Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the measured data for the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination places it at rank 1225 out of 2949 tested combos. This position, roughly in the 58th percentile of all configurations tested, suggests a pairing that is solidly mid-pack for this specific game, but the frame rate data reveals that the experience is heavily dependent on the settings and resolution chosen.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1225 out of 2949 tested combos indicates that while this system is far from the top of the leaderboard for Hard West, it is also not a weak performer. It sits comfortably in the upper-middle tier of all tested configurations. This is a notable outcome given the age of the game, as it implies that even modern, powerful hardware is not guaranteed to dominate due to potential engine limitations or single-threaded dependencies.

The CPU, AMD Ryzen 5 7400F, holds an 83rd percentile ranking against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 32750. Its nearest rivals in synthetic CPU tests are the Intel Core i5-14600T (deltaPct of 0.1), the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (deltaPct of 0.2), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 (deltaPct of 0.3), all of which are within a fraction of a percent in performance. This indicates that the Ryzen 5 7400F is a very competitive mid-range processor, and its score is essentially tied with these other options.

On the GPU side, the RTX 3070 sits at the 61st percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208. Its closest rivals in synthetic tests are the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (deltaPct of 0.7) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (deltaPct of 1), which it slightly edges out. The combination of a high-percentile CPU with a mid-percentile GPU suggests that the overall rank in Hard West is likely more constrained by the GPU's capabilities than the CPU's, especially at higher resolutions.

The data implies that this combo is well-balanced for general tasks, but for Hard West, the specific workload of the game, which is not graphically intensive by modern standards, may shift the bottleneck towards the CPU. The rank suggests that many other combos, likely with more powerful GPUs, achieve higher frame rates, but the Ryzen 5 7400F and RTX 3070 still provide a foundation for a playable experience, as the measured FPS data will show.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is built on the Ampere architecture with a GA104 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm process by Samsung. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1500 MHz, which boosts to 1725 MHz. This configuration, with 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output pipelines, is a capable mid-to-high-end part from the GeForce 30-series.

In the context of Hard West, the GPU's role is primarily to render the game's 2D and 3D tactical environments. The game, being from 2015, is not a demanding title by today's standards. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 211 FPS. This high frame rate at the lowest settings indicates that the GPU is not the limiting factor when the graphical load is minimal. However, as the resolution and settings increase, the GPU's workload grows. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 33, showing a significant performance hit.

The RTX 3070's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for a game like Hard West, which does not require large texture pools. The measured FPS at 4K High (44 FPS) and 4K Medium (57 FPS) suggests that the game scales well with settings, but the GPU is clearly being pushed harder at this resolution. The drop from 1080p to 4K shows that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the game's visual complexity increases.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162 and a Passmark G3D score of 22214, confirms its mid-range positioning. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, is only 0.7% ahead in average score, indicating they are closely matched. For Hard West, the RTX 3070 provides enough horsepower for smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, users will need to lower settings to maintain high frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with High settings, the system averages 133 FPS. Moving to 1440p with the same settings, the average drops to 84 FPS, a decrease of approximately 37%. At 4K with High settings, the average further drops to 44 FPS, which is a 67% reduction from the 1080p figure. This pattern indicates a strong GPU dependency as resolution scales.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings (from 133 to 84 FPS) shows a significant performance cost, but the system remains highly playable. The jump to 4K at High settings (44 FPS) is a more dramatic drop, showing that the RTX 3070 is struggling to maintain high frame rates at this resolution. The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K, as the frame rate falls below the 60 FPS threshold that is often considered the target for smooth gameplay.

However, the resolution scaling is not uniform across all settings. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p (211 FPS) to 1440p (133 FPS) is a 37% reduction, but the drop to 4K (70 FPS) is a 67% reduction from 1080p. This suggests that even at the lowest settings, the GPU's pixel throughput is a significant factor. The fact that at 4K Low (70 FPS), the system is still above 60 FPS indicates that the GPU is not completely overwhelmed, but the headroom is diminishing.

The measured FPS at 1440p Medium (109 FPS) and 4K Medium (57 FPS) further illustrates this point. The game appears to be well-optimized for scaling, but the GPU's raw performance is the main constraint at higher resolutions. The data indicates that for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1080p and 1440p are the sweet spots for this combo, while 4K requires significant settings reductions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves very high frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 211, which is exceptionally smooth. Medium settings yield an average of 173 FPS, with minimum and maximum FPS of 147 and 198, respectively. High settings average 133 FPS, and Ultra settings average 99 FPS. These numbers indicate that the system is never GPU-bound at 1080p, and the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is able to feed the GPU adequately.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops but remains playable. Low settings average 133 FPS, which is still very smooth. Medium settings average 109 FPS, with a minimum of 93 and maximum of 126 FPS. High settings average 84 FPS, which is a solid experience for most players. Ultra settings average 63 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, but this is the point where the GPU starts to become more of a limiting factor.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 70 FPS, which is playable. Medium settings average 57 FPS, with a minimum of 49 and maximum of 66 FPS, indicating some stuttering potential. High settings average 44 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may be noticeable in a turn-based strategy game. Ultra settings average 33 FPS, which is a significant drop and likely not the ideal experience.

