Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination reveals a system that is massively overqualified for the game’s demands. The measured frames per second (FPS) are exceptionally high across all tested configurations, indicating that this pairing will deliver a flawless, fluid experience regardless of the graphical settings chosen. The data shows a clear pattern: this CPU and GPU combo is so powerful that it effectively trivializes the rendering load, making the choice of settings more about visual fidelity than about achieving playable frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is significant, but the absolute frame rates remain so high that it is unlikely to impact gameplay. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces an average of 157 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Ultra preset, the average dips to 94.6 FPS, a substantial reduction of roughly 40%. At 4K Ultra, the average falls further to 53.4 FPS. This scaling pattern indicates that the game becomes more demanding on the GPU as resolution increases, which is expected, but the RTX 4080 SUPER handles it with ease.

However, the most telling data comes from the Low settings preset. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 231.5. At 1440p Low, it drops to 198.2 FPS, and at 4K Low, it is still a very high 109.1 FPS. The fact that even at 4K with the lowest settings, the frame rate is over double that of a standard 60Hz display suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. The 8-core, 16-thread Ryzen 7 5700 is more than capable of feeding the GPU frames. The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low shows a 53% drop in FPS, which is entirely attributable to the GPU's workload increasing with pixel count. This indicates that while the graphics card is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, it is a very capable one, and the CPU's role is consistent and strong.

Settings Recommendations

For a game like Hard West, the measured data makes a compelling case for prioritizing visual quality over raw frame rate. The difference between Low and Ultra settings is stark, but the performance cost is not prohibitive. At 4K, the jump from Low (109.1 FPS) to High (66 FPS) is a 40% reduction, but 66 FPS is still perfectly smooth for a turn-based tactics game. The data shows that High settings at 4K provides an excellent balance, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium (89.3 FPS) and Low, while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold.

The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that dips below 60 FPS, averaging 53.4 FPS. While this is still playable, the performance cost for the extra fidelity may not be worth it, especially when the High preset at 4K delivers 66 FPS. At 1440p and 1080p, the choice is even easier. The Ultra preset at 1440p (94.6 FPS) and 1080p (157 FPS) are so high that there is no reason to compromise on settings. The recommendation based on the measured rows is to use High settings at 4K for a great visual experience, or Ultra settings at 1440p for maximum fidelity with a high frame rate. The data clearly shows that Medium settings offer no advantage, as High provides a better experience for a relatively small FPS cost.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is a Zen 3 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 3.70 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. In the context of this game, its role is to ensure the GPU is never waiting for data. The benchmark results show that this is achieved with ease. The CPU's average benchmark score is 27220, placing it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs tested. It sits very close to rivals like the Intel Core i9-9900K, which has an average score of 27043, a mere 0.7% difference. This performance headroom means that in Hard West, even at 1080p Low where the FPS is the highest at 231.5, the CPU is not the limiting factor.

The game's turn-based nature means that even complex scenes with many units do not require the kind of real-time physics and AI processing that a strategy game like a real-time strategy (RTS) might. The data suggests that the Ryzen 7 5700's 16 threads are more than sufficient. The benchmark scores for the CPU show strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 20655, but even the single-thread score of 2916 is high enough to handle the game's logic. The FPS figures at 1080p, where the CPU load is typically highest relative to the GPU, show that the processor is not a bottleneck, as the frame rates are consistently high across all settings presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested CPU and GPU combinations for Hard West, this pairing holds a strong position. The combo rank is 171 out of 1699 tested combos, placing it in the top 11% of all systems. This is a very respectable ranking, indicating that this hardware configuration is among the better-performing setups for this specific title. The ranking is likely influenced by the fact that the RTX 4080 SUPER is an extremely powerful GPU, and the Ryzen 7 5700 provides adequate support without holding it back.

The GPU itself scores in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53610. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, scores 53489, a difference of just 0.2%. This close performance parity in synthetic benchmarks translates to the measured FPS, where the RTX 4080 SUPER is able to push high frame rates even at 4K. The combination's rank of 171 suggests that while there are 170 faster combos, they likely consist of even more expensive or newer components. For the vast majority of users, this rank signifies a top-tier experience that will handle Hard West without any performance concerns.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Hard West at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, but with a caveat. The measured average FPS at 4K Ultra is 53.4 FPS. This is playable, but it is the only tested configuration that falls below 60 FPS. For a consistently smooth experience, High settings at 4K are recommended, which yield 66 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 1440p monitor?

A: The data suggests using the Ultra preset. At 2560x1440, Ultra settings produce an average of 94.6 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual fidelity. Lowering to High only increases the frame rate to 132.6 FPS, which is unnecessary.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck in this game?

A: No. The benchmark results indicate that the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 is not a limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the frame rate reaches 231.5 FPS, which shows the CPU can feed the GPU efficiently. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with a GPU-bound workload.

Q: How does this CPU compare to its direct competitors?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700 has an average benchmark score of 27220, which is 0.7% higher than the Intel Core i9-9900K (27043) and 0.8% higher than the Intel Core i7-12700H (27006). This places it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: The measured data shows that High settings at 4K average 66 FPS, while Ultra settings average 53.4 FPS. This is a 19% performance drop for the higher preset. The visual difference may not be worth the FPS cost.

Q: Is this a top-tier combo for this game?

A: Yes. The combo ranks 171 out of 1699 tested combinations, putting it in the top 11% of all systems tested. This indicates it provides a very high level of performance for Hard West.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average FPS measurements for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination in Hard West.

• 1920x1080 (1080p)
• Low: 231.5 FPS
• Medium: 214.3 FPS
• High: 197.0 FPS
• Ultra: 157.0 FPS

• 2560x1440 (1440p)
• Low: 198.2 FPS
• Medium: 167.6 FPS
• High: 132.6 FPS
• Ultra: 94.6 FPS

• 3840x2160 (4K)
• Low: 109.1 FPS
• Medium: 89.3 FPS
• High: 66.0 FPS
• Ultra: 53.4 FPS

These figures demonstrate a clear hierarchy. The 1080p results are exceptionally high, making the game feel incredibly responsive. The 1440p results are also excellent, with all presets above 90 FPS. The 4K results are the most demanding, but even the High preset maintains a smooth 66 FPS. The data confirms that this hardware combination is more than sufficient for Hard West, offering a premium experience at any resolution.