Hard West

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Hard West. At 1080p, the combo provides high frame rates across all settings, but the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor as resolution increases, with 4K Ultra dipping below 30 FPS. The data indicates that this pairing is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it maintains a smooth experience on High settings, while 4K requires significant compromises on visual quality.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates show a predictable and steep decline as resolution scales from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 109 at 1080p to 69 at 1440p, a reduction of 40 FPS, and then further down to 36 at 4K. This represents a 67% performance loss from 1080p to 4K on High settings, indicating that the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is heavily taxed by the higher pixel counts.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 172 at 1080p to 109 at 1440p, and then to 57 at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 141 FPS at 1080p, 89 at 1440p, and 47 at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with averages of 81, 51, and 27 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The fact that even the Low preset at 4K only reaches 57 FPS—barely above the 60 FPS threshold—strongly suggests that the GPU's computational throughput, rather than the CPU, is the primary bottleneck at this resolution.

The frame time consistency also degrades at higher resolutions. At 4K Medium, the minimum FPS is 40 and the maximum is 54, a spread of 14 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is narrower, from 76 to 103 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the range tightens further to 120-162 FPS. This increasing variance at higher resolutions points to the GPU struggling to maintain consistent frame pacing under heavier load, which could translate to perceptible stutter in a turn-based tactics game where camera panning and unit animations need to be smooth.

The data reveals that the transition from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing. On High settings, the drop from 69 to 36 FPS is a 48% reduction, whereas the drop from 1080p to 1440p is a 37% reduction. This non-linear scaling indicates that the RX 9060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely saturated at 4K, causing a more severe performance cliff than would be expected from pixel count alone. Consequently, for a consistent 60+ FPS experience, 1080p is the safe zone, while 1440p is viable for High settings, and 4K is only feasible for Low settings.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data supports a clear hierarchy of settings for this hardware combination. The Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers an average of 141 FPS, which is only 31 FPS lower than Low but provides substantially better visual fidelity. At 1440p, Medium maintains a solid 89 FPS average, comfortably above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. Even at 4K, Medium manages a playable 47 FPS average, with a minimum of 40 FPS that avoids the most noticeable stutter.

For users prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds 100 FPS at 1080p (172 FPS) and 1440p (109 FPS). However, the jump from Low to Medium at 1440p only costs 20 FPS (109 to 89), making Medium the more sensible choice for most players who want a richer visual experience without sacrificing fluidity. The High preset at 1440p, at 69 FPS, is still acceptable, but the 20 FPS penalty over Medium suggests that the additional graphical effects are not worth the performance cost on this GPU.

The Ultra preset is not recommended for any resolution. At 1080p, it averages 81 FPS, which is 60 FPS lower than Medium. At 1440p, it falls to 51 FPS, and at 4K, it drops to a barely playable 27 FPS. The performance gap between Medium and Ultra is substantial—54 FPS at 1080p, 38 FPS at 1440p, and 20 FPS at 4K—indicating that Ultra settings impose a heavy GPU workload that the RX 9060 cannot handle efficiently. Given that Hard West is a turn-based tactics game, where slow-paced decision-making is common, the 47 FPS average at 4K Medium is arguably more acceptable than the 27 FPS at Ultra, as the latter risks noticeable input lag and animation judder. The optimal configuration is therefore Medium at 1440p, with High as a viable alternative for those who prefer sharper textures at the cost of some frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores indicate a capable mid-range part: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 7737. In the context of Hard West, a turn-based tactics title that is not typically known for extreme CPU demands, this processor is unlikely to be the limiting factor.

The measured frame rates across resolutions show a pattern that is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios. At 1080p Low, the average FPS reaches 172, which is below the theoretical maximum the CPU could push, but the consistent scaling down to 57 FPS at 4K Low suggests that the GPU is the primary constraint. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates plateau or become inconsistent across different resolutions, particularly at lower settings. Instead, the data shows a smooth degradation, indicating that the i5-11400F has sufficient headroom to feed the RX 9060 at all tested settings.

The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth) are adequate for this game's data requirements. The processor's 3DMark scores, such as 5652 for max threads and 868 for single thread, show balanced multi-threaded and single-threaded performance. In Hard West, where AI calculations and turn resolution may utilize multiple threads, the 12 threads of the i5-11400F provide a solid foundation. The nearest rival data shows the i5-11400F is closely matched with the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% higher score) and the Intel Core i5-12450H (0.4% lower score), confirming it sits in a competitive performance tier. For this game, the CPU's role is to provide stable frame pacing, which it does effectively, as evidenced by the tight minimum-to-maximum FPS ranges at 1080p and 1440p Medium settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations, the Intel Core i5-11400F + AMD Radeon RX 9060 pairing ranks 2202 out of 3722 combos for Hard West. This places it in the 59th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms approximately 59% of the systems in the database for this specific game. This is a mid-range ranking, reflecting the GPU's 59th percentile standing among all GPUs and the CPU's 71st percentile among all CPUs.

