Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015 that, on paper, should not stress modern hardware. However, the measured results for the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with the Intel Arc B370 tell a different story, revealing a significant bottleneck that severely limits performance across all resolutions and settings. The data indicates that this combination ranks 2721 out of 2949 tested combos in this game, placing it in the bottom percentile of systems. While the CPU is a top-tier desktop part, the integrated graphics solution is not, and the benchmark results show a system that struggles to maintain playable frame rates even at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a classic symptom of a system that is heavily limited by its graphics processor, not its CPU. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 79 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that average to 50 FPS, a significant 36.7% reduction. Pushing further to 4K results in a 26 FPS average, which is a 67.1% drop from the 1080p Low figure. This steep decline as resolution increases is a clear indicator that the rendering pipeline is saturated and the GPU is the primary limiting factor.

The pattern holds at other settings, though the absolute numbers are lower. With Medium settings, the average frame rate falls from 64 FPS at 1080p to 41 FPS at 1440p, and then to 21 FPS at 4K. The scaling between 1080p and 1440p is a 35.9% drop, while the jump to 4K represents a 67.2% decline from the starting point. This consistent proportional drop as pixel count increases points directly to the graphics processor's fill rate and shading capabilities being the bottleneck.

High settings show the same trend. The average goes from 49 FPS at 1080p, to 31 FPS at 1440p (a 36.7% drop), and finally to 16 FPS at 4K (a 67.3% drop from 1080p). The fact that the percentage drops are so similar across all three settings presets reinforces the idea that the performance ceiling is being hit by the GPU's raw throughput, not by any CPU-side game logic or draw call overhead. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, is more than capable of feeding frames; the Intel Arc B370 simply cannot keep up as the workload grows.

This is not a scenario where tweaking settings can "fix" the scaling. The relative performance penalty for moving to a higher resolution is nearly identical whether you are on Low or High settings. The data suggests that the GPU is running at near its maximum capacity even at 1080p, so any additional pixel workload has a disproportionate impact on the final frame rate. For a player, this means that the choice of resolution is the single most important factor for playability, far outweighing the in-game quality presets.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D the reason for the low frame rates in Hard West?

A: No. The benchmark data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D has 8 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, and it scores in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. The severe frame rate drops when increasing resolution point to the graphics processor as the limiting component, not the CPU.

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

A: According to the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution that offers a consistently playable experience. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 37 FPS. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset reaches an average of 50 FPS, while Medium drops to 41 FPS. The 3840x2160 resolution is not viable, with the highest average being 26 FPS on Low settings.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184 and is in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186, making the Arc B370 0.2% slower. It is also 0.5% slower than the ATI Radeon HD 5770 and 0.7% slower than the AMD Radeon HD 7650M. This context shows the Arc B370 is in the performance class of very old integrated and entry-level discrete graphics.

Q: Which settings preset provides the best balance of quality and performance at 1080p?

A: The measured data shows that the Medium preset at 1080p offers a good balance. It provides an average of 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and a maximum of 74 FPS. This is a significant jump from the High preset's 49 FPS average and provides a smoother experience than the Low preset's 79 FPS average while looking considerably better.

Q: Is the frame rate stable, or are there large dips?

A: For the presets where min/max data is available, the frame rates are relatively stable. At 1080p Medium, the difference between the average (64) and minimum (55) FPS is 9 frames. At 1440p Medium, the average is 41 FPS with a minimum of 35, and at 4K Medium, the average is 21 FPS with a minimum of 18. This suggests that the performance limit is consistent rather than spiky.

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

A: Technically, it can, but the data does not support it as a playable option. The best 4K result is 26 FPS on Low settings. The Medium preset averages 21 FPS, High averages 16 FPS, and Ultra averages 12 FPS. All of these are below the threshold for a smooth experience, indicating the GPU is overwhelmed by the 3840x2160 resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, using the Granite Ridge codename. It features 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. Its substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache and high single-thread performance are characteristics that typically benefit gaming workloads. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 2228 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 22807 in multi-core, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs.

In the context of Hard West, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI calculations, and draw calls. As a turn-based tactics game, the computational load per frame is likely lower than a real-time strategy or first-person shooter. The benchmark results support this, as the frame rate scaling with resolution is consistent, regardless of the CPU's performance headroom. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU workload would be constant. Instead, the frame rate drops dramatically as resolution increases, which is a definitive sign that the CPU is not the limiting factor.

The data shows the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has more than enough processing power for this game. Its performance is close to rivals like the Intel Core i9-14900, with a deltaPct of 0.5% higher average score, and the Intel Xeon w5-2545, where it is 0.2% lower. Even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU would be most likely to bottleneck a weaker GPU, the system reaches 79 FPS. This suggests the CPU is capable of pushing the graphics card to its maximum potential, but the graphics card's potential is just too low for a demanding title.

