Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the Intel Arc B370 presents a unique case in the Hard West benchmark database. This combination, ranking 2721st out of 2949 tested combos, places it in the lower percentile of systems, a position largely dictated by the GPU’s performance class. The data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by its graphics solution, with the CPU’s strong multi-threaded capabilities going largely underutilized in this turn-based tactics title.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear and dramatic decline as resolution increases, which is the primary indicator of where the bottleneck lies. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low, the average drops to 50 FPS, a substantial reduction of 29 FPS. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average plummets to 26 FPS, representing a 53 FPS drop from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is steep, but it is the behavior at higher settings that reveals the true nature of the constraint. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 37, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to just 12 FPS. This massive performance collapse is not typical of a CPU-bound scenario; it is the signature of a GPU being overwhelmed by pixel count.

The data implies that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component. The GPU’s memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the same memory pool as the CPU, and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This architecture is far more sensitive to resolution increases than a discrete GPU with dedicated VRAM. The 12 FPS average at 4K Ultra is effectively unplayable, and even the 16 FPS at 4K High confirms that this resolution is beyond the card’s capabilities. The drop from 50 FPS at 1440p Low to 31 FPS at 1440p High shows that the rendering load of higher settings compounds the resolution problem. The scaling indicates that the GPU’s fillrate and memory bandwidth are saturated quickly, making it the clear performance ceiling for this combo. The CPU, with its high boost clock, is likely waiting on the GPU to finish rendering frames rather than being the source of the slowdown.

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are respectable; for instance, it achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22799 and a single-core score of 3218. The CPU’s percentile rank of 77 places it above average among all CPUs. However, in the context of Hard West, a turn-based tactics game from 2015, the demands on the processor are likely modest. The game’s genre typically involves limited simultaneous agents and static scenes, which do not heavily tax a modern 6-core processor.

The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck. The FPS scaling is highly dependent on resolution and settings, which are GPU-centric variables. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect to see relatively flat FPS across different resolutions at the same settings, as the CPU would be unable to feed frames faster regardless of pixel count. Instead, we see FPS falling by roughly 50% or more when moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings. This indicates that the CPU is delivering frames well above what the GPU can process. The 12 threads of the Ryzen 5 7500F are likely more than sufficient for this game’s logic. The data suggests that the CPU’s role is to provide a stable platform, which it does, but its headroom is not being utilized due to the GPU’s limitations. The high boost clock is a non-factor in this scenario, as the game is not demanding enough to push the CPU to its limits.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Given the GPU’s constraints, settings selection is critical to achieving a playable experience. The data provides clear guidance. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 79 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 64 FPS, still a very playable number, and the High preset at 49 FPS remains acceptable for a turn-based game where frame timing is less critical than in fast-paced action titles. However, the Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 37 FPS, which, while playable, shows a significant performance penalty.

The situation changes at higher resolutions. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset (50 FPS) provides a comfortable frame rate. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is borderline, and the High preset at 31 FPS may feel sluggish. The Ultra preset at 23 FPS is not recommended. At 3840x2160, no preset is truly playable. The Low preset at 26 FPS is the best option, but it still falls short of the 30 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for a playable experience. The data implies that the best experience for this combo is to prioritize resolution and settings together. For a balance of visual fidelity and performance, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 (64 FPS) appears to be the sweet spot. It offers a solid frame rate while retaining more visual detail than the Low preset. If the user prioritizes smoothness over visuals, the Low preset at 1080p (79 FPS) is the best choice. The Ultra preset is only viable for those who value visual quality over playability, and even then, only at 1080p where it hits 37 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2721st out of 2949 combos tested in Hard West. This puts it in the bottom 8% of all systems, a clear indication of its overall performance level. This low rank is overwhelmingly due to the GPU, which has a percentile rank of just 5 among all GPUs. The GPU’s benchmark score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is 1184, placing it in the same league as older cards like the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which have scores of 1186 and 1190, respectively.

In contrast, the CPU’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11850H and the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, with average scores of 24935 and 25005, respectively. These are desktop-class processors that perform far better than the GPU in this combo. The data suggests a severe mismatch in capabilities. The CPU is a modern, capable part, but it is paired with a GPU that is not designed for high-end gaming. The combo’s rank of 2721 is a reflection of the GPU holding the entire system back. If the CPU were paired with a more powerful graphics card, the rank would be significantly higher. This analysis indicates that the system’s performance in Hard West is almost entirely dictated by the GPU, and the CPU’s high benchmark scores do little to improve the game’s frame rates due to the graphics bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware combo in Hard West?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where a consistently playable frame rate is achieved. At 1440p, only the Low preset reaches an average of 50 FPS, while 4K results in averages of 26 FPS or lower across all settings.

Q: Is the Ultra preset playable with this setup?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset achieves an average of 37 FPS, which might be acceptable for a turn-based game. However, at 2560x1440, the Ultra preset drops to 23 FPS, and at 3840x2160, it falls to 12 FPS, making those configurations impractical.

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

A: The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. This is 0.2% lower than the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, 0.5% lower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770, and 0.7% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. It is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro M2000.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS drops significantly with resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU, with its high Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22799, is not being challenged by this game.

Q: What is the maximum FPS observed at 1080p?

A: The maximum average FPS observed at 1920x1080 is 79 FPS on the Low settings preset. The Medium preset at 1080p has a max FPS of 74, and the High preset has an average of 49 FPS.

Q: Does the system have enough processing power for this game?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F is more than capable. It has 6 cores and 12 threads and scores 26825 in the Passmark multithread test. The game does not require high core counts, so the CPU is not the primary constraint on performance.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 79 FPS on Low, 64 FPS on Medium, 49 FPS on High, and 37 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution also shows a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS, indicating a stable frame time range.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops to 50 on Low, 41 on Medium, 31 on High, and 23 on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution has a min FPS of 35 and a max FPS of 47, showing a tighter but lower performance window compared to 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the averages are significantly lower: 26 FPS on Low, 21 FPS on Medium, 16 FPS on High, and 12 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a min FPS of 18 and a max FPS of 25. These numbers illustrate a clear performance hierarchy. The system is only truly comfortable at 1080p, with the Low and Medium presets offering the most headroom. The 1440p resolution is playable only on Low, and 4K is not viable for a smooth experience. The data shows a consistent pattern of the GPU being overwhelmed as the rendering load increases.

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

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated GPU (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its clock speeds are a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2400 MHz. Crucially, its memory is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM and instead uses the system’s main memory. Its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means its performance is tied to the speed of the CPU’s memory controller. This is a fundamental limitation for gaming, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access.

The GPU’s specifications include 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 performance is 6.144 TFLOPS. These numbers, while present, are secondary to the memory bottleneck. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 confirms its low performance tier, placing it below many older discrete cards. In the context of Hard West, the GPU’s shared memory architecture is likely the primary reason for the poor high-resolution performance. As the resolution increases, the demand for memory bandwidth and capacity grows, and the shared system memory cannot keep up. The TDP of 25 W and the "IGP" slot width further confirm that this is a low-power, low-performance part. The data suggests that the GPU’s capabilities are best suited for 1080p gaming at lower settings, where its memory limitations are less pronounced. At higher resolutions, the lack of dedicated VRAM and low memory bandwidth become insurmountable obstacles, resulting in the significant FPS drops observed in the benchmark data.