Hard West

Hard West is a turn-based tactics title from 2015, and this combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 delivers frame rates that range from playable at 4K Ultra to exceptionally high at 1080p Low. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly capable for this game, with the primary challenge being how to balance the high refresh rate potential of the CPU against the heavier rendering loads at higher resolutions and settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to provide a clear picture of what to expect.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Hard West?

A: This combination ranks 90th out of 2949 tested combos for this game. That places it in the top 3% of all tested systems, indicating it is a very high-performing pairing for this title.

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

A: In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus scores 44253. Its average benchmark score is 93785, which is nearly identical to the Intel Xeon 6520P, which has an average score of 93786, a delta of 0%. It is slightly ahead of the AMD EPYC 4564P and AMD EPYC 9175F, which are 1.5% and 1.9% behind, respectively.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum frame rates recorded at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the system achieved an average of 176 FPS, with a minimum of 150 FPS and a maximum of 203 FPS. This shows a very consistent performance window with no significant frame drops.

Q: Is there a large performance gap between 1080p and 4K resolutions?

A: Yes, the impact of resolution is substantial. For example, at High settings, the average frame rate drops from 214 FPS at 1920x1080 to 135 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 71 FPS at 3840x2160. This demonstrates that the GPU is being tasked much more heavily as resolution increases.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and how does it relate to its performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 comes with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are more than sufficient for a game from 2015, ensuring that memory capacity is not a limiting factor at any of the tested settings.

Q: How does the GPU's benchmark score compare to a close rival like the AMD Radeon 8060S?

A: The RTX 5080 has an average benchmark score of 56083. The AMD Radeon 8060S has an average score of 55757, which is 0.6% lower. This indicates the RTX 5080 holds a slight performance edge in general compute benchmarks.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 90 out of 2949 tested combinations places it in the 96.9th percentile of all systems tested for Hard West. This is a very strong showing, indicating that this hardware pairing is in the top tier for this specific game. The CPU itself is a major contributor to this high standing, as its own percentile rank against all CPUs is 96. Its performance in synthetic benchmarks is formidable, with a Passmark multithread score of 68574 and a single-thread score of 5068. These scores suggest that the processor has both the multi-core muscle and the single-core strength that many games, including turn-based tactics, can utilize.

The GPU also performs well, with a percentile rank of 87 against all GPUs. However, the CPU's higher percentile rank relative to the GPU suggests that the processor is the more dominant component in this pairing, at least in terms of its standing among its peers. The deltaPct values from the nearest rivals highlight this. The CPU is essentially tied with the Intel Xeon 6520P (0% delta) and only 1.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4564P. In contrast, the GPU is only 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S, a much smaller margin. This indicates that while the GPU is strong, the CPU is an even more exceptional performer relative to its own competitive field. For a game like Hard West, which is not known for being graphically demanding, the CPU's strength helps ensure that frame rates remain high, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU can become the primary bottleneck.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales across resolutions. The transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 shows a predictable and significant drop in performance at every settings level. This drop indicates that the GPU becomes an increasingly larger limiting factor as the pixel count rises.

At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 214 FPS at 1080p to 135 FPS at 1440p, a 36.9% decrease. Moving from 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops further to 71 FPS, another 47.4% decrease. This pattern is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the system produces 340 FPS at 1080p, which drops to 215 FPS at 1440p and then to 113 FPS at 4K. The fact that even at 4K Low the system maintains over 100 FPS shows that the GPU is never completely overwhelmed.

The scaling pattern reveals that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the main driver of performance. The incredibly high frame rates, such as 340 FPS at Low and 278 FPS at Medium, are a signal of the CPU's strength. As the resolution increases, the GPU's rendering workload grows, and the frame rates become more dependent on the RTX 5080's capabilities. The 71 FPS at 4K High and 53 FPS at 4K Ultra show that the GPU is the limiting component in these scenarios. This is a classic sign of a balanced system where the component that becomes the bottleneck shifts depending on the workload, but the overall performance remains high. The data suggests that for maximum refresh rates, 1080p or 1440p are the target resolutions, while 4K is better suited for higher fidelity settings where 60+ FPS is still achievable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates show a clear hierarchy of performance across the four settings presets at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, it averages 340 FPS. Moving to Medium, the average is 278 FPS, with a minimum of 237 FPS and a maximum of 320 FPS. High settings yield 214 FPS, and Ultra settings still produce a very high 160 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is never stressed, and even the most demanding preset is far above the refresh rate of any standard monitor.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent. Low settings produce an average of 215 FPS. Medium settings average 176 FPS, with a minimum of 150 FPS and a maximum of 203 FPS. High settings maintain a smooth 135 FPS, and Ultra settings deliver 101 FPS. The 1440p results show that this is a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming, as even the Ultra preset clears the 100 FPS mark comfortably.

