Hard West

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 3 architecture (Vermeer) using TSMC's 7 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The chip carries 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 pool. Its memory controller supports DDR4 in dual-channel mode with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The processor sits on the AMD Socket AM4 platform and provides PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

In synthetic workloads, the 5700X shows strong scaling from single-thread to multi-thread performance. Its 3DMark single-thread score of 921 rises to 1,821 for 2 threads, then 3,512 for 4 threads, 5,768 for 8 threads, and peaks at 6,858 for 16 threads and 6,850 for max threads. This nearly linear scaling through 8 cores indicates that the Zen 3 architecture distributes load efficiently as threads increase, which matters for turn-based tactics where AI pathfinding and simulation can spawn multiple worker threads. The Cinebench R23 results reinforce this: 1,499 single-core and 13,184 multi-core, a ratio of roughly 8.8x from one core to all cores, confirming that all 16 threads are being utilized productively.

The processor's average benchmark score of 27,578 places it in the 79th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals show how tightly contested this segment is. The Intel Core i5-12600K matches the 5700X exactly at 27,578 with a 0% delta. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800 trails by just 0.2% at 27,535, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X leads by 0.2% at 27,636. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125H posts 27,507, a 0.3% deficit. These margins are within noise, meaning the 5700X's 8-core/16-thread configuration delivers performance parity with its closest competitors, neither gaining nor losing meaningful ground in general-purpose compute.

For Hard West specifically, the game's turn-based nature means that frame pacing is less dependent on raw CPU throughput than in action titles. The 5700X's multi-threaded muscle (16 threads at up to 4.60 GHz) ensures that enemy turn calculations, fog-of-war updates, and environmental interactions do not become a bottleneck. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 151 FPS, which is well above any display refresh threshold, indicating the CPU is feeding the GPU sufficiently even at the lowest settings where GPU load is minimal. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 6,858 and max-thread score of 6,850 are nearly identical, suggesting that Hard West's workload, if it were to stress all threads, would find the CPU ready without thermal or power throttling concerns given the 65 W TDP.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B580 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation) using a 5 nm TSMC process. The BMG-G21 chip contains 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. The GPU operates at a fixed 2670 MHz for both base and boost clocks, with memory clocked at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). It pairs 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The shader array comprises 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs, along with 20 ray tracing cores. Pixel throughput is rated at 213.6 GPixel/s, texture rate at 427.2 GTexel/s, and FP32 compute at 13.67 TFLOPS.

The card's memory configuration is notable for a 12 GB frame buffer at this performance tier. In a game like Hard West, which typically uses modest texture sizes, 12 GB is more than sufficient even at 4K with Ultra settings. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 24 FPS, which is not a memory capacity limit but rather a raw compute limitation. The bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s supports the 192-bit bus well, and the 19 Gbps effective memory speed ensures that texture streaming during map transitions does not cause hitches. The card's 68th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23,021, positions it as a mid-range performer.

The B580's nearest rivals show an interesting spread. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23,061, a 0.2% lead over the Intel card. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 trails by 0.6% at 22,895, while the RTX 3080 leads by 0.7% at 23,172. The NVIDIA P106-100 posts 23,249, a 1% advantage. These deltas are small, but they place the B580 in a competitive band where it trades blows with cards from two generations ago. In the context of Hard West, which is a 2015 title with relatively simple geometry, the B580's 13.67 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is the primary driver of frame rate, and the data reflects that: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 151 FPS, showing that the GPU can push very high frame rates when pixel work is minimized.

The B580's 12 GB VRAM also means that moving from 1080p to 4K will not force texture quality reductions due to memory pressure. The frame rate drops observed across resolutions are more attributable to pixel fill rate and shader load. The card's 80 ROPs and 213.6 GPixel/s pixel rate become the limiting factor at 4K, especially at Ultra settings where the 24 FPS result indicates the GPU is saturated. The memory bandwidth of 456.0 GB/s is sufficient for the game's asset streaming, so the bottlenecks are compute-bound rather than memory-bound.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a consistent and steep decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at higher settings. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 151 at 1920x1080 to 96 at 2560x1440, then to 50 at 3840x2160. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 48% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 67%, meaning the GPU has to work roughly three times harder to fill four times the pixels, with some efficiency gains from reduced overhead.

At High settings, the scaling is similar: 95 FPS at 1080p, 60 FPS at 1440p (a 37% drop), and 32 FPS at 4K (a 47% drop from 1440p). The total reduction is 66%. Medium settings show 124 FPS at 1080p, 79 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 41 FPS at 4K (48% drop). Ultra settings have the steepest absolute decline: 71 FPS at 1080p, 45 FPS at 1440p (37% drop), and 24 FPS at 4K (47% drop from 1440p).

The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings — right around 36-37% for the 1080p to 1440p step and 47-48% for the 1440p to 4K step — strongly indicates that the Intel Arc B580 is the limiting component at every resolution and setting combination. If the Ryzen 7 5700X were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at higher resolutions, particularly at 1080p where CPU overhead is more likely to surface. Instead, the FPS scales almost perfectly with pixel count, which is the signature of a GPU-bound workload.