The 8-core, 16-thread configuration ensures that background tasks and the game's threads are handled without contention. The high boost clock of 5.60 GHz is also beneficial for any single-threaded game logic. The conclusion from the data is that the CPU is a non-issue for Hard West. It is a high-end component that is being held back by a much lower-end GPU, and any performance issues in this game are entirely attributable to the graphics subsystem.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities at each resolution and settings level. The data is measured, not estimated, providing a concrete basis for analysis.

At 1920x1080, the system shows its best performance. The Low preset delivers an average of 79 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. The Medium preset provides an average of 64 FPS, with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 74, indicating a stable experience. The High preset drops to an average of 49 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, producing an average of 37 FPS. This resolution is the only one where the system can consistently achieve frame rates that are generally considered acceptable for gaming.

At 2560x1440, the performance takes a significant hit. The Low preset is the only one that remains above the 30 FPS threshold, averaging 50 FPS. The Medium preset averages 41 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 47. The High preset drops to an average of 31 FPS, which is borderline playable for a turn-based game. The Ultra preset is largely unplayable, with an average of just 23 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is severe, with the Ultra preset losing 14 FPS and the Low preset losing 29 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system is overwhelmed. The Low preset is the only one that averages above 20 FPS, achieving 26 FPS. The Medium preset averages 21 FPS, with a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 25. The High preset drops to an average of 16 FPS, and the Ultra preset is a slideshow at 12 FPS. None of these results provide a playable experience. The data shows that 4K resolution is not viable with this graphics processor, regardless of the settings used.

The pattern across all settings is consistent: Low is the fastest, then Medium, then High, with Ultra being the slowest. The gap between Low and Ultra is significant at every resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 42 FPS. At 1440p, it is 27 FPS, and at 4K, it is 14 FPS. This shows that while the relative impact of settings is present, the absolute performance is so low at higher resolutions that the settings have a diminished effect on playability.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the clear bottleneck for this system in Hard West. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

The GPU's performance metrics are very low. It has a boost clock of 2400 MHz and a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s, but its FP32 performance is only 6.144 TFLOPS. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, it scores 1184, which places it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rivals are legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which it trails by 0.5%, and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which it trails by 0.2%. This context is crucial: the Arc B370 is not in the same performance class as even entry-level discrete desktop GPUs from a decade ago.

The benchmark results in Hard West directly reflect this GPU's limitations. The fact that the frame rate drops proportionally with resolution increases indicates that the GPU's fill rate and shading power are being exhausted. The 4K results, which average between 12 and 26 FPS, show that the GPU cannot handle the pixel workload of 3840x2160. Even at 1080p, the highest average is 79 FPS on Low settings, which suggests that the GPU is near its limit even at the lowest resolution.

The lack of dedicated VRAM is also a potential factor. The "System Shared" memory configuration means that the GPU and CPU are contending for the same memory bandwidth. While this is not explicitly measured in the FPS data, it is a known limitation of such designs. The data shows that the GPU is the limiting component, and its low compute performance, coupled with shared memory, makes it unsuitable for this game at higher resolutions or quality settings. The system's performance is consistent with a GPU that has a 3DMark score of 1184, which is near the bottom of the performance spectrum.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the only viable path to a smooth experience is to play at 1920x1080. At this resolution, the Medium preset offers the best combination of visual quality and performance. The average of 64 FPS is well above the 30 FPS threshold, and the minimum of 55 FPS indicates that frame pacing is stable. The High preset, at 49 FPS, is also playable if you prefer higher visual fidelity, but it comes with a 23.4% performance penalty compared to Medium.

The Low preset at 1080p, with an average of 79 FPS, is the best choice for maximum smoothness, but it will compromise visual quality. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 37 FPS, is the least recommended. While a turn-based game can tolerate lower frame rates better than a fast-paced action game, 37 FPS is still below the 60 FPS target that most players prefer, and the visual upgrade from High to Ultra is not worth the 24.5% performance drop.

At 2560x1440, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that delivers a comfortable average of 50 FPS. The Medium preset, at 41 FPS, is usable for a turn-based tactical game, but the minimum of 35 FPS might be noticeable during camera pans. The High and Ultra presets, at 31 and 23 FPS respectively, are not recommended.

The data does not support playing at 3840x2160. Even the Low preset averages only 26 FPS, which is below the minimum threshold for a responsive experience. The frame rate drops are consistent and severe, and no settings adjustment can make 4K playable with this hardware. The recommendation is clear: for the best experience, use 1080p with Medium settings. This provides a stable, high frame rate that showcases the game without the performance issues seen at higher resolutions and settings. If 1440p is a must, only Low settings are viable.