Hard West

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 ranks 1364th out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West. This places the combination in the lower-mid tier of the database, meaning a substantial portion of tested systems deliver higher average frame rates in this turn-based tactics title. The rank is not catastrophic, but it signals that this hardware pairing is closer to entry-level performance than to the upper echelons of the chart.

Looking at the individual components, the CPU sits in the 73rd percentile against all processors, while the GPU lands in the 58th percentile against all graphics cards. The discrepancy between these two positions is telling: the processor is comparatively stronger than the graphics card relative to their respective pools. This suggests the RTX 2060 is the more likely constraint in this combo, a hypothesis that the measured FPS data supports when examining resolution scaling behavior.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 14168 places it remarkably close to several rivals. It sits just 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552, which scores 14115, and trails the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C by 0.8%, which scores 14277. The Intel Core i5-8500 is 1.1% ahead at 14332, and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 leads by 1.2% at 14336. These deltas are all within a couple of percentage points, indicating the i5-10400F is squarely in a competitive cluster for general compute workloads.

For the GPU, the RTX 2060's average benchmark score of 16074 shows a similar tight grouping. The AMD Radeon RX 7600S is 0.5% ahead at 15996, while the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M and AMD Radeon Pro 5700 both lead by 1.7% at 16351. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 trails by 1.8% at 15786. These narrow margins mean the RTX 2060 is not an outlier in either direction; it performs as expected for its class.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 brings 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The memory operates at 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. These specifications are adequate for a game from 2015 like Hard West, where texture and geometry demands are modest by modern standards.

The GPU's clock speeds are set at a base of 1365 MHz with a boost up to 1680 MHz. The chip, codenamed TU106, is built on a 12 nm process at TSMC and contains 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. The shading units number 1920, accompanied by 120 texture mapping units and 48 raster output units. The card also includes 30 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, though these features are largely irrelevant for a turn-based tactics title that does not leverage ray tracing or DLSS.

The pixel rate is 80.64 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 201.6 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance is rated at 6.451 TFLOPS for FP32 and 12.90 TFLOPS for FP16 with a 2:1 ratio. These figures place the RTX 2060 as a capable mid-range card for its era, released in January 2019. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 14111 and its 58th percentile ranking confirm it is not a high-end part, but it has enough compute for 1080p and 1440p gaming in less demanding titles.

The 6 GB VRAM capacity is worth noting. At 4K resolution with Ultra settings, the measured average FPS drops to 22.9, which is below playable thresholds. The VRAM is not necessarily the sole culprit, but the combination of higher resolution and maximum settings pushes the card beyond its comfort zone. At lower settings and resolutions, the frame rates improve dramatically, indicating the GPU has headroom when the workload is reduced.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hard West?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 delivers the highest frame rates across all settings, with the Low preset reaching 144.4 FPS and even Ultra hitting 68 FPS. At 2560x1440, frame rates drop but remain playable, while 3840x2160 falls below 50 FPS on every preset.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F scores 14168 on average, placing it 0.4% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7552 and 0.8% behind the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C. It trails the Intel Core i5-8500 by 1.1% and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 by 1.2%, showing it is competitively matched with these processors.

Q: Is the RTX 2060 strong enough for 1440p gaming?

A: At 2560x1440, the measured results show 60 FPS on High settings and 92.4 FPS on Low. Medium settings yield 72.5 FPS, while Ultra drops to 43.1 FPS. This indicates the card handles 1440p well for Medium to High presets but struggles with Ultra.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The RTX 2060 features 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus with a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which equates to 14 Gbps effective.

Q: How does the combo rank against all tested systems?

A: The combination ranks 1364th out of 1699 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the lower half of the database, with roughly 20% of tested systems performing worse.

Q: What is the CPU's single-thread performance like?

A: The i5-10400F scores 688 in 3DMark single-thread, 146 in Cinebench R15 single-core, and 1453 in Cinebench R23 single-core. These scores indicate modest single-thread capability, which is sufficient for Hard West's turn-based gameplay.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. The Low preset averages 144.4 FPS, which is the highest measured value across all resolutions and settings. Medium settings produce 115.7 FPS, and High settings yield 91.6 FPS. The Ultra preset still manages 68 FPS, which is comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The spread from Low to Ultra is 76.4 FPS, showing a significant performance cost for maximum visual quality.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably but remain playable for most presets. Low settings average 92.4 FPS, Medium settings hit 72.5 FPS, and High settings reach exactly 60 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 43.1 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for fast-paced action but acceptable for a turn-based game where reaction time is less critical. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each setting is roughly 30-35%, consistent with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2060 begins to struggle. Low settings average 48.3 FPS, Medium settings drop to 39.7 FPS, and High settings fall to 31.2 FPS. The Ultra preset bottoms out at 22.9 FPS, which is barely playable even for a slow-paced tactical game. The gap between 1440p and 4K is substantial, with frame rates roughly halving at each settings tier. This indicates the GPU's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K rendering in this title, even with reduced settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K follows a clear pattern across all settings. At Low, the average FPS goes from 144.4 at 1080p to 92.4 at 1440p to 48.3 at 4K. This represents a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 48% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, suggesting the GPU becomes progressively more strained as resolution increases.

For Medium settings, the progression is 115.7 to 72.5 to 39.7 FPS. The percentage drops are 37% and 45% respectively. High settings show 91.6 to 60 to 31.2 FPS, with drops of 34% and 48%. Ultra settings display the steepest decline: 68 to 43.1 to 22.9 FPS, representing 37% and 47% reductions.

The consistency of these drops—roughly 35% from 1080p to 1440p and 47% from 1440p to 4K—points to the GPU as the primary limiting component. The CPU's compute scores, which rank in the 73rd percentile, are unlikely to bottleneck at any resolution. Instead, the RTX 2060's raw throughput and memory bandwidth become the binding constraints as pixel count increases. The fact that the i5-10400F's scores are competitive with its rivals further supports this interpretation: the processor has headroom that the GPU cannot exploit at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The data suggests that 1920x1080 is the sweet spot for this combo. At this resolution, even the Ultra preset achieves 68 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. For players who prioritize frame rate, the Low preset at 144.4 FPS offers a buttery-smooth experience, but the Medium preset at 115.7 FPS provides a better balance of visual quality and performance. High settings at 91.6 FPS are also viable, and the choice between Medium, High, and Ultra depends on whether the player values visual fidelity or frame rate headroom.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. High settings at exactly 60 FPS are playable, but Medium at 72.5 FPS offers more comfort margin. The Low preset at 92.4 FPS is the safest bet for consistent performance, while Ultra at 43.1 FPS is best avoided unless the player is willing to accept sub-60 frame rates. Since Hard West is turn-based, the lower frame rates are less punishing than in real-time genres, but the smoother experience of Medium or High is preferable.

For 3840x2160, the data is unambiguous: none of the presets reach 60 FPS. Low at 48.3 FPS is the only option approaching playability, and even that is below standard thresholds. Medium at 39.7 FPS and High at 31.2 FPS are marginal, while Ultra at 22.9 FPS is not recommended. Players with 4K displays should either drop to 1440p or accept significant compromises in visual quality. The GPU's 6 GB VRAM and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not sufficient for this resolution in Hard West.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is 1920x1080 with Medium or High settings. This yields frame rates between 91.6 and 115.7 FPS, well above the 60 FPS threshold, while retaining enough visual detail to appreciate the game's atmosphere. For 1440p users, Medium settings at 72.5 FPS offer the best compromise. The Ultra preset is only advisable at 1080p, where it maintains 68 FPS without sacrificing too much performance.