Hard West

Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015, interacts with modern hardware in a way that clearly separates CPU and GPU responsibilities. The Intel Core i5-9400 provides a six-core, six-thread foundation with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, built on the Coffee Lake architecture. The data shows this processor is a mid-range performer, sitting at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its closest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, are within a 0.4% performance delta, indicating that the i5-9400 is competitively positioned for its generation. For a game like Hard West, which relies on turn-based logic and AI pathfinding rather than continuous physics calculations, these six physical cores are generally sufficient to feed a powerful GPU, but the benchmark results reveal where the CPU's limits begin to manifest.

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

The Intel Core i5-9400’s specifications are central to understanding its performance ceiling in Hard West. It operates with 6 cores and 6 threads, a configuration that lacks hyper-threading. The base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz are moderate for its era, and the processor draws a 65 W TDP. The 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for most gaming workloads, but the data suggests that Hard West’s CPU demands scale with resolution less than they do with frame rate targets.

In this game, the CPU’s role is primarily to manage game logic, unit turns, and the overhead of the DirectX API. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the average frame rate reaches 172 FPS, which is the highest recorded across all configurations. This high number indicates that the CPU is capable of driving the game engine at a fast pace when the GPU is not a bottleneck. However, the single-core performance of the i5-9400, evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935, is not exceptional by modern standards. In a game like Hard West, where the framerate is often capped by the game’s tick rate or CPU logic, this becomes a limiting factor. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 58, which is a steep decline from the 1080p Low figure, but this is more attributable to the GPU’s workload than the CPU’s.

The processor’s 47th percentile ranking among all CPUs places it in the lower half of tested hardware, but its rivals are very close. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, which is a -0.2% delta, meaning the i5-9400 is essentially on par. This close grouping suggests that any performance differences between these CPUs in Hard West would be minor. The benchmark results indicate that the i5-9400 provides a stable baseline, but it does not have the headroom to push frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios. The data shows that at 1440p High, the average FPS is 125, which is a significant drop from the 1080p High average of 145 FPS. This 20 FPS gap is likely due to the increased GPU load, but the CPU’s ability to maintain frame pacing becomes more critical as the resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 779th out of 3722 tested combos in Hard West. This places the combo in the top 21% of all configurations tested, which is notable given the age of the CPU relative to the GPU. The rank of 779 suggests that while the RTX 5090 is a top-tier graphics card, the i5-9400’s older architecture and lower core count prevent the combo from reaching the very top of the charts. The data implies that there are 778 other combinations that deliver better performance in this specific game, likely featuring newer processors with higher single-thread performance.

The combo’s rank is a direct reflection of the CPU’s 47th percentile standing. Since the RTX 5090 is an extremely powerful GPU, the bottleneck in this system is almost certainly the processor. The benchmark results show that the combo achieves its best performance at 1080p Low with 172 FPS, but this is still far from the theoretical maximum that the GPU could deliver. The rank of 779 means that many other combos, perhaps with CPUs like the Intel Core i7-10710U or Intel Core i3-10305, which have similar average scores, might perform differently depending on their clock speeds and memory configurations. The data shows that the i5-9400’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-10710U, has a 0.3% higher average score, which could translate to slightly better frame rates in Hard West.

This ranking also highlights the imbalance of the pairing. The RTX 5090 is designed for 4K gaming with high settings, but the i5-9400’s limitations are exposed at lower resolutions. The combo rank of 779 is a strong indicator that for a game like Hard West, which is not particularly demanding, the CPU is the limiting factor. The data shows that the combo performs better at higher resolutions, such as 1440p and 4K, where the GPU workload increases and the CPU has relatively more time to process each frame. This is a classic sign of a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU scaling. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 172. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 147 FPS, a 14.5% decrease. At 4K Low, the average is 119 FPS, which is a 30.8% drop from the 1080p Low figure. This scaling is typical for a game where the GPU becomes more heavily utilized as resolution increases. The CPU’s role remains relatively constant, but the GPU’s workload grows exponentially with pixel count.

Looking at the High settings, the pattern is similar but with a steeper drop. From 1080p High at 145 FPS to 1440p High at 125 FPS, there is a 13.8% decrease. From 1080p High to 4K High, the average FPS drops to 78, a 46.2% decrease. This indicates that at High settings, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as the RTX 5090 is being pushed harder with more complex lighting and effects. The difference between the Low and High settings at 4K is substantial: 119 FPS vs 78 FPS, which shows that the GPU’s shader workload is significant.

The data also shows that the CPU is not the limiting component at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions. Instead, the FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, which is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. However, at 1080p, the CPU’s limitations are more apparent. The gap between 1080p Low (172 FPS) and 1440p Low (147 FPS) is 25 FPS, but the gap between 1440p Low and 4K Low is 28 FPS. This suggests that the CPU can maintain a high frame rate at 1080p, but the GPU’s performance scaling is more pronounced at higher resolutions.

