Whenever the newest and most competent computer components are released to the public, so are the video games that fully utilize their potential. And with leading hardware manufacturers competing to push out the highest performing parts for the best price almost yearly, it's clear why the gaming industry has been consistently experiencing a technological incline.

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These games are created to push the boundaries of what PCs can render and display at high refresh rates. For those looking to upgrade their rig, look at the recommended requirements of these most graphically demanding games to draw inspiration.

Updated November 22, 2023, by Charles Burgar: 2023 has been a major year for gaming in general, especially for PC gamers. Some of this year's titles include groundbreaking technology such as path trading, frame generation, and soft ray tracing techniques that can be used on non-RT cards. This list has been updated with some of 2023's most graphically demanding titles, including the likes of Starfield, Alan Wake 2, and Baldur's Gate 3.

List entries are in no particular order.

20 Total War: Warhammer 3

Total War Warhammer 3 Nurgle Chaos Army

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel i3 / Ryzen 3 Series

Intel i5 / Ryzen 5 Series

Memory

6 GB

8 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce GTX 900 / AMD RX 400 Series / Intel Iris Xe Graphics

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti / AMD RX 5600-XT / Intel Arc A750

Storage

120 GB

120 GB

The third chapter in the Total War: Warhammer series unleashes the forces of Chaos across the mortal world. Vast armies clash against one another in large-scale battles that include hundreds of units on screen. Rendering this level of carnage isn't as taxing as one might expect, although a powerful PC can really flex its muscles in Warhammer 3.

Hitting a solid 60 FPS at 1080p will require a Ryzen 5 Series CPU and a GTX 1660 Ti or equivalent. That's by no means taxing, but Warhammer 3 can become quite performance heavy when you start scaling your resolution, texture quality, and in-game army sizes. If you want to spill blood for the blood god at a sharp 4K resolution with 60+ FPS, an Nvidia RTX 30 or 40 series GPU is ideal.

Total War: Warhammer 3

Released
February 17, 2022
Developer(s)
Creative Assembly
Genre(s)
Strategy , Tactical

19 Diablo 4

Diablo 4 Lilith looking at the camera

Minimum


1080p, 30 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-8350

Intel Core i5-4670k / AMD Ryzen 1300X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 660 / AMD Radeon R9 280 / Intel Arc A380

Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 470 / Intel Arc A750

Storage

90 GB SSD

90 GB SSD

Don't let the system spec sheet fool you. Diablo 4 might seem like a fairly inexpensive game to run on modern PCs, but this game becomes exceptionally more performance intensive when you start to scale texture quality and resolution. Since you'll be spending your time in Sanctuary slaying world bosses and hordes of demons from an isometric perspective, ultra textures are downright essential for a clear image experience.

Ultra Texture VRAM Usage


Unfortunately, ultra textures don't come cheap. To play Diablo 4 at max settings, you'll need at least 32 gigabytes of RAM and 10+ gb of VRAM.

The good news is that Diablo 4 has a plethora of visual options and support for DLSS and frame generation technologies. While the system requirements seem low, Diablo 4 is easily the most graphically demanding ARPG if you crank up the settings to ultra.

Diablo 4

Released
June 6, 2023
Developer(s)
Blizzard
Genre(s)
Action RPG , Hack and Slash

18 Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite Zeta Halo Cover

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel i5-4440 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Intel i7-9700k / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti / AMD RX 570

Nvidia RTX 2070 / Radeon RX 5700 XT

Storage

50 GB

50 GB

The latest entry in the Halo franchise is a faithful reimagining of the franchise, right down to the game's gorgeous art style. The PC version of Halo Infinite requires an RTX 2070 and Intel i7-9700k to hit recommended settings, both of which are rather high requirements when compared to most PC titles.

Most PCs should be able to play the multiplayer component of Infinite at 1080p 60 FPS with these specs, but those looking to play the single player or high-budget Forge maps at higher resolutions or frame rates will want a particularly high-end PC or an Xbox Series X.

