Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B570 combination presents a specific performance profile in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that is heavily influenced by graphics settings, with the GPU acting as the primary performance governor at higher resolutions and quality levels.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable and steep performance drop as resolution increases. At 1080p with High settings, the combo averages 84 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces the average to 53 FPS, a significant 37% decrease. At 4K High, the average falls further to 28 FPS, representing a 67% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is the limiting component in this configuration; a CPU-bound scenario would show much smaller frame rate differences between resolutions.

The relationship between resolution and quality settings further clarifies this. At 4K, the performance envelope is narrow and low. The Low preset yields 44 FPS, Medium drops to 36 FPS, High to 28 FPS, and Ultra to just 21 FPS. These numbers suggest that at 4K, even the Low preset struggles to maintain a smooth 60 FPS experience, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable for action-heavy sequences. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 23 FPS, a substantial range that highlights the GPU’s workload.

At 1440p, the situation improves. Low settings hit 85 FPS, which is a playable and fluid frame rate. Medium achieves 69 FPS, High reaches 53 FPS, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at this resolution is a 45 FPS spread, showing that the GPU has enough headroom to render the game at lower settings comfortably. The 1440p Medium result of 69 FPS is notably close to the 1080p High result of 84 FPS, suggesting that a moderate settings reduction can effectively offset the additional pixel burden of a higher resolution.

1080p presents the most flexible performance scenario. The Low preset yields 134 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most standard monitors. Medium delivers 110 FPS, High provides 84 FPS, and Ultra still manages 63 FPS. This demonstrates that at 1080p, the system can prioritize visual fidelity without sacrificing playability, as even the Ultra preset clears the 60 FPS threshold. The data indicates that the game’s engine is well-optimized for lower resolutions, allowing the CPU’s strong single-threaded performance to shine when the GPU is not overtaxed.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570’s specifications are central to understanding the scaling behavior. The GPU features a base and boost clock of 2500 MHz, and it is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with a 5 nm process. Its memory configuration includes 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This memory subsystem is likely a key factor in the performance degradation at 4K, where the higher pixel count demands more data throughput.

The GPU’s raw compute capabilities are modest. It offers 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units. The FP32 performance is rated at 11.52 TFLOPS. These numbers place the B570 in a specific performance tier, as evidenced by its benchmark results. Its Passmark G3D score is 14195, and it sits at the 65th percentile among all tested GPUs. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, it scores 2649.

The GPU’s nearest rivals, based on average benchmark scores, include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which is 0.1% faster, and the Intel Arc A750, which is 0.1% slower. This tight grouping suggests that the B570 delivers performance comparable to these other options, but its behavior in Hard West is what matters here. The measured frame rates show that the GPU is the bottleneck at 4K and at higher quality presets. The 4K Ultra result of 21 FPS is particularly telling; it indicates that the GPU’s shading units and memory bandwidth are insufficient to handle the combined load of high resolution and maximum settings.

The VRAM capacity of 10 GB is relevant, though this game from 2015 is unlikely to exceed it. The more pressing limitation appears to be raw pixel throughput. The pixel rate is 200.0 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 360.0 GTexel/s. These figures, while not directly comparable to game results, provide context for why the frame rates plummet at 4K. The GPU must fill more pixels, and its fillrate capabilities are being stressed to their limit.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a strong processor that is not the limiting factor in most scenarios here. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This high clock speed is beneficial for a game like Hard West, which is turn-based and may not utilize many cores but can benefit from strong single-threaded performance.

The CPU’s benchmark results support its capability. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1965, and its Geekbench single-core score is 2603. It achieves a Passmark single-thread score of 4135. These figures indicate excellent per-core performance. The multi-threaded results are also solid: Cinebench R23 multi-core is 15236, and Geekbench multi-core is 13858. The CPU sits at the 79th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 27636.

Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and Intel Core i5-12600K, both of which are 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE, which is 0.3% slower. This shows that the 7600X is competitively positioned. In the context of Hard West, the CPU’s role becomes clear when examining the resolution scaling. At 1080p Low, the frame rate is 134 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to achieve high frame rates. The fact that the frame rate drops significantly at 4K, even with the same settings, proves that the CPU is not the bottleneck; the GPU is.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 and its dual-channel interface, providing 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth, is ample for this title. The L3 cache of 32 MB (shared) is also sufficient. The data indicates that the processor has headroom remaining, as the frame rates at 1080p Low are likely close to the engine’s limits for draw calls and game logic, but they are not being constrained by the CPU’s processing power.

