Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015 that remains surprisingly demanding at higher settings when paired with an Intel Core i3-12100F and an AMD Radeon RX 7700. The benchmark data shows a combo that ranks in the 55th percentile of all tested configurations, with performance scaling predictably across resolutions and presets. The measured results indicate that this pairing is capable of smooth play at 1080p and 1440p, but 4K requires careful settings selection to stay fluid.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall rank among tested systems for Hard West?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1331 out of 2949 tested combos in this game, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all configurations.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it 68th percentile among all CPUs. It performs nearly identically to the Intel Core 3 N355 (0% delta), is 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i5-9500, and 1.1% faster than the Intel Core i7-1250U.

Q: What is the GPU's standing relative to other graphics cards?

A: The RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, landing in the 58th percentile of all GPUs. It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9060 by 1% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 1.7%, while edging out the AMD Radeon R9 370X by 0.1%.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Medium settings, the combo delivers an average of 161 FPS, with a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 186 FPS, ensuring a very fluid experience.

Q: Is 4K gaming feasible with this hardware in Hard West?

A: At 3840x2160, the average frame rate ranges from 31 FPS on Ultra to 65 FPS on Low. High settings produce 41 FPS, while Medium achieves 54 FPS, suggesting 4K is playable only on lower presets.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance look in synthetic tests?

A: The i3-12100F scores 11860 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4981 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, with a 3DMark multi-thread score of 4051 across 16 threads. Its single-thread performance is comparatively strong, scoring 1674 in Cinebench R23 single-core.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 sits at rank 1331 out of 2949 tested configurations for Hard West. This places it just below the median of all combos, which is a notable result for a pairing that includes a 4-core CPU and a modern mid-range GPU. The data indicates that while the GPU is capable of high frame rates, the system as a whole is not breaking into the top tier of performers for this title, likely due to the CPU's limited core count.

Relative to other tested combos, this ranking suggests that many systems with higher-end processors or more balanced pairings achieve better results. However, the 55th percentile standing also means that a significant portion of tested configurations perform worse. For a game like Hard West, which is turn-based and not typically frame-rate sensitive, this level of performance is generally more than adequate for a smooth experience.

The delta between this combo's rank and the top performers is substantial, but the measured FPS data shows that the system still delivers playable frame rates across most settings. The ranking reflects a holistic view that combines both CPU and GPU capabilities, and in this case, the GPU's strong benchmark scores help offset the CPU's more modest positioning. The overall result is a system that is competent but not class-leading in this specific game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide adequate data locality for game logic, though the 4-core configuration is a limiting factor in modern titles. The CPU's benchmark scores show a strong single-thread performance, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1932, which is beneficial for games that rely on a few fast cores.

In Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is primarily to handle game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit actions. The data shows that the i3-12100F's 4-core design is sufficient to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions, where the GPU is not the bottleneck. For instance, at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 197 FPS, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU effectively under lighter loads. However, as settings increase, the frame rates drop, suggesting that the CPU's limitations become more apparent when the GPU is under heavier load.

The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 is respectable for a 4-core part, but its PassMark multi-thread score of 14015 shows it is not a high-end multi-threading champion. In Hard West, the game's turn-based nature means that heavy multi-threaded workloads are less common, so the CPU's moderate multi-core performance is less critical than its single-thread speed. The data indicates that the i3-12100F is capable of delivering solid performance in this title, but it does not provide the headroom that a 6-core or 8-core processor might offer for future, more demanding scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the combo performs across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent results: Low settings average 197 FPS, Medium averages 161 FPS with a minimum of 137 FPS, High averages 124 FPS, and Ultra averages 93 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is well within the system's comfort zone, with even the most demanding preset maintaining a frame rate well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings average 125 FPS, Medium averages 102 FPS, High averages 78 FPS, and Ultra averages 59 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 87 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS, suggesting that 1440p Medium is a sweet spot for a smooth experience. High settings remain playable, but Ultra dips to just below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable in a fast-paced game, though Hard West's turn-based nature makes it less critical.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 65 FPS, Medium averages 54 FPS, High averages 41 FPS, and Ultra averages 31 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 46 FPS and a maximum of 62 FPS, indicating that even at this resolution, there is some variability. These results show that 4K gaming is only viable on Low or Medium settings, and even then, the frame rates are borderline for a smooth experience.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate drops, with the most significant decline occurring between 1440p and 4K. This suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU can keep up at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is a modern graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, featuring a 256-bit memory bus and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2459 MHz and game clock of 2041 MHz, combined with 2560 shading units, provide substantial compute power, as evidenced by its 25.18 TFLOPS FP32 performance. The GPU's benchmark scores are solid, with a PassMark G3D score of 20974 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2865.

