Hard West

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B390 ranks 2614th out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the bottom 11% of all configurations. This is a decidedly low-tier result for a turn-based tactics title that is not particularly demanding by modern standards. The combo sits well below the median performer, and benchmark results indicate that neither component is pulling the system into competitive territory.

The ranking reflects a fundamental mismatch: the GPU, while modern in architecture, is positioned at the very bottom of the performance spectrum. The Arc B390's percentileVsAllGpus score of 9 means it outperforms only 9% of all GPUs in the database. Meanwhile, the Core i5-9400 fares somewhat better with a percentileVsAllCpus of 47, placing it near the middle of the CPU pack. Despite the processor being reasonably competent, the graphics solution drags the entire combo down to the 2614th spot.

When compared to other combos in the database, this pairing delivers playable frame rates only at 1920x1080 with lower settings. At higher resolutions, the system struggles to maintain smooth gameplay. The data shows a clear ceiling: this is a 1080p-oriented configuration, and even then, only with settings dialed back from maximum. For a game like Hard West, which is turn-based and therefore less sensitive to frame rate fluctuations, the experience remains functional but far from ideal.

The gap between this combo and the top performers is substantial. With the GPU sitting at the 9th percentile and the CPU at the 47th, there is no single bottleneck—both components contribute to the overall mediocrity, though the GPU is clearly the limiting factor in most scenarios.

# GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, which represents a significant dynamic range. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation pipelines. It also includes 12 ray tracing cores, though this game does not utilize ray tracing.

Memory is system shared, meaning the GPU draws from the main system RAM rather than dedicated VRAM. The bus width and bandwidth are listed as "System Shared" and "System Dependent" respectively, which means performance scales with the host system's memory configuration. This is a notable limitation for gaming, as shared memory can create bandwidth bottlenecks, particularly at higher resolutions where texture data demands increase.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the Arc B390 scores 1482 points. Its nearest rivals are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX at 1463 points (1.3% slower), the GeForce 800M at 1460 points (1.5% slower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM at 1446 points (2.5% slower), and the GeForce GT 710 at 1443 points (2.7% slower). The Arc B390 leads this group, but the margins are razor-thin—less than 3% separates the best from the worst in this cluster. This places the GPU firmly in entry-level territory, with performance that is competitive with decade-old discrete graphics cards.

For Hard West, the GPU's role is central to the frame rate outcomes. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo manages only 14 FPS average, which is essentially unplayable. Dropping to High settings at 4K yields 18 FPS, still far below smooth thresholds. The pattern is consistent: the Arc B390 simply lacks the raw throughput to handle 4K resolutions in this title. The 2500 MHz boost clock helps at lower resolutions, but the shared memory architecture and limited ROP count cap its potential.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel's 14 nm process. It runs at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosts up to 4.10 GHz. The CPU has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-9400 achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935. Its Geekbench results are 5141 multicore and 1389 single-core. The average benchmark score across all tests is 2254, placing it at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 at 2259 (0.2% faster), the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2248 (0.3% slower), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 2246 (0.4% slower), and the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2264 (0.4% faster). The i5-9400 sits squarely in the middle of this pack, with all four rivals within 0.4% of its score.

For Hard West, the CPU's role is less critical than the GPU, but still relevant. The game is turn-based, meaning the computational load is not as demanding as real-time strategy or action titles. The 6-core configuration with a 4.10 GHz boost clock provides adequate processing power for game logic, AI decisions, and unit pathfinding. The 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient for this genre.

Interestingly, the CPU's performance headroom is not fully utilized in this pairing. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 87 FPS, which suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions. However, at 4K, the frame rate drops to 14-29 FPS depending on settings, indicating the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The CPU is not the bottleneck here; the integrated graphics solution simply cannot keep pace with higher resolution demands.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates reveal a consistent scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its best results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 87, which is smooth and playable. Medium settings yield 71 FPS average, with a minimum of 61 and maximum of 82. High settings drop to 55 FPS average, still acceptable for a turn-based game. Ultra settings bring the average down to 41 FPS, which remains playable given the genre's less demanding nature.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance declines noticeably. Low settings produce 55 FPS average, which is still decent. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and maximum of 52. High settings fall to 35 FPS average, and Ultra drops further to 26 FPS average. At this resolution, the system is pushing the limits of comfortable play, though turn-based gameplay can tolerate lower frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings average 29 FPS, which is borderline. Medium settings average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 and maximum of 27. High settings drop to 18 FPS average, and Ultra bottoms out at 14 FPS average. These numbers indicate that 4K is not a viable option for this combo in Hard West, regardless of settings.