The 3840x2160 results show the expected performance cost of rendering four times the pixels of 1080p. Low settings average 113 FPS, which is still very playable. Medium settings average 92 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 106 FPS. High settings drop to an average of 71 FPS. Ultra settings are the most demanding, with an average of 53 FPS. The frame rate at 4K Ultra, while lower, is still within the range of what many would consider playable for a turn-based game, where precise frame timing is less critical than in a fast-paced action title.

The data points for the Medium preset are the only ones with both min and max FPS recorded. At 1080p, the spread is from 237 to 320 FPS, a 35% range from the minimum to the maximum. At 1440p, the range is from 150 to 203 FPS, and at 4K, it is from 79 to 106 FPS. This shows that the frame time consistency is relatively good, with the variance increasing at higher resolutions where the GPU has to work harder.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 plays a crucial role in this system, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. Its 16 GB of GDDR7 memory is far more than any game from 2015 would require, ensuring that memory capacity and bandwidth are non-issues. The 960.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth is also exceptionally high, allowing for rapid data transfer that benefits high-resolution textures and effects.

The GPU's clock speeds are a key part of its performance. With a base clock of 2295 MHz and a boost clock of 2617 MHz, it is designed for high throughput. This is reflected in its compute capabilities, including 10752 shading units and a FP32 performance of 56.28 TFLOPS. These specifications translate directly to the rasterization power needed to push high frame rates. The RTX 5080's performance in standard benchmarks, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 8637 and a Passmark G3D score of 36565, confirms its position as a high-end graphics card.

Its percentile rank of 87 shows it is a strong GPU, but the data from the measured FPS indicates that it is the limiting factor when the resolution is raised to 4K. At 1080p, the GPU is often not working at full capacity, as evidenced by the CPU's ability to drive frame rates past 300 FPS. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU's workload becomes the primary determinant of performance, with the average frame rate settling at 53 FPS. This shows a GPU that is immensely powerful but has a finite ceiling when faced with the most demanding rendering tasks. Its performance compared to rivals, such as being 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, shows that it has a clear performance lead over more mainstream options, but it is not head-and-shoulders above other high-end cards.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data allows for clear recommendations based on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For players with a 1080p monitor, the Ultra preset is the best choice. It provides an average of 160 FPS, which is far beyond the 144Hz refresh rate that most high-end 1080p monitors have. There is no reason to lower the settings at this resolution, as the system has ample performance headroom to run the game at its highest visual quality.

For 1440p, the Ultra preset is also the recommended option. The average of 101 FPS is perfectly smooth and provides a great balance between visual fidelity and performance. The High preset, at 135 FPS, is an alternative for those who prioritize maximum frame rates, but the difference in visual quality between High and Ultra is often significant, and the system can handle it. The 101 FPS average on Ultra is more than sufficient for a game like Hard West, so dropping to High is not necessary for a better experience.

At 4K, the choice becomes more nuanced. The High preset, with an average of 71 FPS, is the best balance. It provides a stable and playable experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings, at 53 FPS, are playable but may not feel as fluid. Given that Hard West is a turn-based game, the difference between 53 and 71 FPS is less impactful than in a fast-paced shooter, but the smoother experience at High is still preferable. The Medium preset, at 92 FPS, is an option for those who want a higher frame rate buffer, but the visual downgrade from High is noticeable. The data points to High as the sweet spot for 4K, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining a frame rate that is consistently above 60 FPS.

In summary, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and RTX 5080 combination is so powerful that the only settings that pose any challenge are 4K Ultra. For all other scenarios, the highest settings are recommended. The system's ability to maintain over 100 FPS at 1440p Ultra and over 70 FPS at 4K High demonstrates a level of performance that will likely keep this game running flawlessly for years to come. The CPU's high single-thread performance ensures that even in a genre that can be CPU-bound, the frame rates remain high, and the GPU's power ensures that resolution scaling is the only factor that will cause a significant dip in performance.