Halo Infinite

Released
December 8, 2022
Developer(s)
343 Industries
Genre(s)
First-Person Shooter

17 Control

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel Core i5-4690 / AMD FX 4350

Intel Core i5-7600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

NVIDIA GTX 780 / AMD Radeon R9 280X

NVIDIA GTX 1660 / 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580

Storage

42 GB

42 GB

Control is one of the most GPU-intensive video games that released during the eighth console generation. This game's crowning achievement—at least visually—is its implementation of ray tracing. Environments and particle effects are drop-down gorgeous while RTX is on, but this comes with a heavy price, both metaphorically and literally.

You need an RTX 2060 or better GPU to use ray tracing. Considering just how good RTX's implementation is here, it's well worth the GPU requirement. DLSS is also available on the RTX series of cards, increasing performance substantially with minimal graphical compromises.

You can also play Control without an RTX card, greatly lowering the GPU requirement to a GTX 1660 for 60 FPS gameplay. Rasterization isn't too taxing for modern PCs, but enabling ray tracing will incur a serious performance cost for most builds.

Control

Released
August 27, 2019
Developer(s)
Remedy Entertainment
Genre(s)
Action

16 Starfield

Starfield The Game Awards Snub

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 11 x64

Processor

Intel Core i7-6800K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600K

Intel Core i5-10600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600K

Memory

16 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 4700

Nvidia RTX 2080 / AMD Radeon RX 6800

Storage

125 GB SSD

125 GB SSD

Bethesda's newest IP is also the studio's most technically impressive title to date. Starfield uses the updated Creation Engine 2 to bring Bethesda's open worlds to a modern generation, featuring better visual fidelity and physics than any previous BGS title.

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That visual upgrade is also reflected in Starfield's system requirements, recommending an RTX 2080 and Ryzen 5 3600. This seems to be targeting a 1080p resolution, so those looking to play at 1440p or higher will need an even stronger GPU. And with the large-scale cities on some of Starfield's planets, you'll want to upgrade your CPU as well.

Starfield

Released
September 6, 2023
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Genre(s)
Action , RPG

15 The Ascent

A screenshot showing gameplay in The Ascent

Minimum


1080p, 30 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel Core i5-3470 / AMD FX-8350

Intel Core i7-6700K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

GeForce GTX 660 / Radeon R9 390X

Nvidia GTX 1070 / Radeon RX 5700

Storage

35 GB

35 GB

Few games showcase the cyberpunk art style quite as well as The Ascent, a cooperative top-down shooter that features excellent particle effects and lighting. As great as this game looks, you'll need an impressive PC to get the most out of this title.

The recommended specs call for a GTX 1070 and Ryzen 5 2600, aiming for a 1080p, 60 FPS gameplay experience. Some frame dips during busy encounters are to be expected with this title, although the stuttering issues present at launch seem to be fixed now. You'll need an RTX 20 or 30 series card or an AMD equivalent for higher resolutions, frame rates, or to utilize The Ascent's gorgeous implementation of ray tracing. And if you're someone who's already played The Ascent, the game's Cyber Heist DLC gives you a tempting reason to return to its detailed cyberpunk settings.

The Ascent

Released
July 29, 2021
Developer(s)
Neon Giant
Genre(s)
Action , RPG

14 Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Underwater Cave Exporation

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel Core i3-3220 / AMD Equivalent

Intel Core i7 4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia 650TI / AMD R7 250x

Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480

Storage

40 GB

40 GB

The latest chapter in Lara Croft's story is more visually stunning and diverse than ever. The previous game was no piece of cake when it comes to system requirements, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider continues the tradition.

