Hard West

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor built on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which places it in the upper tier of desktop CPUs for single-thread responsiveness. The chip includes 24 MB of shared L3 cache, with 2 MB of L2 cache per core and 80 KB of L1 cache per core. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, and it carries an integrated UHD Graphics 770 unit, though the discrete GPU handles all rendering here.

Benchmark results show the i5-14600K holds a 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49,166. Its closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which scores 49,062 — the i5-14600K leads by a marginal 0.2%. The Intel Core i5-14600KF trails by 0.4%, while the AMD EPYC 4345P is 0.9% behind, and the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H is 1.0% ahead. In multi-threaded workloads, the Cinebench R23 multicore score reaches 32,881, while the single-core score is 4,642; Geekbench results show 15,846 multicore and 2,803 single-core. PassMark multithread hits 38,682, with single-thread at 4,270.

For Hard West, a turn-based tactics title, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing during unit movements, camera pans, and AI calculations. The high single-core performance — evidenced by the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 467 and PassMark single-thread of 4,270 — ensures that game logic threads do not bottleneck the frame rate. The 14 cores provide ample headroom for background tasks, but the game's engine likely relies on fewer threads, so the boost clock of 5.30 GHz matters more than raw core count. The data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 197.2 FPS, which suggests the CPU is not limiting at that resolution; the GPU becomes the primary constraint as settings rise.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with a chip designated GB206. It packs 21,900 million transistors on an 181 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.0M per mm². The GPU runs at a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2497 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The card includes 3,840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, 48 ROPs, 30 ray tracing cores, and 120 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 119.9 GPixel/s, texture rate is 299.6 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 19.18 TFLOPS.

In benchmark terms, the RTX 5060 holds a 73rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 30,109. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, which scores 30,097 — a 0% delta. The AMD Radeon RX 570 scores 30,158 (0.2% behind), the NVIDIA Tesla M60 scores 29,969 (0.5% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile scores 29,928 (0.6% ahead). PassMark G3D shows 20,891, while Geekbench OpenCL reaches 120,785 and Vulkan hits 116,626.

For Hard West, the GPU's role dominates at higher settings. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game's textures and effects at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops to 31.2 FPS, indicating that the GPU and its memory subsystem are severely stressed. The boost clock of 2497 MHz helps maintain performance in lighter scenes, but the 128-bit memory bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth become limiting factors when rendering at 3840x2160. The data shows the RTX 5060 is well-matched to 1080p and 1440p gaming for this title, but 4K Ultra exceeds its comfortable envelope.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p High, the combo achieves 122.3 FPS; at 1440p High, it drops to 80.0 FPS; at 4K High, it falls to 39.1 FPS. This represents a 34.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a further 51.1% drop from 1440p to 4K. Similarly, at Ultra settings, the frame rate goes from 96.0 FPS at 1080p to 61.2 FPS at 1440p, then to 31.2 FPS at 4K — a 36.3% drop followed by a 49.0% drop.

These percentages indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting component as resolution increases. The CPU's performance does not change with resolution, so the consistent scaling pattern — roughly halving from 1440p to 4K — points directly to GPU rendering load. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 197.2 FPS, which is far above the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting the CPU could push even higher if the GPU were not a factor. However, at 4K Ultra, the 31.2 FPS result shows the GPU is fully saturated, and the 8 GB VRAM likely contributes to the steep drop.

The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution further confirms this. At 1080p, Low gives 197.2 FPS and Ultra gives 96.0 FPS — a 51.3% reduction. At 1440p, Low gives 125.0 FPS and Ultra gives 61.2 FPS — a 51.0% reduction. At 4K, Low gives 67.1 FPS and Ultra gives 31.2 FPS — a 53.5% reduction. The consistent ~50% penalty from Low to Ultra across all resolutions indicates that the GPU's shading and memory resources scale uniformly with settings, reinforcing the GPU-bound conclusion.

