Hard West

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700 is an 8-core, 16-thread processor built on the Zen 4 architecture (Raphael). It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which are identical to the clocks listed in the Fact Pack. This CPU carries a 65 W TDP and fits the AMD Socket AM5. Its cache layout includes 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. The processor supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and it includes Radeon Graphics as integrated silicon.

For a turn-based tactics title like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing during AI turns, pathfinding calculations, and any scripted events. The data shows the Ryzen 7 7700 ranks at the 87th percentile among all CPUs in the Fact Pack's benchmark database, with an average benchmark score of 40081. Its nearest rivals in this benchmark set include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 (average score 40048, deltaPct 0.1), the Intel Core 5 221E (average score 40144, deltaPct -0.2), the AMD Ryzen 9 270 (average score 40246, deltaPct -0.4), and the Intel Core i9-13905H (average score 40313, deltaPct -0.6). The deltas are tiny — within 0.6% of one another — meaning the 7700's compute headroom is effectively indistinguishable from these rivals in synthetic multi-threaded tests.

The measured FPS in Hard West, however, is not CPU-bound at any resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 87 FPS average; at 4K Low, it drops to 29 FPS. That drop is far too steep to be explained by CPU throughput alone, especially given the processor's strong single-thread results (3dmark single-thread score of 1049, Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1930). The game's reliance on the GPU is evident: the Intel Arc B390's benchmark percentile is 9, placing it in the bottom decile of all GPUs. When a CPU sits at the 87th percentile and the GPU sits at the 9th, the bottleneck is unequivocally the graphics adapter. The Ryzen 7 7700's 16 threads are more than adequate for a 2015 turn-based title's logic; the measured frame rates are limited by the integrated graphics solution's fill rate and shading throughput, not by core count or clock speed.

FAQ

Q: How does the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 compare to its closest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 7700 scores 40081 on average. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, scores 40048 (deltaPct 0.1, meaning the 7700 is 0.1% faster). The Intel Core 5 221E scores 40144 (deltaPct -0.2, meaning the 7700 is 0.2% slower). The AMD Ryzen 9 270 scores 40246 (deltaPct -0.4), and the Intel Core i9-13905H scores 40313 (deltaPct -0.6). All differences are under one percent.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in Hard West?

A: The combo (AMD Ryzen 7 7700 + Intel Arc B390) ranks 2614 out of 2949 tested combos. That places it in the bottom tier — roughly the 11th percentile of all combinations — which reflects the GPU's low standing rather than the CPU's.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo hits 87 FPS average. The CPU's synthetic scores (Cinebench R23 multicore 18760, PassMark multithread 34470) are strong, while the GPU's benchmark score is 1482 (3dmark Steel Nomad DX12), with a 9th percentile ranking. The fact that the frame rate nearly triples when going from 4K Low (29 FPS) to 1080p Low (87 FPS) indicates the GPU is the constraining component.

Q: Does the Intel Arc B390 have enough VRAM for Hard West at high resolutions?

A: The Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it draws from system RAM (DDR5 in this case) rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." Benchmark data shows 4K High runs at 18 FPS average, which is below playable thresholds, suggesting that shared memory bandwidth is a limiting factor at high resolutions.

Q: What is the best performance per measured frame in this data?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 87 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The second-highest is 71 at 1080p Medium, and the third is 55 at 1080p High. Notably, 1440p Low also hits 55 FPS. The lowest is 14 FPS at 4K Ultra.

Q: How does the GPU's nearest rival compare to the Arc B390?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463 (deltaPct 1.3, meaning the Arc is 1.3% faster). The GeForce 800M scores 1460 (deltaPct 1.5), the GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446 (deltaPct 2.5), and the GeForce GT 710 scores 1443 (deltaPct 2.7). All are within 3% of each other, confirming the Arc B390's position at the very bottom of the GPU performance spectrum.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo delivers 87 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 Low, that drops to 55 FPS — a 36.8% reduction. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls to 29 FPS, which is a 66.7% reduction from 1080p. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where pixel count directly drives workload.