The fact that even at 1080p Low the combo reaches 151 FPS, and that this number scales down predictably, suggests that the CPU is never holding the GPU back in this title. The 5700X's 16 threads and high boost clock provide ample headroom. At 4K Ultra, the 24 FPS result shows the GPU is fully saturated, and the 12 GB VRAM is not a constraint — otherwise we would see stuttering or texture pop-in rather than a smooth, low frame rate. This resolution scaling analysis points to the B580 as the definitive performance limiter, with the CPU contributing negligible overhead.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X paired with the Intel Arc B580 in Hard West is as follows.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 151 FPS. Medium settings produce 124 FPS with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS, showing a 19 FPS range that indicates some frame time variance but generally smooth gameplay. High settings average 95 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 71 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is a 27 FPS reduction (an 18% drop), from Medium to High is 29 FPS (23%), and from High to Ultra is 24 FPS (25%). The diminishing returns are clear: each settings tier costs roughly a quarter of the previous frame rate.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 96 FPS. Medium settings deliver 79 FPS with a minimum of 67 FPS and a maximum of 90 FPS, a 23 FPS spread. High settings average 60 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 45 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 17 FPS (18%), from Medium to High is 19 FPS (24%), and from High to Ultra is 15 FPS (25%). The percentage reductions are nearly identical to those at 1080p, confirming that settings scaling is resolution-independent.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 50 FPS. Medium settings produce 41 FPS with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS, a 12 FPS range. High settings average 32 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 24 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is 9 FPS (18%), from Medium to High is 9 FPS (22%), and from High to Ultra is 8 FPS (25%). At 4K, even the Low preset cannot maintain 60 FPS, and Ultra is marginally playable at 24 FPS.

The combo rank in this game is 2,817 out of 3,722 total combinations, placing it in the bottom quarter of all tested pairings. This rank reflects that Hard West is an older title where modern hardware often exceeds the game's requirements, but the ranking also indicates that many other CPU-GPU combos can achieve higher frame rates than this setup. The data is measured, not estimated, so these numbers represent real-world performance for this specific pairing.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hard West with this CPU-GPU combo?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the combo averages 60 FPS, which is the minimum for smooth gameplay. At 1920x1080, even Ultra settings achieve 71 FPS, so 1080p is the safest choice for high frame rates, while 1440p at High offers a balanced experience. 4K is not recommended as even Low settings only reach 50 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B580 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The B580 has an average benchmark score of 23,021. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23,061 (0.2% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22,895 (0.6% lower), the RTX 3080 scores 23,172 (0.7% higher), and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23,249 (1% higher). These are all within 1% of each other.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5700X a bottleneck for the Arc B580 in this game?

A: No. The resolution scaling data shows frame rates drop consistently with pixel count across all settings, which indicates the GPU is the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 151 FPS, and the 5700X's 16 threads and 4.60 GHz boost clock provide sufficient headroom. The CPU's 79th percentile ranking and parity with the Core i5-12600K (0% delta) confirm it is not a weak link.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 124 FPS, with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. This provides a 19 FPS range, indicating some variance but no severe stuttering. The minimum of 105 FPS is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much VRAM does the Arc B580 have, and is it sufficient for Hard West at 4K?

A: The Arc B580 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth. For Hard West, which is a 2015 turn-based tactics game, 12 GB is far more than needed. The 24 FPS at 4K Ultra is a compute limitation, not a memory capacity issue, as the frame rate is smooth rather than stuttery.

Q: What is the average benchmark score percentile for this CPU and GPU?

A: The Ryzen 7 5700X is in the 79th percentile among all CPUs with an average score of 27,578. The Intel Arc B580 is in the 68th percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 23,021. The combo ranks 2,817th out of 3,722 tested combinations in Hard West.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data suggests that the optimal experience depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 71 FPS, which is smooth and provides the best visual fidelity without sacrificing playability. The High preset at 95 FPS offers more headroom for demanding scenes, but the 24 FPS difference between High and Ultra is substantial, and the visual gains from Ultra in a turn-based game may be worth the frame rate cost. Since Hard West is not a fast-paced action title, the 71 FPS at Ultra is entirely acceptable.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 60 FPS is the sweet spot. It hits the 60 FPS target exactly, and the Medium preset at 79 FPS provides a safety margin if frame time variance is a concern. The Ultra preset at 45 FPS is playable but noticeably less smooth, and the visual upgrade from High to Ultra may not justify the 15 FPS drop. The Low preset at 96 FPS is excessive for this game type; the extra frame rate does not enhance the turn-based experience.

At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset at 41 FPS is the highest setting that remains playable, with a minimum of 35 FPS and a maximum of 47 FPS. The Low preset at 50 FPS is smoother but sacrifices visual quality. The High preset at 32 FPS and Ultra at 24 FPS are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay, even for a turn-based title. For 4K, the Medium preset offers the best balance, as the 41 FPS average is sufficient for this genre, and the minimum of 35 FPS indicates no severe drops.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset shows the most consistent performance with recorded minimum and maximum values. At 1080p, Medium's 124 FPS average with a 105 FPS minimum is excellent. At 1440p, Medium's 79 FPS with a 67 FPS minimum is solid. At 4K, Medium's 41 FPS with a 35 FPS minimum is the only preset that stays above 30 FPS. The data indicates that Medium is the most reliable preset for maintaining smooth frame pacing, while High is the best choice for 1440p specifically. For players who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, Ultra at 1080p is the only resolution where it remains fully playable.