Hard West

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop processor from the Core 12th Gen series, built on the Alder Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz and it boosts to 4.30 GHz, with a TDP of 58 W. The processor has an L3 cache of 12 MB (shared) and per-core L1 and L2 caches of 80 KB and 1.25 MB respectively. In benchmark terms, this CPU sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13516. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, scores 13534 — a deltaPct of -0.1, meaning the i3-12100F is essentially at parity with that high-end workstation part in aggregate benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13462 (0.4% ahead), the Intel Core i3-10105 scores 13430 (0.6% ahead), and the Intel Core i7-7700K scores 13280 (1.8% behind).

For a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing during strategic map interactions and enemy-turn calculations. The single-thread performance is notable: the CPU scores 893 in 3dmark_single_thread, 1681 in Cinebench R23 single-core, and 3444 in Passmark single-thread. These scores are relevant because turn-based games often have serialized game logic that cannot be fully parallelized. The 4-core configuration with 8 threads provides enough parallelism for background tasks, but the strong single-core showing is what keeps the game responsive. In the measured FPS data, even at 1080p Low — a setting where the GPU is least burdened — the CPU sustains 165.8 FPS average, indicating that the i3-12100F is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The multi-threaded scores (Cinebench R23 multicore at 11912, Geekbench multicore at 7413) further confirm that the CPU has ample headroom for this game's demands, which are modest given the 2015 release title.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT is based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 23 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 280.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The GPU's base clock is 2055 MHz, with a game clock of 2410 MHz and a boost clock of 2635 MHz. The memory clock runs at 2190 MHz (17.5 Gbps effective). The GPU has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, along with 32 ray-tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 168.6 GPixel/s, texture rate is 337.3 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 10.79 TFLOPS. The GPU sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 29024. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, scores 29011 (0% deltaPct), while the AMD Radeon RX 470 scores 28996 (0.1% ahead), the Intel Arc A370M scores 29175 (-0.5% behind), and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH scores 29197 (-0.6% behind).

The 8 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for a turn-based tactics game from 2015; even at 4K Ultra, the game does not exceed this capacity, as the measured FPS remains playable at 28.9 FPS average. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s is critical for texture streaming during the game's isometric scenes, which feature detailed environments and character models. The boost clock of 2635 MHz allows the GPU to maintain high fill rates when rendering multiple units and effects on screen. In the measured data, the GPU shows clear scaling with settings: at 1080p, the difference between Low (165.8 FPS) and Ultra (77.3 FPS) is substantial, indicating that the GPU is the primary driver of performance changes across settings. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) means it can handle the game's rendering requirements efficiently, even though Hard West is an older title that likely relies on simpler DirectX features.

FAQ

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F scores 1681 in Cinebench R23 single-core, which is a strong result for a 4-core part and helps explain its ability to sustain high frame rates in turn-based tactics where game logic is largely serial.

Q: How does the RX 6650 XT compare to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The RX 6650 XT scores 29024, while the AMD Radeon RX 6800M scores 29011 (0% deltaPct), meaning the two are statistically tied. The AMD Radeon RX 470 is 0.1% ahead at 28996, while the Intel Arc A370M and AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH are 0.5% and 0.6% behind, respectively.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Hard West?

A: The highest average FPS is 165.8, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This indicates that the combination of CPU and GPU is well-suited for high-refresh-rate play at lower settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded, and at what configuration?

A: The lowest average FPS is 28.9, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration that drops below 30 FPS, making it borderline for smooth play.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 13516 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX's 13534, with a deltaPct of -0.1%. This means the i3-12100F performs within a fraction of a percent of that much larger workstation CPU in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and why does it matter for this game?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 280.3 GB/s. For Hard West, this bandwidth supports efficient loading of textures and geometry during map transitions and combat sequences, contributing to the consistent frame times observed across most settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions — 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160 — each with four settings: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra. At 1080p, the performance envelope is wide: Low averages 165.8 FPS, Medium 135.1 FPS, High 105.4 FPS, and Ultra 77.3 FPS. The step from Low to Medium is a 30.7 FPS drop, while the step from High to Ultra is a 28.1 FPS drop. This shows that each settings tier costs roughly 20-30 FPS at 1080p, with the GPU having sufficient headroom to keep even Ultra well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the averages are 103.6 FPS (Low), 86.3 FPS (Medium), 67.0 FPS (High), and 51.4 FPS (Ultra). The gap between Low and Ultra narrows to 52.2 FPS, compared to 88.5 FPS at 1080p. This suggests that at higher resolution, the GPU's pixel throughput becomes a larger factor, compressing the relative differences between settings. At 1440p Ultra, the frame rate dips below 60 FPS, which may be noticeable for players with high-refresh monitors.

At 4K (3840x2160), the averages drop further: 55.7 FPS (Low), 42.9 FPS (Medium), 34.7 FPS (High), and 28.9 FPS (Ultra). The spread from Low to Ultra is 26.8 FPS, the smallest of all resolutions. Here, only Low maintains a playable frame rate above 50 FPS, while Medium and High remain above 30 FPS, and Ultra falls below 30 FPS. The data indicates that 4K gaming with this combo requires careful settings selection, as the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus begin to limit performance at this pixel count.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the limiting component. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 165.8 at 1080p to 103.6 at 1440p (a 62.2 FPS drop) and then to 55.7 at 4K (a 47.9 FPS drop from 1440p). The percentage reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low is approximately 66% (165.8 to 55.7). At Ultra settings, the drop is from 77.3 at 1080p to 51.4 at 1440p (a 25.9 FPS drop) and then to 28.9 at 4K (a 22.5 FPS drop). The percentage reduction at Ultra from 1080p to 4K is approximately 63% (77.3 to 28.9).

These reductions are consistent with GPU-bound scaling. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would stay relatively flat across resolutions because the CPU's workload (game logic, AI, pathfinding) does not change with pixel count. Instead, the data shows near-linear scaling with pixel count, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited scenario. The GPU's pixel rate of 168.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 337.3 GTexel/s are the relevant metrics here; as resolution increases, the GPU must process more pixels and textures, and the frame rate drops accordingly. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, with even Low settings only reaching 55.7 FPS. At 1080p, the CPU's strong single-thread score (893 in 3dmark_single_thread) ensures that it does not become a bottleneck, allowing the GPU to reach 165.8 FPS at Low settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate preference. For 1920x1080, Ultra settings at 77.3 FPS average provide the best visual fidelity while remaining well above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for players who prioritize image quality. High settings at 105.4 FPS offer a smoother experience with a 28.1 FPS improvement over Ultra, which may be preferable for fast-paced turn-based combat where camera pans and animations are frequent.

For 2560x1440, High settings at 67.0 FPS average deliver a good balance, staying above 60 FPS with reduced graphical load compared to Ultra. Ultra at 51.4 FPS is playable but may show occasional stutter on 60 Hz displays; Medium at 86.3 FPS is the safest choice for consistent smoothness, though it sacrifices some visual detail. For 3840x2160, the data suggests that Low settings at 55.7 FPS are the only configuration that maintains a frame rate above 50 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K play. Medium at 42.9 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced segments, but Low provides a more comfortable margin. High at 34.7 FPS and Ultra at 28.9 FPS are below the 30 FPS threshold for Ultra, which may result in noticeable lag during unit animations and environmental effects.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is: 1080p Ultra for maximum quality, 1440p High for balanced performance, and 4K Low for playable frame rates. The combo rank of 1071 out of 1699 combinations places this setup in the upper-middle tier for Hard West, with the data confirming that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates across all settings and resolutions.