Hard West

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread processor built on the Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael). It operates on the AMD Socket AM5 platform and is manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC, with a transistor count of 6,570 million across a 71 mm² die. Its base clock is 4.70 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and it carries a 105 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a 32 MB shared L3 cache. It supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s, and it includes integrated Radeon Graphics.

For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing during unit movements, ability calculations, and environmental interactions. The 7600X's multi-threaded capabilities are substantial: it scores 15,236 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,965 in single-core. In Geekbench, it reaches 13,858 multi-core and 2,603 single-core. Its 3DMark results show strong scaling, with a single-thread score of 1,060, two-thread score of 2,028, four-thread score of 3,796, eight-thread score of 5,715, and max-thread score of 6,845.

The data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in most of the measured scenarios. At 1080p Low settings, the combo produces 79 FPS average, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what the Intel Arc B370 can render at higher settings. The PassMark multi-thread score of 28,390 and single-thread score of 4,135 further confirm that this processor has ample headroom for older game titles. Hard West, released in 2015, was designed for hardware of that era; the 7600X's three highest 3DMark thread counts (8-thread at 5,715 and max-thread at 6,845) all exceed what such a title would typically need.

The CPU's percentile rank of 79 among all CPUs places it well above the median, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (average score 27,578, delta +0.2%), Intel Core i5-12600K (27,578, +0.2%), AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27,712, -0.3%), and AMD Ryzen 7 5800 (27,535, +0.4%). This grouping shows the 7600X is competitive with previous-generation 8-core parts, despite having only 6 cores, thanks to its higher clock speeds and efficient Zen 4 architecture.

In Hard West specifically, the CPU's strong single-thread performance matters for game logic and AI decision-making, which are typically serial workloads. The 1,965 Cinebench R23 single-core score and 2,603 Geekbench single-core score indicate that the processor can handle these tasks without bottlenecking the frame rate. However, the measured FPS numbers show that the GPU becomes the limiting factor as settings increase, which is expected for an integrated graphics solution.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 49 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for a turn-based tactics game, where fluidity of camera movement is more important than split-second reaction times.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 7600X has an average benchmark score of 27,636, which is 0.2% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K (both at 27,578). It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE by 0.3% (27,712) and leads the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 by 0.4% (27,535). These are effectively negligible differences.

Q: What is the best average FPS achieved across all tested configurations?

A: The highest average FPS is 79, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This represents the best-case scenario for frame rate, though it comes at the cost of visual fidelity.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B370 support DirectX 12 Ultimate?

A: Yes, the Intel Arc B370 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. This ensures compatibility with modern graphics APIs, though Hard West is an older title that may not leverage these newer features.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Hard West?

A: The combo ranks 2,721 out of 2,949 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 8% of all combos. This reflects the GPU's limited performance, as the CPU is highly capable.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. This shows reasonable frame consistency for the resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1080p, the combo delivers 79 FPS on Low, 64 FPS on Medium, 49 FPS on High, and 37 FPS on Ultra. Moving to 1440p, those numbers drop to 50 FPS on Low, 41 FPS on Medium, 31 FPS on High, and 23 FPS on Ultra. At 4K, the results fall further: 26 FPS on Low, 21 FPS on Medium, 16 FPS on High, and 12 FPS on Ultra.

The percentage drops between resolutions are significant. From 1080p to 1440p at Low settings, the average FPS falls from 79 to 50, a reduction of approximately 37%. At High settings, the drop is from 49 to 31, roughly 37% as well. From 1440p to 4K, the Low setting drops from 50 to 26, a 48% decrease, while High drops from 31 to 16, a 48% decrease. This consistent scaling pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting component.

The GPU's specifications support this analysis. The Arc B370 has 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units, with a base clock of 300 MHz and boost clock of 2,400 MHz. Its pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1,184, which places it at the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (score 1,186, delta -0.2%), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1,190, -0.5%), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1,192, -0.7%), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1,168, +1.4%). These are all older, low-performance parts.

The frame rate drops are steeper from 1440p to 4K than from 1080p to 1440p, which is typical for a GPU that has limited memory bandwidth. The Arc B370 uses system shared memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," and its memory bus width is also system shared. This means the GPU competes with the CPU for memory access, which can exacerbate performance issues at higher resolutions where more data needs to be processed.

The minimum and maximum FPS data available for Medium settings show the frame time variance. At 1080p Medium, the range is 55 to 74 FPS (average 64). At 1440p Medium, the range is 35 to 47 FPS (average 41). At 4K Medium, the range is 18 to 25 FPS (average 21). The relative spread remains consistent, suggesting that frame pacing is stable even as the overall performance drops. This is a positive sign for a game that relies on smooth camera pans and unit animations.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2,721 out of 2,949 tested combinations in Hard West. This places it in the bottom 7.7% of all tested combos, which is a poor result. The CPU itself is not the issue — the Ryzen 5 7600X ranks at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27,636. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, which sits at the 5th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 1,184.

To contextualize the CPU's performance, it sits in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K both have average scores of 27,578, just 0.2% below the 7600X. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE is 0.3% above at 27,712, and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800 is 0.4% below at 27,535. These differences are within measurement noise, meaning any of these CPUs would perform nearly identically in Hard West when paired with the same GPU.

