Hard West

Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060. This pairing represents a high-core-count desktop processor with a mainstream 40-series graphics card, tested in Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, but which scales impressively to high frame rates at 1080p. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, comparative ranking, and component-specific roles as evidenced by the benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the High preset, the average frame rate drops from 117 FPS at 1080p to 74 FPS at 1440p, representing a 36.8% reduction. Moving further to 4K, the average drops to 39 FPS, a 47.3% reduction from the 1440p figure and a 66.7% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline at 4K strongly indicates that the rendering load at that resolution overwhelms the GPU, making it the primary limiting component.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all presets. For the Low preset, the average FPS goes from 186 at 1080p to 118 at 1440p (a 36.6% drop), then to 62 at 4K (a 47.5% drop from 1440p). The Medium preset shows the same trend: 152 → 96 → 51. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with scores of 88, 55, and 29 at the three respective resolutions. The consistency of these percentage drops—hovering around 35-40% for the 1080p-to-1440p transition and another 45-50% for the 1440p-to-4K transition—suggests that the performance ceiling is being set by the graphics card’s pixel throughput and memory bandwidth, not by the CPU.

At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra presets is 98 FPS (186 vs. 88), which shows the GPU has headroom to spare at lower resolutions. However, at 4K, that same preset spread narrows to 33 FPS (62 vs. 29). The fact that 4K Low (62 FPS) still cannot match 1440p Ultra (55 FPS) demonstrates the massive cost of the 4K resolution itself. The data shows a system that is perfectly playable at 1080p and 1440p, but which falls below the 60 FPS threshold at 4K on High and Ultra presets. The limiting factor is unambiguously the RTX 4060, as the CPU’s compute capability is far beyond what this game requires at these settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Hard West, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1574th out of 2949 total combos. This places it in the 53rd percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms slightly more than half of the configurations in the database for this specific game. This mid-pack ranking is somewhat surprising given the modern nature of both components, but it reflects the fact that Hard West is an older title, and many older or less powerful GPUs can achieve high frame rates in it due to the relatively simple rendering requirements of turn-based tactics.

The ranking suggests that while the RTX 4060 is not a top-tier performer in absolute terms, it is sufficient for a decent experience in this game. The combo’s rank is likely dragged down by the GPU’s performance at 4K, where it cannot maintain high frame rates. When compared to the entire field of 2949 combos, the 1574th position indicates that a significant number of systems with more powerful GPUs—even if paired with weaker CPUs—can achieve better results in Hard West at higher resolutions. The data implies that for this game, the GPU choice matters more than the CPU choice, as the CPU’s massive core count and high clock speeds are largely irrelevant to a title that does not heavily utilize multi-threading.

The percentile ranking of the CPU itself (96th percentile vs. all CPUs) is far higher than the combo’s in-game rank, which confirms that the CPU is not the bottleneck. Conversely, the GPU’s percentile (61st vs. all GPUs) is much closer to the combo’s in-game rank, reinforcing that the graphics card is the limiting factor. This combo sits in the middle of the pack because it pairs a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU, and in a game like Hard West, the GPU’s limits cap the overall system performance.

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, yielding a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its compute capabilities include 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The FP32 performance is rated at 15.11 TFLOPS. In the context of Hard West, this hardware is more than sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus become limiting factors at 4K Ultra settings.

The benchmark results show that the RTX 4060’s performance in Hard West is directly tied to the memory and pixel throughput demands. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 29, which is below the playable threshold. This is likely due to the combination of high-resolution textures and effects saturating the 8 GB VRAM buffer and the 128-bit bus struggling to feed the GPU. The fact that 4K Low (62 FPS) is more than double 4K Ultra (29 FPS) highlights how much the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are stressed by the higher settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores in other applications (e.g., 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302) are not directly comparable to in-game FPS, but they confirm the card’s mid-range positioning. The nearest rivals in the database (AMD Radeon HD 7790, AMD Radeon 780M, AMD Radeon Pro 560) all have similar average benchmark scores, with deltaPct values ranging from -0.2% to 0.7%. This indicates that the RTX 4060 is grouped with older or integrated solutions in terms of synthetic benchmarks, but its actual gaming performance in Hard West is better than those rivals due to newer architecture features and driver optimizations. The data shows that while the GPU is not a high-end part, it provides a solid 1080p experience and a workable 1440p experience in this title.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS is 152, with a minimum of 129 and a maximum of 175.