Even at mediocre refresh rates, you won't be able to enjoy this game with anything less than a GTX 1060 graphics card combined with the brainpower of something like an i7 4770K processor. Its performance does scale quite well when pushed to higher resolutions, but you'll still want a 20 or 30 series RTX card from Nvidia if you plan to raid tombs in 1440p or 4K. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is benchmarked frequently for a reason.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Released
September 14, 2018
Developer(s)
Eidos Montreal
Genre(s)
Adventure

13 Forza Horizon 5

Three cars going off-road during a thunderstorm in Forza Horizon 5

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200

Intel i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD RX 470

Nvidia GTX 1070 / AMD RX 590

Storage

110 GB

110 GB

Forza Horizon 5 is one of the most stunning games released in 2021. Beautiful lighting, realistic car models, and incredible weather effects all make for an immersive experience that all racing fans can appreciate. It also makes for a rather demanding PC title.

The recommended GPU for Horizon 5 is a GTX 1070, quite a large leap from Horizon 4's recommended GTX 970. And that's just for 1080p resolution running at 60 FPS. As reported by Digital Foundry, if you want to push Horizon 5 into 4K territory, you'll want at least an RTX 2080ti or an RTX 3070. You'll also want a stronger CPU to maintain a solid 60 FPS during this game's more performance-heavy races.

Why Not Forza Motorsport?


A red car and a blue card compete against each other in a race in Forza Motorsport.

Forza Motorsport's PC port is not in a good place currently. The PC version suffers from poor frame pacing, limited CPU utilization, and missing visual settings that were showcased in pre-release trailers. Until Turn 10 fixes the CPU issues that Motorsport 2023 suffers from, we recommend playing Forza Horizon 5 instead.

Forza Horizon 5

Released
November 9, 2021
Developer(s)
Playground Games
Genre(s)
Racing

12 Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered & Miles Morales

Spider-Man Miles Morales box art

Minimum


720p, 30 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS

Ray Tracing


2160p, 60 FPS

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel i3-4160 or AMD equivalent

Intel i5-4670 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

32 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 950 / AMD RX 470

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (6 GB) / AMD RX 580

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 / AMD RX 6950 XT

Storage

75 GB

75 GB SSD

75 GB SSD

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and its sequel, Miles Morales, come to life on PC with updated visuals and unique settings. Features such as DLSS, upscaling options, ray tracing, and ultrawide support make this the definitive version of Insomniac Games' superhero masterpieces.

Indeed, this version of Spider-Man proves to be Sony's best port of a PlayStation game yet. Swinging across New York will take a toll on your PC on high settings, as expected. A GTX 1060 and Intel i5-4670 are required to play the game at solid framerates, but those looking to play at 4K will need an Nvidia 30 or 40 series GPU. If you're sensitive to frame drops, this title supports Nvidia's DLSS 3.0 frame-generating technology, one of very few PC games to support this feature.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Released
November 12, 2020
Developer(s)
Insomniac Games
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

11 Dying Light 2

Dying light 2 cover without zombies

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7

Windows 10

Processor

Intel Core i3-9100 / AMD Ryzen 3 2300X

Intel i5-8600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 560

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 2060 / AMD RX Vega 56

Storage

60 GB

60 GB

Jumping across rooftops and drop-kicking zombies has never looked so good. Dying Light 2 is a visual treat for start to finish, yet its recommended specs are nothing short of brutal. An RTX 2060 is recommended to play this game at 1080p with 60 FPS, but don't expect to run this game on high or ultra settings with a 2060.

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As great as Dying Light 2 looks, it is easily one of the most performance-heavy PC games on the market. Getting this game to run well on a 2060 will require playing the game with a mix of medium and high settings, as demonstrated with Digital Foundry's analysis of Dying Light 2's PC performance. If you're looking to play this game at 1440p at ultra settings, you'll need top of the line hardware.