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

The data provides a comprehensive view of the combo’s performance across three resolutions and four quality presets.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 172 FPS average
• Medium: 160 FPS average, with a minimum of 136 FPS and maximum of 184 FPS
• High: 145 FPS average
• Ultra: 131 FPS average

At 1080p, the frame rates are consistently high, with even the Ultra preset achieving 131 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 136 FPS, which indicates that the frame pacing is stable. The difference between Low and Ultra is 41 FPS, which is a 23.8% reduction. This shows that the GPU has enough headroom at 1080p to handle the Ultra preset, but the CPU is still managing to keep up.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 147 FPS average
• Medium: 137 FPS average, with a minimum of 117 FPS and maximum of 158 FPS
• High: 125 FPS average
• Ultra: 111 FPS average

At 1440p, the frame rates remain playable, but the drop from 1080p is noticeable. The Ultra preset drops to 111 FPS, which is still smooth, but the Medium preset’s minimum of 117 FPS suggests that there is some frame variability. The data shows that the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck at this resolution, but the CPU is still able to provide a solid experience.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 119 FPS average
• Medium: 101 FPS average, with a minimum of 86 FPS and maximum of 116 FPS
• High: 78 FPS average
• Ultra: 58 FPS average

At 4K, the GPU’s limitations are fully exposed. The Ultra preset drops to 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset maintains 101 FPS, but the minimum of 86 FPS indicates that there are occasional dips. The Low preset at 119 FPS is the only 4K setting that provides a consistently high frame rate. This data clearly shows that the RTX 5090 is the limiting factor at 4K, as the CPU’s performance is less relevant when the GPU is struggling to render the higher pixel count.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a flagship GPU with a 92,200 million transistor count on a 5 nm process, featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The boost clock of 2407 MHz and base clock of 2017 MHz are high, and the GPU has 21,760 shading units. These specifications make it an incredibly powerful card, but the data from Hard West shows that its performance is constrained by the CPU in some scenarios.

The RTX 5090’s 32 GB of VRAM is more than enough for Hard West, which is a 2015 game with modest texture requirements. Even at 4K Ultra, the VRAM usage is unlikely to exceed a few gigabytes, so the 32 GB capacity is not a factor. The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is also excessive for this game, but it ensures that there are no memory-related bottlenecks. The GPU’s 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79842, places it near the top of the performance charts. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, has a delta of 0.3%, which is negligible.

In Hard West, the RTX 5090’s role is to render the game’s graphics, which include detailed environments and character models. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the average FPS drops to 58. This is a significant reduction from the 1080p High setting of 145 FPS. The GPU’s performance scales well with resolution, but the CPU’s limitations become apparent at lower resolutions. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (172 FPS) is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame rate capability, as the GPU is not being fully utilized at that resolution.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the resolution and the desired frame rate target. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 131 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 145 FPS is also excellent, but the Ultra preset offers the best visual quality without a significant performance hit. The data shows that the Medium preset at 1080p has a minimum of 136 FPS, which is still very smooth, but the Ultra preset is the best choice for a visual upgrade.

At 1440p, the Ultra preset drops to 111 FPS, which is still playable, but the High preset at 125 FPS provides a better balance. The Medium preset at 137 FPS is also a good option, especially for those who prefer higher frame rates. The data indicates that the Ultra preset at 1440p is the highest quality setting that maintains a frame rate above 100 FPS, but the High preset is a safer choice if consistent frame pacing is a priority.

At 4K, the Ultra preset at 58 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, so it should be avoided for a consistently smooth experience. The High preset at 78 FPS is a better option, but the Medium preset at 101 FPS is the sweet spot. It offers a good balance between visual quality and performance, with a minimum of 86 FPS. The Low preset at 119 FPS is the best for achieving high frame rates, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. For a game like Hard West, which is turn-based, a frame rate of 60 FPS is sufficient, so the Medium preset at 4K is recommended.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo’s rank in Hard West?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 779th out of 3722 tested combos in this game.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data shows that at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 172, which is the highest recorded. This suggests that the CPU is near its limit, as the GPU is not fully utilized at this resolution.

Q: What is the best 4K setting for this combo?

A: The Medium preset at 4K delivers an average of 101 FPS with a minimum of 86 FPS, making it the best balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset drops to 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, which is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-10710U.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 the limiting factor at 4K?

A: Yes, the data shows that frame rates drop significantly from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: What is the difference in FPS between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 131, while at 4K Ultra it drops to 58. This represents a 55.7% decrease, highlighting the GPU’s workload at 4K.