Hard West

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 combination delivers a playable but demanding experience in Hard West, a Turn-Based Tactics title from 2015. The data shows a pairing where the 8-core CPU provides ample headroom, while the 6 GB GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher resolutions and quality settings. This analysis breaks down the specific roles of each component, how their combined rank compares to other tested systems, and what the frame rate scaling reveals about system bottlenecks.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is a Zen 3 (Vermeer) processor on the AMD Socket AM4 platform, built on a 7 nm TSMC process. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB of L3 cache. The CPU supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. It is an unlocked multiplier part with a 65 W TDP, and it was released in April 2022 with a launch MSRP of $299.

In synthetic benchmarks, the 5700X shows strong multi-threaded performance. It scores 26,612 in Passmark multithread, 22,620 in Cinebench R23 multicore, and 9,720 in Geekbench multicore. Single-thread performance is also robust, with scores of 3,385 in Passmark singlethread, 3,193 in Cinebench R23 singlecore, and 2,148 in Geekbench singlecore. The CPU’s average benchmark score is 26,214, placing it in the 83rd percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the Intel Core i9-11900KF scores 26,196 (0.1% difference), the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U scores 26,262 (-0.2%), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT scores 26,161 (0.2%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X scores 26,272 (-0.2%). These deltaPct values indicate the 5700X is essentially performance-equivalent to these four alternatives in aggregate.

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU’s role is less about raw frame generation and more about handling game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit actions. The 8-core/16-thread configuration ensures that the game’s computational tasks are processed without creating a bottleneck. At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 140.9 FPS, which is high enough to suggest the CPU is not limiting frame output at that resolution. The CPU’s 4.60 GHz boost clock also helps maintain responsiveness in scenes with many on-screen entities, though the data does not isolate CPU-specific frame times. Given the game’s 2015 release, the 5700X’s modern architecture provides far more processing headroom than the title requires, meaning the CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor in any tested configuration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is a Turing-architecture GPU (chip TU106) built on a 12 nm TSMC process. It has 1,920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, along with 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1365 MHz and a boost clock of 1680 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). It features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has a TDP of 160 W, a dual-slot design, and uses a single 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX 2060 was released in January 2019 with a launch MSRP of 349 USD and is now end-of-life, succeeding the GeForce 10 series and preceding the GeForce 30 series.

In GPU benchmarks, the RTX 2060 scores 14,111 in Passmark G3D and 7,1278 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its average benchmark score is 16,074, placing it in the 58th percentile against all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600S (score 15,996, deltaPct 0.5%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M (score 16,351, deltaPct -1.7%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (score 16,351, deltaPct -1.7%), and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (score 15,786, deltaPct 1.8%). These figures show the RTX 2060 is competitive with these mobile and workstation cards, though slightly behind the Pro 5600M and Pro 5700 by about 1.7%.

For Hard West, the GPU is the primary driver of visual output. The 6 GB VRAM capacity is a notable constraint at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra settings, the game runs at 24.4 FPS, which is below playable thresholds, indicating the GPU is overwhelmed by the combination of resolution and quality. The 192-bit memory bus and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows a sharp performance drop at 2160p, particularly at High and Ultra settings. The GPU’s 58th percentile ranking suggests it is a mid-range part, and its performance in this game aligns with that positioning—capable at mainstream resolutions but struggling at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1,370 out of 1,699 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is consistent with the GPU’s mid-range standing. The rank is influenced by the GPU’s 58th percentile performance, as the CPU’s 83rd percentile standing does not compensate for the graphics card’s limitations in this title.

When interpreting this rank, it is important to consider that Hard West is a turn-based tactics game, which typically does not demand extreme frame rates. The combo’s rank reflects its ability to run the game smoothly at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results drag down its overall standing. For context, the CPU’s nearest rivals (like the Ryzen 5 7600X or Core i9-11900KF) would likely produce similar frame rates when paired with the same GPU, since the bottleneck is on the graphics side. The combo’s rank of 1,370 out of 1,699 suggests that while it is not a top-tier configuration for this game, it is still ahead of about 19% of tested systems, which is reasonable for a mid-range GPU paired with a high-end CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with High settings, the system achieves an average of 92.1 FPS. This is a strong result, indicating smooth gameplay for a turn-based tactics title.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600S?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 16,074, while the RX 7600S scores 15,996. This gives the RTX 2060 a 0.5% lead over the RX 7600S, which is a negligible performance difference.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 68.2, while at 4K Ultra, it drops to 24.4. This represents a reduction of 43.8 FPS, or approximately 64% lower performance at the higher resolution.

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

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 140.9 FPS, which is high and suggests the CPU can handle the game’s logic without limiting frame output. The GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

*Q: What is the combo’s rank in the database for Hard West?*

A: The combo ranks 1,370 out of 1,699 tested combinations. This places it in the 19th percentile of all tested combos, which is a lower-middle position driven primarily by the GPU’s performance at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 2060’s VRAM affect 4K performance?

A: The RTX 2060 has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory. At 4K resolutions, this capacity is insufficient for High and Ultra settings, as evidenced by the 29.6 FPS average at High and 24.4 FPS at Ultra. The limited VRAM contributes to the significant frame rate drop at 2160p.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Hard West shows a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong frame rates across all settings: 140.9 FPS at Low, 120.1 FPS at Medium, 92.1 FPS at High, and 68.2 FPS at Ultra. This indicates that the RTX 2060 has sufficient headroom at 1080p to handle the game comfortably, even at the highest quality preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop by a significant margin. At Low settings, the average FPS falls to 89.8, a reduction of 51.1 FPS from 1080p. At Medium, it drops to 74.8 FPS, at High to 55.7 FPS, and at Ultra to 45.7 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p represents roughly a 36% to 39% decrease in performance, which is consistent with the increased pixel count (about 78% more pixels) but indicates that the GPU is not purely pixel-bound at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops are steep. Low settings yield 45.8 FPS, Medium 41.3 FPS, High 29.6 FPS, and Ultra 24.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 21.4 FPS, while at 1080p the same gap is 72.7 FPS. This compression of the settings range at 4K shows that the GPU is heavily constrained by the resolution, with even Low settings unable to break 50 FPS. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 is the limiting component at 4K, as the CPU’s performance headroom is not the issue. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is also the primary bottleneck, but it has enough bandwidth and compute to maintain playable frame rates. For a turn-based game like Hard West, the 4K results are below the 30 FPS threshold for High and Ultra, making those presets impractical at that resolution.