Dying Light 2

Released
February 4, 2022
Developer(s)
Techland
Genre(s)
Action , RPG

10 Final Fantasy XV

Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto with their weapons out preparing to face an incoming threat

Minimum


720p, 30 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 30 FPS

OS

Windows 7 – SP1 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel Core i5-2500 / AMD FX-6100

Intel Core i7-3770 / AMD FX-8350

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 760/1050 / AMD Radeon R9 280

Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / Radeon RX 480

Storage

100 GB

100 GB

It wasn't until 2018 that PC players could experience Final Fantasy XV for the first time. FF15's PC port features excellent scalability, but that visual fidelity comes at a price: performance. With your settings cranked to the max, FFXV is one of the most graphically demanding RPGs you can find, even when compared to more modern titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield.

Despite its age, Final Fantasy XV requires a monstrous PC to run at high refresh rates. That's because the recommended specs are for 30 FPS, not 60. Higher refresh rates will require a generational leap from your GPU and CPU. The only GPU that can run this game at 4K resolution with 120 FPS is a 4090. Not many last gen titles can say the same.

Final Fantasy 15

Released
November 9, 2016
Developer(s)
Square Enix
Genre(s)
Action RPG

9 Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 Promo Art Of Main Companions

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel i5-4690 / AMD FX 8350

Intel i7-8700k / AMD R5 3600

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD RX 480

Nvidia RTX 2060 Super / Radeon RX 5700 XT

Storage

150 GB SSD

150 GB SSD

Larian Studio's magnum opus has forever changed the RPG genre, and that includes visual fidelity you can expect from an isometric RPG. Baldur's Gate 3 features breathtaking art direction that perfectly captures its D&D source material, all of which is brought to life with stellar lighting and texture work that you'd expect from a triple A title.

While the game's isometric camera and turn-based combat might leave the impression that BG3 is easy to run, that couldn't be further from the truth. Larian recommends a 2060 Super and an R5 3600 for a smooth experience at 1080p. This holds until you enter the massive city of Baldur's Gate itself, wherein you'll need something comparable to a 2080 or 30 series card to achieve high refresh rates.

Baldur's Gate 3

Released
August 3, 2023
Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Genre(s)
RPG

8 The Last Of Us Part I

Joel walks down an abandoned road while Ellie's portrait hovers over him

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X

Intel Core i7-8700 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

Memory

16 GB

16 GB

Graphics

GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT

GeForce RTX 2070 Super / Radeon RX 6600 XT

Storage

100 GB SSD

100 GB SSD

The Last Of Us Part 1 got off to a rocky start for PC users. Naughty Dog's excellent story was sabotaged by a PC port with rampant bugs, memory leaks, and a voracious appetite for VRAM. The good news is that most of those issues have been fixed after its release.

Even with optimization updates, TLOU is still a difficult game to run on most systems. You'll need an RTX 2070 Super paired with a Ryzen 5 3600X to hit the game's recommended specs, targeting 1080p resolution at 60 FPS. Thanks to DLSS and FSR 2, it's possible to achieve higher FPS targets on mid-range systems without any major compromises to visual quality.

The Last of Us

Released
June 14, 2013
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

7 Resident Evil 4 Remake

Resident Evil 4 Remake Leon protecting Ashley against enemies

Minimum


1080p, 45 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS

Ray Tracing


1080p, 60 FPS

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 11 x64

Windows 11 x64

Processor

Intel Core i5-7500 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200

Intel Core i7 8700 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i7 8700 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 560

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 / AMD Radeon RX 5700

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

Storage

67 GB

67 GB

67 GB

Resident Evil 4 Remake is the perfect remaster of a timeless classic. Capcom has overhauled the visuals of RE4 to deliver a much more immersive experience without compromising on the game's original tone and atmosphere. But as with all remakes, those graphical improvements come with higher system requirements.

