Hard West

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti ranks 521st out of 1,699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the top 30% of all system pairings benchmarked for this title. This is a strong result for a turn-based tactics game, where the RTX 4070 Ti's raw throughput dominates the workload while the i5-9400 provides adequate support without becoming a severe bottleneck. The combo's percentile placement suggests it outperforms the median configuration by a wide margin, though it sits well below the top-tier combos that pair flagship CPUs with the same GPU. In practice, this rank translates to consistently high framerates across all tested settings, with the only meaningful compromises appearing at 4K Ultra where the GPU's limits become apparent. The data indicates this pairing is well-balanced for Hard West's demands, as the game's turn-based nature does not stress the CPU as heavily as real-time titles, allowing the GPU to shine.

# GPU Role

The RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant component in this combo, and its specifications explain why Hard West runs so smoothly. It features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Hard West's modest texture and geometry demands. The GPU's 2310 MHz base clock and 2610 MHz boost clock are high by any standard, and its 40.09 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power ensures that even the most complex turn-based scenes render without hesitation. The card sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals — the RTX 5090 Mobile, Intel Arc A730M, AMD Radeon Pro 580, and AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT — are within a -1.6% to 1.6% delta of its average benchmark score, indicating it is a top-tier performer. In Hard West, the GPU's role is to handle lighting, shadows, and particle effects during combat sequences, and the measured FPS shows it excels: at 1080p High, it achieves 143.7 FPS, and even at 4K High, it maintains 64.9 FPS. The GPU's headroom is evident when comparing Low to Ultra settings, where the FPS delta is substantial, confirming that the RTX 4070 Ti is the primary driver of performance in this pairing.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides the foundation for this combo, and while it is not a flagship processor, its specifications are adequate for Hard West. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, a 2.90 GHz base clock, and a 4.10 GHz boost clock, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's benchmark scores place it at the 50th percentile among all processors, with an average score of 2305 — nearly identical to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i3-10305, Intel Core i3-1125G4, Intel Xeon E-2134, and Intel Core i7-8809G, all within a -0.6% to 0.4% delta. In Hard West, the CPU handles game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit turn calculations, which are not heavily threaded; the 6-thread configuration is sufficient for this workload. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (170.1 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (133.2 FPS) shows a 36.9 FPS drop, which is primarily GPU-driven, but the CPU's single-thread performance, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1125, ensures it does not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. The data suggests that while the i5-9400 is not a performance leader, it holds its own in Hard West, allowing the RTX 4070 Ti to operate near its potential.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings tiers, offering a clear picture of performance. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional results at every setting: Low averages 170.1 FPS, Medium hits 158.6 FPS, High reaches 143.7 FPS, and Ultra still manages 133.2 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p is well within the GPU's comfort zone, with even the highest settings staying well above the 60 FPS threshold. Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains strong but drops noticeably: Low yields 148.6 FPS, Medium produces 134.7 FPS, High delivers 118.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 92.5 FPS. The 1440p results show a consistent ~15-20% reduction from 1080p, which is expected as pixel count increases. At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits: Low averages 99.2 FPS, Medium hits 82.9 FPS, High drops to 64.9 FPS, and Ultra falls to 49.2 FPS. The 4K Ultra figure is the only sub-60 FPS result in the entire dataset, indicating that this combo is not ideal for maxed-out 4K play but is more than capable at lower settings. The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern: the FPS penalty for maxing out settings is roughly 20-30% at 1080p and 1440p, but grows to nearly 50% at 4K, highlighting the GPU's diminishing headroom at higher resolutions.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals important insights about the limiting component in this combo. At High settings, performance drops from 143.7 FPS at 1080p to 118.4 FPS at 1440p (a 17.6% decrease) and then to 64.9 FPS at 4K (a 45.2% decrease from 1440p). This steep drop at 4K is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the RTX 4070 Ti's memory bandwidth and compute power are stretched by the 8.3 million pixels at 3840x2160 versus 2.1 million at 1920x1080. The data indicates that the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K, while the CPU's role becomes more significant at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 170.1 FPS, which is close to the GPU's maximum output for this title; the CPU's 6 cores and 6 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at this level, but the 36.9 FPS gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p suggests that some of that difference is due to CPU overhead in handling additional game logic at higher settings. However, the scaling pattern is mostly smooth, with no sudden drops that would indicate a severe CPU bottleneck. The overall trend confirms that for Hard West, the RTX 4070 Ti is the dominant factor, and users targeting 4K should expect to compromise on settings, while 1080p and 1440p offer ample headroom.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Hard West?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 at High settings delivers 118.4 FPS, which is smooth and visually detailed. At 1080p, Ultra hits 133.2 FPS, but 1440p High offers a better balance of image quality and performance.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS is 49.2, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. For 4K, High settings at 64.9 FPS are the highest playable option, while Low at 99.2 FPS provides the smoothest experience.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, which is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2300 (a 0.2% delta). It trails the Intel Core i7-8809G, which scores 2319, by -0.6%.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile?

A: The RTX 4070 Ti sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 44900. Its closest rival, the RTX 5090 Mobile, scores 45152, a -0.6% difference.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 170.1 FPS, and at Ultra, it drops to 133.2 FPS. The 36.9 FPS gap indicates some CPU involvement, but the CPU's single-core score of 1125 in Cinebench R23 is sufficient to avoid a hard bottleneck.

Q: How does the combo rank globally?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 + RTX 4070 Ti ranks 521st out of 1,699 tested combos in Hard West, placing it in the top 30% of all configurations for this game.

# Settings Recommendations

For users seeking the best experience per the measured rows, the optimal balance of performance and visual quality is 2560x1440 at High settings, which delivers 118.4 FPS — comfortably above 60 FPS with only a modest visual compromise from Ultra. At 1080p, Ultra settings are the best choice, as the 133.2 FPS average is still well above the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the visual upgrade from High to Ultra is noticeable in a turn-based game where players have time to appreciate details. For 4K, the data suggests High settings at 64.9 FPS as the sweet spot, since Ultra drops to 49.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. If prioritizing framerate above all else, 1440p Low at 148.6 FPS or 1080p Low at 170.1 FPS are excellent choices for competitive or high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset offers a middle ground at all resolutions, with 158.6 FPS at 1080p, 134.7 FPS at 1440p, and 82.9 FPS at 4K, making it a viable option for users who want a slight performance buffer. Overall, the data indicates that the combo is best used at 1440p High for a premium experience, with 1080p Ultra as a close second, and 4K only recommended with High settings or lower.