Whenever the newest and most competent computer components are released to the public, so are the video games that fully utilise their potential. And with leading hardware manufacturers competing to button out the highest performing parts for the all-time price almost yearly, it'southward clear why the gaming manufacture has been consistently experiencing a technological incline.

These games are created not merely as a gaming experience just also as a way of exploiting the well-nigh advanced new graphic technologies. For those looking to upgrade their rig, await to the recommended requirements of these 15 most GPU intensive games to get inspiration.

Updated December 4th, 2021, by Charles Burgar: 2021 has released some of the most beautiful titles nosotros've seen on PC thus far. Games like Forza Horizon v continue to push button the visual fidelity of the medium. Of course, many recent titles take been quite hard to run on a PC unless you take some powerful hardware. We've updated this list with some new releases in 2021 and replaced a few older titles with amend, more recent alternatives.

15 Thousand Theft Motorcar V

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 – Service Pack i (64-flake) Windows 10 (64-flake)
Processor Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 / AMD Phenom 9850 Intel Cadre i5 3470 / AMD X8 FX-8350
Memory iv GB 8 GB
Graphics Nvidia 9800 GT / AMD HD 4870 Nvidia GTX 660 / AMD Hard disk drive 7870
DirectX DirectX ten DirectX 11
Storage 72 GB 72 GB

Every bit with any open up-world type of game, 1000 Theft Auto V has the unique event of creating a myriad of circuitous systems that tin can't bog downwards the game'south visual fidelity or functioning. The developers have stated that the game can run all the way up to 4K resolution and fifty-fifty above on PC. Getting the full experience volition crave a high-finish computer. That's impressive, given GTA V was released on PC nearly six years agone.

That being said, just reaching the recommended settings shouldn't be too hard for about players. GTA Five only needs an Nvidia GTX 660 or AMD HD 7870 to run at moderate settings. It's the budget option, but for players wanting to get the accented maximum feel, going well above that tier is an absolute must if they desire the game to run at a smooth 60 FPS in 1440p or 4K.

14 The Witcher iii: Wild Hunt

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 (64-flake) Windows x (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD Phenom Ii X4 940 Intel Core i7 3770 / AMD FX-8350
Retentiveness 6 GB 8 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 660 / AMD Radeon HD 7870 Nvidia GTX 770 / AMD Radeon R9 290
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 11
Storage 35 GB 35 GB

The Witcher 3 is still a benchmark for loftier-end gaming systems, partly due to how many graphical settings you lot tin tweak. If you're an Nvidia user, you tin punish your GPU fifty-fifty further by turning on HairWorks feature to make the characters in the game even more life-like. Moreover, the absolutely massive open world, covered in beautiful textures and illuminated by HBAQ+ light occlusion, makes the game very demanding.

Running The Witcher 3 on anything less powerful than a GTX 770 and a solid processor will result in sub-thirty FPS image reproduction. Notwithstanding, even cards similar the RTX 2060 and above won't be set to play this game at over 1440p, especially if they hope to become more than 60 FPS. And don't even think about turning on Nvidia HairWorks; Geralt of Riva'southward flowing hair is a massive strain on well-nigh GPUs.

xiii Crysis iii

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 or 8 Windows vii or eight
Processor Intel Cadre 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64X2 Intel Core i5-750 / AMD Phenom II X4 805
Retention 3 GB 4 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTS 450 / AMD Radeon HD5770 Nvidia GTX 560 / AMD Radeon HD5870
DirectX DirectX eleven DirectX eleven
Storage 17 GB 17 GB

"But tin it run Crysis?" That was the near of import benchmarking question you could inquire during the seventh console generation. The get-go Crysis showed the globe that visual fidelity and mission scope aren't mutually exclusive, although it came at the cost of optimization. Almost no PC could run the original Crysis at launch. Even today, some PCs still buckle nether that game'due south weight.

So why is Crysis 3 on hither? Well, it's more graphically demanding than the first, and it's as well much better looking. Don't permit that GTX 560 recommendation fool you: this game will use far more than than 1 GB of VRAM. Fifty-fifty throwing an RTX 3080 at this game won't guarantee a stable 60 FPS at 4K resolution. Keep in mind that Crysis 3 came out in February of 2013, over viii years ago. Even after all this time, "Can it run Crysis?" is still equally valid of a question every bit e'er.

Why Not Crysis Remastered?

Crysis Remastered runs terribly on just near every system, regardless of your GPU. This is considering Crytek hasn't reworked the remastered version to utilise multiple CPU cores, meaning the game has a serious CPU bottleneck. The original version of Crysis suffered from the aforementioned consequence, hence why it's notorious for running so poorly. There are other games that demand more of your GPU than the Crysis Remaster, all of which make much amend apply of your CPU. If you want to test how well your PC can run a Crysis title at 1440p or 4K, play Crysis three instead.

It's also worth noting that there is a Crysis 3 Remastered, requiring slightly higher PC hardware to run. It'southward well-nigh identical to vanilla Crysis 3, except this version supports ray tracing and DLSS. Beyond that, both versions look and perform exactly the same. Play whichever version y'all adopt.

