Hard West

Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015, presents an interesting case study when paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050. The measured data reveals a configuration that is clearly capable of running the game smoothly at mainstream resolutions, but which begins to show its limits when pushed to the extremes of 4K and maximum settings. This analysis explores the measured FPS across different resolutions and presets, examining what the numbers indicate about the balance between the CPU and GPU in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a predictable and clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the rate of that degradation offers insight into where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 86 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that average drops to 54 FPS, a significant reduction of 32 FPS. Scaling further to 4K, the average falls to 29 FPS. This is a substantial drop from the already challenging 1440p figure, highlighting that 4K is an extremely demanding target for this hardware in this game.

Examining the scaling from a different angle, the performance penalty for moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is a 37% reduction in average FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K results in a further 46% reduction. This accelerating rate of decline suggests that as resolution increases, the workload on the GPU becomes more intense, and the RTX 5050 begins to struggle. The game is not heavily limited by the CPU at these higher resolutions; had it been, the frame rate would have remained more consistent as the resolution scaled up.

The fact that the 4K Ultra preset yields a measly 21 FPS average, while 4K Low yields 45 FPS, indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at this resolution. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is a massive 24 FPS, or 114% performance difference. This wide variance based on settings further reinforces that the RTX 5050 is working at its absolute limit, and that its total frame output is heavily dependent on the pixel count and shading complexity. At 1080p, the same Low to Ultra gap is 73 FPS, showing that while the GPU is still important, the CPU has enough headroom to allow for a higher ceiling.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. In a game like Hard West, which is a turn-based tactics title with a 2015 release date, the data suggests that memory capacity and bandwidth are not the primary constraints. The 8 GB frame buffer is likely sufficient for the game's textures and geometry at most settings, as evidenced by the playable frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. However, at 4K with High or Ultra settings, the combination of increased resolution and higher fidelity textures may begin to pressure the memory subsystem, but the core issue appears to be raw compute throughput.

The RTX 5050's boost clock is listed at 2572 MHz, and it features 2560 shading units. These are the primary drivers of its raw pixel-pushing power. The benchmark data shows that this core configuration is well-suited for 1080p and decent for 1440p gaming in Hard West, but the 4K numbers tell a story of a GPU being overwhelmed by the sheer number of pixels. The passmark_g3d score of 17326 places it in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which it leads by 1.6%, and the RTX A4000 Mobile, which leads it by 1.6%. This context shows the RTX 5050 is a mid-range performer, which aligns with the measured FPS results that show it is not a 4K powerhouse.

The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 is a modern benchmark score. Hard West, being an older title, likely relies more heavily on traditional rasterization performance rather than ray tracing or other modern features. The data implies that the RTX 5050's raw fillrate and shader performance are the deciding factors in this game, rather than its RT cores or Tensor cores. The results at 4K, where the average FPS at Ultra is 21, clearly indicate that the GPU is the bottleneck in this scenario, as no amount of CPU power can compensate for the sheer volume of pixel work required.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achieved with this hardware combination?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 137 FPS, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low preset.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Hard West?

A: While it is technically playable at Low settings with a 45 FPS average, the Ultra preset at 4K drops to a 21 FPS average, indicating that 4K gaming is not a smooth experience for this title, especially at higher quality settings.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Medium and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset achieves an average of 71 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 41 FPS. This represents a 30 FPS average difference, or a 42% reduction in performance when moving from Medium to Ultra.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded in the data?

A: The lowest minimum frame rate recorded is 32 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with the Medium preset. Other presets do not list a minimum FPS value.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 5050's average benchmark score is 21035. Its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, has an average score of 21153, which is 0.6% higher. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile has a score of 21379, which is 1.6% higher.

Q: Is there a significant performance jump between Low and Medium settings at 1080p?

A: Yes, the data shows a jump from 137 FPS on Low to 112 FPS on Medium at 1920x1080. This is a 25 FPS difference, indicating that the Medium preset offers a substantial visual upgrade for a relatively modest performance cost.

How This Combo Ranks

The specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is ranked 2350 out of 2949 tested combos for this game. This places it in the 20th percentile of all tested configurations, meaning it outperforms roughly 80% of the combos in the database. This is a noteworthy position, suggesting that while this is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it is far from a low-end configuration.

