Performance Test: What Is the Most Demanding PC Game?

The gaming world is moving quickly, with new tech making games more intense. There are many PC games that push computers hard. Let’s look at which games demand the most from your PC.

Memory needs play a big role in how tough a game is on your computer. Total War: Warhammer 3 asks for at least 6 GB of memory but prefers 8 GB¹. Halo Infinite likes 16 GB for the best experience, more than its 8 GB minimum¹. Control suggests starting with 8 GB but going up to 16 GB for better play¹. Starfield, awaited by many, advises at least 16 GB for smoothly running the game¹. The Ascent and Baldur’s Gate 3 both also recommend 16 GB for a top-notch gaming time¹. Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Forza Horizon 5 both say 8 GB at least, but perform best with 16 GB¹.

But it’s not just about memory. The CPU and GPU your game runs on matter too. Hogwarts Legacy needs at least an Intel Core i5-6600 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 CPU and a minimum GPU of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB². Wild Hearts sets its CPU bar at Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, with GPUs of GeForce GTX 1060 (VRAM 6GB) or Radeon RX 5500 XT (VRAM 8GB)². Like a Dragon: Ishin! requires CPUs like the Intel Core i5-3470, 3.2 GHz or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 3.1 GHz, and similar-level GPUs². Atomic Heart needs an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or an Intel Core i5-4460 for CPU, and AMD Radeon R9 380 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 for GPU². Other games, such as Sons of the Forest, Company of Heroes 3, and Resident Evil 4, each have their own CPU and GPU minimums². Crime Boss: Rockay City is in that list too, requiring hefty specs for both CPU and GPU².

By checking the memory, CPU, and GPU needs, we understand how these games challenge PCs. Yet, not every game with high requirements is super demanding. How well a game runs and looks (its optimization and graphics) also influences its demand.

Future games like Starfield, Forspoken, and Cyberpunk 2077 are set to push hardware even more. They have high overheating risks with ratings of 8.5, 7, and 9.5³. Their launch dates are Starfield on September 6, 2023, Forspoken on January 24, 2023, and Cyberpunk 2077 on December 10, 2020³.

Key Takeaways:

• Highly demanding PC games push the capabilities of gaming rigs to their limits.
• Memory requirements are a crucial aspect of game performance, with recommended memory ranging from 8 GB to 16 GB for different games.
• The CPU and GPU requirements vary significantly across different demanding PC games, with a range of minimum and recommended specifications.
• Upcoming games like Starfield, Forspoken, and Cyberpunk 2077 are expected to be some of the most demanding PC games of 2024.
• It’s important to consider factors like optimization and graphical fidelity in addition to hardware requirements when assessing a game’s demand on PC performance.

Stay tuned for more about the most demanding PC games and gaming hardware performance!

Spider-Man Remastered: Pushing PC Performance to New Heights

Spider-Man Remastered brings the beloved game to PC, boosting it with unique PC features. It makes the web-slinger’s world look amazing with real-life graphics. Ray tracing is a key feature, creating lifelike lighting and reflections.

The game shows off New York City’s beauty with detailed graphics. Ray traced reflections make the city feel alive. With powerful graphics cards, the game makes surfaces like windows and cars reflect light realistically.

However, adding ray tracing to Spider-Man Remastered was tough. The team at Nixxes had to make sure the game worked well on all kinds of PCs. They focussed on making reflections look great, as the city is full of shiny surfaces⁴.

Ray tracing makes the game look better but also demands more from PCs. The creators worked hard to find the perfect balance. This ensures everyone can enjoy the game, no matter their PC’s power. The big city environment of the game made this task even more challenging.

To help players get the best performance, new settings are coming. These settings let players adjust how the game looks based on their PC. This means even more people can enjoy the beautiful graphics without needing a top-end PC⁴.

System Requirements

Spider-Man Remastered has settings for various PC strengths. Here’s what you need for a good experience:

These specs are recommended for the best play. Lower-end PCs can run the game on basic settings. For the best visuals, aim for the high-end specs⁵.