The scaling between resolutions is steep. From 1080p Low to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops from 87 to 55 FPS, a 37% reduction. From 1440p Low to 4K Low, it drops from 55 to 29 FPS, a 47% reduction. This suggests the GPU's memory bandwidth and fill rate are severely strained as pixel count increases. The shared memory architecture likely contributes to this steep scaling, as higher resolutions require more frequent memory access.

Settings scaling is also pronounced. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra reduces frame rate from 87 to 41 FPS, a 53% penalty. At 1440p, the same settings change drops from 55 to 26 FPS, a 53% penalty. At 4K, Low to Ultra goes from 29 to 14 FPS, a 52% penalty. The consistency of this ~53% penalty across resolutions suggests that the game's Ultra preset imposes a fixed additional load that scales with resolution.

# FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Hard West at 1920x1080?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080 the combo achieves 87 FPS on Low settings, 71 FPS on Medium, 55 FPS on High, and 41 FPS on Ultra. All of these are playable for a turn-based tactics game.

Q: Is 4K resolution viable with this hardware?

A: No, at 3840x2160 the best average FPS is 29 on Low settings, dropping to 14 FPS on Ultra. These frame rates are too low for a comfortable experience, even for a turn-based game.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, leading the GeForce GT 520MX by 1.3%, the GeForce 800M by 1.5%, the GeForce GT 625 OEM by 2.5%, and the GeForce GT 710 by 2.7%.

Q: What is the CPU's performance relative to similar processors?

A: The Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it at the 47th percentile. It is within 0.4% of the Core i7-1068NG7, Core i7-10710U, Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Core i3-10305.

Q: Which resolution offers the best balance of quality and performance?

A: 2560x1440 with Medium settings provides 45 FPS average with a minimum of 38 FPS. This is a reasonable balance, though 1920x1080 with High settings at 55 FPS is also a strong option.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance more in this game?

A: The GPU is the primary limiter. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 14 FPS despite the CPU having a 47th percentile ranking. The Arc B390's 9th percentile ranking shows it is the weaker component.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This configuration delivers 71 FPS average with a minimum of 61 FPS, providing smooth performance with a reasonable visual quality. The minimum frame rate of 61 FPS ensures that even the most demanding scenes remain fluid.

For players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate, 1920x1080 with High settings at 55 FPS average is a viable alternative. The turn-based nature of Hard West means that 55 FPS is entirely acceptable, and the visual upgrade from Medium to High is noticeable. However, Ultra settings at 1080p drop to 41 FPS average, which is still playable but begins to feel sluggish during camera movements and scene transitions.

At 2560x1440, the best recommendation is Low settings, which yields 55 FPS average. This matches the 1080p High setting in terms of frame rate but provides the benefit of higher resolution. Medium settings at 1440p produce 45 FPS average, which is acceptable but may cause occasional stutter during dense action sequences. High and Ultra settings at this resolution are not recommended, as they fall below 35 FPS.

The data does not support 4K gaming with this hardware. Even at Low settings, the 29 FPS average is below the threshold for comfortable play. Players with 4K displays should run the game at 1080p or 1440p and rely on display scaling rather than attempting native 4K.

For the best overall experience, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the clear winner. It offers the highest minimum frame rate of any setting at 61 FPS, ensuring consistent performance. The 71 FPS average provides headroom for demanding scenes, and the visual quality at Medium is sufficient for a game with Hard West's stylized aesthetic. Players seeking maximum smoothness can drop to Low settings for 87 FPS, while those wanting better visuals can step up to High at 55 FPS. Ultra should be avoided, as the 41 FPS average introduces unnecessary risk of perceptible slowdown.