Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for this AMD Ryzen 7 5700 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination shows a system that is overwhelmingly powerful for the game’s demands. The measured frame rates are exceptionally high across all tested resolutions and settings, indicating that this pairing will deliver a fluid and responsive experience in nearly every scenario. The data suggests that the primary limitation is not the hardware, but rather the game’s own engine, which appears to cap performance well below what this components’ theoretical potential suggests. The following analysis breaks down the measured results, providing a clear picture of what to expect from this specific configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combo in Hard West?

A: The data indicates this combination ranks 752nd out of 3722 tested combos for this game, placing it in the top 20% of all tested configurations.

Q: At 4K resolution, what is the difference between Low and Ultra settings?

A: The measured average frame rate drops from 91 FPS on Low settings to 43 FPS on Ultra settings at 3840x2160. This represents a significant 48 FPS performance cost for the highest visual quality preset.

Q: Can this system handle 1080p gaming with high refresh rates?

A: Yes. At 1920x1080, all settings presets produce average frame rates above 129 FPS. The Low preset achieves 233 FPS, and even the Ultra preset hits 129 FPS, which is well above standard 60Hz and 144Hz display refresh rates.

Q: Which resolution provides the most balanced experience between visual quality and frame rate?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution with High settings provides a strong balance, yielding an average of 109 FPS. This is a substantial frame rate for a higher-than-1080p resolution while still maintaining a high visual quality preset.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1440p on Medium settings?

A: The data shows an average of 142 FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, with a minimum recorded frame rate of 121 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS.

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

A: Yes. The measured average frame rate drops from 217 FPS on Medium to 172 FPS on High at 1920x1080. This is a 45 FPS difference, indicating that the High preset is noticeably more demanding than Medium.

How This Combo Ranks

The benchmark data places this specific combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 5700 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 at rank 752 out of 3722 tested combos for Hard West. This percentile placement is significant, as it means this system outperforms the vast majority of other configurations in the database for this specific title. The ranking, which is in the top 20% of all tested systems, suggests that this pairing is more than capable of delivering a high-end experience. This is particularly notable for a game from 2015, where modern high-end components often exceed the engine's requirements.

The high rank is a direct result of the measured frame rates, which are exceptionally high even at the most demanding settings. For instance, the 4K Ultra preset still manages an average of 43 FPS, while the 1440p Ultra preset achieves 82 FPS. These numbers, when compared to the broader pool of tested hardware, position this combo as a top-tier performer. The data indicates that the system is not struggling to render the game; rather, it is likely being limited by the game's own frame rate caps or engine overhead. This is supported by the fact that the jump from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K does not cause a proportional drop in performance, suggesting that the CPU is keeping up with the GPU's output. The rank of 752 out of 3722 is a clear indicator that users of this combo will encounter no performance-related obstacles in Hard West.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this hardware is found at the 2560x1440 resolution with the High settings preset. This configuration delivers an average of 109 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for a turn-based tactics game. While the 1920x1080 resolution offers higher frame rates, the visual fidelity upgrade to 1440p is substantial, and the performance remains far above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 1440p provides a better balance of image quality and performance than the Medium preset, which offers 142 FPS but with reduced visual detail. For players with a 144Hz display, the 1440p High setting is the sweet spot, as it consistently stays above the 100 FPS mark.

For users with a 4K display, the data suggests that the High settings preset is the most viable option. It produces an average of 57 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to an average of 43 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K, with an average of 74 FPS, is a better choice if a higher frame rate is desired over maximum visual fidelity. At 1080p, all presets are playable, but the High and Ultra presets are recommended for the best visual experience, as they still maintain high average frame rates of 172 and 129 FPS, respectively. The data clearly shows that the 1440p High preset is the most balanced configuration for this specific combo, providing a high-quality visual experience without compromising on performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo show a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the performance is exceptionally high across the board. The Low preset achieves an average of 233 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 217 FPS with a minimum of 185 and a maximum of 250. The High preset drops to an average of 172 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging 129 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is almost certainly limited by the game's engine or a frame rate cap, as the differences between settings are not as large as at higher resolutions.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates remain very high. The Low preset averages 173 FPS. The Medium preset provides a solid 142 FPS average, with a minimum of 121 FPS and a maximum of 163 FPS. The High preset averages 109 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS. This resolution offers a good balance, as even the Ultra preset remains comfortably above 60 FPS. At 3840x2160, the demands of 4K become apparent. The Low preset averages 91 FPS, while the Medium preset averages 74 FPS, with a minimum of 63 and a maximum of 86. The High preset averages 57 FPS, and the Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging 43 FPS. The data shows a clear progression, where the performance cost of higher settings is amplified at higher resolutions, particularly when moving from High to Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the dominant component in this configuration, and its 12 GB of GDDR7 memory is more than sufficient for Hard West. The game's textures and assets are not likely to exceed this capacity, even at 4K resolution. The GPU’s architecture, Blackwell 2.0, and its 6144 shading units are responsible for the high pixel and texture rates that drive the frame rates seen in the data. The boost clock of 2512 MHz and the 672.0 GB/s memory bandwidth ensure that the GPU can quickly process the game's graphical data, preventing bottlenecks that could lower performance. The 192-bit memory bus width is adequate for the game's needs, as the measured frame rates show no signs of memory bandwidth limitations.

The GPU's performance is clearly the primary driver of the frame rates in this game. The benchmark results show that as the resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the frame rates drop, which is a typical sign of GPU-bound rendering. However, even at 4K Ultra, the GPU maintains an average of 43 FPS, which is respectable for a game of this era. The GPU's high raw compute power, measured at 30.87 TFLOPS FP32, is far more than needed for a turn-based tactics title. This suggests that the RTX 5070 is not being fully utilized, and the frame rate is more likely capped by the game's engine or CPU. The PassMark G3D score of 29137, which places it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, further confirms that this card is a high-end part that is more than capable of handling this title with ease.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, provides ample processing power for Hard West. The game's turn-based nature means it does not require a high core count for physics or AI simulation, but the CPU’s high single-thread performance is crucial for ensuring smooth frame pacing. The 3DMark single-thread score of 901 and the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2916 indicate strong per-core performance. This is important for a game engine that may rely on a single main thread for game logic. The CPU's boost clock of 4.60 GHz is also a key factor in maintaining high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is more likely to be a bottleneck.

The CPU's role in this game becomes more apparent when looking at the performance scaling across resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are extremely high (e.g., 233 FPS on Low), which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data quickly. However, the fact that the frame rates do not scale perfectly with resolution indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor at higher settings. The CPU's 16 MB of L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support ensure that it can handle the game's data without causing stutters. The 3DMark max-thread score of 6617 shows that even when all cores are utilized, the CPU has significant headroom. Overall, the Ryzen 7 5700 is a well-matched partner for the RTX 5070 in this game, providing enough processing power to avoid being a bottleneck, while the GPU handles the visual rendering.