Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a robust experience in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The measured frame rates across resolutions and presets indicate that the RTX 4070 is the dominant component, with the CPU providing ample headroom even at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the performance data to determine optimal play configurations and how this specific hardware combination stacks up against the broader test pool.

Resolution Scaling

The performance delta between 1080p and 4K is substantial, highlighting the GPU-bound nature of this title at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 158.1 FPS at 1920x1080 to 99.7 FPS at 2560x1440, a decline of approximately 37%. Pushing further to 3840x2160 yields an average of 51.4 FPS, which is roughly 48% slower than the 1440p result and only about one-third of the 1080p figure. This steep curve suggests that while the RTX 4070 has ample power for 1080p and 1440p, the transition to 4K introduces a significant rendering load that the GPU cannot fully overcome at High settings.

The scaling pattern remains consistent across presets, though the absolute gaps narrow at lower quality levels. At Low settings, the frame rate only drops from 189.4 FPS at 1080p to 162 FPS at 1440p, a modest 14% reduction, before falling to 85.9 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the game becomes progressively less demanding on the GPU as visual features are disabled, allowing the CPU and memory subsystem to play a larger role. The fact that even at 4K Low the system holds above 85 FPS demonstrates that the Ryzen 7 3700X’s 8 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 4070 without creating a bottleneck in this particular title.

At Ultra settings, the resolution scaling is the most punishing. The average frame rate plummets from 122.6 FPS at 1080p to 74.4 FPS at 1440p, and then to 38.6 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below the 40 FPS threshold often considered the minimum for smooth gameplay, indicating that this preset is not viable at the highest resolution. The data clearly shows that Hard West is heavily GPU-limited when the RTX 4070 is paired with this CPU, as the performance drop from 1440p to 4K is far more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, regardless of the preset chosen.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of frame rate in this configuration. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, is sufficient for the textures and assets used in Hard West. The benchmark results show that at 4K High, the GPU is still able to maintain 51.4 FPS, which is playable, but the jump to Ultra drops the score to 38.6 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset likely increases memory pressure and shader complexity beyond what the RTX 4070 can handle comfortably at 4K, despite the generous VRAM allocation.

The GPU’s clock speeds, with a base of 1920 MHz and a boost of 2475 MHz, contribute to its strong performance. The Ada Lovelace architecture, built on a 5 nm process, delivers high efficiency, allowing the card to sustain these clocks under load. The data shows a clear correlation between settings and FPS at the same resolution. For instance, at 1440p, the difference between Low (162 FPS) and Ultra (74.4 FPS) is 87.6 FPS, which is a massive swing. This indicates that the RTX 4070 has the raw compute power to handle the game easily at lower presets, but the Ultra settings introduce effects that heavily tax the GPU’s shading units and ROPs.

The GPU’s percentile ranking of 81 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37283, places it in the upper tier of graphics cards. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, which trails by 0.6%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, which is 2.2% ahead. However, in this specific game, the measured FPS indicates that the RTX 4070 is not the limiting factor at 1080p or 1440p, as the frame rates exceed 120 FPS even at High settings. The GPU only becomes the clear bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where its capabilities are stretched to the limit. The 12 GB memory capacity is not a concern here, as the game does not appear to exceed that allocation based on the smooth scaling from Medium to High at 1440p.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for optimal play. For 1080p users, the Ultra preset delivers an average of 122.6 FPS, which is more than sufficient for a turn-based tactics game that does not require high refresh rates. Pushing to High settings yields 158.1 FPS, but the visual difference is often negligible in this genre. The recommended setting for 1080p is Ultra, as the frame rate remains well above 120 FPS, ensuring a smooth and visually rich experience without any performance concerns.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. The High preset achieves 99.7 FPS, which is excellent for most monitors, while Ultra drops to 74.4 FPS. Given that Hard West is a turn-based title, even 74.4 FPS is playable, but the 25 FPS gap between High and Ultra suggests that High is the sweet spot for maintaining a stable frame rate above 90 FPS. The Medium preset at 132.8 FPS is also viable, but it sacrifices visual fidelity for minimal benefit in a game that does not depend on fast reaction times.

