Hard West

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents an extreme pairing in Hard West, where a high-end 12th Gen processor is held back by a GPU that ranks in the bottom percentile. The data shows a system where the CPU has ample headroom, but the graphics solution consistently limits frame rates across all tested configurations. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, offering a practical look at what this combo can deliver in this turn-based tactics title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best overall performance this combo achieves in Hard West?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 87 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. At the most demanding preset (Ultra) and 4K resolution, performance drops to an average of 14 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35365. This is effectively tied with the Intel Core i7-13700T (35403, -0.1%), the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305, 0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-12700K (35287, 0.2%). It sits in the 85th percentile among all tested CPUs.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its closest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482. This places it slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3%), the GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5%), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5%), and the GeForce GT 710 (1443, 2.7%). It sits in the 9th percentile among all tested GPUs.

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

A: The data strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The Intel Arc B390’s benchmark scores are in the bottom 9th percentile, while the i7-12700KF is in the 85th percentile. The dramatic FPS drops when increasing resolution or settings are characteristic of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: Can this combo run Hard West smoothly at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1920x1080, the combo achieves playable frame rates on Medium (71 FPS) and High (55 FPS) presets. Low settings reach 87 FPS, but the Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS, indicating the GPU struggles with the highest visual fidelity.

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

A: According to the measured data, only the 1920x1080 resolution with Low (87 FPS) or Medium (71 FPS) settings achieves an average above 60 FPS. The 2560x1440 resolution sees its highest average at 55 FPS on Low settings, which is below the 60 FPS mark.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo handles Hard West’s presets. The primary goal for a playable experience should be to maintain a stable frame rate, and the data shows that the Arc B390 GPU is the deciding factor. At 1920x1080, the most balanced experience is found with the Medium preset, which delivers an average of 71 FPS with a minimum of 61 FPS. This ensures that the frame rate stays above the 60 FPS threshold even during more demanding scenes, offering a smoother experience than the High preset's 55 FPS average.

Choosing the Low preset at 1080p yields the highest average (87 FPS), but the visual compromise may not be worth the extra frames for a turn-based tactics game where twitch reactions are less critical. The Ultra preset at 1080p, at 41 FPS, is noticeably less fluid and does not provide a good experience for the graphical cost. The performance scaling suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot, as it provides a significant jump from High without the major performance hit of Ultra.

For users with 1440p displays, the options are more limited. The Low preset is the only viable choice, with an average of 55 FPS and no recorded minimum. This is playable but not ideal, and the Medium preset at 45 FPS (with a minimum of 38 FPS) could be acceptable for a slower-paced game like this. However, the High and Ultra presets at 1440p (35 and 26 FPS respectively) fall into the unplayable range. At 4K, the data shows that no preset is recommended, as even Low settings only reach an average of 29 FPS, which is too low for a responsive experience.

The practical advice is to prioritize the 1080p resolution and use the Medium preset for the best combination of visual quality and performance. If a higher resolution is required, then Low settings at 1440p is the only sensible option. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as the GPU is not capable of providing a smooth experience at any resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The performance degradation from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the nature of the system's bottleneck. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 87 FPS at 1920x1080 to 55 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 37%. Moving to 3840x2160, the average falls to 29 FPS, which is a 67% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline indicates that the GPU’s rendering capabilities are quickly overwhelmed as the pixel count increases.

For the Medium preset, the scaling is similar. The average at 1080p is 71 FPS, which drops to 45 FPS at 1440p and further to 24 FPS at 4K. The High preset shows the same pattern, with averages of 55, 35, and 18 FPS across the three resolutions. This consistent behavior across all settings is a classic sign of a GPU-limited scenario. A CPU-bound system would show less of a performance delta when the resolution is increased, as the CPU's workload remains relatively constant.

The fact that the drop is so consistent and severe points directly at the Intel Arc B390. Its 9th percentile ranking and the system-shared memory configuration mean it lacks the raw fill rate and memory bandwidth necessary to handle 4K resolutions in this game. The i7-12700KF is not the limiting factor here; its high benchmark scores (85th percentile) demonstrate it has more than enough processing power to feed the GPU. The data suggests that the framerate is almost entirely dependent on the GPU's ability to process the frame, and that ability diminishes rapidly with higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700KF + Intel Arc B390 combination ranks 2614th out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's low performance. This ranking, despite the presence of a strong CPU, underscores the importance of a balanced system. The i7-12700KF’s raw power is effectively wasted when paired with a GPU that sits in the 9th percentile.

The general benchmarks for the CPU show it is a top-tier performer, with an average score of 35365 and a percentile rank of 85. Its nearest rivals, the i7-13700T, i5-13600T, and i7-12700K, all have near-identical scores, with deltas of less than 1%. This confirms that the CPU is not the source of the system's low rank in this game.

Conversely, the GPU's average benchmark score of 1482 is only slightly above its nearest rivals, the GT 520MX, 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, all of which are very old, entry-level parts. The deltaPct values for these rivals are all positive, ranging from 1.3% to 2.7%, meaning the B390 is only marginally faster than them. This puts the GPU's performance in perspective and explains why the combo ranks so low. The system's overall rank is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the defining component in this system, and its characteristics explain the measured frame rates in Hard West. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a total of 1536 shading units. Its performance in the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark is 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low score, and its nearest rivals are all NVIDIA parts from over a decade ago, such as the GeForce GT 710 and GT 520MX.

A critical aspect of this GPU is its memory configuration. The memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as "System Shared," and the bandwidth is "System Dependent." This means the GPU relies on the system's main memory (DDR4 or DDR5) for its frame buffer instead of dedicated VRAM. In a game like Hard West, this can lead to significant performance bottlenecks, especially at higher resolutions and detail settings where the amount of data needed for textures and geometry increases substantially. The shared memory architecture and the low fill rate (60.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (120.0 GTexel/s) are the primary reasons for the low frame rates observed at 1440p and 4K.

The GPU's TDP is 80 W, and it is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), meaning it is not a separate card but is part of the same package as the CPU. This is an unusual pairing for a high-end desktop CPU like the i7-12700KF, and the performance data confirms that it is not suitable for demanding gaming at high resolutions. The 24 ROPs are simply too few to handle the pixel output required at 4K, while the system-shared memory creates latency and bandwidth issues that further impact performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average frame rates for this combo in Hard West. Minimum and maximum frame rates were only recorded for the Medium preset.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Ultra: 14 FPS average.
• High: 18 FPS average.
• Medium: 24 FPS average (min 20, max 27).
• Low: 29 FPS average.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Ultra: 26 FPS average.
• High: 35 FPS average.
• Medium: 45 FPS average (min 38, max 52).
• Low: 55 FPS average.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Ultra: 41 FPS average.
• High: 55 FPS average.
• Medium: 71 FPS average (min 61, max 82).
• Low: 87 FPS average.

The data shows a clear hierarchy. At 1080p, the combo can provide an acceptable experience on Medium and Low. The Medium preset's minimum of 61 FPS is particularly notable, as it shows the frame rate is stable enough to avoid noticeable stutters. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p, at 55 and 41 FPS respectively, are more demanding and result in a less fluid experience.

At 1440p, the frame rates drop across the board. The Low preset's 55 FPS average might be acceptable for some, but the Medium preset's minimum of 38 FPS indicates potential for frame pacing issues. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for playable performance. At 4K, all presets are effectively unplayable, with averages ranging from 14 to 29 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistently poor, reinforcing the conclusion that the Intel Arc B390 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration.