Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination delivers exceptional performance in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The data shows this pairing ranks first overall, outperforming thousands of other tested configurations with frame rates that reach nearly 1,000 FPS at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the CPU and GPU contributions, provides detailed FPS measurements, and offers practical settings guidance based solely on the measured results.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. Its base clock runs at 3.60 GHz with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and it carries a 32 MB L3 cache alongside 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core. This CPU belongs to the 3000 series and uses the AMD Socket AM4, supporting DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth.

For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, the CPU’s multi-threaded capabilities matter less than in real-time strategy titles, but the 8-core/16-thread layout still provides ample headroom. The benchmark data shows strong synthetic scores: 2,092 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 8,899 in Geekbench multi-core, and 22,458 in Passmark multithread. Single-thread performance is solid at 204 in Cinebench R15 single-core and 2,656 in Passmark single-thread, which is relevant because turn-based game logic and AI pathfinding often rely on fewer threads.

The 3700X sits at the 84th percentile among all CPUs in the benchmark database. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (0.1% ahead), the AMD EPYC 4244P (0.1% ahead), the Intel Core i5-13450HX (0.2% behind), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (0.5% ahead). These deltas are negligible, meaning the 3700X performs essentially on par with a range of modern and server-class processors in aggregate benchmarks.

In the context of Hard West, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, unit turn calculations, and environmental interactions. With 16 threads and a 4.40 GHz boost clock, the 3700X is more than sufficient for this genre. The measured FPS at even the highest settings exceeds 300 at 4K, suggesting the CPU is not a bottleneck in any tested scenario. The 65 W TDP and unlocked multiplier indicate efficient operation, though the power draw figures are not part of the gameplay performance data.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant hardware component in this pairing, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a GB202 chip on a 5 nm process. It features 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 render output units. The GPU runs at a base clock of 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and its memory operates at 1750 MHz for an effective 28 Gbps across a 512-bit bus.

The RTX 5090 carries 32 GB of GDDR7 memory with a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s, a substantial amount for any game, especially one from 2015. The sheer memory capacity and bandwidth ensure that Hard West’s textures and terrain data are handled without any memory pressure. The GPU also includes 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores, though these features are largely irrelevant for a turn-based tactics title that does not use ray tracing.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5090 posts impressive numbers: 18,355 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 376,728 in Geekbench Vulkan, and 334,370 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its Passmark G3D score is 39,650, with a G2D score of 1,413. The GPU ranks at the 92nd percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals by average score are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (0.3% ahead), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (0.6% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.1% ahead), and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (1.4% behind). These deltas show the RTX 5090 is closely matched with high-end datacenter and mobile GPUs in aggregate scoring, but its gaming-specific performance is clearly superior.

For Hard West, the GPU’s role is straightforward: render the 2D and isometric 3D scenes with high frame rates. The measured data shows the GPU is massively overqualified for this title, producing over 300 FPS at 4K Ultra and over 800 FPS at 1080p High. The 32 GB VRAM is never remotely taxed by a 2015 game, but the high clock speeds and massive shader count drive the exceptional raw performance.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks first overall in Hard West, placing at rank 1 out of 3,722 tested combos in the database. This top-tier position means no other CPU-GPU pairing in the benchmark suite achieves higher frame rates in this game.

This ranking is consistent with the individual component performance. The CPU sits at the 84th percentile, and the GPU at the 92nd percentile, but the combination exceeds expectations due to Hard West’s low system requirements. The game’s turn-based nature and simpler graphics mean that even mid-range hardware can produce high FPS, but this pairing obliterates the competition with the highest measured average frame rates across all settings.

