Hard West

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D produces a striking benchmark profile in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The data reveals a system capable of exceptional frame rates, but the performance scaling across resolutions and settings tells a nuanced story about which component is actually driving the experience. This analysis breaks down the measured results to understand the CPU and GPU roles, optimal configurations, and how this specific combination ranks against nearly 3,000 other tested setups.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Hard West?*

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combo ranks 76th out of 2,949 tested combinations in the game, placing it in the top percentile of all systems measured.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 258 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The same resolution at Ultra settings still delivers a very high 187 FPS average.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25,292. It is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25,284, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25,201, 0.4% delta), while slightly trailing the Intel Core 5 120 (25,362, -0.3% delta) and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25,365, -0.3% delta).

Q: What is the GPU's single-threaded performance percentile?

A: The RTX 5090 D sits in the 92nd percentile versus all GPUs, indicating it is among the top 8% of graphics cards in the database for overall benchmark performance.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the frame rate drop below 100 FPS?

A: At 4K (3840x2160), the average frame rate drops below 100 FPS for High (83 FPS) and Ultra (62 FPS) settings. The Medium preset at 4K manages an average of 108 FPS.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the RTX 5090 D?

A: The GPU features a 512-bit memory bus with GDDR7 memory, providing a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This is paired with 32 GB of VRAM.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its configuration includes a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, with a 20 MB shared L3 cache. For a game like Hard West, which is a turn-based tactics title, the CPU's role is less about sustaining extreme frame rates and more about maintaining consistent logic and simulation updates.

The benchmark data for this CPU shows a strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22,604 and a Passmark multithread score of 25,032. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7,314 is nearly identical to the max-threads score of 7,307, suggesting that the processor's performance scales well up to its full thread count. This is relevant for a tactics game where AI calculations and pathfinding can utilize multiple cores effectively.

However, the single-threaded performance is also critical. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,191 and the 3DMark single-thread score of 960 indicate that the i5-13400F can handle the primary game thread efficiently. The 77th percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirms that this is a well-above-average processor. When looking at the data, the CPU's role in Hard West appears to be a supportive one; at lower resolutions like 1080p, the frame rates are high enough (187 to 258 FPS) that the CPU is likely keeping up with the GPU's output, but the game's age and genre mean it is not a heavily demanding workload.

The nearest rivals to this CPU, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS and Ryzen 7 6800H, have virtually identical average scores (25,284 and 25,201, respectively). This suggests that in Hard West, the i5-13400F's performance is on par with these mobile-oriented high-end chips. The deltaPct values are all within a 0.4% range, indicating that any of these CPUs would deliver similar gameplay experiences in this title. The lock on the CPU multiplier (multiplierUnlocked: false) means overclocking is not an option, so the boost clock of 4.60 GHz is the peak performance ceiling for this chip.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is an absolute powerhouse on paper, and its role in Hard West is to remove virtually any graphical bottleneck. Based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, this GPU features 21,760 shading units, 170 RT cores, and 680 tensor cores. The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides a staggering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is overkill for a game from 2015 but ensures that memory capacity and bandwidth are never limiting factors.

The GPU's benchmark scores reflect its dominance, with a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 376,915. The 92nd percentile versus all GPUs underscores its position at the top of the performance hierarchy. In the context of Hard West, the RTX 5090 D's role is to deliver high frame rates even at maximum settings and 4K resolution. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo still manages an average of 62 FPS, which is playable, while dropping to High settings boosts that to 83 FPS.

Interestingly, the GPU's nearest rivals in the database are not the latest generation cards but rather the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76,904 score, 1.1% delta) and RX 6850M XT (78,940 score, -1.6% delta). This suggests that for the synthetic benchmarks used, the RTX 5090 D's performance is closely matched by these mobile GPUs, which is an anomaly given the 5090 D's specs. However, in actual game performance, the 5090 D's massive VRAM and bandwidth likely provide advantages that synthetic tests do not fully capture. The GPU's clock speeds of 2017 MHz base and 2407 MHz boost are high, and with a TDP of 575 W, it is a power-hungry component, but that power translates into raw rendering capability that keeps frame rates high across all tested settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. The data presents a clear hierarchy of performance across the four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra). At 1080p, all presets deliver excellent frame rates, but the best experience in terms of visual fidelity versus performance is arguably the High preset, which averages 218 FPS. Ultra at 1080p averages 187 FPS, which is still exceptionally smooth, but the 31 FPS difference between High and Ultra suggests diminishing returns on visual quality for the performance cost.

