Hard West

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B370 lands at rank 2721 out of 2949 tested combinations for Hard West. That places this combo in the bottom 8% of all tested systems, a surprisingly low position for a CPU that ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors. The data suggests the Arc B370 is the dominant constraint, dragging down what would otherwise be a capable turn-based tactics machine.

The combo's standing becomes clearer when examining the GPU's benchmark percentile. The Arc B370 sits at just the 5th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rivals — the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, delta -0.2%), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, delta -0.5%), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, delta -0.7%), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, delta 1.4%) — are all legacy or low-end parts. The Arc B370 is essentially competing with hardware from a previous era, which explains why this modern CPU + GPU pairing ranks so poorly in a 2015 turn-based tactics title.

What's curious here is the mismatch. The i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread Raptor Lake desktop processor with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, capable of a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745. Yet the GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is the only graphics benchmark available, and it's abysmal. This combination is a textbook case of CPU overkill paired with GPU underpowering, and the rank reflects that imbalance.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K brings substantial processing power to Hard West. With 16 cores and 24 threads, the CPU has far more parallelism than a turn-based tactics game from 2015 would typically utilize. The base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, which matters for game logic, AI pathfinding, and turn resolution.

Benchmark data confirms the CPU's strength. The 3DMark multi-thread scores scale from 2262 (2 threads) to 8193 (8 threads) and up to 12412 (max threads). Single-thread performance registers 1136 in 3DMark and 4333 in PassMark. Cinebench R23 shows 30745 multi-core and 2116 single-core. Geekbench reports 19429 multi-core and 2529 single-core. These are top-tier numbers for any workload.

However, the nearest rivals tell an interesting story. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971 (delta -0.2%), the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022 (delta -0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX scores 46654 (delta 0.5%), and the Intel Xeon w3-2535 scores 46653 (delta 0.5%). The i7-13700K's average benchmark score of 46881 places it squarely in this pack, essentially tied with each rival. This means the CPU is not a differentiator — it's performing exactly as expected for its class.

In Hard West specifically, the CPU's role is to handle the turn-based logic, enemy AI, and game state calculations. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 79 FPS, which is the highest measured score across all settings. This suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck at lower settings; the GPU takes over as the limiting factor as resolution and settings increase. The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample headroom for this game's modest data requirements.

# GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the clear weak link in this pairing. This is an integrated graphics solution (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It features 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, with 10 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz, boosting to 2400 MHz. Its memory is system shared, meaning there's no dedicated VRAM — the GPU borrows from system memory, and bandwidth is system dependent.

The GPU's compute capabilities are modest: 6.144 TFLOPS FP32, 12.29 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio), a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s. The TDP is just 25 W, and it uses no power connectors — it's an IGP with portable device dependent display outputs. The API support is actually solid, with DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but raw performance is what matters here.

The single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 places this GPU at the 5th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all older or lower-end parts: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, -0.2%), ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, -0.5%), AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, -0.7%), and AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, 1.4%). These deltas are all within 1.4%, meaning the Arc B370 is statistically indistinguishable from a Radeon HD 5770 — a GPU that launched over a decade before this IGP.

For Hard West, the GPU's role is rendering the game's isometric, stylized visuals. Turn-based tactics games typically have modest GPU demands, but even so, the Arc B370 struggles. The measured FPS data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 12 FPS average — effectively unplayable. Even at 1080p Low, the 79 FPS average is the only truly smooth result in the entire dataset.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive picture of this combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings tiers.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are grim. Low settings yield 26 FPS average, Medium yields 21 FPS (with minimum 18 and maximum 25), High yields 16 FPS, and Ultra drops to 12 FPS. No 4K configuration reaches even 30 FPS, which is typically considered the minimum for playable frame rates in a turn-based game. The spread from Low to Ultra is 14 FPS, showing that settings scaling has a meaningful but limited impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), performance improves substantially. Low settings deliver 50 FPS, Medium delivers 41 FPS (minimum 35, maximum 47), High delivers 31 FPS, and Ultra delivers 23 FPS. The jump from 4K to 1440p is significant — roughly doubling frame rates at each settings tier. This suggests the GPU's memory bandwidth or fill rate is heavily taxed at 4K.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo finally shows playable numbers. Low settings hit 79 FPS, Medium hits 64 FPS (minimum 55, maximum 74), High hits 49 FPS, and Ultra hits 37 FPS. The 1080p Low result is the only time this combo exceeds 60 FPS, and it does so by a healthy margin. The 1080p Medium result at 64 FPS is also respectable, while 1080p High at 49 FPS and Ultra at 37 FPS are borderline.

