Hard West

# Hard West: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 — Benchmark Analysis

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a playable experience across most of Hard West's settings, but the data reveals a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra where frame rates dip below 30 FPS. The combination ranks 950th out of 1,699 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier of the database. The 8-core, 16-thread Zen 5 processor provides ample headroom for this turn-based tactics title, while the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become the primary constraints at higher resolutions and quality presets.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop varies significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 costs 68.9 FPS (from 187.5 to 118.6), while moving from 1440p to 4K costs another 53.5 FPS (from 118.6 to 65.1). This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p Low to 4K Low, indicating that even at the lowest quality settings, the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The scaling pattern becomes more pronounced at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 88 FPS, which drops to 57.7 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 28.5 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result represents a 67.6% decrease from the 1080p Ultra figure, suggesting that the combination of high resolution and maximum quality settings overwhelms the RTX 4060's capabilities. Medium settings show a similar but less severe trend: 153.5 FPS at 1080p, 93.7 FPS at 1440p, and 52.7 FPS at 4K.

The data indicates that Hard West at 4K is only viable at Low settings (65.1 FPS) or Medium settings (52.7 FPS). High settings at 4K (41.8 FPS) remain playable but approach the threshold where turn-based tactics may feel less responsive. The resolution scaling behavior points to the GPU as the dominant bottleneck beyond 1080p, particularly when quality presets increase the rendering load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock of 1830 MHz boosts to 2460 MHz, with 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs contributing to a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s. These specifications explain the measured performance patterns: the card sits at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23,181.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores include the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (0.6% lower score), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (0.7% lower), Intel Arc B580 (0.7% higher), and AMD Radeon 760M (0.8% higher). This clustering indicates the RTX 4060 occupies a narrow performance band, and Hard West's results reflect this positioning. The 4K Ultra result of 28.5 FPS aligns with the GPU's modest 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, which struggles when the render target expands to 3840x2160.

The 272.0 GB/s memory bandwidth appears sufficient for 1080p and 1440p workloads, where the card maintains 88 FPS or better at Ultra settings. However, the 4K results suggest that texture and geometry data at higher resolutions exceed what the 128-bit memory interface can efficiently feed. The GPU's 115 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a power-efficient part, but efficiency does not compensate for the inherent bandwidth limitations at 4K.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X brings 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost clock of 5.50 GHz. Its 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 89.6 GB/s dual-channel DDR5 memory bandwidth provide strong computational headroom. The processor ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36,029.

In multi-threaded workloads, the 9700X scores 31,588 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 13,266 in Cinebench R20 multicore, while single-thread performance reaches 4,459 in Cinebench R23 singlecore. These figures place it slightly above the Intel Core i5-14500HX (0.2% higher), AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 (0.6% higher), and marginally below the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (0.4% lower) and Intel Core Ultra 5 225H (0.8% lower).

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics title, the CPU's role is less demanding than in real-time genres. The 9700X's single-thread performance (1,280 in 3DMark single thread) ensures that game logic, pathfinding, and AI calculations proceed without bottlenecking the GPU. The data shows no evidence of CPU limitation: at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 187.5 FPS, which exceeds what most displays can show and confirms the processor is not constraining frame delivery. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 4 nm process node contribute to efficient operation, but the measured FPS patterns are overwhelmingly GPU-bound.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 950th out of 1,699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the 56th percentile of all pairings. This mid-pack ranking reflects the GPU's position: the RTX 4060 sits at the 66th percentile among all GPUs, but Hard West's modest graphics demands mean many older or lower-tier GPUs can achieve similar frame rates.

The ranking suggests that this combo is neither a top-tier performer nor a weak link. For context, the CPU's 89th percentile ranking indicates the processor is significantly stronger than the GPU in relative terms. This imbalance means the combo's Hard West performance is almost entirely dictated by the GPU's capabilities, particularly at higher resolutions. The 950th rank out of 1,699 combos indicates that approximately 56% of tested pairings deliver better performance in this game, while 44% perform worse.

The measured FPS data supports this positioning: 1080p Ultra at 88 FPS is respectable but not exceptional, while 4K Ultra at 28.5 FPS falls below the 30 FPS threshold many players consider the minimum for acceptable gameplay. The combo's rank would likely improve at lower resolutions, but the 4K Ultra result drags the overall standing down.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings balance depends on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets deliver playable frame rates: Low (187.5 FPS), Medium (153.5 FPS), High (117.7 FPS), and Ultra (88 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1080p provides the best visual experience while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS standard, making it the recommended choice for 1080p displays.

At 2560x1440, the High preset (76.5 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with Ultra (57.7 FPS) still playable for those prioritizing image fidelity. The Medium preset (93.7 FPS) provides a smoother experience if competitive frame rates are preferred, while Low (118.6 FPS) exceeds the needs of any 1440p display. For 1440p, High is recommended as the default, with Ultra as an option for players who prioritize visuals over frame rate stability.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. The Low preset (65.1 FPS) is the only option that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS, while Medium (52.7 FPS) remains playable. High (41.8 FPS) dips into marginal territory, and Ultra (28.5 FPS) falls below the 30 FPS threshold. For 4K, the Medium preset offers the best compromise between visual quality and playability, with Low as a fallback for those seeking smoother performance. Players with 4K displays should avoid the Ultra preset entirely, as the 28.5 FPS result indicates the RTX 4060 cannot sustain acceptable performance at maximum settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hard West at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at Low (65.1 FPS) or Medium (52.7 FPS) settings. High produces 41.8 FPS, while Ultra drops to 28.5 FPS, which falls below the 30 FPS playability threshold.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset at 88 FPS provides the highest visual quality while remaining comfortably above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 1080p displays.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 23,181 is within 0.8% of the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti, Intel Arc B580, and AMD Radeon 760M, indicating these GPUs perform nearly identically in synthetic tests.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 9700X a bottleneck in this game?

A: No. The CPU's single-thread score of 4,459 in Cinebench R23 and the high frame rates at 1080p Low (187.5 FPS) indicate the processor is not limiting performance; the GPU is the primary constraint.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings is 76.5 FPS, which provides a smooth experience for turn-based gameplay on 1440p displays.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 950th out of 1,699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database, consistent with the RTX 4060's mid-range GPU positioning.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured average frame rates are: Low 187.5 FPS, Medium 153.5 FPS, High 117.7 FPS, and Ultra 88 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra represents a 53.1% reduction in frame rate, with each successive preset tier costing approximately 30-35 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the measured average frame rates are: Low 118.6 FPS, Medium 93.7 FPS, High 76.5 FPS, and Ultra 57.7 FPS. The transition from 1080p to 1440p results in frame rate drops ranging from 36.8% (Low) to 34.4% (Ultra), showing consistent scaling across presets.

At 3840x2160, the measured average frame rates are: Low 65.1 FPS, Medium 52.7 FPS, High 41.8 FPS, and Ultra 28.5 FPS. The 4K results show the most severe scaling, with the Ultra preset falling 67.6% below the 1080p Ultra figure. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 36.6 FPS, representing a 56.2% reduction. These numbers confirm that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming but insufficient for maximum settings at 4K.