Spider-Man Remastered on PC brings unmatched graphics and speed. It makes New York City and Spider-Man look stunning. Thanks to PC-specific enhancements, like ray tracing, players experience a new level of immersion. Nixxes and Insomniac Games have made sure PC gamers get the best experience possible⁵⁶.

Elden Ring: Embark on an Epic Quest with Powerful Hardware

Elden Ring is a much-awaited action RPG from FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment. It’s set in a large, dark fantasy world. Players find an immersive, tough experience that tests their gaming skills and hardware.

The new expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is coming on June 21, 2024. Priced at $39.99, it invites players to new adventures⁷. It includes a fresh story in the Land of Shadow with new areas, dungeons, enemies, and gear⁷.

Elden Ring has earned major praise, snagging Awards like Game of the Year at The Game Awards and Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards⁷. This game’s mix of characters and plot keeps players hooked and wanting more⁷. teardown forced players to carefully manage resources⁸. It differs from other open-world RPGs, making weapon choice crucial without the worry of breaking them⁹.

For the best experience, players require strong hardware. The least you need is an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or an Intel Core i7-3770 for the CPU. For graphics, an AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB or a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB VRAM is recommended⁸. Now, 12GB of RAM is advised for smooth, engaging gaming⁸.

In Elden Ring, exploring the massive world happens at your own pace. Like open-world RPGs such as Monster Hunter World and The Witcher 3, you might get attached to early weapons. Switching gear is vital for varied gameplay but, unlike in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, weapons don’t break⁹.

Elden Ring demands epic quests, mystery, danger, and victory. Good hardware is a must for its vast, engaging world⁷. Its storyline, complex combat, and open world captivate genre fans for endless exploration⁷.

Get your hardware ready, gather your friends, and get set for an unmatched adventure in Elden Ring⁷.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Survive the Post-Apocalyptic World with Powerful Hardware

Dying Light 2 Stay Human drops you into a world overrun by zombies. To really get into the game, you need a strong PC. It uses advanced graphics, like ray tracing, for stunning and realistic scenes. For the best experience, make sure your PC meets the game’s requirements.

To start playing Dying Light 2, your PC should have at least an AMD Ryzen 3 2300X or Intel Core i3-9100 CPU and an AMD Radeon RX 560 or Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti GPU. This setup ensures stable frame rates and good quality visuals. But, for top-notch graphics and smooth play, go for an Intel Core i5-8600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X CPU with a Radeon RX 5700 XT or Nvidia RTX 2070 GPU¹⁰.

Dying Light 2 is on PC, PS4, PS5 (reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch¹⁰. You can explore a huge world, fight exciting battles, and make choices that change the story¹⁰. The game also changes challenges based on the time of day¹⁰.

During a 30-hour test, Tom’s Guide found several technical problems with Dying Light 2¹⁰. But the developers have promised a day one patch to fix these issues¹⁰. Despite beautiful moments, the game does sometimes struggle, especially with character animations¹⁰.

In Dying Light 2, there’s a wide range of weapons and gear to help you survive¹⁰. The story changes depending on your choices, giving you control over how things unfold¹⁰.

Dying Light 2 needs powerful hardware because of its advanced technology, like ray tracing and NVIDIA DLSS¹¹. It works best with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX series to bring incredible real-time visual effects¹¹. Ray tracing creates lifelike scenes, and DLSS improves game performance¹¹.

Ray tracing makes the game’s world look much more real and immersive¹¹. It enhances lighting and shadows, making indoor and outdoor scenes more dynamic¹¹. This technology adds depth and makes the game more engaging for players¹¹.

Dying Light 2 challenges both your gaming skills and your PC’s capabilities¹⁰¹¹. It combines stunning visuals, captivating gameplay, and a story that responds to your choices. This game guarantees hours of exploring and surviving in a gritty post-apocalyptic world¹⁰¹¹.

PC Game Ratings

Click here to check the system requirements for Dying Light 2 Stay Human¹⁰.

God of War: Unleash the Power of the Gods with Top-Tier Hardware

God of War, a well-loved PlayStation game, is now available on PC. It has special features for PC that use advanced hardware. Players step into a mythical world, facing gods and monsters in exciting adventures.

