Hard West

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers a strong performance tier for Hard West, but the ranking data reveals that this specific pairing sits in the upper-middle of the tested field. With a combo rank of 771 out of 1699 tested combinations, this system outperforms more than half of all recorded setups while remaining firmly behind the top-tier configurations. The percentile data supports this positioning: the CPU ranks in the 77th percentile against all processors, while the GPU sits in the 72nd percentile against all graphics cards. This combination of two solidly above-average components results in a system that is well-suited for the turn-based tactical genre, though it is not an absolute top performer. The measured frames per second across all resolutions and settings presets confirm that the hardware is never the limiting factor for playability, as even the most demanding preset at the highest resolution maintains a playable average.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 771 out of 1699 places it in the 54th percentile of all tested pairings, which indicates a balanced but not exceptional system for Hard West. The CPU's benchmark scores are particularly telling: the Intel Core i5-12400F achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16518 and a single-core score of 2332. When compared against its nearest rivals, the data shows this processor is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-8700K, which scores 19210 versus the i5-12400F's 19221 average benchmark score — a negligible delta of 0.1 percent. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS sits slightly ahead at 19364, representing a -0.7 percent delta from the i5-12400F, while the AMD EPYC 7773X trails at 18979, a 1.3 percent delta. These differences are within noise margins, meaning the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class. The GPU similarly shows tight competition: the RTX 3070's average benchmark score of 28238 places it just 0.9 percent behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (27985) and 1.0 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti (27956). The AMD FirePro S7150 leads this group at 28409, a -0.6 percent delta. This clustering suggests that for Hard West, the combo's rank is determined less by raw component strength and more by how the specific workload of turn-based tactics interacts with the hardware.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 contributes to Hard West's performance through its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 14 Gbps effective speed, while the GPU core operates at a base of 1500 MHz and boosts to 1725 MHz. These specifications are more than sufficient for a game released in 2015, as the measured FPS data demonstrates. The GPU's 5888 shading units and 96 ROPs provide substantial fill rate capabilities, with a pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance of 20.31 TFLOPS indicates the card can handle heavy shader workloads, though Hard West's turn-based nature means the GPU is rarely maxed out. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the RTX 3070 produces 98.4 FPS average, which shows headroom remains even at the highest preset. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for this game's textures and effects, as evidenced by the consistent performance across all settings — there is no indication of memory pressure causing frame drops at any resolution, including 4K Ultra where the average of 35.9 FPS is still playable for a tactical game.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings across resolutions. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 98.4 FPS average, which is smooth for turn-based gameplay, while the High preset improves to 136 FPS. The Medium preset achieves 172 FPS, and Low reaches 209 FPS. For most players, the High preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as the jump from High to Ultra only adds visual fidelity but reduces frame rate by 27.6 percent. At 1440p, the High preset maintains 86.3 FPS, which remains fluid, while Ultra drops to 63.2 FPS — still playable but with less headroom. The Medium preset at 1440p provides 111.9 FPS, which may be preferable for those who prioritize smoothness over maximum detail. At 4K, the situation changes: High settings yield 43.2 FPS, Medium produces 59.2 FPS, and Low reaches 69.6 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 35.9 FPS, which is borderline for a tactical game but may cause noticeable stutter during camera pans. The data suggests that for 4K, the Medium preset offers the best experience, providing a 36.6 percent improvement over High while maintaining acceptable visual quality. For 1440p, High is recommended, and for 1080p, Ultra is viable given the high frame rates.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo compare to the average performance of all tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 771 out of 1699 tested combinations, meaning it outperforms roughly 54 percent of all recorded pairings. The CPU sits in the 77th percentile and the GPU in the 72nd percentile, indicating both components are above average individually.

Q: Is the RTX 3070's 8 GB VRAM sufficient for Hard West at 4K?

A: Yes, the measured data shows the GPU maintains 43.2 FPS at 4K High settings and 35.9 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 8 GB capacity is not a bottleneck at any tested resolution, as frame rates scale consistently with preset changes.

Q: Which component is more likely to limit performance in this game?

A: The resolution scaling data indicates the GPU becomes the primary limiter at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU's single-thread performance (2332 in Cinebench R23) is sufficient, but the FPS drop from 209 at Low to 98.4 at Ultra shows the GPU's workload scaling. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, with frame rates dropping below 60 FPS at all presets.

Q: How does the i5-12400F compare to its closest rival, the i7-8700K?

A: The two processors are effectively tied, with the i5-12400F scoring 19221 average versus the i7-8700K's 19210, a delta of 0.1 percent. In Cinebench R23, the i5-12400F achieves 16518 multi-core and 2332 single-core, which aligns with its competitive positioning.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 1440p delivers 86.3 FPS, which is the recommended choice for balancing visual quality and smoothness. The Ultra preset drops to 63.2 FPS, while Medium achieves 111.9 FPS, so players who prefer higher frame rates over maximum detail may opt for Medium.

Q: Does the data support the claim that this is a "measured" benchmark result?

A: Yes, the JSON field "dataIsMeasured" is set to true, confirming that the FPS values come from actual testing rather than estimates. The absence of min or max FPS values indicates the data represents average performance only.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals how the workload shifts between CPU and GPU as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the system delivers 136 FPS, which drops to 86.3 FPS at 1440p High — a 36.4 percent reduction — and further to 43.2 FPS at 4K High, another 50 percent reduction. This pattern of roughly halving frame rates with each resolution step indicates the GPU is the dominant constraint at higher resolutions. The CPU's role is more apparent at 1080p: the difference between Low (209 FPS) and Ultra (98.4 FPS) shows that even with the GPU handling more work at Ultra, the frame rate remains high, suggesting the CPU can keep pace. However, at 4K, the gap between Low (69.6 FPS) and Ultra (35.9 FPS) narrows in absolute terms, but the relative drop is similar. The data indicates that for this turn-based tactical game, the GPU becomes the limiting factor above 1080p. The RTX 3070's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the raw compute throughput of 20.31 TFLOPS is what determines the frame rate at higher resolutions. The 4K Ultra result of 35.9 FPS is the only configuration that approaches the edge of playability, suggesting that players should avoid Ultra at 4K and instead use Medium (59.2 FPS) or High (43.2 FPS) for a better experience. The scaling pattern confirms that the i5-12400F's 6 cores and 12 threads are not a bottleneck at any resolution tested, as frame rates scale predictably with GPU load.