The ranking is a holistic measure of the combo's overall capability in Hard West. The CPU itself has an average benchmark score of 32697, which is in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. This high CPU percentile relative to the combo's ranking suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor in this game. The GPU, on the other hand, is in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, which is a more moderate standing. The combo's rank of 2350 seems to be more heavily influenced by the GPU's performance tier, which aligns with the resolution scaling analysis that points to the RTX 5050 as the primary performance bottleneck at higher resolutions.

This rank is a single data point, but it effectively communicates the system's overall standing. It shows that for Hard West, this laptop configuration provides a capable experience, but it is not in the same league as the top 20% of systems, which likely feature more powerful desktop-class GPUs. The fact that the CPU is ranked highly suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios or in games that are less graphically demanding, this combo could perform relatively better. However, within the context of Hard West's measured results, the rank of 2350 paints a picture of a solid mid-pack performer.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and settings. At the most common gaming resolution of 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally capable. The Low preset delivers an average of 137 FPS, which is more than enough for a smooth experience. The Medium preset offers a still-excellent 112 FPS average, with a minimum of 95 FPS and a maximum of 129 FPS. High settings drop the average to 86 FPS, and the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still manages a respectable average of 64 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance begins to become more moderate. The Low preset maintains a high average of 86 FPS, and the Medium preset provides a solid 71 FPS average, with a minimum of 60 FPS and a maximum of 81 FPS. High settings reduce the average to 54 FPS, which is still within the bounds of playability. The Ultra preset, however, drops to a 41 FPS average, which may introduce noticeable stutter on displays with a 60Hz refresh rate.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly pushed beyond its comfort zone for this game. The Low preset is the only one that achieves a truly playable average, at 45 FPS. The Medium preset drops to a 37 FPS average, with a minimum of 32 FPS, which can be a jittery experience. High settings yield a 29 FPS average, and the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at a 21 FPS average. These 4K numbers indicate that the RTX 5050 is not a viable GPU for maxing out Hard West at this resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's target resolution and preference for visual fidelity versus frame rate smoothness. For a 1080p display, the High preset is a strong recommendation, as it provides a high 86 FPS average while presumably offering a significantly better visual experience than the Medium preset. For those who prioritize a very high frame rate on a high-refresh-rate monitor, the Medium preset at 112 FPS or even the Low preset at 137 FPS are excellent choices. The Ultra preset at 64 FPS is also a viable option for a smoother cinematic experience on a standard 60Hz display.

For 1440p, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, delivering a solid 71 FPS average with a minimum of 60 FPS. This ensures a consistent, playable experience. The High preset at 54 FPS is also playable, but users may notice more frequent frame drops. The Low preset at 86 FPS is an option for competitive play or for maximizing smoothness. The Ultra preset at 41 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold that provides the most fluid gameplay.

At 4K, the recommendations are more constrained. The Low preset is the only one that provides a decent average of 45 FPS. This is the only recommended choice for 4K, as all other presets fall below or significantly below the 40 FPS mark, leading to a less responsive and more stuttery experience. For the best experience at this resolution, users would need to prioritize frame rate over all visual enhancements, which may not be desirable for a game like Hard West with its detailed art style.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core, 22-thread processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. Its performance in the data suggests that it is more than capable of keeping up with the RTX 5050 in Hard West. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multicore score is 15028, and its single-core score is 1743. For a game that is likely not heavily multi-threaded due to its age and genre, the single-core performance is crucial, and the score of 1743 is respectable.

The CPU's high percentile rank of 83% compared to all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 32697, which is nearly identical to its nearest rivals like the Intel Core i5-14600T and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, indicate that its processing power is not a limiting factor. The measured FPS data supports this, as the frame rates scale inversely with resolution, a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck. At 1080p, the CPU has enough power to feed the GPU, allowing it to reach up to 137 FPS on Low settings. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the frame rate to plateau or even drop at lower resolutions.

The evidence points to the CPU having significant headroom. The boost clock of 4.80 GHz ensures that single-threaded tasks are handled with speed, which is vital for game logic and AI in a tactics game. While the GPU struggles with the rendering load at 4K, the CPU is likely sitting idle, waiting for the GPU to finish its work. This indicates that for Hard West, the Core Ultra 7 155H is a strong partner, providing a stable foundation that allows the GPU to perform to its full potential, even if that potential is limited at very high resolutions.