To experience God of War’s full power on PC, you need strong hardware. At a minimum, have an Intel i5-2500k or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPU and a Nvidia GTX 960 or AMD R9 290X GPU¹². For the best visuals, consider an Intel Core i7 4770K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 CPU with a Nvidia GTX 1070 or AMD RX 5600XT GPU¹².

The PC version of God of War looks amazing. It supports 4K resolution and doesn’t limit frame rates¹². The game also supports 21:9 widescreen, making the Norse myths feel more epic¹². Improved textures, reflections, and shadows make every scene incredibly realistic¹².

God of War on PC takes advantage of NVIDIA’s latest tech. It uses DLSS to make frames look smooth without losing quality¹². Nvidia Reflex reduces game delay, making fights feel more real and responsive¹².

God of War has been a hit since its 2005 debut on the PlayStation 2¹³. Switching from Greek to Norse myths has kept the series fresh and popular¹³. The teaser for God of War: Ragnarok has fans more excited than ever¹³.

This game is famous for its gripping stories and stunning scenes. Whether new to the series or a long-time fan, God of War on PC promises an incredible adventure.

Note: The image above showcases the epic world of God of War, where players can unleash the power of the gods with high-end hardware and stunning visuals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, many games push hardware to the limit. Titles like Spider-Man Remastered, Elden Ring, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, and God of War are famous for that. They need strong processors for a smooth game¹⁴. Each game demands a lot from the CPU¹⁵.

Before buying, check the game’s system needs to avoid letdowns. Hogwarts Legacy, out in February 2023, advises certain CPUs, 16GB of RAM, and specific graphics cards¹⁴. Cyberpunk 2077 requires solid processors, 12GB of RAM, and advanced graphics cards¹⁴.

What’s the toughest PC game? It depends on your setup and what you like. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider are heavy on the CPU¹⁵. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla also need strong machines¹⁵.

To enjoy tough games, good hardware is key. A potent CPU, enough RAM, and a strong graphics card matter a lot. Games like Spider-Man or Elden Ring need this for the best play. Gear up for adventures with the latest tech and a love for games¹⁴.

Source Links

1. https://www.thegamer.com/pc-games-best-intense-graphics/ – The 20 Most Graphically Demanding PC Games
2. https://ai.nero.com/blog/best-pc-games/ – Most Demanding PC Games 2023 (Updated Feb 2023)
3. https://www.auslogics.com/en/articles/the-most-demanding-pc-games-of-pushing-hardware-to-the-limits/ – The Most Demanding PC Games of 2024: Pushing Hardware to the Limits
4. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/why-marvels-spider-man-remastered-pc-devs-want-players-to-feel-like-were-honouring-the-platform – Why Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered PC devs want players to “feel like we’re honouring the platform”
5. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/marvels-spider-man-remastered-pc-performance-system-requirements-and-the-best-settings-to-use – Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered: PC performance, system requirements and the best settings to use
6. https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2022-inside-marvels-spider-man-remastered-on-pc-the-nixxes-tech-interview – Inside Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PC – the Nixxes tech interview
7. https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460025/elden-ring-shadow-of-the-erdtree-expansion-releases-june-21/ – Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Releases June 21
8. https://www.tomsguide.com/gaming/dragons-dogma-2-review – Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the best RPG since Elden Ring — here’s my verdict after 30 hours
9. https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/elden-ring-botw-weapon-degradation/ – Elden Ring made me appreciate Zelda’s weapon degradation | Digital Trends
10. https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/dying-light-2-stay-human – Dying Light 2 Stay Human review
11. https://www.ausgamers.com/features/read/3639233 – Dying Light 2’s Ray-Tracing is a Game Changer on PC
12. https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/god-war-review-one-greatest-25944067 – God of War on PC is the definitive way to play this epic title
13. https://gamerant.com/god-of-war-best-trailers-franchise/ – God Of War: Best Trailers In The Franchise
14. https://royalcdkeys.com/blogs/news/the-most-demanding-pc-games-push-your-computer-to-the-limits – The Most Demanding PC Games – Push Your Computer to the Limits
15. https://softwareg.com.au/blogs/computer-hardware/most-cpu-demanding-pc-game – Most CPU Demanding PC Game