Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination reveals a system that is profoundly overqualified for the game’s demands. The measured frames per second (FPS) across all resolutions and settings are exceptionally high, ranging from a low of 58.9 FPS at 4K Ultra to a staggering 333 FPS at 1080p Low. This pairing of a modern 8-core processor with a flagship graphics card creates a scenario where the game’s age and light engine load mean the hardware is rarely, if ever, pushed to its limits, but the data still provides a clear picture of scaling behavior and performance ceilings.

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

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is built on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge) and features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, which typically relies on single-threaded performance for game logic and unit AI, the 9700X’s architecture is a formidable asset. Its benchmark results support this, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 1280 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4459, indicating strong per-core capability that would handle the game’s decision-making processes with ease. The processor’s multi-threaded performance is equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31588, though it is unlikely that Hard West can fully utilize all 16 threads.

The data suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any point in the measured results. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 333, a figure that is more likely constrained by the game engine’s frame rate limits or the GPU’s directx draw call processing than by the CPU’s raw compute. The 9700X’s position in the broader market, ranking in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, underscores its high-end status. When compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i5-14500HX is just 0.2% behind in average score, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H is 0.4% ahead, placing the 9700X in a tight competitive cluster. This high level of performance means that for Hard West, the CPU's role is to provide a massive overhead of processing power, ensuring that even complex tactical situations with many units on screen do not cause hitches, leaving the GPU as the primary determinant of frame rate.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth of a graphics card, equipped with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. Its core clocks are listed at a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz. This immense memory capacity and bandwidth are far beyond what a game from 2015 would require, as Hard West’s textures and geometry are relatively simple by modern standards. The GPU’s compute capabilities, with an FP32 throughput of 82.58 TFLOPS and a pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s, are similarly overkill. The card’s benchmark scores, such as a Passmark G3D score of 38194 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9223, place it in the 91st percentile of all GPUs, confirming its flagship tier.

In the context of Hard West, the RTX 4090’s role is to render frames as fast as the engine allows. The measured FPS numbers are a signal of this. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 58.9, which is the lowest point in the entire dataset, indicating that even this powerful card is being challenged by the combination of high resolution and maximum settings. However, at 4K Low, the average jumps to 120.4 FPS, showing that the GPU is capable of massive throughput when the graphical load is lightened. The comparison with its nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark chart is interesting; the NVIDIA Tesla T4 is 0.4% behind in average score, while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 is 0.9% behind, and the NVIDIA Quadro P6000 is 1.3% behind. These are professional-grade cards, and the RTX 4090’s gaming-oriented architecture clearly excels in this title, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at 1440p, where it reaches 231.2 FPS on Low settings.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combined performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 places this configuration at rank 10 out of 1699 tested combos in the database for Hard West. This top-10 placement is a direct reflection of the hardware’s absolute performance capabilities. With a rank in the 99th percentile of all tested systems, this combo is at the pinnacle of what is available. The data indicates that there are only 9 other combinations of CPU and GPU that can achieve higher average frame rates in this specific game. Given that the RTX 4090 is an end-of-life product and the 9700X is a recent release, this ranking highlights that while the CPU is new, the GPU’s raw power is still sufficient to place the system among the top tier for this title.