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Capcom recommends a GTX 1070 and Ryzen 5 3600 to experience RE4 at 1080p 60 FPS. Certain sections can drop the frame rate below this, however, so a stronger GPU is recommended. This is especially the case if you plan to run high resolution textures, as certain scenes can reserve up to 8gbs of VRAM. To avoid crashing at max settings, an RTX 3070 or higher is recommended.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Released
March 24, 2023
Developer(s)
Capcom
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

6 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Cal Kestis walks through a barren planet with his lightsaber

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel Core i7-7700 / AMD Ryzen 5 1400

Intel Core i5-11600K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 1070 / AMD RX 580

Nvidia RTX 2070 / AMD RX 6700 XT

Storage

155 GB

155 GB

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launched with one of 2023's worst PC ports. The game's constant shader compilation stutters and poor GPU utilization led to a jittery, unplayable experience for many. Respawn has since released multiple post-launch patches to address these optimization issues.

PC Performance Woes


Unfortunately, the game still suffers from shader compilation stutters, but overall performance has improved since launch. If you can deal with a subpar port, Jedi: Survivor is easily one of the best Star Wars games made in recent memory.

An RTX 2070 and Ryzen 5 5600X are recommended to run this game at 1080p. DLSS and FSR are also available for this title to greatly boost performance, and 40 series owners can use DLSS 3.0 frame generation for further performance gains.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Released
March 17, 2023
Developer(s)
Respawn Entertainment
Genre(s)
Action , RPG

5 Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 Arthur Robbing A Bank

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7 – SP1 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300

Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X

Memory

8 GB

12 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 770 / AMD Radeon R9 280

Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480

Storage

150 GB

150 GB

Despite its performance on console hardware, Red Dead Redemption 2's PC port is incredibly demanding—even when compared to newer open world titles. Stuttering and FPS dips are common on recommended hardware, although reducing your settings can help mitigate this.

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The recommended requirements aren't anything to laugh about either. For Nvidia users, a GTX 1060 or above is absolutely crucial for a great experience. AMD users will need to opt for a Ryzen 5 1500X or above to get such results. Should you meet those requirements, you'll get to experience the most visually impressive Rockstar game to date with few issues. And for those with RTX 30 series cards, give this game a try at 1440p to give your GPU a serious workout.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Released
October 26, 2018
Developer(s)
Rockstar Games
Genre(s)
Action , Adventure

4 Metro Exodus

The main character of Metro Exodus moves towards a sinkhole in a snow-covered city.

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 7 (64-bit)

Windows 10 (64-bit)

Processor

Intel Core i5-4440 / AMD equivalent

Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD equivalent

Memory

8 GB

8 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 670 / 1050 / AMD Radeon HD 7870

Nvidia GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / AMD RX VEGA 56

Storage

59 GB

59 GB

Metro Exodus supports real-time ray tracing technology and takes full advantage of Nvidia's RTX graphics card lineup. Players planning on running the game on lower settings might have issues, as the game offers only a few possible tweaks to improve performance for lower-grade systems.

Benchmarks by PC Gamer on lowest settings reveal an average of under 60 FPS on anything worse than a GTX 1070. Cranking everything up to the max is going to require an RTX card like the 2060 or above. It's not the most performance-heavy FPS on the market, but Metro certainly rewards powerful PCs with jaw-dropping visual fidelity and a great story.

Metro Exodus

Released
February 15, 2019
Developer(s)
4A Games
Genre(s)
FPS

3 Ark: Survival Ascended

Ark Survival Ascended Player In Forest Hunting A Megaloceros

Minimum

Recommended

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 11 x64

Processor

Intel Core i7-6800K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X

Intel Core i5-10600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X

Memory

16 GB

32 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 1080 / AMD RX 5600 XT

Nvidia RTX 3080 / AMD RX 6800

Storage

70 GB SSD

70 GB SSD

Unreal Engine 5 titles continue to raise the bar for graphical fidelity, and no game exemplifies this better than Ark: Survival Ascended. This UE5 remake of Ark: Survival Evolved takes advantage of UE5's Lumen and Nanite features to create a visually striking upgrade from the original.