In Hard West, the GPU's role is to handle rendering, lighting, and effects, which becomes more demanding at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows that the RX 7700 is the limiting factor at 4K, where even Medium settings only achieve 54 FPS. At 1080p, the GPU is less stressed, allowing the CPU to keep the frame rates high, as seen in the 197 FPS Low result.

The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Hard West, a game from 2015, meaning memory capacity is not a bottleneck. The card's texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s ensure that it can handle the game's visual demands without issue. However, the data shows that at 4K Ultra, the GPU's compute capabilities are stretched, resulting in an average of just 31 FPS.

The RX 7700's benchmark scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the RTX 3060 Ti, which it trails by 1.7%. This indicates that the GPU is a solid mid-range performer, capable of handling most games at high settings, but it is not a top-tier card for 4K gaming. In Hard West, the GPU's performance is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but 4K requires significant settings compromises.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1920x1080, all settings are playable, with even Ultra averaging 93 FPS. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, High settings at 124 FPS offer a significant improvement over Medium's 161 FPS in terms of visuals, while still maintaining a high frame rate. Ultra at 93 FPS is also viable, providing the best image quality without dropping below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the data suggests that Medium settings at 102 FPS provide the best experience, as they maintain a high frame rate with good visual fidelity. High settings at 78 FPS are also acceptable, but Ultra at 59 FPS dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which may be noticeable. For users prioritizing smoothness over visuals, Medium is the recommended preset, while High is suitable for those who prefer better graphics and can tolerate slightly lower frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles, and the data indicates that Low settings at 65 FPS is the only preset that consistently maintains a playable frame rate. Medium at 54 FPS is borderline, with a minimum of 46 FPS, which may cause stuttering in some scenes. High and Ultra settings are not recommended for 4K, as they produce averages of 41 FPS and 31 FPS, respectively, which are too low for a smooth experience.

Given that Hard West is a turn-based tactics game, frame rates below 60 FPS are less problematic than in fast-paced action games. However, the data recommends that for the best overall experience, users should target 1440p Medium or High settings, which provide a good balance of visual quality and performance. For 4K gaming, Low settings are the only viable option, and even then, the experience may not be ideal.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear trend in how performance scales with resolution. From 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate drops by approximately 37% across all settings. For example, at High settings, the frame rate goes from 124 FPS at 1080p to 78 FPS at 1440p, a 46 FPS decrease. This drop is significant but expected, as 1440p has 1.78 times the pixels of 1080p, placing more load on the GPU.

From 1440p to 4K, the performance drop is even more pronounced. At High settings, the frame rate falls from 78 FPS to 41 FPS, a 47% decrease. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 59 FPS to 31 FPS, a 47% reduction. This larger decline indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at 4K, as the increased pixel count overwhelms the RX 7700's capabilities.

The data also reveals that the CPU's influence diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU can keep up with the GPU, resulting in high frame rates. However, at 4K, the GPU's performance becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's speed is less relevant. This is evident in the fact that the frame rate at 4K Low (65 FPS) is still higher than the frame rate at 4K Ultra (31 FPS), showing that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Overall, the resolution scaling analysis shows that the combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the GPU being the primary driver of performance. At 4K, the system is not powerful enough to maintain high frame rates, and users must significantly lower settings to achieve playable results. This suggests that the limiting component at higher resolutions is the GPU, while the CPU is sufficient for lower resolutions.