Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination shows a system that is overwhelmingly powerful for this game, delivering playable frame rates at every setting and resolution tested. The data indicates that the primary bottleneck shifts from the CPU at lower resolutions to the GPU at 4K, but even the most demanding preset at the highest resolution remains playable. This pairing is ranked 492nd out of 2949 tested combinations for this game, placing it in the top 17% of all systems, which underscores its high level of performance relative to the broader database.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F is a desktop processor from the Ryzen 7 series, built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) using a 4 nm process. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The processor features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. This configuration is a modern, high-performance part, and its benchmark results place it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, indicating it is faster than the vast majority of processors in the database.

In the context of Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI calculations, and unit pathfinding. The game is not typically considered a CPU-intensive title compared to modern real-time strategy or simulation games. The data shows that the Ryzen 7 9700F provides a massive amount of headroom, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieved an average of 274 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the CPU is not a limiting factor at this resolution. The processor’s single-thread performance, as measured by a Passmark score of 4691, is strong, which is beneficial for games that rely on a primary simulation thread.

The multi-threaded performance of the Ryzen 7 9700F is also substantial, with a Passmark multithread score of 36470. Its average benchmark score of 69996 puts it in a tight competitive group. It is a negligible 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX and a 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-14700KF. It is 0.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700K. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning the 9700F's performance is effectively equivalent to these high-end rivals for general compute tasks.

For Hard West specifically, the 9700F's 8 cores and 16 threads are far more than the game requires. The data suggests that the CPU is so fast that it will never be the component that prevents the system from reaching its maximum frame rate. The high boost clock of 5.50 GHz helps ensure that even lightly-threaded tasks, like UI updates or turn resolution, are handled instantly. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache is also a healthy amount, reducing the need to access slower system memory (DDR5) for frequently used data. In summary, the CPU provides a flawless foundation for this game, allowing the GPU to be the sole determinant of performance in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is a high-end graphics card from the GeForce 50-series, based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and the GB205 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. The card has a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz. With 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output pipelines, it is a very capable part for modern gaming. Its benchmark scores place it in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 40377.

In Hard West, the GPU is responsible for rendering the game's stylized, dark western environments and character models. While the game is from 2015, its art style and effects still require a decent GPU to run at high settings and high resolutions. The RTX 5070 is massively overqualified for this task. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra settings, the system manages an average of 43 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at that extreme preset, but the performance is still within the playable range.

The RTX 5070's 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Hard West, which was designed for systems with far less memory. The 672.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and data transfer are not bottlenecks. The relative performance of the RTX 5070 is closely matched by several professional-grade AMD Radeon Pro cards. The data shows it is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580, 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100, and 2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile. It is 1.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300. These rival deltas are all small, suggesting that the RTX 5070's raw compute power is in a specific performance tier.

For this specific game, the GPU's role becomes dominant at 4K resolution. The jump in frame rate from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K demonstrates that the rendering load increases significantly with pixel count. The RTX 5070 handles these loads admirably, delivering 172 FPS at 1080p High, 109 FPS at 1440p High, and 57 FPS at 4K High. These numbers indicate that the GPU is the scaling component, and its performance is consistent with a high-end card that can handle a 2015 title with ease at all but the most extreme settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, confirming that the GPU becomes the limiting component at higher pixel counts. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 172 FPS at 1920x1080 to 109 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 63 FPS. Moving from 1440p to 3840x2160, the frame rate further drops to 57 FPS, a reduction of 52 FPS. This shows a substantial performance cost for each step up in resolution.

This scaling behavior is even more pronounced at lower settings, where the CPU has less work to do and the GPU is more purely limited by its rendering throughput. At Low settings, the system achieves 274 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 173 FPS at 1440p (a 101 FPS drop) and then to 91 FPS at 4K (an 82 FPS drop). The fact that the 4K Low setting (91 FPS) is still far higher than the 1080p Ultra setting (129 FPS) shows that the game's settings have a significant impact on GPU load, but resolution is the dominant factor.