Looking at High settings, the pattern repeats: 1080p High yields 55 FPS, 1440p High yields 35 FPS (a 36.4% drop), and 4K High yields 18 FPS (a 67.3% drop from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across different quality presets strongly suggests that the limiting factor is the GPU's rasterization throughput, not memory bandwidth or CPU logic. The Arc B390's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. At 4K (3840x2160, approximately 8.3 million pixels per frame), even at Low settings, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed — 29 FPS means 8.3M pixels × 29 = 240.7M pixels per second, which is well within the theoretical pixel rate, but the actual shading work (FP32 throughput of 7.680 TFLOPS) and shared memory access create the bottleneck.

The Medium preset offers the only min/max FPS data in the pack: at 1080p Medium, the range is 61 to 82 FPS with an average of 71. At 1440p Medium, the range is 38 to 52 with an average of 45. At 4K Medium, the range is 20 to 27 with an average of 24. The fact that the minimum FPS at 1080p Medium (61) is higher than the maximum FPS at 4K Medium (27) underscores how resolution dominates performance in this configuration. The frame time consistency at 1080p is acceptable, but at 4K, even the peak frame rate is below 30 FPS.

The data indicates that the CPU is never the primary limiter in this combination. The Ryzen 7 7700's boost clock of 5.30 GHz and its single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 4063) are sufficient for the game's turn-based logic. The resolution scaling curve — with roughly 36% drops from 1080p to 1440p and another 47% from 1440p to 4K — matches the increase in pixel counts (2.25x from 1080p to 1440p, 2.25x from 1440p to 4K). This is a textbook GPU-bound scaling behavior.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings for a playable experience depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 87 FPS average, which is the highest score in the entire measured set. However, Medium at 1080p provides 71 FPS average with a minimum of 61 FPS and a maximum of 82 FPS — this is the most balanced option if visual fidelity is a concern, as it maintains a floor above 60 FPS. The High preset at 1080p yields 55 FPS, which is still playable for a turn-based tactics game but lacks the headroom of Medium. Ultra at 1080p drops to 41 FPS, which is a noticeable step down for marginal visual gains.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only setting that breaks 50 FPS, averaging 55. Medium at 1440p averages 45 FPS with a minimum of 38 and maximum of 52. High at 1440p averages 35 FPS, and Ultra drops to 26 FPS. For a turn-based game where frame rate smoothness is less critical than in action titles, 1440p Medium at 45 FPS might be acceptable, but the measured minimum of 38 FPS suggests occasional hitches.

At 3840x2160, no setting achieves even 30 FPS average. Low tops out at 29 FPS, Medium at 24 FPS, High at 18 FPS, and Ultra at 14 FPS. None of these are recommended for a comfortable experience, though a turn-based game can technically be played at 29 FPS if the player prioritizes resolution over fluidity.

The best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Medium: 71 FPS average, 61 FPS minimum, 82 FPS maximum. This provides a 60+ FPS floor while offering better visual quality than Low. If the player prioritizes maximum frame rate, 1080p Low at 87 FPS is the clear choice. The data suggests that the sweet spot is 1080p Medium, as it balances the GPU's limited capabilities (9th percentile) with the game's turn-based nature, which can tolerate slightly lower frame rates without impacting gameplay mechanics.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700 and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2614 out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the bottom 11.3% of all combinations. The rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU: the Ryzen 7 7700's CPU percentile is 87, while the Arc B390's GPU percentile is 9. In a game like Hard West, which is not computationally demanding on the CPU side, the GPU's low standing dominates the overall combo ranking.

To contextualize this rank: there are 2949 total combos, and this one sits at 2614, meaning 335 combos perform worse. Given that the Arc B390's nearest GPU rivals are the GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GeForce GT 625 OEM, and GeForce GT 710 — all of which are over a decade old or entry-level parts — the expectation of a low rank is met. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within 0.6% of its average benchmark score, so swapping the 7700 for any of those would not materially change the combo's position in the game-specific ranking.

