Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F paired with the Intel Arc B390 delivers a highly constrained gaming experience in Hard West, a 2015 turn-based tactics title. The data shows that this combination ranks in the bottom 12% of all tested configurations, with the GPU acting as the primary performance bottleneck across all resolutions. While the CPU is a modern, capable part, the integrated graphics solution severely limits frame rates, making this combo suitable only for the most undemanding scenarios at lower resolutions and settings.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo perform at 1080p with Low settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the configuration achieves an average of 87 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded across any resolution or settings combination in the measured data, indicating that the hardware can provide a playable experience when the graphical load is minimized.

Q: What is the best average frame rate this combo can achieve at 4K?

A: The best 4K result is 29 FPS, which is reached at 3840x2160 with Low settings. This is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth gameplay, and the data shows that any increase in settings at this resolution results in a significant performance drop.

Q: Is the Intel Arc B390 a discrete graphics card?

A: No. The data indicates that the Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a slot width of "IGP" and no power connectors. Furthermore, its memory is designated as "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM.

Q: How does the Arc B390's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M. It also leads the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM by 2.5% and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 by 2.7%. These deltas are minimal, indicating that the Arc B390's performance is in the same class as these very old, entry-level GPUs.

Q: What kind of CPU benchmark score does the Ryzen 5 7500F achieve?

A: The Ryzen 5 7500F achieves an average benchmark score of 24964 across a suite of tests. This places it at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, showing that it is a solid mid-to-high range processor, especially when compared to its graphics counterpart.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested configurations?

A: The combination of the Ryzen 5 7500F and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2614th out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the bottom 11.3% of all systems tested for this specific game, highlighting a severe performance imbalance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the undeniable limiting factor in this pairing. Its role is defined by its integrated nature and its benchmark scores, which place it in the lowest tier of graphics processors. With a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, it sits at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, a figure that starkly contrasts with the CPU's 77th percentile ranking. The Arc B390's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and GT 710, are all products from a bygone era, confirming that its raw compute power is minimal.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. While the boost clock is relatively high, the architecture and the sheer lack of dedicated memory bandwidth hamper its real-world performance. The memory configuration is "System Shared" with "System Dependent" bandwidth, meaning it has to contend with the CPU for access to system RAM over the memory bus. This creates a significant bottleneck, especially at higher resolutions where the demand for memory bandwidth increases substantially. The GPU also relies on the CPU's memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, which, while standard for dual-channel DDR5, is far below what a modern discrete GPU would have available.

The data shows that the GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. These are modest numbers that align with its low benchmark scores. In Hard West, a game that is not graphically intensive by modern standards, the Arc B390 still struggles. The measured FPS at 1080p High is 55, but this falls to 41 at Ultra, illustrating that even small increases in graphical fidelity overwhelm the GPU. This performance profile suggests that the integrated graphics solution is the primary reason for the low frame rates, regardless of the capable CPU paired with it.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and consistent performance drop as resolution increases, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 87 FPS at 1080p to 55 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 29 FPS at 4K. This represents a 37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling pattern is far more aggressive than what would be seen if the CPU were the limiting factor, as resolution primarily affects the GPU's pixel and fragment processing workload.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At High settings, the frame rate goes from 55 FPS at 1080p to 35 FPS at 1440p and then to 18 FPS at 4K. At Ultra settings, the numbers are 41, 26, and 14 FPS respectively. The absolute difference between 1080p and 4K is consistently around 27-29 FPS, which shows that the GPU is being taxed in a linear fashion by the increasing pixel count. The 4K results are uniformly unplayable, with the best average being 29 FPS at Low, and the worst being 14 FPS at Ultra.

This data implies that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The Ryzen 5 7500F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is more than capable of handling the game's logic and AI at any resolution. The fact that performance plummets with resolution indicates that the Arc B390's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient for the demands of higher resolutions. For a playable experience, the resolution must be kept low, as the system simply does not have the graphical horsepower to drive a 4K display in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested hardware, this combination performs very poorly. The combo rank for Hard West is 2614 out of 2949 total combos, placing it in the bottom 11.3% of all systems tested. This is a remarkably low ranking, especially when considering the CPU's individual performance. The Ryzen 5 7500F sits at the 77th percentile of all CPUs, with an average score of 24964. This places it in a competitive position, just 0.1% behind the Intel Core i7-11850H and 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F.

