Hard West

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B570 lands at rank 2360 out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. That places this configuration in the bottom 20% of all tested systems, a surprisingly low position for a CPU that ranks in the 89th percentile among all processors. The data suggests that the Arc B570 is the limiting factor here, dragging what would otherwise be a strong CPU performance down to a mid-pack gaming experience.

With a combo rank of 2360 out of 2949, this pairing sits well below the median tested system. The delta between the CPU's excellent synthetic scores and the actual in-game rank is stark. The i7-13700K's average benchmark score of 46881 puts it within 0.5% of rivals like the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, yet the measured frame rates in Hard West tell a different story. The GPU's percentile of 65 among all GPUs, combined with its 10 GB VRAM allocation, simply cannot translate the CPU's compute headroom into high refresh rates in this turn-based tactics title.

The rank also implies that most other CPU-GPU pairings deliver better frame rates in Hard West. Given the game's 2015 release date, it likely favors older architectures or more established GPU drivers, areas where the Arc B570's newer Xe2-HPG architecture may not excel. The data does not lie: this combo is positioned for playability, not performance supremacy.

# GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 brings 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's base and boost clocks are identical at 2500 MHz, which simplifies clock behavior analysis. With 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units, the B570 has a theoretical FP32 throughput of 11.52 TFLOPS. Those specifications place it in the 65th percentile among all GPUs, adjacent to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% delta) and Intel Arc A750 (-0.1% delta).

In Hard West, the GPU's role is pivotal. The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 134 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 21 FPS. That sixfold drop across resolution and settings indicates the GPU saturates quickly as pixel count and visual complexity rise. The 10 GB VRAM buffer is ample for a 2015 title, but the raw compute and memory bandwidth become bottlenecks at higher resolutions.

The B570's 18 ray tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support are largely irrelevant for Hard West, a game that predates widespread ray tracing adoption. Instead, the rasterization throughput matters most. The 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 360.0 GTexel/s texture rate are the specs that determine how well this GPU handles the game's 2D sprite and isometric rendering. The benchmark results indicate that at Medium settings, the GPU delivers playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but struggles to maintain 30 FPS at 4K even on Low.

# Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High, the combo averages 84 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 53 FPS, a 37% reduction. At 4K High, the average collapses to 28 FPS, a 67% drop from 1440p. This steep decline indicates the Arc B570's memory bandwidth and shader throughput are stretched thin as pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The Low settings tell a similar story. From 134 FPS at 1080p to 85 FPS at 1440p, then to 44 FPS at 4K. The scaling factor from 1080p to 4K at Low is roughly 3x, meaning the GPU retains only a third of its performance when pixel count quadruples. This is a classic sign of fill-rate limitation, where the 80 ROPs and 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate become the binding constraint.

Medium settings show the most complete data, with min and max FPS recorded. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 110 FPS with a min of 93 and max of 126. At 1440p Medium, average drops to 69 FPS with min 59 and max 80. At 4K Medium, average falls to 36 FPS with min 31 and max 42. The min-to-max spread narrows at higher resolutions, suggesting the GPU's frame pacing becomes more consistent as it approaches its limits, likely because the CPU is no longer the variable component.

The resolution scaling data implies that 1440p is the practical ceiling for this combo at Medium or High settings. At 4K, only Low settings approach playability at 44 FPS, and even then, the experience is marginal. The CPU's 5.40 GHz boost clock and 16 cores are clearly not the constraint; the GPU's 10 GB frame buffer and 160-bit bus are what cap performance.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, Medium settings provide the best balance, delivering 110 FPS average with a tight 93-126 FPS range. That is well above the 60 FPS threshold and leaves headroom for scene complexity. High settings at 1080p still hit 84 FPS, playable but with less margin. Ultra at 1080p drops to 63 FPS, which is acceptable for a turn-based title but not ideal for smooth camera panning.

At 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset. The 69 FPS average with a 59-80 FPS range keeps the experience fluid, while High at 53 FPS may cause noticeable stutter during dense action sequences. Low at 1440p hits 85 FPS, but the visual compromise is likely unnecessary given Medium's performance. Ultra at 1440p falls to 40 FPS, which is below the playability threshold for most users.

At 4K, the data suggests only Low settings are viable. The 44 FPS average on Low is marginal but playable for a turn-based tactics game, where input latency is less critical than in real-time genres. Medium at 4K drops to 36 FPS, and High falls to 28 FPS, both of which are likely to feel sluggish. Ultra at 4K at 21 FPS is essentially a screenshot mode, not a gameplay setting.