The measured FPS data corroborates the low rank. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 55 FPS, which is adequate but not impressive for a 2015 turn-based tactics title. At 4K Ultra, 14 FPS is effectively unplayable. The combination's rank reflects a fundamental mismatch: a high-end desktop CPU paired with an integrated graphics solution that has a 3 nm process node (Intel's Xe3-LPG architecture) but is clearly positioned at the entry level of the GPU performance curve. In the context of Hard West's measured results, this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium or Low settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The full measured FPS dataset is as follows, organized by resolution and settings:

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 29 FPS average
• Medium: 24 FPS average (min 20, max 27)
• High: 18 FPS average
• Ultra: 14 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 55 FPS average
• Medium: 45 FPS average (min 38, max 52)
• High: 35 FPS average
• Ultra: 26 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 87 FPS average
• Medium: 71 FPS average (min 61, max 82)
• High: 55 FPS average
• Ultra: 41 FPS average

The pattern is consistent across all settings: each step down in resolution yields a proportional increase in FPS. From 1080p to 1440p, the average FPS drops by roughly 36-37% across all settings (Low: 87 to 55, Medium: 71 to 45, High: 55 to 35, Ultra: 41 to 26). From 1440p to 4K, the drop is steeper, around 47-48% (Low: 55 to 29, Medium: 45 to 24, High: 35 to 18, Ultra: 26 to 14). This non-linear scaling is typical for a GPU that is already near its limits at 1440p; the jump to 4K pushes it into territory where it cannot maintain even modest frame rates.

The Medium preset is the only one with min/max data at all three resolutions. At 1080p, the 61-82 FPS range shows a 34% spread between minimum and maximum, which is reasonable. At 1440p, the 38-52 FPS range has a 37% spread. At 4K, the 20-27 FPS range has a 35% spread. The consistency of this spread across resolutions suggests that frame pacing is stable; the GPU is not experiencing sudden spikes or drops, just a uniform reduction in throughput as resolution increases.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process node (Panther Lake chip). Its base clock is 300 MHz, boosting to 2500 MHz. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS and FP16 of 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). The TDP is 80 W, and it uses system-shared memory — meaning no dedicated VRAM, with memory type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent."

The GPU's benchmark score is 1482 in 3dmark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago: the GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, deltaPct 1.3), GeForce 800M (score 1460, deltaPct 1.5), GeForce GT 625 OEM (score 1446, deltaPct 2.5), and GeForce GT 710 (score 1443, deltaPct 2.7). The Arc B390 is faster than all of these, but only by 1.3% to 2.7%, which is marginal in real-world gaming terms.

In Hard West, the GPU's role is decisive. The game is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, so the rendering load is modest by modern standards, yet the Arc B390 struggles to maintain 60 FPS at 1080p Medium (71 FPS average) and falls below 30 FPS at 4K on any setting. The shared memory architecture is a likely culprit: with no dedicated VRAM, the GPU must compete with the CPU for system memory bandwidth, and the "System Dependent" bandwidth figure means performance will vary based on the installed RAM configuration. The Ryzen 7 7700's dual-channel DDR5 support provides 83.2 GB/s, but that is shared between CPU and GPU workloads.

The GPU's low pixel rate (60.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (120.0 GTexel/s) are the hardware limits that manifest in the measured FPS. At 1080p, the GPU can keep up with the modest pixel count (2.07 million pixels per frame), delivering 87 FPS at Low. At 4K (8.29 million pixels), the same settings yield only 29 FPS, which aligns with the 4x increase in pixel count. The GPU's 24 ROPs are particularly limiting at high resolutions, as rasterization throughput is directly tied to ROP count and pixel rate. The 3 nm process node and Xe3-LPG architecture provide efficiency, but they cannot compensate for the fundamental compute limitations of an integrated part with 1536 shading units. For Hard West, the Arc B390 is the bottleneck at every measured resolution, and the Ryzen 7 7700's substantial CPU headroom goes unused.