS average
• Medium: 159 FPS average, with a minimum of 135 and maximum of 183
• High: 131 FPS average
• Ultra: 98 FPS average

At 3840x2160:

• Low: 109 FPS average
• Medium: 89 FPS average, with a minimum of 76 and maximum of 103
• High: 69 FPS average
• Ultra: 51 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops substantially. The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low (199 FPS) and Ultra (151 FPS) is 48 FPS, a 24% reduction. At 1440p, the difference between Low (170 FPS) and Ultra (98 FPS) is 72 FPS, a 42% reduction. At 4K, the difference between Low (109 FPS) and Ultra (51 FPS) is 58 FPS, a 53% reduction.

The Medium preset at each resolution provides the only min/max data points. At 1080p Medium, the range is 157-213 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 135-183 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 76-103 FPS. These ranges suggest the game's frame pacing is consistent, with no severe stuttering or hitches.

FAQ

Q: Does the RTX 4080 bottleneck the Ryzen 5 5600F in Hard West?

A: No. The data shows the combo achieves 199 FPS at 1080p Low and 151 FPS at 1080p Ultra, indicating the CPU can drive high frame rates. The CPU's single-thread score of 2872 is sufficient for the game's turn-based logic.

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

A: At 1440p Ultra, the combo delivers 98 FPS average, which is smooth. At 4K High, it delivers 69 FPS. The 1440p High preset at 131 FPS provides a high refresh rate experience, while 4K Ultra at 51 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced sequences.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER at 54209. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828, which is 1.1% lower. The delta is negligible in real-world gaming.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 5600F a strong CPU for this game?

A: Yes. The CPU's average benchmark score of 36945 places it in the 85th percentile. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225, scores 36938 with a 0% delta, showing the 5600F is competitive with newer processors.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, Low settings yield 109 FPS average, while Ultra settings yield 51 FPS average. This is a 58 FPS difference, representing a 53% reduction in frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top half of all tested systems?

A: Yes, it ranks 653 out of 3722 combos, placing it in the top 17.5% of all tested combinations. This is well above the median position of 1861.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 151 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 168 FPS offers a 17 FPS improvement over Ultra, but the visual difference in a turn-based game is minimal. The Medium preset at 185 FPS is the highest setting that maintains a 185 FPS average with a minimum of 157 FPS, ensuring no frame drops below 144 Hz refresh rates.

At 1440p, the High preset at 131 FPS is the best balance. The Ultra preset drops to 98 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices frame rate for marginal visual gains. The Medium preset at 159 FPS provides a more consistent experience, especially on 144 Hz monitors. The Low preset at 170 FPS is unnecessary unless targeting maximum frame rates.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS is the recommended choice. The High preset at 69 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced gameplay, but the Medium preset maintains a higher minimum frame rate. The Ultra preset at 51 FPS is the only setting that drops below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for consistent smoothness. The Low preset at 109 FPS offers the highest frame rate but sacrifices visual fidelity that the game's art style benefits from.

The data suggests the Medium preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions. It provides the only min/max data points, indicating the game engine's stability at this setting. The minimum frame rates at Medium (157 FPS at 1080p, 135 FPS at 1440p, 76 FPS at 4K) are all above 60 FPS, ensuring a smooth experience even in complex scenes.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals how the system scales with pixel count. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 199 FPS at 1080p to 170 FPS at 1440p (a 14.6% decrease) and then to 109 FPS at 4K (a 35.9% decrease from 1440p). At Medium settings, the progression is 185 FPS to 159 FPS (a 14.1% decrease) to 89 FPS (a 44.0% decrease from 1440p). At High settings, the progression is 168 FPS to 131 FPS (a 22.0% decrease) to 69 FPS (a 47.3% decrease from 1440p). At Ultra settings, the progression is 151 FPS to 98 FPS (a 35.1% decrease) to 51 FPS (a 48.0% decrease from 1440p).

The scaling pattern indicates a shift in the limiting component. At 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance cap becomes relevant, as the GPU has enough headroom to render frames faster than the CPU can feed it. The 48 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is smaller than at higher resolutions, suggesting the CPU limits the maximum achievable frame rate.

At 1440p and 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. The increasing percentage drops with higher settings show that the RTX 4080's rendering load grows disproportionately with pixel count. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Ultra settings results in a 48% frame rate reduction, which is consistent with the 2.25x increase in pixel count (from 3.7 million to 8.3 million pixels). The GPU's 716.8 GB/s memory bandwidth and 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are the key factors in this scaling behavior.

The data indicates that for this combo, 1440p is the optimal resolution for balancing visual quality and frame rate. The 4K experience is playable at Medium settings (89 FPS) but requires dropping to High (69 FPS) for a more stable experience. The 1080p experience is CPU-limited at all settings, as even Ultra settings exceed 150 FPS.