Hard West

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers exceptional performance in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. This combination sits at rank 15 out of 2949 tested combos, placing it in the top 0.5% of all configurations. The data shows that this pairing is overkill for the game’s demands, but the headroom ensures flawless frame pacing at every preset. Below is a breakdown of how each component contributes to the measured results, what settings to use, and how the combo scales across resolutions.

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

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It runs at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and boosts up to 5.60 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This CPU sits in the 94th percentile of all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 69355. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9115 (0.1% faster), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.2% slower), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.7% slower), and the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.9% slower).

In Hard West, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle the game’s turn-based logic. The game is not particularly demanding on multi-core performance, but the i7-14700K’s high boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks are handled with minimal latency. Benchmark results show a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and a multi-core score of 33440.5, indicating that the processor has ample headroom for both lightly-threaded game logic and background tasks.

At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 316 FPS, which suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck even at lower resolutions where the GPU has less work. The data shows that going from 1080p Low to 1080p Ultra only drops the average FPS from 316 to 187, a reduction of about 41%. This indicates that the CPU can comfortably sustain high frame rates across all settings, and the limiting factor at higher presets shifts to the GPU. The i7-14700K’s 28 threads are far more than Hard West needs, but the high single-core boost clock is what matters most for this genre. The CPU’s percentile rank of 94 versus all CPUs confirms that it is a top-tier part, and its performance in this game aligns with that standing.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU built on TSMC’s 5 nm process, featuring 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus. The memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) for a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. The GPU has 21760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, with base and boost clocks of 2017 MHz and 2407 MHz respectively. It supports PCIe 5.0 x16 and has a TDP of 575 W. The GPU’s average benchmark score is 77712, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% slower), the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB (2.1% slower), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB (2.4% slower).

Hard West is a 2015 title with modest graphics demands, so the RTX 5090 D is vastly overprovisioned for this game. The 32 GB of VRAM is far more than the game can utilize, and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming is never a bottleneck. The GPU’s raw compute power, rated at 104.8 TFLOPS FP32, means that even at 4K Ultra the card is only partially loaded. The measured results confirm this: at 4K Ultra, the combo averages 62 FPS, which is still playable but not the 100+ FPS seen at lower settings. The GPU’s boost clock of 2407 MHz helps maintain consistent frame times, but the game’s engine is likely the limiting factor at higher resolutions rather than the GPU’s capabilities.

The GPU’s benchmark scores, such as 44065 in Passmark G3D and 14326 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, indicate that it excels in synthetic tests, but Hard West’s simpler rendering pipeline does not stress it. The 92nd percentile ranking versus all GPUs is a strong indicator of its overall capability. In this game, the RTX 5090 D’s primary advantage is that it can brute-force any setting without breaking a sweat, but the differences between presets are more about the game’s engine scaling than the GPU’s limits.

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

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 294 FPS average with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS. This is only 22 FPS lower than the Low preset’s 316 FPS, but the visual uplift from Medium over Low is substantial in a game with detailed environments. The High preset at 1080p drops to 249 FPS, which is still excellent but offers diminishing returns over Medium for most players. Ultra at 1080p yields 187 FPS, which is smooth but not necessary for a turn-based tactics game where reaction time is less critical.

At 1440p, the Medium preset averages 205 FPS with a minimum of 174 FPS and a maximum of 236 FPS. This is the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors, providing a 47 FPS advantage over High (158 FPS) and an 87 FPS advantage over Ultra (118 FPS). The Low preset at 1440p hits 251 FPS, but the visual compromise is significant. For 4K, the Medium preset is the only sensible choice among the measured options, delivering 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS. High at 4K averages 83 FPS, which is playable but dips below the 100 FPS threshold that many consider ideal. Ultra at 4K falls to 62 FPS, which is borderline for a game that does not require fast reflexes.

The best overall experience per the data is the Medium preset at any resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, it offers over 200 FPS with no risk of stutter, and at 4K it maintains a solid 108 FPS. The difference between Medium and High is 45 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 25 FPS at 4K, which is too large to justify the minor visual gains. Ultra is the least efficient preset, with the largest FPS penalty across all resolutions. For a turn-based tactics game, the Medium preset’s combination of high frame rates and good visuals is the optimal choice.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 15th out of 2949 tested combos in Hard West. This places it in the top 0.5% of all configurations, indicating that it outperforms the vast majority of systems tested. The rank is based on the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, with higher average FPS contributing to a better rank. Given the game’s age, this result is expected — newer, more powerful hardware will always dominate a title with low system requirements.

