Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and this benchmark pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 demonstrates how a modern high-end system handles a legacy title. The data shows a configuration that is heavily GPU-bound at lower resolutions but scales predictably as the load shifts to the graphics card at 4K. The measured results indicate that the RTX 5080 is the primary driver of performance, while the 16-core CPU provides ample headroom, ensuring that frame rates are limited by the graphics preset rather than processor throughput.

FAQ

Q: What is the performance difference between the Ryzen 9 5950X and its closest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the Ryzen 9 5950X scoring 49062 compared to the Intel Core i5-14600K’s 49166. This represents a negligible delta of -0.2%, indicating that the two CPUs offer virtually the same raw processing power in synthetic tests.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A570M?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 59188, while the Intel Arc A570M scores 58239. This places the RTX 5080 1.6% ahead of the Arc A570M, showing a modest but clear performance advantage for the NVIDIA card in the aggregate benchmark suite.

Q: What is the best average frame rate achieved with this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 245.7, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates that the system is capable of very high frame rates when the graphical load is minimized.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 56.2, achieved at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This shows that the most demanding configuration still maintains a playable frame rate, though it is a significant drop from the peak performance.

Q: Does the combo rank highly among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 88th out of 1699 tested combos, placing it in the top 5.2% of all systems in the database for this game. This indicates that the pairing is among the more capable configurations tested for Hard West.

Q: How does the GPU's performance percentile compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5080 sits in the 89th percentile among all GPUs, while its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A570M, is 1.6% behind in average score. This suggests the RTX 5080 is a high-tier component, though the close delta to the Arc A570M in the aggregate score is notable.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the undisputed performance driver in this configuration. With 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, the card delivers a memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s, which is more than sufficient for a 2015 turn-based tactics title. The GPU’s boost clock of 2617 MHz and FP32 throughput of 56.28 TFLOPS provide a massive amount of compute headroom, but the game’s age means that these resources are rarely taxed to their limits.

The data shows that the GPU’s role becomes more critical as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 245.7 FPS, but this drops to 209.5 FPS at 2560x1440 and 118.2 FPS at 3840x2160 on the same Low preset. This scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 5080 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the pixel throughput demand increases. At 1080p, the GPU is likely idling at lower utilization, while the CPU handles the game logic. However, the GPU’s 56.28 TFLOPS of FP32 compute ensures that even at 4K Ultra, the system maintains 56.2 FPS, which is a playable result for a tactical game where frame timing is less critical than in fast-paced genres.

The VRAM capacity of 16 GB is also a non-issue for Hard West, as the game’s textures and assets are from an era where 2-4 GB was standard. This means the RTX 5080 is never close to running out of memory, and the bandwidth remains available for other tasks. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures that data transfer from the CPU is not a bottleneck, though the game’s modest requirements mean this is unlikely to be a factor either way.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases. From 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops by approximately 35-45% across all settings. For example, at High settings, the frame rate falls from 209.5 FPS at 1080p to 136.1 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 73.4 FPS. This is a substantial drop that suggests the GPU is beginning to feel the load of additional pixels.

The jump from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160 is even more pronounced. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 136.1 FPS to 72.9 FPS, a reduction of 46.4%. This scaling behavior indicates that the RTX 5080 is the primary limiting component at 4K, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p, and the GPU’s shading units and ROPs are fully engaged. The data shows that at 1080p, the system is likely CPU-limited or at least balanced, as the frame rates are very high but not extreme. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck.

Looking at the Low settings row, the drop from 245.7 FPS at 1080p to 209.5 FPS at 1440p is only 36.2 FPS, but the drop to 118.2 FPS at 4K is 91.3 FPS. This suggests that even with minimal graphical load, the 4K resolution demands significant GPU resources. The Ultra settings row shows the most severe scaling, with a drop from 161.8 FPS at 1080p to 105.5 FPS at 1440p, and then down to 56.2 FPS at 4K. This pattern confirms that the RTX 5080’s performance is the determining factor in this combo, and the CPU’s 16 cores and 32 threads are not a limiting factor at any resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience. At 3840x2160, the Medium preset delivers 96.1 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over High’s 72.9 FPS and Ultra’s 56.2 FPS. For a turn-based tactics game, the visual difference between Medium and High is often minimal, but the frame rate gain of 23.2 FPS is significant. Therefore, Medium is the recommended preset for 4K gaming, as it provides a smooth experience without requiring the graphical compromises of Low.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 136.1 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides a comfortable margin for any potential frame drops. The Ultra preset at 105.5 FPS is also playable, but the drop from High is noticeable, and the visual upgrade may not justify the 30.6 FPS loss. At 1920x1080, the High preset achieves 209.5 FPS, which is more than enough for any display. The Medium preset at 227.7 FPS and Low at 245.7 FPS offer marginal improvements, but High is the best balance of visual quality and performance.

For players with high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 1080p can push the system to 245.7 FPS, which is beneficial for competitive play. However, given the game’s turn-based nature, this is likely unnecessary. The data suggests that Medium at 4K, High at 1440p, and High at 1080p are the optimal choices for a smooth and visually pleasing experience. The Ultra preset is the only one that drops below 60 FPS at 4K, so it should be avoided unless the player prioritizes maximum visual fidelity over frame rate stability.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 88th out of 1699 tested combos for Hard West. This places the system in the top 5.2% of all configurations in the database, indicating that it is a high-performing pairing for this specific game. The rank reflects the system’s ability to maintain high frame rates across all tested resolutions and settings, with the lowest average FPS being 56.2 at 4K Ultra.

This strong ranking is attributable to the balance between the CPU and GPU. The Ryzen 9 5950X, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, provides a solid foundation that does not bottleneck the RTX 5080. The CPU’s percentile rank of 93 among all CPUs, coupled with the GPU’s 89th percentile, suggests that both components are near the top of their respective hierarchies. The nearest CPU rival, the Intel Core i5-14600K, has nearly identical average scores, so the choice of processor is not a differentiator in this case. Similarly, the GPU’s closest rival, the Intel Arc A570M, is only 1.6% behind in average benchmark score, but the real-world game performance of the RTX 5080 is clearly superior based on the measured FPS data.

The ranking of 88 out of 1699 is impressive, but it also reflects the age of the game. Hard West is not a demanding title by modern standards, so even mid-range hardware can achieve playable frame rates. The fact that this high-end combo ranks in the top 5% suggests that the game is not heavily optimized for multi-threaded CPUs or the latest GPU architectures, but the raw power of the RTX 5080 still pushes it to the upper echelons of performance. This rank indicates that users with this combo will have no trouble running the game at maximum settings, with the only compromise being a slight dip below 60 FPS at 4K Ultra.