Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and Intel Arc B390 combination delivers playable frame rates at 1080p in Hard West, but the integrated GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution climbs. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 87 FPS, which is comfortably playable for a turn-based tactics title, but this drops sharply to 41 FPS at Ultra settings. Moving to 1440p, the average frame rate at High settings is 35 FPS, and at 4K, the same settings yield only 18 FPS. The data indicates that the Intel Arc B390's compute capabilities, scoring in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, are insufficient for high-resolution rendering in this game. The measured results show a clear pattern: the CPU's strong single-thread performance (a 3DMark single-thread score of 999) cannot compensate for the GPU's limited pixel throughput (60.00 GPixel/s) when pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling behavior from 1080p to 4K is severe and consistent across all settings, revealing that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component in this configuration. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 87 FPS at 1080p to 55 FPS at 1440p and then to 29 FPS at 4K. This represents a drop of 37% from 1080p to 1440p and a further 47% drop from 1440p to 4K. The pattern is similar at High settings, where 55 FPS at 1080p becomes 35 FPS at 1440p and 18 FPS at 4K. The scaling is not linear; the 4K resolution imposes a disproportionately heavy load, indicating that the GPU's 24 ROPs and 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance are overwhelmed by the pixel fill requirements.

The data suggests that the transition from 1080p to 1440p is the first major hurdle. At Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 71 FPS at 1080p to 45 FPS at 1440p, a 37% reduction. However, the jump to 4K at Medium settings results in a 47% reduction to 24 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth, which is "System Dependent" rather than dedicated VRAM, becomes a critical constraint at higher resolutions. The system-shared memory architecture means that as resolution increases, the GPU must access more data from slower system memory, exacerbating the performance deficit.

Ultra settings are the most demanding, with the combo managing only 41 FPS at 1080p, 26 FPS at 1440p, and 14 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is essentially unplayable, and even 1440p Ultra dips below the 30 FPS threshold that many players consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The measured minimum frame rates at Medium settings provide additional insight: at 1080p Medium, the minimum is 61 FPS, but at 1440p Medium, it drops to 38 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it falls to 20 FPS. These minimums suggest that even in less demanding scenes, the GPU struggles to maintain consistent performance at higher resolutions.

Benchmark results indicate that the Ryzen 5 7600 is not the primary constraint. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, are more than adequate for a turn-based tactics game like Hard West. This is a genre that relies on CPU-bound logic for AI and pathfinding, but the measured frame rates show a GPU-bound scenario. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is so aggressive that it points directly to the Arc B390's 1536 shading units and 48 TMUs being insufficient for the increased workload. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 and GT 625 OEM, which are entry-level parts from another era.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo consistently achieves above 40 FPS. At 1080p, even Ultra settings maintain 41 FPS, while at 1440p, only Low settings exceed 50 FPS. 4K is not viable for smooth gameplay, with the highest average being 29 FPS at Low settings.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score is 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463) and 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446). It also edges out the GeForce GT 710 by 2.7%. These are all low-end GPUs, and the B390's 9th percentile ranking confirms its entry-level positioning.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7600 holding back the GPU?

A: No, the data does not indicate CPU bottlenecking. The Ryzen 5 7600 has a high single-thread score of 1852 in Cinebench R23, and the frame rate drops are consistent with GPU limitations. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 999 and multi-thread score of 6503 demonstrate ample processing power for this title.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: The measured results show an average of 45 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. This is playable but not smooth, and the minimum frame rate suggests occasional stutters in demanding scenes.

Q: Why is the 4K performance so poor?

A: The Intel Arc B390 uses system-shared memory with no dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means it relies on the CPU's dual-channel DDR5 memory. The GPU's 24 ROPs and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient for 4K rendering, as evidenced by the 18 FPS average at High settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: This particular combination of AMD Ryzen 5 7600 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2614 out of 2949 tested combos for this game, placing it in the bottom 12% of configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's performance ceiling.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 plays a dominant and limiting role in this configuration's performance in Hard West. The GPU's specifications highlight its limitations: it operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, but its most significant constraint is the memory architecture. With "System Shared" memory of an unspecified size and type, the GPU must contend for bandwidth with the CPU. The bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," which in this case means it is tied to the Ryzen 5 7600's dual-channel DDR5 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. This shared resource creates a bottleneck when resolution increases, as the GPU requires more memory traffic.

The GPU's rendering capabilities are modest: 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. These figures explain why the frame rate drops so precipitously at 4K. At 3840x2160, there are approximately 8.3 million pixels per frame, and with a pixel rate of 60 GPixel/s, the theoretical maximum fill rate is only around 7 FPS if the GPU were purely pixel-bound. The measured 18 FPS at 4K High indicates that the game's workload is not purely pixel-bound, but the ROP throughput is clearly a limiting factor.

The GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 performance are low by modern standards, but for a game released in 2015, they should be adequate for 1080p. The fact that the combo achieves 87 FPS at 1080p Low confirms this. The issue is that the GPU's performance scales poorly with resolution due to its memory constraints. The 12 RT cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are irrelevant for this title, which was designed for older APIs. The GPU's 80 W TDP and IGP form factor suggest it is designed for integrated use, not high-performance gaming.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Arc B390 is marginally faster, but the delta is small. It outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX by 1.3%, the GeForce 800M by 1.5%, the GT 625 OEM by 2.5%, and the GT 710 by 2.7%. These are all GPUs from a much older generation, and the small performance deltas indicate that the Arc B390 is not a significant step up. In the context of Hard West, this means the GPU is the weakest link, and the CPU's potential is largely unrealized at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience is achieved at 1080p with Medium settings. This configuration yields an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS. The minimum frame rate is above 60 FPS, which ensures smooth gameplay for a turn-based tactics game where frame pacing is less critical than in action titles. The jump from Low to Medium settings at 1080p costs 16 FPS (from 87 FPS to 71 FPS), but the visual improvement is likely worth it given the ample headroom.

For players prioritizing visual fidelity, 1080p High settings are a viable option, delivering 55 FPS. This is a 23% reduction from Medium, but the game remains playable. However, 1080p Ultra at 41 FPS begins to approach the lower boundary of acceptable performance, and the visual gains from Ultra over High are typically marginal in a game from 2015. The data suggests that Ultra is not worth the performance sacrifice.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts to Low settings, which produce 55 FPS. Medium settings at 1440p drop to 45 FPS, and the minimum frame rate of 38 FPS indicates potential stuttering. High settings at 1440p yield 35 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold that many players find acceptable for smooth turn-based gameplay. Ultra at 1440p is not recommended, as the 26 FPS average is below the 30 FPS minimum standard.

4K is not recommended for this combo. Even at Low settings, the average frame rate is 29 FPS, which is below the standard 30 FPS threshold. The game is playable in a turn-based context at frame rates below 30 FPS, but the experience would be noticeably choppy. The most balanced setting for a playable experience at 4K would be Low, but the 29 FPS average and the lack of min/max data suggest that it is a borderline case.

The best experience per the measured rows is unequivocally 1080p Medium. It offers a high average frame rate, a solid minimum frame rate, and should provide a good balance of visual quality and performance. Players with higher refresh rate monitors may prefer 1080p Low to approach the 87 FPS average, but the difference between Low and Medium is likely less noticeable than the difference between Medium and High.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 + Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2614 out of 2949 tested combos for Hard West. This places it in the bottom 11.4% of all configurations, a poor showing that reflects the GPU's limitations. The ranking is not a reflection of the CPU, which performs well in synthetic benchmarks. The Ryzen 5 7600 has an average benchmark score of 26324, placing it in the 78th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (score 26274, 0.2% lower), the AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS (score 26402, 0.3% higher), and the Intel Core i9-11900KF (score 26212, 0.4% lower). These are all capable processors, and the Ryzen 5 7600's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12735 and single-core score of 1852 demonstrate its competence.

However, the GPU's 9th percentile ranking drags the entire combo down. The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are not modern gaming GPUs; they are entry-level parts from a decade ago. This explains why the combo ranks so low despite having a strong CPU. In a game like Hard West, which is not particularly demanding by modern standards, the GPU is still the primary constraint.

The disparity between the CPU's 78th percentile ranking and the GPU's 9th percentile ranking creates a significant imbalance. The data shows that the combo is heavily GPU-bound, and the CPU's potential is wasted at resolutions above 1080p. The rank of 2614 out of 2949 indicates that there are many other combinations that would provide a better experience in this game, primarily due to superior GPU performance. For players considering this combo, the ranking serves as a clear warning that the GPU is the limiting factor and that expectations for high-resolution gameplay should be tempered.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 87 FPS, with no min/max data provided. Medium settings yield an average of 71 FPS, with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS. High settings drop to 55 FPS, and Ultra settings result in 41 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent decline, but even at Ultra, the frame rate is above 40 FPS, which is acceptable for this genre.

At 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings average 55 FPS, which is a 37% reduction from 1080p. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings drop to 35 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 26 FPS. The minimum frame rate at Medium (38 FPS) is below the 40 FPS threshold, indicating that the experience may not be consistently smooth.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal. Low settings average 29 FPS, Medium settings average 24 FPS (with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 27 FPS), High settings drop to 18 FPS, and Ultra settings produce only 14 FPS. The 4K Medium minimum of 20 FPS is the lowest recorded minimum across all settings and resolutions, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle the pixel load. The data shows a clear linear relationship between resolution and frame rate, with no anomalies that would suggest a CPU bottleneck. The Intel Arc B390 is the sole constraint, and its performance in Hard West is only adequate at 1080p.