Hard West

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 2,949 tested hardware combinations in Hard West, the Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D secures the 14th position. This placement puts the combo in the top 0.5% of all tested systems, a dominant position that reflects the sheer ceiling of performance this pairing can reach in the game. The data indicates that this is not merely a high-end system, but one that sits at the very apex of the leaderboard, leaving the vast majority of other configurations far behind.

The rank is a product of both components working in concert, but the data suggests the GPU is the primary driver of this lofty placement. While the RTX 5090 D itself holds a 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs, its performance in Hard West when paired with this CPU is exceptional. This synergy is crucial; the i7-14700KF provides the headroom necessary for the RTX 5090 D to operate without being a bottleneck, even at lower resolutions where CPU load is typically higher. The result is a system that delivers top-tier frame rates across the board, a fact reflected in its single-digit rank out of thousands of possibilities.

When considering the CPU's contribution to this ranking, it is important to note its standing among its peers. The i7-14700KF sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 70,163. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (0.2% faster), the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (0.4% faster), the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (0.9% faster), and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K (1% slower). These are incredibly tight margins, indicating that the i7-14700KF is at the very frontier of CPU performance. In the context of Hard West, this level of processing power ensures that frame pacing is consistent and that the GPU is never starved for data, allowing it to achieve its maximum potential and secure that 14th-place finish.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. This configuration provides a substantial amount of parallel processing power, which is a significant asset for a game like Hard West. While the game is a turn-based tactics title that may not utilize all 20 cores simultaneously, the high boost clock of 5.60 GHz is critical for ensuring that the primary game logic and simulation threads run as quickly as possible.

The CPU's cache hierarchy is also substantial, with 2 MB of L2 cache per core and a large 33 MB of shared L3 cache. This large pool of fast memory helps to reduce latency when the CPU needs to access frequently used game data, contributing to smoother and more consistent frame delivery. The processor supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, allowing for high-bandwidth system memory that can keep pace with the CPU's demands. While the game is from 2015, the sheer processing capability of this modern CPU ensures that any AI calculations, pathfinding, or turn-based logic are handled with immense headroom.

Benchmark results for the i7-14700KF show its strengths. In Cinebench R23, it scores 44,167 points in multi-core and 6,235 points in single-core tests. The single-core score is particularly relevant for most games, including Hard West, as it indicates how well the processor can handle the main game thread. A high single-core score, driven by the 5.60 GHz boost clock, directly translates to higher frame rates in scenarios where the CPU is the limiting factor. In this game, the data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 317 FPS. This suggests that even at lower graphical settings, where GPU load is diminished, the CPU is more than capable of feeding the RTX 5090 D, keeping the combo near the top of the rankings.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i7-14700KF or the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D the primary bottleneck in this system for Hard West?*

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings. For example, at 1080p Low, the system reaches 317 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 62 FPS. This significant drop indicates that the graphics card is working at its limit at 4K, while the CPU has enough headroom to push much higher frame rates if the GPU could keep up.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its closest competitors?

A: The i7-14700KF is benchmarked at 70,163 points. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700F, 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX, and 0.9% faster than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K by 1%. These deltas are minimal, showing the i7-14700KF is in the top tier of CPUs.

Q: What is the best performance the pair can achieve at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the highest average frame rate recorded is 251 FPS on Low settings. If you prefer higher visual fidelity, it still manages 205 FPS on Medium and 158 FPS on High, making it an excellent resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's performance in this game comparable to other GPUs?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT, which is 1.6% faster, while the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB is 2.1% slower. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT is 1.1% faster in these aggregated benchmarks, though this does not reflect in-game Hard West performance where the 5090 D excels.

Q: How many frames can be expected at the highest settings at 4K?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the system averages 62 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested and is the only one that dips below the 60 FPS threshold, making it the least suitable for very high refresh rate displays.