As with the game itself, you'll need a few upgrades before you can experience the joys of taming a T. rex. The recommended specs suggest an RTX 3080 GPU and a Ryzen 5 3600X. You'd expect those specs to be tailored for 1440p, but in-game performance begs to differ. If you want to experience Ark at high resolutions and frame rates, you'll need a top of the line PC and a little bit of luck.

Ark: Survival Ascended

Released
October 25, 2023
Developer(s)
Studio Wildcard , Grove Street Games
Publisher
Snail Games USA

2 Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 Player At Jig Jig Street

Minimum


1080p, 30 FPS

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS

RT Overdrive


2160p, 60 FPS (With Frame Gen)

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Windows 10 x64

Processor

Intel Core i7-6700 / AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Intel Core i7-12700 / AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Intel Core i9-12900 / AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Memory

12 GB

16 GB

24 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580 / Intel Arc A380

Nvidia RTX 2060 Super / Radeon RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc A770

Nvidia RTX 4080

Storage

70 GB SSD

70 GB SSD

70 GB NVME

You're going to need a fairly powerful PC if you want to explore Cyberpunk's Night City. This game chews through your system memory, requiring at least a GTX 1060 and 12 gigabytes of RAM to play on minimum settings. If you want to bring out the beauty of Cyberpunk's dystopian setting, you'll want a rig that can handle ray tracing. The recommended specs can handle low RT, but you ideally want an RTX 3080 Ti or higher for a more noticeable lighting upgrade.

Path Tracing Photos


Cyberpunk 2077 Path Tracing Photo Mode Graphics Setting

If your PC cannot handle path tracing but you want to see it in action, toggle "Path Tracing in Photo Mode" in the graphics menu. Whenever you take a picture in photo mode, it will use path tracing for that screenshot only. This is a great way to see the differences between ray tracing and path tracing for yourself.

Even with those specs, Cyberpunk will struggle to maintain a consistent frame rate at times. And if you want to play this game with path tracing at max settings, you'll need a powerhouse of a PC—quite literally, as only the RTX 4090 and a top-tier CPU can run Cyberpunk at these metrics consistently. It might have become harder to run with Update 2.0, but there have never been more performance options at your disposal. DLSS, frame generation, and a plethora of settings have made it easier than ever to play Cyberpunk on modern systems.

Cyberpunk 2077

Released
December 10, 2020
Developer(s)
CD Projekt Red
Genre(s)
RPG , Action

1 Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 Alan Cautiously Walking Down An Empty Street

Minimum


1080p, 30 FPS, DLSS Performance

Recommended


1080p, 60 FPS, DLSS Performance

RT High


2160p, 60 FPS, DLSS Performance

OS

Windows 10 x64

Windows 11 x64

Windows 11 x64

Processor

Intel i5-7600K or AMD equivalent

Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equivalent

Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equivalent

Memory

16 GB

16 GB

16 GB

Graphics

Nvidia GTX 2060 / AMD RX 6600

Nvidia RTX 3070 / Radeon RX 6700 XT

Nvidia RTX 4080

Storage

90 GB SSD

90 GB SSD

90 GB SSD

Alan Wake 2 has the most demanding PC specs we've seen since Cyberpunk 2077. The minimum specs alone list an RTX 2060 and Intel i5-7600K; most games list those components under recommended specs. If you want to experience this game at 60 FPS, you'll need an RTX 3070 and Ryzen 7 3700X. For 4K resolution with ray tracing, you'll need an RTX 4080 or higher, and that's with DLSS set to performance (1080p internal resolution).

It only becomes clear when playing Alan Wake 2 as to why these requirements are so absurd. As Digital Foundy reported, Alan Wake 2 uses forms of software ray tracing to greatly improve the quality of its reflections and ambient occlusion. This makes the game visually striking at even the lowest settings, but Alan Wake 2 becomes downright photorealistic when you enable path tracing, a setting that only the RTX 4080 and 4090 cards can handle.

Alan Wake 2

Released
October 17, 2023
Developer(s)
Remedy Entertainment
Genre(s)
Survival Horror

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