Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers playable but not exceptional performance in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The data shows this pairing ranks in the 20th percentile of tested combos for this game, placing it at rank 2360 out of 2949. While the CPU is a strong performer in general benchmarks, the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and practical settings recommendations for this specific configuration.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 provides the most consistent experience. At this resolution, the average FPS ranges from 63 (Ultra) to 134 (Low), with Medium and High hitting 110 and 84 FPS respectively. At 2560x1440, High settings still manage 53 FPS, but Ultra drops to 40 FPS. 4K is only viable at Low settings (44 FPS) or Medium (36 FPS).

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems for Hard West?

A: The combination ranks 2360 out of 2949 tested combos. This places it in the lower 20% of all configurations tested for this game, indicating that while the system is functional, many other setups deliver higher frame rates.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game's performance?

A: The benchmark data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher settings. The CPU has a very high Passmark multithread score of 25047 and a single-thread score of 3494, which is more than sufficient for a turn-based tactic game. The GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 14195 is modest, and FPS drops significantly as resolution and settings increase, pointing to GPU limitations.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, Low settings yield an average of 134 FPS, while Ultra settings yield an average of 63 FPS. This is a performance drop of 71 FPS, or roughly 53%, when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

Q: Does the game run smoothly at 1440p with this hardware?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 53. Medium settings provide 69 FPS, which is a comfortable frame rate for a turn-based title. Ultra settings at 1440p, however, drop to 40 FPS, which is less ideal.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p High and 4K Low?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 High is 84. At 3840x2160 Low, the average FPS is 44. This represents a significant drop of 40 FPS, showing that even lowering settings to Low at 4K cannot match the performance of High settings at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame places this AMD and Intel pairing at position 2360 out of 2949 tested combinations. This means that approximately 80% of all tested systems perform better in Hard West. This is a low ranking, suggesting that this configuration is not optimized for this specific game. It is important to note that this ranking is specific to Hard West and may not reflect performance in other, more modern titles.

The data indicates that this system is capable of running the game, but it will not provide high-refresh-rate experiences at high resolutions. The rank suggests a fundamental mismatch between the game's demands and the hardware's capabilities, particularly at 4K resolution where the highest average FPS recorded is only 44 on Low settings. For a game with turn-based mechanics, this rank is not a dealbreaker, but it does mean users will need to manage their graphical expectations to achieve a smooth experience.

The ranking also implies that the CPU's high general benchmark scores are not translating into top-tier gaming performance here. This is a common situation where a powerful CPU is paired with a mid-range GPU, making the GPU the limiting factor in graphically intensive scenarios. The system is not in the bottom 20% either, meaning it is not a completely inadequate setup, but it is firmly in the lower quartile of performance for this title.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 Raphael architecture. It has a base clock of 4.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. Its substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a defining feature, likely beneficial for gaming. In general Passmark benchmarks, it scores 3494 in single-thread and 25047 in multithread tests, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13950HX and AMD Ryzen AI Max 385, have average scores within 0.6% of this chip, confirming its strong general performance.

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is to manage game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit actions. The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 4K, the FPS difference between Low (44) and High (28) is 16 FPS, showing a scaling that is more dependent on GPU load. At 1080p, the jump from Low (134) to High (84) is more pronounced, but the CPU's high single-thread score of 3494 ensures that it can keep up with the game's demands at these frame rates. The 12 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game logic.

The processor's 65W TDP and 5nm process node make it an efficient choice, but its performance headroom is not fully utilized in this game due to the GPU's limitations. The data shows that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data at 1080p, where the system achieves 134 FPS on Low settings. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops when resolution and settings are increased.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

1920x1080: This is the most playable resolution. Low settings achieve an average of 134 FPS, which is excellent. Medium settings provide 110 FPS, with a minimum of 93 and a maximum of 126 FPS. High settings are still very smooth at 84 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 63 FPS, which is still playable but shows a significant performance cost for the highest visual fidelity.

2560x1440: Performance at 1440p is acceptable for a turn-based game. Low settings deliver a solid 85 FPS. Medium settings offer 69 FPS, with a range of 59 to 80 FPS. High settings maintain a playable 53 FPS. Ultra settings, however, fall to 40 FPS, which is noticeably less smooth and approaches the threshold where the game might feel less responsive.

3840x2160: 4K performance is generally poor. Low settings are the only preset that approaches playability, with an average of 44 FPS. Medium settings average 36 FPS, with a minimum of 31 FPS. High settings drop to 28 FPS, and Ultra settings are nearly unplayable at 21 FPS. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Hard West outside of the lowest settings.

The progression of FPS from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra (134 to 21 FPS) highlights the GPU's struggle with resolution scaling. The lack of min/max data for most presets makes it difficult to assess frame time consistency, but the available data for Medium settings at all resolutions shows a variance of around 30 FPS, indicating some fluctuation.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is a 10 GB GDDR6 graphics card based on the Xe2-HPG architecture, also known as Battlemage. It has a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s across a 160-bit bus. Its Passmark G3D score is 14195, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and the Intel Arc A750, with scores within 0.1% of the B570.

The GPU is the primary bottleneck in this system for Hard West. The FPS data shows a clear correlation between GPU load and performance. At 1080p, the GPU is capable of delivering high frame rates, but as the resolution increases, the number of pixels to render grows, and the FPS drops accordingly. The 10 GB of VRAM is not a limiting factor at these resolutions for a game from 2015, as memory requirements are likely modest. The GPU's 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is moderate, and the data suggests it is insufficient for smooth 4K gameplay in this title.

The performance delta between settings at the same resolution is also telling. At 1440p, the difference between Low (85 FPS) and Ultra (40 FPS) is 45 FPS, indicating the GPU is heavily taxed by the visual effects present in the Ultra preset. The GPU’s 80 ROPs and 144 TMUs are moderate figures, and they are likely the components that limit fill-rate and texture throughput at higher settings. The data indicates that for a smooth experience, users should target 1080p or 1440p with medium to high settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo in Hard West varies by resolution.

For a smooth 60+ FPS experience, 1920x1080 with High settings is the best choice, yielding an average of 84 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual quality and performance. Users with high refresh rate monitors can drop to Medium settings for 110 FPS or Low for 134 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss is significant. Ultra at 1080p is playable at 63 FPS, but it is not recommended if you prefer a higher frame rate headroom.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, providing an average of 69 FPS. This is a comfortable frame rate for a turn-based game. High settings are also viable at 53 FPS, which is perfectly adequate for this genre. The Ultra preset at 40 FPS is not recommended, as the frame rate dips are more noticeable. Low settings at 85 FPS are an option for a very responsive experience, but the visual downgrade is considerable.

For 4K (3840x2160), the data suggests that Low settings are the only viable option, with an average of 44 FPS. This is playable but not ideal. Medium settings at 36 FPS are borderline, with a minimum of 31 FPS that may cause noticeable stutter in a game that requires precise unit positioning. High and Ultra presets at 28 and 21 FPS respectively are not recommended for a playable experience. Users prioritizing 4K should consider a more powerful GPU, as this combo is clearly not suited for it in this title.