Hard West

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a decisive performance advantage in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title where frame rates are exceptionally high across all tested configurations. The data shows this combination ranks 322nd out of 1699 tested combos, placing it in the top 19% of all systems, with the RTX 5070’s 12 GB of GDDR7 memory and the i5-13400F’s 10-core design ensuring that even the most demanding Ultra preset remains playable at 4K.

FAQ

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS is 131.7, which is 50% higher than the 4K Ultra result of 44.2, demonstrating that the CPU and GPU combination scales well with resolution.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 5070 compared to its nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 41687, which is 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090’s score of 41441, showing a marginal but measurable lead.

Q: What is the CPU’s multi-threaded performance relative to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F scores 25236 on average, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D’s score of 25365, indicating near-identical multi-threaded capabilities.

Q: Does the RTX 5070 support modern graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, all of which are relevant for a 2015 title like Hard West that benefits from newer driver optimizations.

Q: What is the boost clock of the Intel Core i5-13400F?

A: The CPU has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, which is crucial for single-threaded tasks in turn-based games that rely on rapid CPU calculations.

*Q: How does the combo rank in Hard West specifically?*

A: The combination ranks 322nd out of 1699 total combos, which places it above the median and indicates strong performance for this game’s engine.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of frame rates in Hard West, and its specifications reflect a card built for high refresh rates. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, with 6144 shading units and 80 ROPs. These figures translate into a pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s, which are more than sufficient for the relatively low geometric complexity of the game’s turn-based isometric scenes.

The memory subsystem is a standout feature: 12 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. For Hard West, this bandwidth is not a bottleneck, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra average of 44.2 FPS, which is the lowest measured but still playable. The card’s FP32 performance of 30.87 TFLOPS ensures that even the most shader-heavy effects at Ultra settings are processed without stutter. Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070’s average benchmark score of 41687 is 0.6% above the RTX 3090 and 0.2% above the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, confirming that it sits at the top of its immediate performance class. The GPU’s 83rd percentile ranking among all GPUs further underscores its capability, though the data shows that Hard West is not particularly demanding, allowing the card to exceed 100 FPS at 1440p High settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F plays a supporting but essential role, particularly in a turn-based tactics game where AI pathfinding and turn calculations are CPU-bound. The processor features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This configuration yields strong single-threaded performance, as shown by the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3004, which is critical for the game’s deterministic logic.

Multi-threaded performance is equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21279 and a Passmark multithread score of 25032. The CPU’s 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency during rapid scene changes. In benchmark terms, the i5-13400F’s average score of 25236 places it 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H and 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, showing that it is competitively positioned. The CPU’s 82nd percentile ranking among all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of processors, which is beneficial because Hard West’s turn-based nature can involve long pauses where the CPU must process multiple unit actions simultaneously. The 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4/DDR5 memory support ensure consistent performance without thermal throttling, though the data does not indicate any CPU-related frame drops even at 1080p Low where the average FPS reaches 255.8.

How This Combo Ranks

In the specific context of Hard West, the combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 achieves a rank of 322 out of 1699 tested combos. This places the system in the 81st percentile of all combinations, which is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU. The ranking suggests that the system is not bottlenecked by either component; instead, it delivers balanced performance that exceeds the majority of user configurations.

The rank is particularly impressive given that Hard West was released in 2015, meaning the game’s engine is not optimized for modern multi-core processors. Despite this, the i5-13400F’s 10 cores provide ample headroom, and the RTX 5070’s raw compute power ensures that GPU-bound scenarios are handled effortlessly. The data shows that the combo is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H in CPU benchmarks, but more importantly, the GPU’s 83rd percentile ranking lifts the overall system performance. When comparing to the nearest GPU rival, the RTX 3090, the RTX 5070 is 0.6% faster in synthetic tests, which translates to a 0.5% average FPS advantage in Hard West at 1080p High (176.1 vs. the expected 175). This rank is a verdict on efficiency: the combo delivers high frame rates without requiring an extreme CPU or GPU, making it a well-rounded choice for this title.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 255.8, dropping to 176.9 at 1440p Low and 93.9 at 4K Low. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 63% drop from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the RTX 5070 is the limiting factor at lower settings. Conversely, at Ultra settings, the 1080p average of 131.7 drops to 84.3 at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and 44.2 at 4K (a 66% reduction), showing a similar proportional decline.

The consistency of these drops across all settings suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat from 1080p to 1440p, but the data shows a steady decline, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. For example, the jump from 4K Medium (73.7 FPS) to 4K High (57.2 FPS) is a 22% reduction, which aligns with the increased shader and texture loads. The data also shows that the i5-13400F’s single-threaded score of 960 in 3DMark is sufficient to feed the GPU, as even at 1080p Low, the frame rate exceeds 250 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most monitors. This scaling analysis indicates that users with 1440p or 4K displays will see the most benefit from the RTX 5070, while the CPU’s role is to maintain a stable frame delivery without introducing stutter.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 255.8 at Low to 131.7 at Ultra, with Medium at 227.0 and High at 176.1. This shows a 48% reduction from Low to Ultra, which is a significant but expected cost for higher visual fidelity. At 2560x1440, the averages are 176.9 (Low), 143.9 (Medium), 108.1 (High), and 84.3 (Ultra), representing a 52% drop from Low to Ultra. At 3840x2160, the averages are 93.9 (Low), 73.7 (Medium), 57.2 (High), and 44.2 (Ultra), a 53% reduction.

The most notable observation is that even at 4K Ultra, the average FPS of 44.2 is above the 30 FPS threshold typically considered playable for turn-based games, though it is lower than the 60 FPS target. At 1440p Ultra, the 84.3 FPS average is smooth, and at 1080p Ultra, the 131.7 FPS is well above any refresh rate. The data also shows that the step from Medium to High at 4K costs 16.5 FPS (from 73.7 to 57.2), while the step from High to Ultra costs 13.0 FPS (from 57.2 to 44.2), indicating diminishing returns at the highest preset. These numbers confirm that the RTX 5070 is exceptionally fast for this game, as even the most demanding configuration remains playable.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. For 1080p users, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as the 131.7 FPS average provides a smooth experience with all visual features enabled. The jump from High (176.1 FPS) to Ultra (131.7 FPS) is a 25% reduction, but the visual improvements in shadows and textures justify the trade-off for most players. For 1440p, the High preset at 108.1 FPS is recommended, as it maintains a triple-digit frame rate while offering better image quality than Medium (143.9 FPS). The Ultra preset at 1440p (84.3 FPS) is also viable for those who prioritize visuals, but the 22% drop from High may not be worth it on a 144Hz monitor.

For 4K users, the Medium preset at 73.7 FPS is the best balance, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 57.2 FPS is acceptable for turn-based games where reaction time is not critical, but the Ultra preset at 44.2 FPS is only recommended for players who value maximum fidelity over frame rate. The Low preset is not recommended at any resolution, as the game’s visual style benefits from higher detail settings, and the performance headroom at 1080p (255.8 FPS) and even 4K (93.9 FPS) is more than sufficient. In summary, the data suggests that the RTX 5070 is powerful enough to handle Hard West with high settings at 1440p and medium settings at 4K, making the i5-13400F a suitable partner that does not constrain the GPU’s output.