*Q: Does the CPU's 20-core count matter for Hard West?*

A: While Hard West is a turn-based tactics game that may not be heavily threaded, the i7-14700KF's high boost clock of 5.60 GHz and strong single-core performance (6,235 in Cinebench R23) are more important. These factors ensure the main game logic runs without bottlenecking the RTX 5090 D.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo show a clear scaling pattern across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally fast, firmly in high-refresh-rate territory. The lowest average at this resolution is 187 FPS on Ultra, while Low settings produce a staggering 317 FPS. Medium settings yield 295 FPS, and High settings are not far behind at 249 FPS. The only 1080p row with min/max data is Medium, showing a range of 251 to 339 FPS, which indicates very consistent performance.

Moving to 1440p, the frame rates remain extremely high. The Low preset delivers 251 FPS, Medium drops to 205 FPS, and High comes in at 158 FPS. Even the Ultra preset at 1440p maintains an average of 118 FPS, which is excellent for a high-resolution, high-detail gaming experience. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a min/max range of 174 to 236 FPS, again demonstrating stable frame delivery.

At 4K, the performance curve becomes steeper. The High preset averages 83 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings drop to an average of 108 FPS, with a min/max range of 92 to 124 FPS. Low settings at 4K produce 131 FPS, showing the GPU's raw power. The most demanding test is 4K Ultra, which averages 62 FPS. This is the only configuration where the average dips into the lower end of playability for fast-paced action, though for a turn-based tactics game, it remains a viable option. The data shows a consistent hierarchy: for any given resolution, lowering settings increases frame rate, and for any given setting, lowering resolution increases frame rate.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals significant insights about the system's bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 249 FPS at 1080p to 158 FPS at 1440p, a 37% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops from 158 FPS to 83 FPS, a 47% decrease. This scaling pattern is typical of a system where the GPU becomes progressively more stressed at higher resolutions. The CPU's performance headroom is evident by the fact that at 1080p High, the system can push 249 FPS, a number that is likely far beyond the CPU's limit for this game.

The scaling is even more pronounced on the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system hits 317 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 251 FPS, and at 4K Low, it falls to 131 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a 48% reduction. This steep decline at lower settings is a clear indicator that the GPU is the primary limiting factor. When the CPU is given easy work (Low settings), it can process frames at a very high rate, but the RTX 5090 D cannot render them fast enough at 4K to keep up with the CPU's potential.

This analysis points to a classic GPU-bound scenario at 4K. The CPU is powerful enough that it is not holding the system back, even at 1080p. The fact that frame rates scale so dramatically with resolution and settings confirms that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the component that determines the final performance in Hard West. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is fast enough to deliver extremely high frame rates, but at 4K, its workload becomes so heavy that the frame rate drops to the levels we see in the measured data.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frames, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display and performance goals. For users with a 1080p or 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate (144Hz or higher), the High preset is the clear standout. At 1080p, it delivers 249 FPS, and at 1440p, it provides 158 FPS. This setting offers a significant visual upgrade over Low and Medium while still maintaining frame rates that will saturate all but the most extreme gaming monitors. The Ultra preset at these resolutions (187 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p) is also excellent if maximum visual fidelity is desired, as both remain well above 100 FPS.

For 4K users, the choice is a balance between fidelity and smoothness. The High preset, at 83 FPS, is the recommended sweet spot. It is a significant step up from Medium (108 FPS) in visual quality, and its average frame rate is high enough for a comfortable experience in a turn-based game. The Ultra preset at 4K, which averages 62 FPS, is technically playable but sits closer to the minimum threshold for what many consider smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 4K (131 FPS) is not recommended for general use, as the visual hit is substantial compared to the frame rate gain over High.

The data shows that the Medium preset offers the most consistent frame times, as it is the only setting that has recorded min and max FPS values across all three resolutions. This could suggest that it provides the most stable experience, but the High preset's higher average frame rates make it the better overall choice for most users. In summary, High settings at 1440p provide the best balance of speed and visual quality, while High or Ultra at 4K are the most practical for 4K displays, depending on the user's tolerance for lower frame rates in exchange for higher detail.