The minimum and maximum FPS data is only provided for Medium settings across all resolutions. At 4K Medium, the range is 18–25 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it's 35–47 FPS; at 1080p Medium, it's 55–74 FPS. These ranges show that frame pacing is relatively consistent, with no extreme spikes or drops.

# Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior reveals a GPU that is heavily resolution-bound. Moving from 1080p to 1440p, the FPS drops are consistent: Low goes from 79 to 50 (a 37% reduction), Medium from 64 to 41 (36% reduction), High from 49 to 31 (37% reduction), and Ultra from 37 to 23 (38% reduction). This near-uniform scaling suggests the GPU is the bottleneck across all settings, with the CPU playing a minimal role in limiting performance.

Moving from 1440p to 4K, the drops are even more severe: Low goes from 50 to 26 (48% reduction), Medium from 41 to 21 (49% reduction), High from 31 to 16 (48% reduction), and Ultra from 23 to 12 (48% reduction). The consistent ~48% drop from 1440p to 4K, compared to the ~37% drop from 1080p to 1440p, indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard memory bandwidth or fill rate wall at higher resolutions.

The system shared memory configuration explains this pattern. With no dedicated VRAM, the Arc B370 must access system memory for all frame buffer operations. At 4K, the memory traffic increases dramatically, and the system dependent bandwidth becomes a critical constraint. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are simply insufficient for 4K rendering, even in a turn-based tactics game.

What this data implies is that the limiting component is unambiguously the GPU. The CPU's strong single-thread and multi-thread scores never come into play as a limiting factor — the GPU saturates long before the CPU is stressed. If the Arc B370 were paired with a weaker CPU, the FPS results would likely be identical, as the GPU is the constraining element at every resolution and settings combination.

# FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of running Hard West at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p with Low settings, where the measured average FPS is 79. At 1080p Medium, the average drops to 64 FPS, which still exceeds 60. No other resolution or settings combination reaches 60 FPS.

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

A: 1080p is the only resolution where playable frame rates are consistently achieved. At 1440p, only Low settings reach 50 FPS, while Medium drops to 41 FPS. At 4K, all settings fall below 30 FPS.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B370's average benchmark score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, delta -0.2%) and ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, delta -0.5%). It is slightly ahead of the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, delta 1.4%) and slightly behind the AMD Radeon HD 7650M (1192, delta -0.7%).

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

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The CPU ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits in the 5th percentile. The consistent FPS drops across resolution scaling indicate GPU limitation, not CPU constraint.

Q: What settings should be used for a balanced experience?

A: At 1080p, Medium settings provide a 64 FPS average with a range of 55–74 FPS, offering a good balance between visual quality and performance. At 1440p, Low settings at 50 FPS are the only viable option.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to all tested combos?

A: It ranks 2721 out of 2949 tested combinations for Hard West, placing it in the bottom 8% of all tested systems.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the recommended settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate.

For 1080p, Medium settings offer the best overall experience. The 64 FPS average with a minimum of 55 and maximum of 74 provides smooth gameplay with improved visual fidelity over Low settings. The 15 FPS gap between Low (79 FPS) and Medium (64 FPS) is noticeable, but the visual upgrade from Low to Medium is typically worthwhile in a turn-based tactics game where frame rates above 60 are not strictly necessary. High settings at 49 FPS are playable but sacrifice the 60 FPS threshold, while Ultra at 37 FPS is the lowest recommended option.

For 1440p, Low settings at 50 FPS are the only recommendation. Medium drops to 41 FPS, which is borderline, and High at 31 FPS or Ultra at 23 FPS are not recommended for comfortable play. The visual difference between Low and Medium at 1440p may be less important than maintaining a higher frame rate given the game's isometric perspective.

For 4K, this combo is not recommended at any settings. The highest measured FPS at 4K is 26 on Low, which is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered playable. Even turn-based tactics games benefit from smoother animations and more responsive camera control.

The data suggests that the "best experience" per the measured rows is 1080p Medium. This configuration delivers 64 FPS average, exceeds 60 FPS, and provides a reasonable middle ground between the 79 FPS of Low and the 37 FPS of Ultra. For players prioritizing frame rate above all else, 1080p Low at 79 FPS is the maximum performance configuration, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and visual quality without dipping below 55 FPS minimum.