Hard West

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 presents a classic high-resolution gaming scenario where the GPU does the heavy lifting, but the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads must keep up with the frame pacing. In Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015, this combination yields surprisingly high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the data showing that the system is rarely bottlenecked at the settings where most players will actually run the game. The i5-10400F operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, built on the Comet Lake architecture using a 14 nm process. Its 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s provide sufficient throughput for feeding the RTX 4090's massive processing power. The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14185, indicating it is a solid mid-range performer that, while not top-tier, does not cripple the GPU in this specific title. The data from the measured FPS shows that at 1080p, the CPU is sufficient to push frame rates well beyond what most displays can show, making the GPU the definitive factor at higher resolutions.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F brings 6 cores and 12 threads to the table, a configuration that is more than adequate for a turn-based tactics game like Hard West, which does not rely on massive multi-threaded physics simulations or complex AI pathfinding that would stress a modern CPU. The benchmark results show the processor's multi-threaded capability with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10283 and a single-core score of 1451, highlighting that while it is not a powerhouse in either category, it offers balanced performance. In contrast, its nearest rivals in the database—such as the Intel Xeon 6756E (deltaPct 0.2) and the AMD EPYC 7552 (deltaPct 0.5)—show that the i5-10400F sits in a narrow performance band, meaning that any of these chips would deliver nearly identical gameplay experiences in Hard West. The 3DMark multi-thread scores (4748 for 16 threads, 4735 for max threads) suggest that the processor scales well up to its full thread count, but the game's engine likely only utilizes a fraction of that, making the single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 2541) more relevant for ensuring consistent turn transitions and UI responsiveness.

The clock speeds of 2.90 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost are modest by modern standards, but the data from the measured FPS indicates that this is not a limiting factor. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 180 FPS, which is a clear indicator that the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to saturate the frame buffer. The difference between the Low and Ultra settings at 1080p (180 FPS vs 137 FPS) shows a 43 FPS drop, which is primarily due to increased GPU load rather than CPU limitations. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its proximity to rivals like the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (deltaPct -0.6) suggests that while it is not a top-tier processor, it is well within the range required for smooth gameplay in this title. The PassMark physics score of 696 is a modest number, but for a turn-based game where the action is not real-time, the CPU's ability to handle game logic and unit movements is more than sufficient, as evidenced by the high average FPS even at 4K Ultra (57 FPS), which is more GPU-bound than CPU-bound.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an absolute monster of a graphics card, and its role in Hard West is to provide an overwhelming amount of rendering headroom that results in extremely high frame rates at even the most demanding settings. With 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, the card has a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s, which is overkill for a game from 2015 but ensures that texture loading and asset streaming are never a bottleneck. The GPU's boost clock of 2520 MHz, combined with its 16384 shading units and 512 TMUs, allows it to process the game's graphical effects with ease. The RTX 4090's benchmark scores reflect its dominance: a PassMark G3D score of 38194 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 255416 place it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database—the Intel Arc Pro A60 (deltaPct 0) and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (deltaPct -2.5)—are professional workstation cards that score similarly on synthetic benchmarks, but the RTX 4090's gaming architecture provides far more practical performance in this title.

The data shows that the GPU's VRAM of 24 GB is never stressed, as even at 4K Ultra settings, the game only requires a fraction of that capacity. The measured FPS at 3840x2160 demonstrates the GPU's scaling: at Low settings, the average is 120 FPS, but dropping to Ultra reduces this to 57 FPS, a 52.5% decrease that shows the game's Ultra preset imposes significant rendering costs, likely through higher-resolution shadows and post-processing effects. The RTX 4090's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and its pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s mean that even at 4K, the card has ample compute resources to draw the game's environments and character models. The GPU's memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) and its 1.01 TB/s bandwidth ensure that data flows quickly from VRAM to the processing cores, but for a game of Hard West's era, the card is essentially idling at lower resolutions. At 1920x1080, the differences between settings are compressed: Low hits 180 FPS, Medium 168 FPS, High 152 FPS, and Ultra 137 FPS, indicating that the GPU is so fast that even the most demanding settings cannot create a significant performance gap at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in Hard West?

A: The data suggests it is not a significant bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves 180 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra, it maintains 57 FPS. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 2541 and its 68th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicate it has enough processing power to keep up with the GPU in this turn-based title, which does not demand high frame rates for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's performance in Hard West compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60347, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc Pro A60, has a deltaPct of 0, meaning they score nearly identically on synthetic benchmarks. However, the RTX 4090's gaming-specific architecture, with its 24 GB VRAM and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, provides superior real-world performance in this game, as evidenced by the high measured FPS.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 131 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a very playable frame rate, and the lack of a min or max FPS value in the data suggests that frame pacing is consistent, which is important for a turn-based game where you want smooth camera transitions.

Q: Does the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM provide any advantage in Hard West?

A: No, the game from 2015 will not use anywhere near 24 GB of VRAM. The data shows that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s is more than sufficient for the game's textures and assets, so the VRAM capacity is not a limiting factor in any of the measured settings or resolutions.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance affect the game?

