Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and the measured performance data for the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination shows a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings. The benchmark results reveal a pairing where the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases, while the CPU’s substantial headroom keeps frame rates consistently high at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, contextualizes the system’s standing among tested combinations, and provides actionable guidance based solely on the provided metrics.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates demonstrate a clear and expected drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the Ultra preset, the average FPS falls from 132 at 1080p to 87.2 at 1440p, and finally to 44.2 at 4K. This represents a significant 66.5% reduction in average frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the rendering load at 4K Ultra is heavily taxing the RTX 4070 SUPER. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Ultra is a 33.9% drop, while the jump from 1440p to 4K is a more severe 49.3% reduction, showing that the GPU’s compute and memory bandwidth are stretched thin at the highest pixel count.

The scaling pattern changes when examining the Low preset. At 1920x1080, the system achieves a very high 286.5 FPS average. This drops to 181.1 FPS at 2560x1440 and further to 95.9 FPS at 3840x2160. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is 66.5%, which is nearly identical to the drop seen at Ultra. This suggests that while the absolute frame rates are much higher at Low settings, the relative cost of increasing resolution remains constant, pointing to a scenario where the GPU’s pixel throughput and memory interface are the consistent bottlenecks at 4K, irrespective of the graphical complexity.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the combination is likely CPU-bound in certain scenarios, given the massive frame rates exceeding 180 FPS on High and Medium presets. The Intel Core i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, provides enough processing power to feed the GPU at these lower resolutions. However, the scaling from 1440p to 4K shows a more pronounced performance penalty, which is characteristic of a GPU-limited workload. For instance, at High settings, the drop from 1440p (111.7 FPS) to 4K (61 FPS) is a 45.4% reduction, reinforcing that the RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 192-bit bus are the limiting factors as the pixel count demands more from the memory subsystem.

How This Combo Ranks

According to the comboRankInGame data, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 249th out of 1699 tested combinations in Hard West. This places the system in the top 14.7% of all tested configurations, indicating a strong performance tier. The rank reflects the game’s relatively low system requirements, as a modern high-end CPU and upper-midrange GPU combination still lands in the upper echelon but not at the very top, likely due to other combinations with more powerful GPUs achieving even higher frame rates at 4K Ultra.

The CPU itself is a top-tier performer in general benchmarks, with an average benchmark score of 70074 and a percentile rank of 96 across all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-14700KF, which is virtually identical with a deltaPct of 0, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which is 0.5% faster. This indicates that the i7-14700K is not the limiting factor in this combo. Conversely, the RTX 4070 SUPER has a percentile rank of 84 across all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 42576, with its nearest rival being the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which is 0.2% faster. The GPU’s lower percentile rank compared to the CPU suggests that the graphics card is the more likely bottleneck in this pairing, which aligns with the resolution scaling data.

The ranking of 249 out of 1699 combos suggests that while this system is powerful, there are many configurations that achieve higher frame rates in Hard West, likely those with higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090 series. However, the system still delivers excellent playable performance at all settings, with the only exception being 4K Ultra, which dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved by this combo in Hard West?

A: The highest average frame rate is 286.5 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 61, which just barely clears the 60 FPS threshold. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 77.6, providing a more comfortable margin. However, at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 44.2, which is below 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700K has an average benchmark score of 70074, which is 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X’s score of 70420. The performance difference is negligible in real-world terms.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers an average of 181.1 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 87.2 FPS. This represents a 51.9% reduction in performance when moving from Low to Ultra.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER more likely to be the bottleneck than the CPU?

A: Yes, the data suggests so. The GPU has a percentile rank of 84 across all GPUs, while the CPU has a percentile rank of 96 across all CPUs. Additionally, the resolution scaling shows significant frame rate drops at 4K, indicating GPU limitations.

Q: What is the average frame rate at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with the Medium preset, the system achieves an average frame rate of 232.6 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, the data points to the High preset as the optimal choice for most users. At 1920x1080, High settings deliver an average of 181.8 FPS, which is far beyond what any display can show, providing ample headroom. At 2560x1440, High still delivers a very smooth 111.7 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Even at 3840x2160, High settings maintain an average of 61 FPS, which is playable on standard 60Hz displays.

The Ultra preset, while offering the highest visual quality, comes with a significant performance cost. At 4K, Ultra drops to 44.2 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. Therefore, users with 4K displays should opt for High settings to ensure a consistent 60 FPS experience. The Medium preset is a viable fallback for 4K users who want a higher frame rate buffer, as it delivers 77.6 FPS at that resolution.

For competitive or high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p, the Low preset offers an extraordinary 286.5 FPS average, which would fully utilize a 240Hz or higher monitor. However, the visual downgrade may not be worth it for a turn-based tactics game where reaction time is less critical. The Medium preset at 1080p also provides an excellent 232.6 FPS, making it a strong choice for high refresh rates with better visuals than Low. Based on the measured data, the High preset at 1440p offers the best overall experience, combining high visual quality with an average frame rate of 111.7 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a complete breakdown of the measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: 286.5 FPS
• Medium: 232.6 FPS
• High: 181.8 FPS
• Ultra: 132 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 181.1 FPS
• Medium: 150.6 FPS
• High: 111.7 FPS
• Ultra: 87.2 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 95.9 FPS
• Medium: 77.6 FPS
• High: 61 FPS
• Ultra: 44.2 FPS

The data shows a consistent scaling factor between resolutions. Moving from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 36-38% across all settings (e.g., High from 181.8 to 111.7 is a 38.6% drop, Low from 286.5 to 181.1 is a 36.8% drop). Moving from 1440p to 4K incurs a larger penalty, with reductions ranging from 45.4% (High) to 49.3% (Ultra). This non-linear scaling is typical of a GPU that becomes increasingly bottlenecked by its memory bandwidth and pixel fill rate at higher resolutions. The 4K Low preset (95.9 FPS) performs similarly to the 1440p High preset (111.7 FPS) in terms of absolute numbers, but the visual quality difference is substantial, highlighting the efficiency of the High preset at lower resolutions.