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

At 1920x1080, the measured average FPS values are: Low 197.2, Medium 162.2, High 122.3, and Ultra 96.0. The gap between Low and Medium is 35.0 FPS, between Medium and High is 39.9 FPS, and between High and Ultra is 26.3 FPS. This shows a smooth degradation curve with the largest single-step drop occurring between Medium and High.

At 2560x1440, the values are: Low 125.0, Medium 104.7, High 80.0, and Ultra 61.2. The step from Low to Medium is 20.3 FPS, from Medium to High is 24.7 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 18.8 FPS. The relative drops are steeper here, with Ultra being 51.0% lower than Low, compared to 51.3% at 1080p — nearly identical scaling.

At 3840x2160, the values are: Low 67.1, Medium 51.8, High 39.1, and Ultra 31.2. The step from Low to Medium is 15.3 FPS, from Medium to High is 12.7 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 7.9 FPS. The absolute differences shrink as resolution increases, but the percentage drops remain similar, indicating the GPU is operating in a more constrained regime where each setting tier has a smaller absolute impact.

The 1080p Low result of 197.2 FPS is the highest measured value, while the 4K Ultra result of 31.2 FPS is the lowest. The data shows the combo can comfortably exceed 60 FPS at 1080p for all settings, at 1440p for Low and Medium, but only at 4K for Low settings. At 1440p Ultra, the 61.2 FPS result is just above the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K High at 39.1 FPS and 4K Ultra at 31.2 FPS are below playable smoothness for most users.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hard West at 60 FPS in 4K?

A: No, not at higher settings. The measured 4K results are Low 67.1 FPS, Medium 51.8 FPS, High 39.1 FPS, and Ultra 31.2 FPS. Only Low settings exceed 60 FPS at 3840x2160.

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

A: At 1080p, all settings exceed 60 FPS, with Ultra at 96.0 FPS. At 1440p, Low (125.0 FPS) and Medium (104.7 FPS) exceed 60 FPS, while High (80.0 FPS) and Ultra (61.2 FPS) also do, making 1440p viable for all settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its closest rival, the RX 7700 XT?

A: The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 30,109, while the RX 7700 XT scores 30,097 — a 0% delta, meaning they are effectively tied in synthetic benchmarks. The RTX 5060 also holds a 73rd percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking and high single-core scores suggest it can handle the game's logic, but the GPU's frame rate drops of roughly 50% from Low to Ultra at every resolution point to GPU saturation.

Q: What is the highest FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 197.2 at 1080p Low settings. The lowest is 31.2 at 4K Ultra settings.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM cause issues at 4K?

A: The data shows a steep drop at 4K Ultra (31.2 FPS) compared to 4K Low (67.1 FPS), which suggests the 8 GB GDDR7 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are strained at that resolution and setting combination.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends on the target resolution and desired smoothness. For 1080p displays, the High preset at 122.3 FPS offers a strong balance between visual quality and performance, while Ultra at 96.0 FPS still provides excellent smoothness with maximum effects. Given that 1080p Ultra exceeds 90 FPS, there is little reason to sacrifice visual fidelity at this resolution.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 104.7 FPS is the sweet spot, providing a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while maintaining decent visual quality. The High preset at 80.0 FPS also works well if the user prefers higher fidelity and can tolerate the lower frame rate. Ultra at 61.2 FPS is borderline — it just meets the 60 FPS threshold, but any scene complexity could push it lower, so Medium or High is safer.

For 4K displays, the Low preset at 67.1 FPS is the only setting that reliably exceeds 60 FPS. Medium at 51.8 FPS and High at 39.1 FPS are playable but not smooth, and Ultra at 31.2 FPS is below acceptable thresholds for most users. Given the turn-based nature of Hard West, lower frame rates may be tolerable, but the data suggests 4K Low is the recommended configuration. Alternatively, users could drop to 1440p and run Ultra at 61.2 FPS for a better visual experience over 4K Low.

The combo ranks 813 out of 1,699 tested combinations in this game, placing it in the upper half of configurations. The data shows this pairing is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with the RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth proving adequate for those resolutions. For 4K, the recommendation is to stick with Low settings or consider a lower resolution to unlock higher quality presets.