The data suggests that at 1080p and 1440p, the system is not fully GPU-bound at Low settings, as the frame rates are extremely high. The CPU's strong single-thread performance helps maintain these high frame rates. However, at 4K, the GPU's rendering capabilities are stretched, and the frame rates become more moderate. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Ultra settings is stark: 129 FPS versus 43 FPS. This 86 FPS drop (a 67% reduction) clearly illustrates that the RTX 5070 is the component that determines the ceiling for performance at high resolutions. The system is balanced, but for a game like Hard West, the GPU is the scaling factor that users should monitor when adjusting display resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance is achieved at the High preset across all resolutions. At 1080p, High settings deliver an average of 172 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of most monitors and provides an exceptionally smooth experience. At 1440p, High settings still deliver a very high 109 FPS, making it an ideal choice for high-refresh-rate 1440p displays. At 4K, High settings produce a playable 57 FPS, which, while not as high as the other resolutions, is still a solid experience for a turn-based tactics game where twitch reflexes are not required.

The Ultra preset offers a marginal visual improvement over High, but the performance cost is significant. At 1080p, Ultra drops the average frame rate to 129 FPS, which is still excellent, but at 1440p it falls to 82 FPS, and at 4K it drops to 43 FPS. Given that Hard West is a turn-based game, the visual fidelity of Ultra might be preferable to some users, but the data suggests that High provides a better experience in terms of smoothness. The Medium preset is a compromise, offering 224 FPS at 1080p, 142 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K. The Low preset provides the highest frame rates, reaching 274 FPS at 1080p, but it likely sacrifices too much visual detail for a game that is not graphically demanding in a fast-paced way.

The best recommendation is to use the High preset for a universally excellent experience. It is the highest setting that maintains an average frame rate above 60 FPS at 4K, which is a common target for smooth gameplay. For users with 1080p or 1440p monitors, High settings will easily max out the display's refresh rate. For 4K users, High settings provide a comfortable margin above the 30 FPS minimum, ensuring a stable and enjoyable experience without the performance penalty of Ultra. If a user prioritizes maximum fidelity and has a 1080p or 1440p display, Ultra is viable, but High is the recommended setting for the best balance.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F a bottleneck for the RTX 5070 in this game?

A: No. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 274 FPS, indicating the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more data than it can render. The CPU is not the limiting factor until frame rates approach very high levels.

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hard West with this hardware?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 at High settings offers an excellent 109 FPS average, making it a sweet spot for high refresh rates. However, 3840x2160 at High settings is also playable at 57 FPS, so 4K is a viable option if the user prefers higher resolution over maximum frame rate.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there between High and Ultra settings?

A: The measured data shows that at 1080p, the average FPS drops from 172 on High to 129 on Ultra, a difference of 43 FPS. At 1440p, it drops from 109 to 82 FPS, a difference of 27 FPS. At 4K, it drops from 57 to 43 FPS, a difference of 14 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Hard West?

A: Yes. The benchmark results show that the system achieves an average of 57 FPS at 4K with High settings and 43 FPS at 4K with Ultra settings. Both are playable, though the frame rate is more comfortable at High settings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F compare to its nearest rivals in overall CPU benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69996. This makes it 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, 0.7% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, and 0.9% faster than the Intel Core i7-14700K. It is 0.2% slower than the Intel Core i7-14700KF.

Q: Is the RTX 5070's 12 GB of VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: Yes. While the fact pack does not list VRAM usage, the performance data shows that the GPU achieves high frame rates even at 4K Ultra, which suggests that memory capacity is not a limiting factor for this 2015 title. The 12 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than the game requires.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact average frame rates measured for each resolution and settings preset combination.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 274 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 224 | 191 | 258 |

| 1920x1080 | High | 172 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 129 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 173 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 142 | 121 | 163 |

| 2560x1440 | High | 109 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 82 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 91 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 74 | 63 | 86 |

| 3840x2160 | High | 57 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 43 | - | - |

The data shows a consistent hierarchy: frame rates decrease as settings increase from Low to Ultra, and they also decrease as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values, showing a range that is consistent with its average. For example, at 1080p Medium, the frame rate varies between 191 and 258 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it varies between 121 and 163 FPS. At 4K Medium, it varies between 63 and 86 FPS. This indicates that the system has a stable performance profile with no severe frame-time spikes. The absence of min/max data for other presets suggests that the average is a reliable indicator of the experience. Overall, the system is capable of running Hard West at very high performance levels, with the most demanding configuration (4K Ultra) still yielding a playable 43 FPS average.