Q: How does the combo rank in this game compared to others?

A: It ranks 1574th out of 2949 tested combos, placing it just above the midpoint of the database.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K High, the average FPS is 39, which is a 46.8% drop from 1440p High’s 74 FPS, showing the graphics card cannot handle the pixel load.

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

A: At 1440p, the Low preset averages 118 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 55 FPS. This is a 63 FPS difference, showing a significant performance cost for the Ultra settings.

Q: Does the CPU’s high core count benefit this game?

A: Not significantly. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile overall, but the combo ranks in the 53rd percentile for this game, suggesting the game does not heavily utilize the 24 cores and 24 threads available.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium?

A: The minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium is 43, with an average of 51 and a maximum of 58.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across all three resolutions and four presets. At 1920x1080, the system performs admirably. The Low preset achieves an average of 186 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. Medium drops to 152 FPS (min 129, max 175), High settles at 117 FPS, and Ultra still manages a smooth 88 FPS. All 1080p presets are well above the 60 FPS threshold, indicating a highly playable experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance degrades but remains mostly playable. The Low preset averages 118 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium averages 96 FPS (min 82, max 111), and High averages 74 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 55 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target but still playable for a turn-based tactics game where precise frame timing is not critical. The data shows that 1440p High is the sweet spot for a 60+ FPS experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles. The Low preset averages 62 FPS, which is just above the playable threshold. Medium averages 51 FPS (min 43, max 58), High averages 39 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29 FPS. None of the 4K presets except Low can maintain a consistent 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset is effectively unplayable for smooth motion. The minimum FPS of 43 at 4K Medium indicates that even mid-range settings can cause noticeable dips. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this GPU in this game, and users should stick to 1080p or 1440p for the best balance of quality and performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. The CPU features 36 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 44,253 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 2,439 in single-core, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. These numbers indicate a very powerful processor that is capable of handling any modern workload.

However, in Hard West, the CPU’s role appears to be minimal. The game is a turn-based tactics title, which typically has simpler AI and physics calculations compared to real-time strategy games or first-person shooters. The measured data shows that the CPU is not the bottleneck in any scenario. At 1080p Low, where the GPU has the least work to do, the system achieves 186 FPS, which is likely near the game’s engine limit. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see frame rates plateau at a lower number regardless of resolution. Instead, the FPS scales predictably with resolution, confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint.

The CPU’s high single-thread performance (2,439 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and strong multi-core scores (44,253 in multi-core) are more than sufficient for this game. The nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark database (Intel Xeon 6520P, AMD EPYC 4564P, etc.) all have similar average scores, but none of them would change the outcome in Hard West, as the game simply does not require that level of compute power. The data suggests that users could pair a much less powerful CPU with the RTX 4060 and achieve nearly identical results in this specific game, making the Ultra 7 270K Plus a case of overkill for Hard West.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware configuration depend entirely on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice, as it averages 88 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the highest visual quality. Even the most demanding preset offers a smooth experience, so there is no reason to sacrifice visual fidelity at this resolution.

For 1440p, the High preset provides the best balance, averaging 74 FPS. This is above the 60 FPS target and offers a significant improvement over Medium (96 FPS) in visual quality, though the frame rate drop from 96 to 74 FPS is noticeable. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 55 FPS, which is borderline. For a turn-based tactics game, this may be acceptable, but for those who prefer smoother motion, High is the recommended preset. Medium is also viable at 96 FPS, but High offers a better visual experience for the 22 FPS cost.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The Low preset averages 62 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target, making it the only playable option for a smooth experience. Medium drops to 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal, and High (39 FPS) and Ultra (29 FPS) are too slow for comfortable gameplay. Therefore, for 4K, the Low preset is the only recommendation, and even then, users may experience occasional dips. For the best overall experience, 1440p High is the sweet spot, offering a good balance of visual quality and performance. Users who prioritize frame rate above all else should stick to 1080p Ultra, while those who want higher resolution should accept the Low preset at 4K.