Hard West

Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015, presents an interesting test case for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination. The benchmark data shows this pairing achieves high frame rates at mainstream resolutions, though 4K performance requires careful settings management. The combo ranks in the 53rd percentile among tested systems for this game, indicating a solid, mid-pack performance that aligns with its component tier.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Hard West?

A: The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1574 out of 2949 tested combos for this game. This places it just past the midpoint, indicating a performance level that is better than roughly 53% of all tested systems.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 5 225 achieves an average benchmark score of 36938, which is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F at 36945 (0% delta). It is also statistically equivalent to the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D, which is 0.2% faster, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450, which is 0.4% faster.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile relative to all other graphics cards?

A: The RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, while its average benchmark score of 17639 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which has an average score of 17666 and is only 0.2% faster.

Q: What is the best frame rate achieved at 1080p, and at what settings?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded at 1920x1080 is 186 FPS, which is achieved with the Low preset. The High preset still provides a highly playable 117 FPS average.

Q: Does the system manage 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160, the system averages 62 FPS on Low settings and 51 FPS on Medium settings. The High preset averages 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 29 FPS, indicating that 4K gaming requires lower settings to maintain a 60 FPS target.

Q: What are the specifications of the CPU's core configuration?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a 20 MB shared L3 cache.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this specific hardware pairing at rank 1574 out of 2949 tested combinations for Hard West. This ranking, which puts the combo in the 53rd percentile, is a direct reflection of the balance between the CPU and GPU. The RTX 4060's performance, while solid, is not at the top of the charts; its 61st percentile standing among all GPUs is a limiting factor for this game at higher resolutions. The CPU, on the other hand, is a strong performer, sitting in the 85th percentile among all CPUs.

This combination of a high-percentile CPU with a mid-tier GPU creates a system that is more than capable of feeding frames at lower resolutions but will hit a wall when pixel count increases. The benchmark scores for the CPU show a significant strength in multi-threaded workloads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19545 is its primary gaming metric. The resulting 1574 rank is a logical outcome; the system is not a top-tier performer for this title, but it sits comfortably above the median, offering a dependable experience for most users. The delta between this combo and the top performers in the database is not detailed in the provided data, but the percentile placement indicates there is substantial headroom for higher-end systems.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with memory clocked at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). These specifications are the key drivers for the frame rates observed in Hard West.

The game's reliance on GPU processing is evident in the scaling of frame rates with resolution. At 1080p, the RTX 4060 has ample bandwidth and compute power to achieve high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 186 FPS. However, the 8 GB VRAM buffer and the 128-bit memory interface become more stressed as resolution increases. The 4K results show a significant performance drop; at High settings, the average FPS falls to 39, and at Ultra, it plummets to 29. This indicates that the GPU's compute throughput and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at the pixel density of 3840x2160, even for a turn-based tactics game. The GPU's Passmark DirectX 11 score of 175 and DirectX 12 score of 76 provide context for its raw capability, but the measured FPS is the most reliable indicator of its performance in this specific title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of the system's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset delivers an average of 186 FPS, Medium drops to 152 FPS with a minimum of 129 FPS and a maximum of 175 FPS, High averages 117 FPS, and even Ultra maintains a smooth 88 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the RTX 4060 is never the bottleneck, and the CPU can easily feed it frames.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, Medium averages 96 FPS (with a min of 82 and max of 111), High averages 74 FPS, and Ultra drops to 55 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1440p is a sweet spot for this combo, offering high refresh rate experiences on lower presets and a solid 60+ FPS experience on High.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the GPU become apparent. The Low preset averages 62 FPS, just above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset averages 51 FPS (min 43, max 58), which is playable but not perfectly smooth. High and Ultra presets are not recommended for a consistent experience, as they average 39 FPS and 29 FPS, respectively. The frame data shows a clear ceiling for this GPU in this game at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly identifies the GPU as the primary performance limiter. From 1080p Low (186 FPS) to 1440p Low (118 FPS), there is a 36.6% drop in performance. From 1440p Low to 4K Low (62 FPS), there is an additional 47.5% drop. The scaling is more severe on higher settings; from 1080p High (117 FPS) to 4K High (39 FPS), the frame rate falls by a staggering 66.7%.

This drop-off is characteristic of a system where the GPU's rendering load becomes the bottleneck as pixel count increases. The CPU is powerful enough to handle the game's logic and draw calls at any of these resolutions, as evidenced by the high frame rates at 1080p. The 4K results show that the RTX 4060's fillrate and memory bandwidth are not sufficient to keep up with the demand. The transition from 1080p to 1440p is smooth and manageable, but the jump to 4K requires significant compromises in visual quality to maintain a playable frame rate, confirming the GPU is the limiting component in this pairing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture and built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and can boost up to 4.90 GHz. It also features 20 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Its performance metrics are strong; it scores 25891 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3655 in single-core tests.

In Hard West, a turn-based tactics game, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI pathfinding, and unit actions, which are typically not as demanding as in real-time strategy or action games. The benchmark data shows that this CPU is more than sufficient for this task. The high frame rates at 1080p (up to 186 FPS on Low) suggest that the CPU is never a bottleneck at lower resolutions. Even at 4K, where the GPU is stressed, the frame rates are not CPU-limited; they are purely a function of the GPU's rendering capability. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs and its benchmark scores, which are nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D, indicate it has ample headroom for this game, ensuring consistent performance regardless of in-game action complexity.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080 monitors, the Ultra preset at 88 FPS is the best choice for maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. For those with high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, the High preset at 117 FPS offers a great balance, while the Medium preset at 152 FPS will satisfy even the most demanding refresh rate requirements.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 74 FPS provides the best overall experience, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium with a frame rate that is still well above the 60 FPS standard. The Medium preset at 96 FPS is the better option for competitive play on 144Hz monitors, as it maintains a high frame rate with a modest reduction in visual quality. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is playable but may not be ideal for those sensitive to frame pacing.

For 3840x2160, the Low preset at 62 FPS is the only setting that consistently achieves a 60+ FPS average. The Medium preset at 51 FPS is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visual quality over a locked 60 FPS, but users should be prepared for occasional dips below 50 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are not recommended for 4K gaming with this hardware, as the average frame rates of 39 FPS and 29 FPS, respectively, fall below the threshold for a smooth experience.