Hard West

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

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread desktop processor built on the Raptor Lake architecture and manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory across a dual-channel bus. The processor includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 20 MB L3 cache.

For a turn-based tactics title like Hard West, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing and ensuring that the game's logic, AI calculations, and unit pathfinding do not bottleneck the GPU. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 172 avg FPS, which is the highest score recorded across all tested configurations. This indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with enough data to saturate even the highest frame rates in this workload. The i5-14400F's multi-threaded performance is strong, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and Geekbench multi-core score of 11268, which are relevant for turn-based games where AI processing can be heavily threaded.

The processor's single-thread performance is also notable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3701. Hard West, being an older title from 2015, may not fully utilize all 16 threads, but the high single-core boost clock of 4.70 GHz helps ensure that the primary game thread is not a limiting factor. The CPU's percentile ranking against all CPUs is 83, meaning it outperforms the majority of processors in the database. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U with an average score of 32233 (0.1% difference), the Intel Core i9-11900 with 32226 (0.2% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS with 32354 (-0.2% difference), showing that the i5-14400F sits in a tightly contested performance band.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data across settings presets reveals that the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 172 avg FPS, Medium delivers 141 avg FPS, High delivers 109 avg FPS, and Ultra delivers 81 avg FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial, with Ultra being 53% slower than Low in average frame rate. However, for players seeking maximum visual fidelity while maintaining playable frame rates, High at 1080p offers 109 avg FPS, which is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay in a turn-based title where twitch reflexes are not required.

At 1440p, the situation shifts. Low delivers 109 avg FPS, Medium delivers 89 avg FPS, High delivers 69 avg FPS, and Ultra drops to 51 avg FPS. The High preset at 1440p provides a balanced experience with 69 avg FPS, which is sufficient for this genre. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 89 avg FPS and includes a recorded minimum of 76 FPS and maximum of 103 FPS, indicating consistent performance without major frame dips. For players who prioritize smoothness over visual detail, Medium at 1440p is the recommended choice, as it maintains a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still providing a moderate visual upgrade over Low.

At 4K, the data shows that only the Low preset achieves a playable average frame rate of 57 FPS. Medium drops to 47 avg FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS, High falls to 36 avg FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 27 avg FPS. None of these higher presets at 4K reach the 60 FPS threshold, so the recommendation for 4K is to use Low settings if frame rate is the priority, or accept a cinematic experience with Medium at 47 avg FPS. Given that Hard West is a turn-based tactics game, frame rates below 60 FPS are more tolerable than in fast-paced genres, but the data clearly indicates that 4K Ultra is not a viable configuration for this combo.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions provides insight into the balance between CPU and GPU load. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 109 FPS at 1080p to 69 FPS at 1440p, a 37% reduction, and further to 36 FPS at 4K, an additional 48% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 9060 becomes the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the pixel throughput requirements overwhelm the GPU's capabilities.

At Low settings, the scaling is less severe but still shows a GPU bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 172 FPS at 1080p to 109 FPS at 1440p (37% reduction) and then to 57 FPS at 4K (48% reduction from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops between resolution tiers suggest that the GPU is the limiting factor even at Low settings, where CPU overhead is minimal. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p, as the resolution increase would not affect the CPU's workload as much. The data shows that the CPU has headroom at 1080p Low, where 172 FPS is achieved, but the GPU cannot maintain that performance as pixel count increases.

At Medium settings, the measured data includes minimum and maximum frame times, which provide additional context. At 1080p Medium, the average is 141 FPS with a minimum of 120 FPS and maximum of 162 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and maximum of 103 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 47 FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS. The minimum frame rates at each resolution show that the GPU's performance is consistent without major stutters, which is characteristic of a turn-based game with predictable rendering loads. The scaling pattern confirms that the RX 9060's 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs are the limiting factor at 4K, rather than the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-14400F combined with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks 1706 out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all combinations. This ranking indicates that while the combo is capable of running the game smoothly at lower resolutions, it is not among the top-performing configurations in the database. The mid-pack ranking is consistent with the GPU's overall performance profile, as the RX 9060 sits at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU ranks higher at the 83rd percentile among all CPUs.

The combo's ranking suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor in this pairing. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U and Intel Core i9-11900, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. This means that swapping the CPU for a comparable alternative would not significantly change the combo's ranking in a GPU-bound scenario like 4K High or Ultra. Conversely, the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with an average score of 16129 (-0.7% delta), the AMD Radeon R9 370X with 15862 (1% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 with 15852 (1% delta). These close scores indicate that the RX 9060 is positioned in a competitive mid-range segment, and its performance in Hard West is representative of its class.