This ranking is particularly notable because the game is turn-based and does not demand the high frame rates that fast-paced shooters do, yet the hardware still delivers them. The fact that this combo is in the top 10 suggests that the limiting factor is not the hardware’s capability, but rather the game’s engine performance. The scores from the individual components support this, as the CPU’s average benchmark score is 36029 and the GPU’s is 66473, both exceptionally high. The combination of the 89th percentile CPU and 91st percentile GPU creates a system that is designed for modern AAA titles, but in Hard West, it simply overpowers the game’s requirements, resulting in frame rates that are often multiples of the refresh rate of standard monitors.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how the system performs across different graphical presets. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system produces extraordinary results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 333, which is the highest recorded number in the entire dataset. Moving to Medium settings, the average is 300.8 FPS, and High settings yield 230.6 FPS. Even at Ultra settings, the average FPS remains exceptionally high at 170.3. This pattern shows that at 1080p, the GPU is so powerful that even the most demanding preset is easily handled, with the frame rate dropping by roughly 49% from Low to Ultra, but still remaining far above any playable threshold.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down but remains impressive. The Low preset produces an average of 231.2 FPS, which is a 30% decrease from the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 185.5 FPS, High settings average 147.3 FPS, and Ultra settings average 108 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is about 53%, showing that the increased resolution amplifies the impact of the graphical settings. Moving to 3840x2160, or 4K, the system’s performance begins to show more significant strain. At Low settings, the average FPS is 120.4, which is still very high. Medium settings average 99.2 FPS, High settings average 74.5 FPS, and Ultra settings average 58.9 FPS. The transition from 1080p Low to 4K Low represents a 64% decrease in frame rate, and the 4K Ultra result is the only one that dips below the 60 FPS mark, suggesting that the combination of 4K resolution and maximum settings is the first point where the RTX 4090 is truly pushed to its limits in this game.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this system in Hard West?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 333 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Does the system maintain a playable frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the system achieves an average of 58.9 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold but still considered playable.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its closest rival?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4459, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14500HX, is 0.2% behind in average benchmark score, indicating a very close performance level.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops from 231.2 FPS on Low settings to 108 FPS on Ultra settings, a decrease of approximately 53%.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM a factor in this game's performance?

A: The data does not suggest VRAM capacity is a limiting factor, as the game is from 2015 and likely does not use more than a fraction of the available 24 GB, even at 4K Ultra.

Q: How does the system's rank in Hard West compare to its overall component percentiles?

A: The system ranks 10th out of 1699 combos in Hard West, which is higher than the individual percentiles of the CPU (89th) and GPU (91st), showing that the pairing is particularly effective for this title.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data suggests that for the best experience, users should consider the balance between visual fidelity and frame rate. At 1080p, the Ultra preset is the clear winner, as it provides an average of 170.3 FPS, which is far above the refresh rate of most monitors, while still offering the best visual quality. There is no reason to select a lower preset at this resolution, as even the most demanding settings are easily handled. At 1440p, the Ultra preset also delivers an excellent average of 108 FPS, making it the recommended choice for users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors. The drop to High settings at 147.3 FPS is marginal in terms of visual impact but offers a significant frame rate increase, so users with a 144Hz monitor might prefer High to ensure a consistently locked frame rate.

At 4K, the decision becomes more nuanced. The Ultra preset yields an average of 58.9 FPS, which may be acceptable for a turn-based tactics game where precise timing is not critical. However, for users with 60Hz displays who want to ensure a stable frame rate, dropping to High settings, which averages 74.5 FPS, is a wise choice, as it provides a comfortable buffer above 60 FPS with a minimal reduction in visual quality. The Medium preset at 4K averages 99.2 FPS and would be ideal for users with 120Hz or 144Hz 4K displays, offering a smooth experience while still maintaining decent graphical detail. The Low preset is generally unnecessary at any resolution, given the high performance of the hardware, but it remains an option for users who prioritize maximum frame rates above all else.

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

The scaling of frame rates from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear picture of the system’s bottlenecks. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 333 at 1080p to 231.2 at 1440p and then to 120.4 at 4K. This represents a 64% decrease from 1080p to 4K, which is a significant drop but still results in a very high frame rate. The pattern is similar at Medium settings, with 300.8 FPS at 1080p, 185.5 FPS at 1440p, and 99.2 FPS at 4K, a 67% decrease from 1080p to 4K. For High settings, the numbers are 230.6 FPS at 1080p, 147.3 FPS at 1440p, and 74.5 FPS at 4K, a 68% decrease. The Ultra preset shows the most significant drop, from 170.3 FPS at 1080p to 108 FPS at 1440p and 58.9 FPS at 4K, a 65% decrease from 1080p to 4K.

This scaling behavior indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component when resolution increases. The CPU’s performance is constant across all resolutions, but the GPU’s workload grows exponentially with the number of pixels, leading to the observed frame rate declines. The fact that the frame rate drops by roughly two-thirds from 1080p to 4K, regardless of the settings preset, suggests that the RTX 4090’s rendering throughput is the bottleneck at higher resolutions, not the CPU or the game’s logic. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is working hard enough to bring the frame rate down to just below 60 FPS, which is the only point in the entire dataset where the system’s performance is not overwhelmingly excessive. This analysis confirms that for Hard West, the CPU is never a limiting factor, and the GPU’s performance headroom is only truly taxed when pushing 4K resolution with the highest graphical settings.