At 1440p, the Medium preset stands out with an average of 205 FPS and a minimum of 174 FPS, making it a strong choice for high-refresh-rate monitors. The High preset at 158 FPS is also very good. The Ultra preset at 118 FPS is playable, but the drop from Medium to Ultra (87 FPS difference) is substantial. For 4K gaming, the situation changes significantly. The Medium preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS, which is suitable for smooth 4K gameplay. The High preset at 83 FPS is acceptable, but Ultra at 62 FPS might feel less responsive for some players.

The recommendation is to prioritize the Medium preset at 4K and 1440p, as it offers the best balance of high frame rates and visual quality. At 1080p, users can comfortably use High or Ultra, as even the most demanding preset delivers nearly 190 FPS. The Low preset provides the highest frame rates (258 FPS at 1080p, 221 FPS at 1440p, 131 FPS at 4K), but it sacrifices visual fidelity that the GPU can easily handle. The data suggests that for this hardware, the Medium preset is the most efficient choice, providing a significant performance headroom over High and Ultra while avoiding the visual downgrades of Low.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a rank of 76 out of 2,949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the top 2.6% of all systems tested, which is an exceptional result. The ranking reflects the raw power of both components, but it is important to contextualize this within the game's age and genre. Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, which means it is not as demanding as modern AAA shooters or open-world games.

The high rank is likely driven by the GPU's immense fill rate and the CPU's strong multi-threaded performance. However, the fact that it doesn't rank higher (e.g., in the top 10) suggests that other combos with even more powerful CPUs or more game-optimized configurations might edge it out. The CPU's 77th percentile and GPU's 92nd percentile are both high, but the combination's rank of 76/2949 indicates that there are 75 other setups that perform better in this specific title. This could be due to other CPUs with higher single-thread scores or systems that benefit from more balanced performance.

Given the data, this combo is clearly a high-end performer. The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks (RX 6650M XT, RX 6850M XT) are mobile parts, which typically have lower power limits, yet they score similarly. This suggests that for Hard West, the 5090 D's performance might be limited by the CPU in some scenarios, preventing it from stretching its legs further. The rank of 76 is a strong testament to the combo's capability, but it also hints that the system is not the absolute best for this particular game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measuredFPS data provides a comprehensive look at how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates range from 258 FPS (Low) down to 187 FPS (Ultra). The Medium preset averages 240 FPS with a minimum of 204 and a maximum of 276. The High preset averages 218 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is overwhelmingly GPU-bound in the sense that the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can feed them, but the CPU still manages to keep up, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. The Low preset averages 221 FPS, Medium averages 205 FPS (min 174, max 236), High averages 158 FPS, and Ultra averages 118 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 103 FPS, which is significant. The Medium preset's minimum of 174 FPS is notable, as it ensures that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 144 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates become more modest. The Low preset averages 131 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS (min 92, max 124), High averages 83 FPS, and Ultra averages 62 FPS. The 4K results show a clear scaling penalty, with the Ultra preset falling below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 108 FPS is the standout at this resolution, offering a playable and smooth experience without requiring the visual compromises of Low settings.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a clear pattern of frame rate reduction as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. For the High settings, the average FPS drops from 218 at 1080p to 158 at 1440p (a 27.5% decrease) and then to 83 at 4K (a 47.5% decrease from 1440p). This scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the pixel count increases dramatically. The RTX 5090 D, despite its power, cannot maintain the same frame rates at 4K as it does at 1080p.

For the Medium settings, the drop is less severe: 240 FPS at 1080p, 205 FPS at 1440p (a 14.6% decrease), and 108 FPS at 4K (a 47.3% decrease from 1440p). The relatively smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p suggests that at Medium settings, the system is less GPU-bound, allowing the CPU to play a larger role. However, the jump to 4K still results in a significant performance hit, reinforcing that 4K is a heavy workload for any GPU.

The Low settings show a similar pattern: 258 FPS at 1080p, 221 FPS at 1440p (a 14.3% decrease), and 131 FPS at 4K (a 40.7% decrease from 1440p). The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is modest, but the 4K drop is substantial. This suggests that at Low settings, the system is CPU-limited at 1080p and 1440p, but becomes GPU-limited at 4K. The fact that the 4K Low average (131 FPS) is still much higher than the 4K Ultra average (62 FPS) highlights the dramatic impact of settings on GPU load.

The implication is that for this combo, the CPU is sufficient to drive high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU's performance scales as expected with resolution. The 4K results, particularly at High and Ultra settings, show that the RTX 5090 D is the deciding factor, and the frame rate drops are directly proportional to the increased pixel count. This analysis confirms that in Hard West, the system is balanced at 1080p, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, despite its top-tier specifications.