In practical terms, the combo's rank of 1706 out of 2949 means that approximately 58% of tested combinations achieve higher average frame rates in this game. This places the i5-14400F + RX 9060 in the lower half of the distribution, which is expected for a mid-range GPU paired with a strong CPU. For players considering this combo, the data suggests that it is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but not for 4K at high settings.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain 60+ FPS on High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the combo achieves 109 avg FPS, and at 1440p High, it achieves 69 avg FPS. Both resolutions maintain 60+ FPS, so 1440p High is the highest resolution that stays above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Can this combo run Hard West at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: At 4K Low, the combo achieves 57 avg FPS, which is just below 60 FPS. 4K Medium drops to 47 avg FPS, and 4K High falls to 36 avg FPS. 4K Ultra is the lowest at 27 avg FPS. Only 4K Low approaches a playable frame rate.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32279. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, scores 32233 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-11900 scores 32226 (0.2% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS scores 32354 (0.2% higher). The differences are minimal.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and does it affect 4K performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The 4K performance drops significantly compared to lower resolutions, indicating that the memory capacity and bandwidth are not sufficient for high-quality 4K rendering.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Hard West?

A: The combo ranks 1706 out of 2949 tested combos, placing it in the lower half of the distribution. This rank reflects the GPU's mid-range position rather than the CPU's strong performance.

Q: What frame rates are recorded at 1080p Medium, including minimums and maximums?

A: At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves an average of 141 FPS, with a minimum of 120 FPS and a maximum of 162 FPS. This shows consistent performance without significant frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1080p, the measured average frame rates span from 81 FPS at Ultra to 172 FPS at Low. The Medium preset records 141 avg FPS with a minimum of 120 FPS and maximum of 162 FPS. High settings deliver 109 avg FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decrease: Low at 172, Medium at 141, High at 109, and Ultra at 81. The Medium preset's minimum of 120 FPS indicates that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate stays well above 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the average frame rates are lower but still comfortable for the genre. Low delivers 109 avg FPS, Medium delivers 89 avg FPS with a minimum of 76 FPS and maximum of 103 FPS, High delivers 69 avg FPS, and Ultra drops to 51 avg FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p maintains a minimum above 75 FPS, which is excellent for a turn-based tactics game. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops below 60 FPS, making it a less desirable choice for smoothness.

At 4K, the average frame rates show the GPU's limitations. Low delivers 57 avg FPS, Medium delivers 47 avg FPS with a minimum of 40 FPS and maximum of 54 FPS, High delivers 36 avg FPS, and Ultra delivers 27 avg FPS. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 40 FPS, which may be noticeable in scenes with heavy effects. The data shows a clear trend: at 4K, only Low settings approach a 60 FPS average, and all higher presets fall below 50 FPS average.

Comparing the same presets across resolutions, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent at approximately 37% for Low, Medium, and High settings. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe, at approximately 48% for Low and Medium, and 48% for High as well. This non-linear scaling reinforces that the GPU becomes increasingly stressed as pixel count grows.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 4 nm process node. It features 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, along with 28 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates with a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. Its memory configuration includes 8 GB of GDDR6 running at 2250 MHz with an effective data rate of 18 Gbps, resulting in a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s across a 128-bit bus.

The GPU's overall benchmark performance places it at the 59th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16014. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with an average score of 16129 (0.7% higher), the AMD Radeon R9 370X with 15862 (1% lower), and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 with 15852 (1% lower). This tight grouping indicates that the RX 9060 performs in line with other mid-range cards from previous generations.

In Hard West, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push frame rates above 170 FPS on Low settings, but the GPU's limits appear at 4K where even Low settings only reach 57 avg FPS. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at all presets, but at 4K High and Ultra, the combination of higher memory pressure and pixel throughput reduces performance to 36 FPS and 27 FPS respectively.

The GPU's pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s are capable of handling the game's rendering demands at lower resolutions, but the 4K results show a clear bottleneck. The FP32 performance of 21.43 TFLOPS is adequate for a 2015 turn-based title, which does not require modern rendering features like ray tracing or advanced compute effects. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility ensure it can run the game's legacy APIs without issue. Overall, the RX 9060 provides solid performance for Hard West at 1080p and 1440p, but its mid-range positioning limits 4K playability to Low settings.