Hard West

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti presents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics for a turn-based tactics title like Hard West. The data indicates a configuration where the GPU's immense raw power is frequently held in check by the processor’s capabilities, yet the game remains highly playable across most settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, focusing on how resolution and settings shift the balance of load between the two components.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo reveals a classic scaling pattern where the burden on the graphics card increases substantially with resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is clearly CPU-bound at higher settings, with the RTX 3080 Ti having significant headroom left unused. The framerate at 1080p High (152 avg FPS) and 1080p Ultra (120 avg FPS) shows a relatively modest drop compared to the jump to 1440p, indicating that the CPU is the primary limiter at this resolution. The 1080p Low setting hits 180 avg FPS, which is likely near the practical ceiling for this processor in this game engine.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to take on more work, but the CPU still exerts a strong influence. The High setting at 1440p yields 102 avg FPS, a significant drop from the 152 avg FPS at 1080p High, showing that the increased pixel count is now demanding more from the GPU. However, the scaling is not linear, suggesting the CPU is still preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential. The 1440p Ultra setting produces 76 avg FPS, which is a playable result but far below what the RTX 3080 Ti could achieve in a less CPU-constrained scenario.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the RTX 3080 Ti finally becomes the dominant factor. The 4K High setting produces 53 avg FPS, while 4K Ultra drops to 40 avg FPS. This is the resolution where the GPU's workload becomes so demanding that the CPU bottleneck is largely alleviated. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steep, with the Ultra setting dropping from 76 to 40 FPS. This demonstrates that for 4K gaming, the RTX 3080 Ti is the limiting component, while at 1080p and to a lesser extent 1440p, the Intel Core i5-10400F is holding the system back.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. In the context of Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the data suggests that this CPU is sufficient for maintaining high framerates at lower resolutions but becomes a bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p when paired with such a powerful GPU. The benchmark results show a strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283, but single-thread performance is more modest at 1451.

For a game like Hard West, which likely relies heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and AI calculations, the i5-10400F's single-core score is a relevant metric. The 3DMark single-thread score of 688 and Geekbench single-core score of 1420 indicate that while the CPU is not weak, it cannot keep pace with the RTX 3080 Ti's ability to render frames. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system hits 180 avg FPS, which is likely near the limit of what the CPU can feed to the GPU. The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth are adequate for this game, but the core architecture's limitations become apparent when trying to drive framerates above 150 FPS.

The processor's percentile rank of 68 versus all CPUs indicates it is a mid-range performer. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the AMD EPYC 7552 and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, showing it sits in a competitive but not top-tier position. For Hard West, this means the CPU will not be the star of the show, but it is capable of delivering playable performance at all but the highest framerates, where the GPU is waiting for more data.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti ranks 1215 out of 3722 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the 67th percentile of all tested systems, which is a strong showing, but it is important to contextualize this rank. The high rank is likely due to the sheer power of the RTX 3080 Ti, which can brute-force its way through most scenarios, even when held back by the CPU. The rank would be significantly higher if the CPU were not a limiting factor at lower resolutions.

This ranking suggests that while this combo is not top-tier, it is far from a poor pairing. The data shows that the system is capable of delivering smooth gameplay at 1440p and 4K, which is where the GPU can stretch its legs. The combo's position underscores the RTX 3080 Ti's dominance; it is a GPU that ranks in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41187. The CPU, ranking in the 68th percentile, is the weaker link, but together they form a system that is well above average for this title.

The measured FPS data confirms this ranking. At 1440p High, the system achieves 102 avg FPS, and at 4K High, it achieves 53 avg FPS. These are excellent numbers for a game released in 2015. The combo's performance is likely limited by the CPU at 1080p, where the 152 avg FPS at High settings is good but not exceptional for an RTX 3080 Ti. Overall, this is a solid mid-to-high-tier combination for Hard West, with the GPU carrying most of the load.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest framerates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 180. Medium settings see a drop to 168 avg FPS, with a minimum of 143 and a maximum of 193. High settings produce 152 avg FPS, and Ultra settings yield 120 avg FPS. The framerate drop from Low to Ultra is 60 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not the primary bottleneck at this resolution; the CPU is.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's increasing workload. Low settings produce 155 avg FPS. Medium settings are close behind at 132 avg FPS, with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152. High settings drop to 102 avg FPS, and Ultra settings produce 76 avg FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra here is 79 FPS, a larger gap than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is becoming more of a factor. The 1440p Medium result of 132 avg FPS is particularly notable, as it shows a smooth experience with a 112 FPS minimum.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3080 Ti is clearly the limiting component. Low settings produce 85 avg FPS. Medium settings drop to 69 avg FPS, with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 80. High settings yield 53 avg FPS, and Ultra settings produce 40 avg FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 45 FPS, which is less than at lower resolutions, but the absolute numbers are much lower. The 4K Medium setting, with a 59 FPS minimum, is the lowest playable threshold in the data. The 4K Ultra result of 40 avg FPS is playable but not ideal for a smooth experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a powerhouse based on the Ampere architecture, with a GA102 chip manufactured on an 8 nm process. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 10240 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, along with 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores. Its base clock is 1365 MHz, with a boost clock of 1665 MHz, and it is rated for a TDP of 350 W. The GPU's performance is exceptional, ranking in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 41187.

In Hard West, the RTX 3080 Ti's role is to provide massive framerate headroom, especially at higher resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p, the GPU is underutilized, as the CPU is the limiting factor. However, at 4K, the GPU's power is fully realized, with the 4K High setting producing 53 avg FPS. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for a game from 2015, and its high bandwidth ensures that texture streaming is not an issue. The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark score include the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, but the RTX 3080 Ti's performance in this game is dictated by the CPU at lower resolutions.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 34.10 TFLOPS and texture rate of 532.8 GTexel/s are more than capable of handling the graphical demands of Hard West. The measured FPS data indicates that the GPU is the dominant component at 1440p and 4K, where its raw power translates directly into higher framerates. At 4K Ultra, the 40 avg FPS shows the GPU's ability to handle demanding settings, even if it falls short of the 60 FPS target. The RTX 3080 Ti is the star of this combo, and its performance is the primary reason this system ranks as high as it does.

FAQ

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

A: The highest average FPS is 180, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the peak performance for this combination, limited by the CPU.

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Hard West?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K High settings, the system achieves 53 avg FPS, and at 4K Medium, it achieves 69 avg FPS. 4K Ultra produces 40 avg FPS, which is playable but not ideal.

Q: At what resolution does the GPU become the primary bottleneck?

A: The GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 3840x2160. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is the limiting factor, as shown by the relatively small framerate drops between settings at 1080p.

Q: How does the i5-10400F's single-thread performance affect the game?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1451, which is modest. In a turn-based tactics game, this likely limits the maximum framerate at 1080p, as the CPU cannot feed frames to the GPU fast enough.

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

A: The combo ranks 1215 out of 3722 tested combos. This places it in a strong position, driven primarily by the GPU's high performance.

Q: Is the 12 GB of VRAM on the RTX 3080 Ti sufficient for Hard West?

A: Yes, the 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is more than sufficient for Hard West, a game from 2015. The high memory bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s ensures smooth texture streaming at all resolutions.