Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the measured frame rates for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 show a combination that is heavily influenced by the CPU's Zen 3 architecture at lower resolutions. The data indicates that while the RTX 5090 is a dominant force, the overall experience is dictated by the balance between the 8-core processor and the Blackwell 2.0 GPU. This analysis breaks down the scaling behavior, the combo's standing among 1,699 tested configurations, and provides specific settings guidance based on the measured average FPS.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic shift in system bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 235.5 FPS, which is 89.8% higher than the 4K Low result of 123.7 FPS. This substantial drop when moving to 4K indicates that the GPU is not being fully utilized at 1080p; the processor is likely the limiting factor at that resolution, as the RTX 5090 is capable of far more than the Ryzen 7 5700G can feed it.

Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the frame rate penalty is more moderate. At High settings, the drop is from 198.8 FPS to 150.3 FPS, a 24.4% reduction. This still suggests a significant CPU influence, but the gap narrows as the GPU begins to take on more of the rendering load. The effect is more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the 1440p result of 114.2 FPS is 35.0% lower than the 1080p Ultra score of 175.7 FPS, showing that the GPU is now becoming a more active participant in limiting performance.

The most telling data point is the 4K scaling. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 59.3, which is 66.3% lower than the 1080p Ultra score. This steep decline confirms that at 4K, the RTX 5090 is the primary bottleneck, as the processor's limitations are masked by the sheer amount of pixel-pushing work required. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is also telling: 123.7 FPS versus 59.3 FPS represents a 52.1% performance swing, demonstrating that the GPU's workload is the dominant factor at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific combination at rank 80 out of 1,699 tested combos for Hard West. This percentile placement, roughly in the top 4.7% of all configurations, is impressive but not top-tier, which aligns with the observed CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. The GPU itself scores in the 94th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU sits in the 83rd percentile, indicating that the processor is the weaker link in this pairing.

The Ryzen 7 5700G's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks include the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, which scores 25,706 versus the 5700G's 25,626 average, a delta of -0.3%. The Intel Xeon D-2752TER and Intel Core 5 210H are also close, with deltas of +0.4% and +0.5% respectively. This shows that the CPU is firmly in a mid-range performance tier, which explains why it cannot fully saturate the RTX 5090 at 1080p. The GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, is only 0.1% faster in average score, confirming that the GPU is at the top of its class, but the combo's rank is held back by the CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 60 FPS or higher?

A: All tested resolutions and settings achieve an average of at least 59.3 FPS. The lowest result is 4K Ultra at 59.3 FPS, so every other configuration exceeds 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest competitors in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700G has an average benchmark score of 25,626. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U, scores 25,706, which is 0.3% higher. The Intel Xeon D-2752TER and Intel Core 5 210H are 0.4% and 0.5% slower, respectively.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck the CPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the opposite. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo hits 235.5 FPS, but at 4K Low it drops to 123.7 FPS. This large scaling penalty indicates the CPU is likely the limiting factor at 1080p, as the GPU has headroom to spare.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings yield 201 FPS, while Ultra yields 114.2 FPS. This represents a 43.2% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset.

*Q: How does this combo rank relative to all other tested combinations in Hard West?*

A: The combo ranks 80th out of 1,699 tested combinations. This places it in a high percentile, but not the absolute top, due to the CPU's mid-range standing.

Q: Is the RTX 5090's performance consistent with its synthetic benchmark score?

A: The RTX 5090 has a PassMark G3D score of 39,650 and ranks in the 94th percentile for all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, is just 0.1% faster, confirming its top-tier synthetic standing, though in-game performance is also constrained by the CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are as follows: Low settings deliver 235.5 FPS, Medium delivers 216.1 FPS, High delivers 198.8 FPS, and Ultra delivers 175.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 25.4% drop, showing a moderate but consistent performance cost for higher visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the results are 201 FPS for Low, 188.7 FPS for Medium, 150.3 FPS for High, and 114.2 FPS for Ultra. The gap between Medium and High is 20.3%, which is more pronounced than the 1080p scaling, suggesting the GPU is starting to feel the load. The drop from High to Ultra at 1440p is even steeper at 24.0%, highlighting the heavy cost of Ultra settings.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates are 123.7 FPS for Low, 101.3 FPS for Medium, 76.1 FPS for High, and 59.3 FPS for Ultra. The scaling here is severe: Low to Medium is an 18.1% drop, Medium to High is a 24.9% drop, and High to Ultra is a 22.1% drop. This demonstrates that the GPU is the clear bottleneck at 4K, with each settings tier exacting a significant toll on performance.

Settings Recommendations

For the smoothest experience with the highest visual quality, the data supports using 2560x1440 with High settings, which yields 150.3 FPS. This provides a substantial frame rate buffer over the 60 FPS threshold while maintaining a high level of detail. Pushing to Ultra at 1440p drops the average to 114.2 FPS, which is still playable but sacrifices 24.0% of the High preset's performance for marginal visual gains.

At 4K, the High preset is the most balanced option, delivering 76.1 FPS. This is comfortably above 60 FPS and offers a good compromise between fidelity and smoothness. The Ultra preset at 4K, at 59.3 FPS, is just below the 60 FPS mark, making it a less ideal choice for those who prioritize frame pacing. For competitive play or maximum frame rates, 1080p Low at 235.5 FPS is the fastest configuration, but the CPU bottleneck means that the GPU is not being fully exercised at this resolution.

The data indicates that 1440p High is the sweet spot for this combo, as it mitigates the CPU limitation while still leveraging the RTX 5090's power. The 150.3 FPS result at this setting is 97.7% higher than the 4K Ultra result, showing that users can nearly double their frame rate by stepping down one resolution tier and one settings tier. This yields a far more responsive experience without a dramatic drop in visual quality.