The measured data shows a clear pattern: Medium is the sweet spot for this combo at 1080p and 1440p, while Low is the only reasonable choice at 4K. The 10 GB VRAM never appears to be a limiting factor, as even Ultra settings in this 2015 title likely fit within that buffer. The bottleneck is raw rasterization throughput.

# FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 60 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, the measured data shows 110 FPS average at 1080p Medium and 84 FPS at 1080p High. Even Ultra settings at 1080p achieve 63 FPS average, which is above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score of 20556 places it within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and Intel Arc A750. However, the in-game performance at 4K Ultra (21 FPS) suggests the B570's architectural strengths do not translate to this specific title.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data indicates 1440p is the optimal resolution. At Medium settings, it delivers 69 FPS average, which is playable and visually sharper than 1080p. At 4K, even Low settings only reach 44 FPS, which is marginal.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: The data does not indicate CPU bottlenecking. The i7-13700K's 16 cores and 24 threads, with a 30 MB shared L3 cache, provide ample headroom. The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a GPU-limited pattern, not a CPU-limited one.

Q: Why is the combo rank so low despite the CPU's high percentile?

A: The combo rank of 2360 out of 2949 reflects the GPU's limitations in this game. The Arc B570's 65th percentile among all GPUs and its specific rendering characteristics are the primary factors dragging the overall rank down.

Q: What settings should I use for the smoothest experience at 1440p?

A: Medium is the recommended preset for 1440p. The measured data shows 69 FPS average with a 59-80 FPS range, which provides consistent frame pacing. High settings at 1440p drop to 53 FPS, which is riskier for smooth gameplay.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. Its base clock of 3.40 GHz boosts up to 5.40 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, and it ranks in the 89th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 46881.

In Hard West, the CPU's role is secondary but not negligible. The game's turn-based mechanics and strategic AI calculations can be CPU-intensive, especially with many units on screen. The i7-13700K's strong single-thread performance (1136 in 3DMark single-thread, 2116 in Cinebench R23 single-core) ensures that AI pathfinding and decision-making are handled quickly. The multi-threaded capabilities (30745 in Cinebench R23 multicore) provide headroom for background tasks and future game updates.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (-0.2% delta), AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (-0.3% delta), AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX (0.5% delta), and Intel Xeon w3-2535 (0.5% delta). These small deltas indicate that the i7-13700K is tightly clustered with other high-end processors, meaning the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo's performance. The bottleneck is unequivocally the GPU.

The CPU's 89th percentile ranking contrasts sharply with the combo's 2360th rank out of 2949. This discrepancy highlights that in Hard West, the GPU choice matters far more than CPU selection. The measured FPS data across all settings and resolutions shows no evidence of CPU-induced frame drops or stutter, even at 1080p Low where the GPU is least stressed.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 134 FPS average
• Medium: 110 FPS average, 93 FPS min, 126 FPS max
• High: 84 FPS average
• Ultra: 63 FPS average

At 1080p, the combo delivers excellent performance across all settings. The jump from Low to Medium costs 24 FPS (18%), while Medium to High costs another 26 FPS (24%). The Ultra preset at 63 FPS is the first setting to dip below 100 FPS, but it remains playable. The tight min-max range at Medium (93-126 FPS) indicates stable frame pacing.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 85 FPS average
• Medium: 69 FPS average, 59 FPS min, 80 FPS max
• High: 53 FPS average
• Ultra: 40 FPS average

At 1440p, the performance drops are more pronounced. Low settings still clear 60 FPS comfortably, and Medium remains above 60 FPS on average. High at 53 FPS is borderline, while Ultra at 40 FPS is below the ideal playability threshold. The scaling from Low to Ultra is roughly 2.1x, indicating that each settings tier costs about 15-20% performance.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 44 FPS average
• Medium: 36 FPS average, 31 FPS min, 42 FPS max
• High: 28 FPS average
• Ultra: 21 FPS average

At 4K, the combo struggles across the board. Low settings barely hit 44 FPS, and Medium falls to 36 FPS. High and Ultra are 28 FPS and 21 FPS respectively, which are effectively unplayable for any real-time interaction. The 4K Medium min-max range (31-42 FPS) shows that even the lower bound is below 30 FPS, meaning consistent frame drops are likely.

The full dataset reveals a clear pattern: this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for Low settings and turn-based patience. The 10 GB VRAM never seems to be the limiting factor; rather, the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the constraints. For a 2015 turn-based tactics title, the measured performance is adequate at mainstream resolutions but not impressive by modern standards.