Hard West

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

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 4 (Phoenix) architecture using TSMC's 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU's cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, providing 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 8400F demonstrates strong per-thread performance with a 3dmark single-thread score of 951 and a passmark single-thread score of 3684. Multi-threaded results scale well with the core count: the 3dmark 16-thread score of 6091 and the max-thread score of 6165 are close, indicating that the processor's 12 threads are efficiently utilized. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 20851 and single-core score of 2943 further confirm a balanced profile between single-thread responsiveness and multi-thread throughput.

For a turn-based tactics title like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing during AI turns, pathfinding calculations, and scene transitions. The 8400F's single-thread performance is critical here, and its passmark single-thread score of 3684 places it in the 82nd percentile of all CPUs. The 3dmark 2-thread score of 1874 and 4-thread score of 3563 indicate that even lightly threaded workloads see substantial headroom, which matters for a genre where the game engine may not scale perfectly across many cores.

The data shows that at lower settings and resolutions, the CPU becomes a more significant factor. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo achieves 258.5 FPS, which is the highest measured average across all configurations. This suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond typical display refresh rates. Conversely, at 3840x2160 Ultra, the average drops to 38 FPS, where the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Ryzen 5 8400F's 82nd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25064, reinforces that it provides ample computational headroom for this game's demands.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 achieves a rank of 424 out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the top 25% of all system configurations tested for this game, based on the measured FPS data.

The CPU's nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score are instructive. The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X has an average score of 25057, with a delta of 0% from the 8400F's 25064. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 340 scores 25099, which is -0.1% relative to the 8400F. The AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103, also -0.2%. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F scores 24993, a +0.3% delta. This tight clustering indicates that the 8400F's computational prowess is squarely in line with these alternatives, with no meaningful performance separation in aggregate benchmarks.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070's nearest rivals show similar parity. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has an average score of 37507, which is -0.6% from the RTX 4070's 37283. The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A scores 38008, a -1.9% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38135, -2.2%. The AMD Radeon RX 5300M scores 36371, +2.5% relative to the RTX 4070. These deltas are all within a few percentage points, indicating that the RTX 4070's 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs is well-supported by its benchmark scores.

The combo's rank of 424 out of 1699 suggests that while neither component is at the absolute top of its class, their pairing produces a system that outperforms the majority of tested configurations in Hard West. The GPU's 81st percentile and CPU's 82nd percentile rankings combine to place this system in a strong position for this title, with measured FPS data confirming playable performance even at demanding settings.

FAQ

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

A: At 2560x1440 Ultra, the combo achieves 77.8 FPS, and at 1920x1080 Ultra it reaches 120.2 FPS. The 3840x2160 Ultra setting drops to 38 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has an average benchmark score of 25064, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X's 25057 (0% delta). The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F trails slightly at 24993, a +0.3% delta favoring the 8400F.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the Low setting averages 258.5 FPS while Ultra averages 120.2 FPS. This represents a drop of 138.3 FPS when moving from Low to Ultra, roughly a 53% reduction in average frame rate.

Q: Is the GPU or CPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: At 3840x2160, the frame rates range from 38 FPS at Ultra to 85.8 FPS at Low. Given that the CPU's 82nd percentile ranking provides ample headroom, the data indicates the RTX 4070's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints at this resolution.

Q: How does the RTX 4070's benchmark performance compare to the RX Vega 56?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37283, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37507. This gives the RX Vega 56 a 0.6% advantage in raw benchmark scores, though the measured FPS in Hard West may differ from synthetic results.

Q: What is the significance of the combo's rank of 424 out of 1699?

A: This rank places the Ryzen 5 8400F + RTX 4070 combination in the top 25% of all tested combos for Hard West. It indicates that this pairing delivers performance that is competitive with a wide range of systems, though there is still room above it in the rankings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings levels.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers high frame rates across all settings. The Low preset averages 258.5 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. Medium averages 208.4 FPS, High averages 160.3 FPS, and Ultra averages 120.2 FPS. Even at the most demanding setting, the frame rate comfortably exceeds 120 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a clear scaling pattern. Low averages 161.8 FPS, Medium averages 131.9 FPS, High averages 100.7 FPS, and Ultra averages 77.8 FPS. The Ultra setting still maintains a frame rate above 75 FPS, which is suitable for most gaming monitors. The transition from High to Ultra at this resolution costs 22.9 FPS, a 23% reduction.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the dominant constraint. Low averages 85.8 FPS, Medium averages 68.9 FPS, High averages 54 FPS, and Ultra averages 38 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is 14.9 FPS, while High to Ultra costs another 16 FPS. The Ultra setting at 4K produces a frame rate below 40 FPS, which may be borderline for a turn-based tactics game where responsiveness is less critical than in action titles.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at the High setting shows a reduction from 160.3 FPS to 100.7 FPS, a 37% decrease. From 1440p to 4K at High, the drop is from 100.7 FPS to 54 FPS, a 46% decrease. These figures illustrate the resolution scaling characteristics of the RTX 4070, with the 12 GB VRAM and 192-bit memory bus playing a significant role at higher resolutions.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 1313 MHz, with 21 Gbps effective speed. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with a 200 W TDP.

The RTX 4070 has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. It also includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores. The pixel rate is 158.4 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 455.4 GTexel/s. Floating point performance is rated at 29.15 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16 (1:1). The GPU sits in the 81st percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 37283.

In Hard West, the GPU's role is evident in the resolution scaling patterns. At 1080p, the RTX 4070's raw compute power delivers frame rates above 120 FPS even at Ultra settings. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures and effects at this resolution. At 1440p, the GPU continues to perform admirably, with Ultra settings maintaining 77.8 FPS.

The 4K results show where the RTX 4070's limitations emerge. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages only 38 FPS, which is a 68% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result of 120.2 FPS. The High preset at 4K averages 54 FPS, still below the 60 FPS threshold. The memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s and the 192-bit bus appear to be the limiting factors at this resolution, as the shading units and texture rate are capable of higher output.

The GPU's benchmark results show a passmark G3D score of 26927 and a passmark GPU compute score of 14720. The 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3854. These synthetic results align with the measured FPS data, showing a GPU that excels at lower resolutions but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

Settings Recommendations

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

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 120.2 FPS, which is an excellent experience for any display. The High preset at 160.3 FPS offers a 33% improvement over Ultra while maintaining high visual quality. For users with 144 Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, the High preset is the best balance, as it exceeds 160 FPS while the difference between High and Ultra is visually minor in a turn-based tactics game.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset at 77.8 FPS is a strong choice for 60 Hz to 75 Hz displays. The High preset at 100.7 FPS provides a smoother experience for 100 Hz or 120 Hz monitors. The Medium preset at 131.9 FPS is suitable for competitive play or for users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity. The data suggests that High at 1440p is the sweet spot, offering 100.7 FPS while retaining most of the visual enhancements.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset at 68.9 FPS is the recommended setting for a playable experience, as it maintains frame rates above 60 FPS. The High preset at 54 FPS may be acceptable for a turn-based tactics game where precise timing is not critical, but the 38 FPS Ultra preset is not recommended. The Low preset at 85.8 FPS provides the smoothest 4K experience but sacrifices visual quality.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently provides a solid balance between visual quality and performance. At 1080p Medium yields 208.4 FPS, at 1440p Medium yields 131.9 FPS, and at 4K Medium yields 68.9 FPS. This makes Medium the most versatile setting for users who switch between resolutions or who want a consistent experience across different display configurations.