For 4K gaming, the High preset is the only reasonable choice. It provides 51.4 FPS, which is above the 50 FPS threshold for acceptable smoothness. The Medium preset at 70.4 FPS is also playable, but High offers a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 38.6 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 40 FPS minimum for a comfortable experience. Low settings at 4K (85.9 FPS) are an option for players prioritizing frame rate over visuals, but the High preset is the optimal middle ground. In summary, the data suggests using High settings for 1440p and 4K, and Ultra for 1080p, to maximize the visual experience without compromising playability.

FAQ

*Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X strong enough for the RTX 4070 in Hard West?*

A: Yes, the benchmark data shows no CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 189.4 FPS, and even at 1440p Low it holds 162 FPS, indicating the 8-core, 16-thread processor provides ample headroom for the GPU to operate at full capacity.

Q: What is the best preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: The High preset is recommended for 4K, as it delivers an average of 51.4 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 38.6 FPS, which is below the smoothness threshold, while Medium offers 70.4 FPS but with lower visual quality.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 perform relative to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 Mobile?

A: In general benchmarks, the RTX 4080 Mobile has an average score of 38135, which is 2.2% higher than the RTX 4070's average score of 37283. However, in Hard West, the RTX 4070’s measured performance is strong enough to maintain high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, making the difference negligible.

*Q: Can this system run Hard West at 1440p with a high refresh rate monitor?*

A: Yes, at 1440p High settings, the system achieves 99.7 FPS, which is suitable for a 100Hz monitor. Even at Ultra, it maintains 74.4 FPS, which is still playable for a turn-based game.

Q: Is there a large performance difference between Medium and High settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is modest. At 1080p, Medium averages 173.3 FPS, while High averages 158.1 FPS, a gap of 15.2 FPS. This suggests that High settings offer a better visual experience with only a minor performance cost.

Q: What does the combo rank of 593 out of 1699 indicate?

A: This ranking places the Ryzen 7 3700X + RTX 4070 combination in the top 35% of all tested combos for Hard West. Given the game’s age and the strength of the GPU, this is a solid result, though the CPU’s older Zen 2 architecture may hold back the GPU in more modern titles.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 593 out of 1699 tested combinations in Hard West. This placement, roughly in the 65th percentile, reflects a system that is well above average but not at the top tier. The RTX 4070 is a powerful GPU, with a percentile rank of 81 versus all GPUs, but the CPU is an older model, with a percentile rank of 85 versus all CPUs. The slight mismatch in generation is evident, as the Ryzen 7 3700X’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12600, which scores 0.1% higher on average, and the AMD EPYC 7203P, which is 0.2% ahead.

In the context of Hard West, the ranking is likely driven by the GPU’s ability to handle the game’s modest graphical demands. The measured FPS at 1080p High (158.1 FPS) and 1440p High (99.7 FPS) are indicative of a system that can easily handle the game’s requirements. The rank of 593 suggests that while many other combos may achieve higher frame rates, particularly those with newer CPUs, the RTX 4070 ensures that this combination delivers a smooth and consistent experience. The data shows that the bottleneck is almost exclusively the GPU at 4K, where even the High preset fails to reach 60 FPS, but for the majority of gaming scenarios, this combo performs admirably.

Comparatively, the RTX 4070’s nearest rivals in general benchmarks, such as the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, are 0.6% behind, but this does not translate directly to game performance. The 1699 combos tested include a wide range of CPUs and GPUs, and the 593 rank indicates that this pair is in the upper half of results. For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, where frame rates above 60 FPS are more than sufficient, the practical performance is excellent. The ranking reflects the RTX 4070’s capability, even when paired with a CPU that is several generations old.