FAQ

Q: Why is the frame rate so much lower at 4K compared to 1080p?

A: The data shows a steep drop in average FPS as resolution increases. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 84 at 1080p to 28 at 4K. This indicates the Intel Arc B570 GPU becomes the limiting factor, as its processing power and memory bandwidth are insufficient to handle the increased pixel count at 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU responsible for the performance at 1440p Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium result of 69 FPS suggests a balanced load. However, given that the frame rate drops significantly at 4K with the same settings, the GPU is likely the primary constraint. The CPU’s strong single-threaded score (1965 in Cinebench R23) is sufficient to maintain high frame rates when the GPU is not overwhelmed.

*Q: Can this system run Hard West at 4K smoothly?*

A: No. Even at the Low preset, the average FPS at 4K is 44, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Higher presets at 4K result in even lower frame rates, with Ultra averaging only 21 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for a high-refresh-rate monitor?

A: At 1080p, the system can achieve 134 FPS on Low and 110 FPS on Medium, which would be suitable for a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor. At 1440p, only the Low preset (85 FPS) comes close to that level, while Medium (69 FPS) is adequate for a 60Hz display.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The B570’s average benchmark score is 20556. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, has an average score of 20534, which is 0.1% slower. The Intel Arc A750 is 0.1% faster, with a score of 20582. This indicates the B570 is statistically equivalent to these parts.

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 7600X a bottleneck for the Arc B570 in this game?

A: No. The data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 134 FPS, which demonstrates the CPU can drive high frame rates. The performance drop at higher resolutions is attributable to the GPU’s workload, not the CPU’s processing power.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2360 out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the lower percentile of all possible pairings, which is surprising given the individual component specifications. The CPU, for instance, is a capable processor with a high single-thread score, and the GPU is a modern discrete part. However, the ranking suggests that many other combinations are faster in this specific game.

This low rank is likely due to the GPU’s performance characteristics. While the B570 is a competent card for many titles, its performance in Hard West at higher resolutions is weak, as evidenced by the 4K results. Since the combo rank is based on in-game performance, the GPU’s limitations drag the whole pairing down. The 1080p results are respectable, but the ranking likely weighs performance across all tested conditions, and the 4K numbers are poor.

The rank of 2360 out of 2949 means that roughly 80% of other tested combos perform better. This is a significant finding, as it suggests that the B570 is not a great match for this older title at high resolutions. The CPU’s strength cannot compensate for the GPU’s inability to render the game quickly at 4K. For potential users, this means that this specific pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates. At higher resolutions, it will underperform relative to other combinations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend entirely on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p, the system is highly capable. The Ultra preset, with an average of 63 FPS, is the best choice for maximum visual quality while maintaining a playable frame rate. If a higher refresh rate is the priority, the High preset at 84 FPS is an excellent balance of quality and speed. The Medium preset at 110 FPS and Low at 134 FPS are viable for competitive or fast-paced play, but the visual downgrade may not be worth the extra frames for a turn-based tactics game.

At 1440p, the Medium preset, averaging 69 FPS, is the sweet spot. It provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. The High preset at 53 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid. The Low preset at 85 FPS is an alternative for a smoother experience, but it sacrifices visual detail. The Ultra preset at 40 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS target.

At 4K, no preset provides a consistently smooth 60 FPS experience. The Low preset at 44 FPS is the most playable option, but it still has noticeable stutter. The Medium preset at 36 FPS is marginal, and the High and Ultra presets at 28 and 21 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for serious play. For this resolution, users should consider lowering the resolution or accepting a sub-optimal frame rate.

In summary, for the best overall experience, 1080p with the Ultra preset is recommended, as it delivers 63 FPS with maximum settings. For 1440p users, the Medium preset provides the best balance at 69 FPS. 4K gaming is not viable with this configuration for a smooth experience.