The GPU's nearest rivals paint a different picture. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 scores 1,186 (0.2% above the Arc B370), the ATI Radeon HD 5770 scores 1,190 (0.5% above), and the AMD Radeon HD 7650M scores 1,192 (0.7% above). The AMD FirePro M2000 scores 1,168 (1.4% below). These are all parts from the early 2010s, indicating that the Arc B370's performance level is roughly a decade old. This explains the combo's low rank in a game from 2015.

The combination of a modern, high-performance CPU with a very low-performance GPU creates a significant imbalance. The CPU is capable of driving frame rates well above what the GPU can deliver, especially at lower resolutions. However, the overall combo ranking in Hard West is dragged down by the GPU's inability to handle higher settings and resolutions. The data shows that the best configuration (1080p Low) achieves 79 FPS, which is playable, but the experience degrades quickly as visual demands increase.

For the user considering this combo, the ranking indicates that the system is suitable for very light gaming at best. The CPU provides future upgrade potential — swapping the GPU for something more capable would dramatically improve the combo's ranking — but as configured, the system is limited to 1080p Low or Medium settings for acceptable frame rates in Hard West.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's priorities. For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, 1080p Medium settings offer 64 FPS average with a range of 55 to 74 FPS. This is a smooth experience for a turn-based tactics game, where the frame rate matters less than in fast-paced genres, and the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is noticeable.

If maximum frame rate is the priority, 1080p Low provides 79 FPS average, which is the highest measured value. This setting ensures the smoothest camera movement and fastest response to input, though it sacrifices visual fidelity. For a game like Hard West, which features a dark, atmospheric art style, the lower settings may reduce the impact of the visual presentation.

At 1440p, the Medium setting delivers 41 FPS average (35 to 47 FPS range), which is borderline playable. The High setting drops to 31 FPS, and Ultra falls to 23 FPS. For users with a 1440p monitor, Medium is the recommended setting, as it maintains a playable frame rate while offering reasonable visual quality. The Low setting at 1440p produces 50 FPS, which is smoother but may look noticeably worse.

At 4K, no setting achieves a comfortable frame rate. The best result is 26 FPS at Low, followed by 21 FPS at Medium, 16 FPS at High, and 12 FPS at Ultra. These frame rates are too low for a responsive experience, even for a turn-based game. The minimum and maximum values at 4K Medium (18 to 25 FPS) show that the frame rate is consistently low, not just averaging that way.

The data suggests that the sweet spot for this combo is 1080p with Medium settings. This configuration provides 64 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered smooth, while maintaining visual quality improvements over Low settings. The minimum of 55 FPS ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays within a playable range.

For users who prefer higher resolutions, 1440p Low (50 FPS) is the best option, as it keeps the frame rate above 48 FPS consistently. The Medium setting at 1440p dips to 35 FPS minimum, which may cause noticeable stuttering in some scenes. Ultimately, the recommendation is to prioritize 1080p Medium for the best overall experience, with 1440p Low as an alternative for users with higher-resolution displays.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table summarizes all measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X + Intel Arc B370 combo in Hard West:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 79 FPS average
• Medium: 64 FPS average (minimum 55, maximum 74)
• High: 49 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 50 FPS average
• Medium: 41 FPS average (minimum 35, maximum 47)
• High: 31 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 26 FPS average
• Medium: 21 FPS average (minimum 18, maximum 25)
• High: 16 FPS average
• Ultra: 12 FPS average

The data shows a monotonic decrease in FPS as both resolution and settings increase. The step from Low to Ultra at any given resolution results in roughly a 50-55% drop in frame rate. For example, at 1080p, the drop from 79 FPS (Low) to 37 FPS (Ultra) is a 53% reduction. At 1440p, the drop from 50 to 23 is 54%. At 4K, the drop from 26 to 12 is 54%. This consistency suggests that the GPU's performance scaling is predictable across settings.

The resolution scaling shows that moving from 1080p to 1440p costs approximately 37% of the frame rate at any given setting. Moving from 1440p to 4K costs approximately 48% more. This steeper drop at higher resolutions is characteristic of a GPU with limited memory bandwidth, as the system-shared memory configuration struggles to feed the rendering pipeline at 4K.

Minimum and maximum FPS data is only available for Medium settings. At 1080p, the range is 55 to 74 FPS, a spread of 19 FPS. At 1440p, the range is 35 to 47 FPS, a spread of 12 FPS. At 4K, the range is 18 to 25 FPS, a spread of 7 FPS. The absolute spread narrows as resolution increases, but the relative spread (relative to the average) remains similar, indicating consistent frame pacing across resolutions.

The 4K Ultra setting produces the worst result at 12 FPS average, which is below the threshold for a playable experience even in a turn-based game. The 1080p Low setting produces the best result at 79 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The majority of configurations fall between these extremes, with 1080p Medium and High being the most practical for actual gameplay.

For users with a 1440p display, the Low setting (50 FPS) is the only configuration that exceeds 48 FPS, which is often cited as a minimum for smooth gameplay. The Medium setting (41 FPS) may be acceptable for some players, but the minimum of 35 FPS could cause perceptible stuttering in complex scenes. At 4K, no setting is recommended, as even the best case (26 FPS at Low) is below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered the absolute minimum for playability.