A: The i5-10400F's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10283 and its PassMark multithread score of 12115 are strong indicators of its ability to handle background tasks. In Hard West, the game's turn-based nature means that CPU load is primarily focused on game logic and AI, which is more dependent on single-thread performance. The CPU's 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 shows it can handle parallel workloads, but this is not critical for this game's frame rates.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's 450W TDP a concern for this game?

A: The TDP is a hardware specification, not a performance metric. The data shows that the card's power draw is not a factor in the measured FPS results. The card's suggested PSU of 850W is a system requirement, but for a game like Hard West, the GPU will likely not be running at its maximum power draw consistently, as the frame rates at lower settings indicate the card is not fully utilized.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how different settings impact performance, and the optimal choice depends on your resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 137 FPS, which is excellent for any standard 60Hz or 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 152 FPS offers a marginal improvement, but the visual difference between High and Ultra in a turn-based game is often subtle, making High a strong recommendation for those who want a balance of image quality and headroom. The Medium preset at 168 FPS is also viable if you have a high-refresh-rate display, but the jump from Medium to High (16 FPS difference) is worth it for the improved shadows and textures. The Low preset at 180 FPS provides no practical benefit unless you have a 240Hz monitor, but the visual downgrade is significant.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Ultra preset yields 108 FPS, which is still very smooth and ideal for a 144Hz monitor. The High preset at 131 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a noticeable improvement over Ultra in terms of frame rate (23 FPS more) while maintaining near-maximum visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 144 FPS is another excellent option, and the data includes min FPS of 122 and max FPS of 166, indicating good frame consistency. At this resolution, the Low preset at 155 FPS is not recommended because the visual quality loss is not justified by the frame rate gain over Medium. For 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. The Ultra preset drops to 57 FPS, which is playable for a turn-based game but not ideal for smooth camera movement. The High preset at 76 FPS is the recommended setting for 4K, as it provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while retaining most of the visual enhancements. The Medium preset at 99 FPS is also excellent, and the data shows a min FPS of 84 and max FPS of 113, making it the best choice for 4K gaming if you want to ensure no dips below 60 FPS. The Low preset at 120 FPS is overkill for 4K and sacrifices too much visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 holds a rank of 746 out of 3722 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the top 20% of all systems tested. This ranking is impressive given the CPU's relatively modest performance metrics, but it underscores the importance of the GPU in this game. The RTX 4090's 88th percentile GPU ranking is the primary driver of this high combo rank, as the measured FPS data shows that the system can maintain high frame rates even at 4K. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking is a secondary factor, but the data indicates that the i5-10400F does not significantly drag down the overall performance in this specific game. Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing benefits from the GPU's massive rendering power, which compensates for the CPU's lower single-thread performance.

The combo rank of 746 out of 3722 means that there are 745 other combinations that perform better in this game, likely featuring newer or higher-end CPUs that can push frame rates even higher at lower resolutions. However, the practical difference is minimal at 1080p, where the system already achieves 180 FPS on Low settings. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in determining performance, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops when moving from Low to Ultra settings at each resolution. This ranking suggests that if you already own an i5-10400F and are considering an RTX 4090 upgrade for Hard West, you will see substantial performance gains, but you might leave some performance on the table at 1080p with a faster CPU. At 4K, however, the ranking is more about the GPU's capabilities, and the i5-10400F is sufficient to keep the RTX 4090 well-fed.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data offers a comprehensive look at how this system performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. Starting at 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset yields an average of 180 FPS, with no min or max values recorded, suggesting consistent performance. The Medium preset shows an average of 168 FPS, with a min of 143 FPS and a max of 193 FPS, indicating a wider variance but still excellent performance. The High preset averages 152 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 137 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 43 FPS, which is significant but still leaves the system far above the 60 FPS threshold. At this resolution, the system is primarily GPU-bound at higher settings, but the CPU's 6 cores are sufficient to maintain high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably. The Low preset averages 155 FPS, a 25 FPS drop from 1080p, which is expected as the GPU works harder. The Medium preset averages 144 FPS, with a min of 122 FPS and a max of 166 FPS, showing good stability. The High preset averages 131 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 108 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 47 FPS, slightly larger than at 1080p, indicating that the Ultra preset's effects are more demanding at higher pixel counts. The data shows that even at 1440p Ultra, the system maintains a smooth 108 FPS, making this resolution an excellent choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The move to 3840x2160 brings the most significant performance changes. The Low preset averages 120 FPS, which is still remarkably high for 4K. The Medium preset averages 99 FPS, with a min of 84 FPS and a max of 113 FPS, providing a solid 4K experience. The High preset averages 76 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 57 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 63 FPS, the largest gap across all resolutions, highlighting the GPU's workload at this pixel count. For 4K gaming, the High preset at 76 FPS is the most balanced, while the Ultra preset at 57 FPS is still playable for a turn-based game but may feel less smooth during camera movements.