The ranking suggests that while this combo is not a top-tier performer, it is far from the bottom. The gap between the CPU's percentile (71) and the GPU's percentile (59) indicates that the GPU is the weaker component in this pairing, dragging down the overall combo rank. The GPU's average benchmark score of 16014 is close to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16129, a 0.7% difference) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852, a 1% difference). This places the RX 9060 in a competitive mid-range segment, but its 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus are modest by modern standards, which becomes apparent at higher resolutions.

The combo rank of 2202 out of 3722 implies that there are 1520 worse-performing combos and 2201 better-performing ones. For a game like Hard West, which is not graphically intensive by today's standards, this ranking is respectable. The data suggests that users with this combo will have a smooth experience at 1080p and a good experience at 1440p, but will need to lower settings at 4K. The ranking also implies that upgrading the GPU would yield a more significant performance boost than upgrading the CPU, given the CPU's higher relative standing. This is a balanced system, but one where the GPU is the clear bottleneck for high-resolution gaming.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the defining component in this system's performance profile. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 2990 MHz, with a game clock of 2400 MHz. The GPU's compute capabilities include 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, delivering 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The GPU's benchmark scores show a Passmark G3D score of 17631 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322, placing it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs.

The measured FPS data in Hard West clearly illustrates the GPU's strengths and limitations. At 1080p, the GPU is able to deliver high frame rates across all settings, from 172 FPS at Low to 81 FPS at Ultra. This indicates that the GPU has ample computational power for this resolution, and the game is likely not fully utilizing the GPU's capabilities at lower settings. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity become limiting factors. At 4K, even the Low preset only achieves 57 FPS, which is a 67% drop from the 1080p Low result.

The 8 GB VRAM is a significant constraint at 4K. Modern game textures at 4K resolution can easily exceed 8 GB, leading to texture swapping and performance degradation. This is reflected in the steep performance cliff between 1440p and 4K. At 1440p High, the average FPS is 69, which is a strong result. At 4K High, it drops to 36 FPS, a 48% reduction. The 128-bit memory bus, providing 288.0 GB/s, is also a limiting factor, as it may not be able to feed the GPU's compute units efficiently at high resolutions. The GPU's 64 ROPs, which handle pixel output, are also relatively modest for 4K resolutions, contributing to the pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s. The data shows that the RX 9060 is a capable 1080p and 1440p GPU, but it is not designed for 4K gaming, especially at higher settings. The fact that the GPU's average benchmark score is only 1% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862) highlights that while it is a modern part, its performance tier is mid-range, and it is best utilized at lower resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Hard West?*

A: The data indicates that 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution. At High settings, the average FPS is 69, and at Medium it is 89, both providing a smooth experience. 1080p offers higher frame rates (109 FPS at High), but 1440p provides a better balance of visual detail and performance. 4K is only playable at Low settings, with 57 FPS average.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The GPU is the clear limiting factor at 4K. At Ultra settings, the average FPS is 27, which is below the playable threshold. The CPU's strong benchmark scores (71st percentile) suggest it has sufficient headroom, while the GPU's 59th percentile and 8 GB VRAM are insufficient for 4K Ultra. The performance drop from 1440p Ultra (51 FPS) to 4K Ultra (27 FPS) is a 47% reduction, confirming the GPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the RX 9060 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, scores 16129, which is 0.7% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 scores 15852, which is 1% lower. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, also 1% lower. This places the RX 9060 in a very tight performance cluster, with less than 2% difference between all four cards.

Q: What settings preset should I use for a consistent 60+ FPS experience at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset is the safest choice, delivering an average of 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS. The High preset averages 69 FPS, which is also above 60 FPS, but the minimum FPS is not recorded, so there is a small risk of dips below 60. Ultra averages 51 FPS, which is not recommended for a 60 FPS target.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top half of all tested systems for this game?

A: Yes. The combo ranks 2202 out of 3722 total combinations, placing it in the top 59% of all tested systems. This is a solid mid-range ranking, indicating that the combo performs better than the majority of systems in the database for Hard West.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K on High settings?

A: The average FPS drops from 109 at 1080p to 36 at 4K, a loss of 73 FPS or 67% of the original performance. This significant drop highlights the GPU's inability to handle the increased pixel count at 4K, making 4K gaming impractical on this hardware.