The combo’s rank of 15 means there are 14 other combinations that achieve higher scores, likely those with even newer or more specialized hardware. However, the delta between this combo and the top-ranked ones is likely small, as the game is not demanding enough to differentiate between high-end parts. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, are within 0.2% of its average score, and the GPU’s rivals are within 2.4%. This suggests that the combo’s rank is more a function of the GPU’s raw power than the CPU’s contribution, as the CPU is not a bottleneck in Hard West.

The data shows that the rank of 15 out of 2949 is a strong result, but it is not the absolute top. For a turn-based tactics game, this rank is more than sufficient to ensure a flawless experience. The combo outperforms 99.5% of all tested configurations, which means that any frame drops the user might encounter are due to game engine limitations rather than hardware insufficiency. The 92nd percentile GPU and 94th percentile CPU both contribute to this ranking, but the GPU’s 32 GB VRAM and massive bandwidth give it a slight edge in this title.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K across all settings. At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 294 at 1080p to 205 at 1440p (a 30% decrease) and then to 108 at 4K (a 47% decrease from 1440p). This scaling is consistent with a GPU-bound workload, where the rendering resolution directly impacts the frame rate. The same pattern holds for High settings: 249 FPS at 1080p drops to 158 FPS at 1440p (37% decrease) and then to 83 FPS at 4K (47% decrease from 1440p). Ultra settings show the steepest absolute drop, from 187 FPS at 1080p to 118 FPS at 1440p to 62 FPS at 4K.

The fact that the FPS drops are proportionally larger when moving from 1440p to 4K than from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU’s single-core performance can keep up with the GPU’s output, but as resolution increases, the GPU’s workload grows faster than the CPU’s ability to feed it. The RTX 5090 D’s 32 GB of VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth are more than sufficient for 4K, but the game’s engine is not optimized for such high resolutions, leading to diminishing returns.

The scaling also reveals that the CPU is not a bottleneck in Hard West. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 316 FPS, which is near the practical limit for most displays. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would see a smaller FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p, but the data shows a 20% drop at Low settings (316 to 251 FPS). This is a GPU-bound behavior, confirming that the i7-14700K has ample headroom. The 5.60 GHz boost clock ensures that even at 1080p, the CPU can deliver frames as fast as the GPU can render them. The overall scaling suggests that for this game, the GPU is the primary driver of performance, and the CPU’s role is secondary.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Hard West with this combo?

A: Based on the data, 1440p Medium offers the best balance, averaging 205 FPS with a minimum of 174 FPS. This provides high visual quality and smooth performance without the 4K resolution’s FPS penalty. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 108 FPS, which is still playable but not as fluid.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D compare to its nearest rival in this game?

A: The RTX 5090 D’s average benchmark score is 77712, which is 1.1% slower than the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (76904) and 1.6% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (78940). In Hard West, the GPU’s performance is not the limiting factor, so these differences do not translate to meaningful FPS variations.

Q: Is the i7-14700K a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 D in this game?

A: No, the data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 316 FPS, and the scaling from 1080p to 4K follows a GPU-bound pattern. The i7-14700K’s 5.60 GHz boost clock and 94th percentile ranking ensure it can feed the GPU without limiting performance.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra settings at 4K?

A: At 4K, the High preset averages 83 FPS, while Ultra averages 62 FPS. This is a 21 FPS difference (25% reduction), which is substantial for a turn-based game where visual fidelity is less critical than frame consistency. Medium at 4K is the recommended preset.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: This combo ranks 15th out of 2949 tested combos, placing it in the top 0.5% of all configurations. This is an exceptional result, but not the absolute best, as some other high-end combos achieve higher average FPS in this game.

Q: Does the GPU’s 32 GB VRAM matter for Hard West?

A: The 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than Hard West requires, as the game is from 2015 and has modest texture demands. The VRAM does not affect the measured FPS, but it ensures that the GPU is future-proof for more demanding titles. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth is similarly overkill for this game.