The rank 1 result indicates that the RTX 5090’s raw power is fully utilized even with a 2019 CPU like the 3700X, because the game’s engine does not demand the latest processor features. The data shows no bottleneck, as evidenced by the linear scaling from 1080p to 4K — the FPS drops by roughly 60% at 4K Ultra versus 1080p Ultra, which is typical for GPU-bound scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160 (4K), the measured frame rates are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 525 FPS, Medium averages 447 FPS with a minimum of 380 and maximum of 514, High averages 387 FPS, and Ultra averages 330 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 195 FPS, representing a 37% performance reduction when moving to maximum quality.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), performance scales upward: Low averages 844 FPS, Medium averages 756 FPS with a minimum of 643 and maximum of 870, High averages 655 FPS, and Ultra averages 559 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 285 FPS, a 34% reduction. The minimum FPS at Medium (643) is still higher than the average FPS at 4K Ultra (330), indicating that 1440p is well within the GPU’s comfort zone.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the results are staggering: Low averages 956 FPS, Medium averages 904 FPS with a minimum of 768 and maximum of 1,039, High averages 859 FPS, and Ultra averages 812 FPS. Even the lowest measured minimum (768 FPS at Medium) exceeds the refresh rate of any consumer monitor, making the RTX 5090 effectively overkill for this resolution.

The pattern across resolutions is consistent: Low settings yield the highest FPS, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the most demanding. The delta between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution decreases — 37% at 4K, 34% at 1440p, and 15% at 1080p. This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU begins to have a relatively larger influence, though the 3700X still provides ample headroom.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest measured average FPS for this combo in Hard West?*

A: The highest average FPS is 956, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The next highest is 904 at 1080p Medium, followed by 859 at 1080p High.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested CPU-GPU pairings in this game?

A: This combination ranks first out of 3,722 tested combos, meaning it delivers the highest performance of any configuration in the database for Hard West.

Q: What is the lowest measured frame rate for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 330, recorded at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. The lowest minimum FPS is 380, which occurs at 4K Medium settings.

Q: Does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB VRAM provide any benefit in this game?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory provides massive bandwidth (1.79 TB/s), but Hard West is a 2015 turn-based tactics game that does not require substantial VRAM. The memory headroom is unused, but the bandwidth contributes to the high frame rates.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 3700X compare to its nearest CPU rivals in aggregate benchmarks?

A: The 3700X scores within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, including the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 (0.1% ahead), AMD EPYC 4244P (0.1% ahead), Intel Core i5-13450HX (0.2% behind), and Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (0.5% ahead).

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings average 844 FPS while Ultra averages 559 FPS, representing a 285 FPS or 34% reduction in average frame rate when switching from Low to Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data clearly indicates that the optimal settings depend on the display refresh rate and resolution. At 1920x1080, even Ultra settings average 812 FPS, which exceeds any consumer display’s refresh rate. For users with a 1080p 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor, Ultra settings are the best choice because they deliver the highest visual quality without any perceivable frame rate penalty — the average of 812 FPS is still more than three times higher than a 240 Hz refresh rate.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings average 559 FPS, which remains well above any high-refresh-rate display. The recommendation here is also Ultra, as the 559 FPS average leaves enormous headroom for even the fastest 360 Hz monitors. If a user prefers maximum frame rates, Low settings at 1440p yield 844 FPS, but the visual quality trade-off is unnecessary given the Ultra average remains above 500 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the choice becomes more nuanced. Ultra settings average 330 FPS, which is still sufficient for 240 Hz and 300 Hz displays. High settings average 387 FPS, offering a 17% improvement over Ultra. Medium averages 447 FPS, and Low averages 525 FPS. For 4K users with a 144 Hz display, Ultra is the clear choice since 330 FPS exceeds the refresh rate by more than double. For 4K users with a 240 Hz display, High settings provide a better balance, with 387 FPS still above the refresh rate while maintaining higher visual fidelity than Medium.

The best overall experience per the measured rows is Ultra settings at 1080p or 1440p, because the frame rates (812 and 559 FPS, respectively) are so high that visual quality should be maximized. At 4K, Ultra remains viable for all but the most extreme refresh rates, with High as a fallback for 240 Hz+ displays. Medium settings provide the only measured minimum FPS values (380, 643, and 768 at 4K, 1440p, and 1080p, respectively), which are still far above any real-world display refresh rate, confirming that this combo has no playability concerns at any tested setting.