The data shows a clear pattern: the system excels at 1080p, is very good at 1440p, and is only adequate at 4K. The minimum FPS values at Medium settings (147 at 1080p, 93 at 1440p, and 49 at 4K) suggest that even with the same settings, the variance increases with resolution, making frame pacing less consistent at higher resolutions.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1440p High, the system averages 84 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target, while 1080p High averages 133 FPS, but the visual fidelity is lower. 4K High averages 44 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Hard West?

A: Yes, but only with reduced settings. At 4K Low, the system averages 70 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Medium, it averages 57 FPS, which is just below 60 FPS. At 4K High and Ultra, the frame rates drop to 44 and 33 FPS, respectively, which may not be ideal.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32750, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals. The Intel Core i5-14600T is 0.1% faster, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 is 0.3% faster. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H is 0.2% slower. This indicates the CPU is very competitive in its class.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are extremely high (over 200 FPS on Low), indicating the CPU is capable. However, as resolution increases to 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, showing the GPU's workload is the primary constraint.

Q: What are the frame rate variations at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 173, with a range from 147 to 198 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 109 FPS, with a range from 93 to 126 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 57 FPS, with a range from 49 to 66 FPS. This shows that frame pacing becomes less stable at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 17208. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, is 0.7% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 is 1% faster. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M is 1.1% faster, and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c is 1.5% faster. This shows the 3070 is closely matched with these components.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the 7000 series, based on the Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael). It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. This CPU, with a 65W TDP and a 5 nm process node, is a modern and efficient part. Its synthetic benchmarks show strong performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072.

In the context of Hard West, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI calculations, and the turn-based mechanics. The game is not particularly CPU-intensive, but the data shows that at 1080p, the system can achieve 211 FPS on Low settings and 133 FPS on High settings. This high performance at low resolutions indicates that the CPU is more than capable of keeping up with the GPU. The fact that the frame rate drops as resolution increases suggests that the GPU becomes the bottleneck, rather than the CPU.

The CPU's performance in Passmark tests, such as a multi-thread score of 25645 and a single-thread score of 3689, further confirms its strong showing. Its 32 MB of L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth ensure that data can be fed to the CPU quickly. The nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks are all within 0.3% in deltaPct, showing that the Ryzen 5 7400F is at the top of its class.

For a game like Hard West, the CPU is likely not the limiting factor at any resolution. The measured FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is primarily a result of the GPU's workload. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for the game's requirements, and the high boost clock of 4.70 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is often important for game logic. The data implies that this CPU will not hold back the RTX 3070 in this title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the ideal settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and performance targets. For 1080p, all settings are playable, but High settings (133 FPS) provide an excellent balance of visual quality and performance. Ultra settings (99 FPS) are also viable if the user wants maximum visual fidelity, as the frame rate remains well above 60 FPS. Medium settings (173 FPS) are overkill for most displays, as they are beyond the refresh rate of most monitors.

For 1440p, High settings (84 FPS) are the best choice for a smooth experience, as they are above the 60 FPS target. Medium settings (109 FPS) offer even more headroom, but with slightly reduced visuals. Ultra settings (63 FPS) are playable, but the lower frame rate may be noticeable in a turn-based game. Low settings (133 FPS) are not recommended, as the visual quality is significantly reduced for no real benefit.

For 4K, the data suggests that Medium settings (57 FPS) are the highest quality preset that maintains a playable frame rate, though it is just below 60 FPS. Low settings (70 FPS) provide a smoother experience but with reduced visual details. High (44 FPS) and Ultra (33 FPS) settings are not recommended, as the frame rates are too low for a comfortable experience. The best experience at 4K would be to use Medium settings, accepting a frame rate slightly below 60 FPS, or Low settings for a more consistent 70 FPS.

The data indicates that the "sweet spot" for this combo is 1440p with High settings, as it offers a strong balance of visual fidelity and performance. At this resolution, the system is not overly strained, and the frame rate is high enough to be smooth. If the user prioritizes frame rate over visuals, 1080p with High settings is the best choice, as it provides a very high 133 FPS. The measured data suggests avoiding Ultra settings at 4K, as the performance drop is significant.