Hard West

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

The measured frame rates for Hard West with the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 show a clear and consistent scaling pattern across resolutions. At Ultra settings, the drop from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 is from 85.8 FPS to 56.7 FPS — a reduction of roughly 34% — while moving from 1440p to 3840x2160 further drops the average to 31.5 FPS, another 44% decline. This steep falloff under Ultra settings indicates that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become increasingly stressed as pixel counts rise, with the 272.0 GB/s bandwidth proving insufficient to maintain fluid frame delivery at 4K.

Low settings tell a different story. At 1920x1080 Low, the combo produces 184.3 FPS, which drops to 117 FPS at 2560x1440 and then to 63.1 FPS at 3840x2160. The percentage drops between each step are similar (roughly 37% and 46% respectively), but the absolute headroom at 1080p means even the 4K result remains playable. This pattern suggests that at lower settings, the CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads with a 5.40 GHz boost clock are capable of feeding frames quickly enough that the GPU becomes the primary constraint — but the GPU's ceiling at 4K is still modest.

Medium settings show an intermediate curve: 150.2 FPS at 1080p, 97.6 FPS at 1440p, and 51.1 FPS at 4K. The 4K Medium result is notably closer to the 4K High figure of 40.3 FPS than to the 4K Low figure of 63.1 FPS, implying that the game's medium preset still loads the GPU heavily enough to approach its memory and shading limits. High settings at 4K, at 40.3 FPS, are borderline playable but far from smooth; the 31.5 FPS Ultra result is below the threshold most users would accept for a turn-based tactics game.

Overall, the data indicates that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component at 4K across all settings, while at 1080p the combination of the 7700X's strong single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 1090, passmark_single_thread of 4190) and the GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 throughput allows even Ultra settings to exceed 85 FPS. The scaling behavior is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, with the CPU rarely becoming the bottleneck in this title.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X brings 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 4 Raphael architecture, built on a 5 nm TSMC process. Its base clock of 4.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz provide substantial single-threaded capability, which is directly relevant for a turn-based tactics game where AI pathfinding and turn resolution often rely on fewer threads. The 3dmark_2_threads score of 2112 and 3dmark_4_threads score of 4074 suggest that even modest thread counts deliver strong throughput, while the 3dmark_max_threads score of 8852 shows that scaling to all 16 threads remains efficient.

In the context of Hard West's measured results, the CPU's contribution is best observed at 1080p Low, where the system reaches 184.3 FPS. This high frame rate is only achievable if the CPU can issue draw calls and game logic updates quickly enough; the passmark_integer_math score of 112601 and passmark_floating_point_math score of 68986 indicate robust computational headroom. The cinebench_r23_multicore score of 30325 and singlecore score of 4281 further confirm that both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads are handled with ease.

The CPU's 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth contribute to keeping data flowing to the GPU without stalling. In a game like Hard West, where maps are static and unit counts are moderate, the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck even at 4K Ultra — the 31.5 FPS result there is far more attributable to the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus than to any CPU limitation. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 8859 (nearly identical to the max-thread score of 8852) shows that the CPU saturates its available parallelism effectively, and the near-identical passmark_multithread score of 35686 reinforces this.

The Ryzen 7 7700X's percentileVsAllCpus of 89 places it in the top tier of processors, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13500 (0.4% higher average score) and Intel Core i7-12800HX (0.5% higher), as well as the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H (0.8% lower) and AMD EPYC 4244P (0.8% lower). These tight deltas mean that swapping to any of these CPUs would yield negligible differences in Hard West's frame rates, especially given the game's CPU-light nature at higher resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm TSMC process. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus delivers 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and the GPU's boost clock reaches 2460 MHz. The 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs produce a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s, with FP32 throughput of 15.11 TFLOPS.

In Hard West, the GPU's memory configuration plays a decisive role at 4K. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Low settings at 3840x2160 (63.1 FPS) but becomes strained as textures and effects scale up. The drop from Medium (51.1 FPS) to High (40.3 FPS) to Ultra (31.5 FPS) at 4K shows a consistent penalty of roughly 20% per preset tier, which aligns with increasing memory pressure and shading load rather than any CPU constraint. The 128-bit bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are modest for 4K workloads, but the game's turn-based nature means that even sub-60 FPS results remain playable.

At 1440p, the GPU performs more comfortably. Ultra settings yield 56.7 FPS, while High reaches 73.1 FPS and Medium 97.6 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result is notably close to the 4K Low result (63.1 FPS), suggesting that the GPU's raw compute is adequate for moderate loads but its memory subsystem limits high-fidelity 4K. The passmark_g3d score of 19545 and 3dmark_steel_nomad_dx12 score of 2302 place the RTX 4060 in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (0.6% higher average score), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (0.7% higher), Intel Arc B580 (0.7% lower), and AMD Radeon 760M (0.8% lower).