The disconnect between the CPU's solid standing and the combo's poor ranking underscores the severity of the GPU bottleneck. The Arc B390, on the other hand, is at the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with a score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and the GeForce 800M, which are both over a decade old. The performance delta between the Arc B390 and these older parts is less than 2%, meaning it is effectively in the same performance tier as some of the weakest GPUs ever made.

This pairing is a textbook example of a major system imbalance. The CPU is a modern, high-performance part that is being held back by a GPU that is not suited for gaming beyond the most basic level. The data suggests that the combo's rank is almost entirely determined by the GPU, as the CPU's potential is left untapped. For any game that requires more than the most minimal graphical processing, this combo will consistently rank near the bottom of the list.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the system's capabilities across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the configuration is most viable. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 87 FPS, which is smooth and playable. Medium settings yield 71 FPS, with a minimum of 61 FPS, still a very good experience. High settings drop the average to 55 FPS, while Ultra settings bring it down to 41 FPS. The 1080p results show that the system can handle the game, but only at lower presets for a consistently fluid frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440 reveals the GPU's limitations more clearly. At Low settings, the average FPS is 55. This falls to 45 FPS at Medium, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 52. High settings produce an average of 35 FPS, which is beginning to feel choppy. Ultra settings are barely playable at 26 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that the system is struggling to maintain a high frame rate, and users would need to accept significant compromises in visual quality to get a playable experience.

At 3840x2160, the system is effectively out of its depth. The only setting that approaches playability is Low, which averages 29 FPS. Medium settings drop to 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 27. High settings average 18 FPS, and Ultra settings are a slideshow at 14 FPS. None of the 4K results are suitable for a smooth gaming experience, confirming that this resolution is not an option for this hardware. The data shows a clear and predictable pattern: performance scales directly with resolution and settings, with the GPU being the sole determinant of the final frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the only sensible recommendation for a playable experience is to use Low settings at 1920x1080. This is the only configuration that consistently delivers an average frame rate above 60 FPS, with an average of 87 FPS. This setting unlocks the game's full potential for smoothness, which is critical for a turn-based tactics game where quick camera movements and UI interactions should feel responsive.

For users who prioritize visual quality over maximum frame rate, Medium settings at 1080p are a viable alternative. The average of 71 FPS is still excellent, and the minimum of 61 FPS ensures that there are no noticeable hitches. This setting offers a better balance between visual fidelity and performance. High settings at 1080p can also be considered, as the 55 FPS average is acceptable, though it is not as smooth as the lower presets.

At higher resolutions, the data strongly suggests avoiding anything above Low settings. At 1440p, Low is the only preset that provides a 55 FPS average, which is acceptable. Medium dips to 45 FPS, which is a noticeable step down. At 4K, no setting provides a playable frame rate, so it is not recommended to attempt this resolution at all. The optimal experience is clearly found at 1080p with Low or Medium settings, where the system can maintain a high and stable frame rate without being overly taxed.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F is a powerful processor that is severely underutilized in this configuration. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, 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 impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22799 and a single-core score of 3218. The CPU also performs well in Geekbench, scoring 12362 in multi-core and 2374 in single-core tests. These figures confirm that the CPU is not a bottleneck in Hard West.

The game, being a turn-based tactics title released in 2015, is not known for being heavily CPU-dependent. The AI and game logic for such games typically rely on a few fast cores rather than many cores. The Ryzen 5 7500F's strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 974 and Passmark single-thread score of 3841, is more than sufficient for this task. The CPU's high boost clock of 5.00 GHz ensures that it can handle any game logic demands without breaking a sweat.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The performance differences between resolutions are entirely attributable to the GPU. The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data, but the Arc B390 is too weak to process it quickly enough. This results in a system where the CPU's potential is wasted, as it is constantly waiting for the GPU to catch up. The Ryzen 5 7500F could easily support a much more powerful discrete GPU, but in this pairing, its performance is irrelevant to the final outcome. The bottleneck is clear, and it is not in the CPU.