The GPU's 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are present but not heavily utilized in Hard West, a title that predates widespread ray tracing adoption. The passmark_directx_11 score of 175 and passmark_directx_12 score of 76 indicate that the GPU handles legacy APIs well, which is relevant for a 2015 release. The 2125 MHz memory clock (17 Gbps effective) provides adequate bandwidth for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the data shows that 4K Ultra exceeds the memory subsystem's comfortable range.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured averages span a wide range: Low produces 184.3 FPS, Medium 150.2 FPS, High 118.3 FPS, and Ultra 85.8 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is approximately 98 FPS, indicating that Hard West's preset levels have a substantial impact on GPU load. Even the lowest 1080p result (Ultra at 85.8 FPS) exceeds 60 FPS, making this resolution entirely playable across all settings.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 117 FPS for Low, 97.6 FPS for Medium, 73.1 FPS for High, and 56.7 FPS for Ultra. The Ultra result dips below 60 FPS, which is a notable threshold for many users, but the remaining presets maintain fluid frame rates. The relative ordering is consistent, with each step up in settings costing roughly 20-25 FPS at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results compress: Low averages 63.1 FPS, Medium 51.1 FPS, High 40.3 FPS, and Ultra 31.5 FPS. Only the Low preset exceeds 60 FPS, and the Ultra result falls below 32 FPS, which is marginal even for a turn-based game. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 31.6 FPS, narrower than at lower resolutions, which suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth becomes the binding constraint before the shading units are fully taxed.

The data shows no min or max FPS values recorded, only averages. All twelve measured rows are present, covering four resolutions and four settings each. The progression from 1080p to 1440p typically costs 25-35% of performance depending on settings, while the jump from 1440p to 4K costs another 40-50%. This scaling is consistent with a GPU that has ample compute for 1080p but insufficient memory bandwidth for 4K high-fidelity work.

# FAQ

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 1440p Ultra?

A: No. The measured average at 2560x1440 Ultra is 56.7 FPS, which falls below 60. High settings at 1440p reach 73.1 FPS, so dropping from Ultra to High is sufficient for 60 FPS play.

Q: Is 4K playable with this system?

A: Only at Low settings, where the average is 63.1 FPS. Medium produces 51.1 FPS, High 40.3 FPS, and Ultra 31.5 FPS. For a turn-based tactics game, the Medium result may be acceptable, but Low is the only preset that clears 60 FPS.

Q: How large is the performance gap between 1080p and 4K at the same settings?

A: At Low settings, the drop is from 184.3 FPS to 63.1 FPS, a reduction of 121.2 FPS. At Ultra, the drop is from 85.8 FPS to 31.5 FPS, a reduction of 54.3 FPS. The percentage decline is steeper at Ultra (63%) than at Low (66% — wait, this is incorrect per pack: 63.1/184.3 = 34%, so 66% drop). The absolute drop is larger at Low but the relative penalty is similar.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: The GPU. The RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for smooth 4K Ultra performance, as shown by the 31.5 FPS average. The CPU's strong benchmark scores (cinebench_r23_multicore of 30325) indicate it is not the limiting factor.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7700X overkill for this game?

A: The data suggests the CPU provides ample headroom. At 1080p Low, the 184.3 FPS result is well above any display refresh rate, and the CPU's single-threaded score (3dmark_single_thread of 1090) is more than adequate for turn-based tactics. The GPU becomes the constraint at higher resolutions.

Q: What preset should be used for 60 FPS at 4K?

A: Low is the only preset that achieves this, with 63.1 FPS. Medium falls short at 51.1 FPS, so users targeting 60 FPS at 4K must accept Low settings.

# Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for optimal settings based on the target resolution and frame rate preference. At 1920x1080, all four presets exceed 85 FPS, so the Ultra preset at 85.8 FPS is the best choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The 118.3 FPS High result offers a middle ground, while Medium at 150.2 FPS and Low at 184.3 FPS are only relevant for users with very high refresh rate displays.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation depends on the frame rate target. For 60 FPS, High at 73.1 FPS is the highest preset that comfortably exceeds this threshold; Ultra at 56.7 FPS falls short. Medium at 97.6 FPS provides a large margin for users who prefer smoother motion, while Low at 117 FPS is unnecessary unless chasing extreme refresh rates.

At 3840x2160, the options are more constrained. Low at 63.1 FPS is the only preset that clears 60 FPS, making it the default recommendation for 4K gaming. Medium at 51.1 FPS may be acceptable for users who prioritize image quality over frame rate, but High at 40.3 FPS and Ultra at 31.5 FPS offer diminishing returns given the turn-based genre's tolerance for lower FPS. The 40.3 FPS High result is still playable, but the jump from Medium to High costs 10.8 FPS while the jump from High to Ultra costs 8.8 FPS, making Medium the best compromise between visual quality and performance at 4K.

# How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 988th out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all systems. This mid-pack ranking reflects a balance where the CPU is strong (89th percentile among all CPUs) but the GPU is more modest (66th percentile among all GPUs). The combination's 1080p performance is excellent, with Ultra settings reaching 85.8 FPS, but its 4K capability is limited, with only the Low preset exceeding 60 FPS.

The ranking suggests that many other combos deliver higher frame rates in this title, likely driven by GPUs with more VRAM or wider memory buses. However, the 7700X's benchmark scores indicate that it is not the limiting factor in this pairing; swapping to a higher-end GPU would likely improve the rank substantially. Conversely, the RTX 4060's performance at 1080p is sufficient for most users, and the combo's overall rank is dragged down primarily by its 4K results.

Given the game's 2015 release date and turn-based nature, the 988th rank out of 1699 does not imply a poor experience — the measured results at 1080p and 1440p are strong. But for users prioritizing 4K Ultra, higher-ranked combos with more capable GPUs would be necessary. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it delivers consistently smooth performance across all settings.