12 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7.1 – SP1 (64-bit) Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i3-2100 / AMD equivalent Intel Core i7-3770K / AMD FX 8350 Wraith
Memory 8 GB 16 GB
Graphics AMD Radeon Hard disk drive 7870 / Nvidia GTX 660 Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 480
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 11
Storage 45 GB 55 GB

Deus Ex: Flesh Divided set the bar for graphical fidelity when it was released back in 2016. Eidos Montreal'southward Dawn Engine is notorious for its GPU-hungry performance, requiring 6GB of VRAM when using ultra settings. The visual improvement is certainly worth it, delivering a photorealistic cyberpunk dystopia that can but be matched by Cyberpunk 2077.

According to a criterion examination conducted by ETeknix, a dependable threescore FPS on maxed-out settings at 1080p will happen simply on a GTX 1080 or meliorate. Higher-end GPUs are mandatory to run this game at 1440p or 4K, impressive considering the game's age.

eleven Metro Exodus

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 (64-bit) Windows x (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-4440 / AMD equivalent Intel Core i7-4770k / AMD equivalent
Retentiveness 8 GB 8 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 670 / 1050 / AMD Radeon HD 7870 Nvidia GTX 1070 / RTX 2060 / AMD RX VEGA 56
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 12
Storage 59 GB 59 GB

Metro Exodus features the fabled real-fourth dimension ray tracing engineering back up to use the full potential of the new Nvidia graphics carte du jour lineup. Players planning on running the game on lower settings might have issues, equally the game offers just a few possible tweaks to better performance for lower-grade systems.

Benchmarks by PC Gamer on lowest settings reveal an average of under 60 FPS on annihilation worse than a GTX 1070. Cranking everything up to the max is going to crave an RTX bill of fare like the 2060 or in a higher place. It's non the most operation-heavy FPS on the market, but Metro certainly rewards powerful PCs with jaw-dropping visual fidelity.

x Kingdom Come up: Deliverance

Minimum Recommended
Bone Windows vii (64-bit) Windows ten (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD Phenom II X4 940 Intel Core i7 3770 / AMD FX-8350
Memory 8 GB 16 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 660 / AMD Radeon Hard disk drive 7870 Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 11
Storage 70 GB xc GB

Foliage. That's the give-and-take that's probably going to exist on your mind equally your overpriced system struggles to push out 60 FPS in this game. Kingdom Come: Deliverance'due south Dunia engine is actually based on the engine developed for the notorious Crysis. It carries over that engine's breathtaking visuals and every bit scenic PC requirements—ranging from high-cease GPUs to a solid clamper of disc space.

The system requirements for this game brand fiddling sense. Despite allegedly needing a GTX 1060 graphics card and a solid processor (and nosotros tin can't forget the necessary 16 gigs of RAM), those running GTX 1080Ti's volition still experience frame dips during play. Even RTX cards struggle to play this game at higher resolutions.

nine Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Minimum Recommended
Os Windows 7 (64-flake) 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
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 12
Storage 40 GB 40 GB

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

Fifty-fifty at mediocre refresh rates, you lot won't exist 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 lot'll nonetheless desire a 20 or 30 series RTX bill of fare from Nvidia to squeeze out as many frames every bit possible. This game is benchmarked frequently for a reason.

8 Forza Horizon 5

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 10 (64-flake) Windows x (64-bit)
Processor Intel i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Intel i5-8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory viii GB xvi GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD RX 470 Nvidia GTX 1070 / AMD RX 590
DirectX DirectX 12 DirectX 12
Storage 110 GB 110 GB

Forza Horizon 5 is one of the well-nigh stunning games released in 2021. Beautiful lighting, realistic car models, and incredible weather effects all make for one of the best-looking racing games yous can find. 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 sixty FPS. Every bit reported by Digital Foundry, if you want to push Horizon v into 4K territory, you'll desire at to the lowest degree an RTX 2080ti or an RTX 3070. You'll likewise want a stronger CPU like the R5 3600 to maintain a solid 60 FPS during this game'due south more performance-heavy races.

seven Assassinator's Creed: Valhalla

Minimum

(Low, 1080p, xxx FPS)

Recommended

(High, 1080p, sixty FPS)
OS Windows 10 (64-bit) Windows ten (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-4460 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Intel Core i7-6700 / AMD Ryzen 7 1700
Memory eight GB 8 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 960 / AMD R9 380 Nvidia GTX 1080 / AMD Vega 64
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX xi
Storage l GB 50 GB SSD

Ubisoft's latest Assassinator Creed game is, unsurprisingly, the most demanding of the series. The absolute minimum GPU required to run this game is a GTX 960, and that's for 1080p resolution at 30 FPS on depression settings. For sixty FPS on high settings, you lot'll need a GTX 1080 or meliorate. This shouldn't come as a surprise given Valhalla's open-world nature, withal it's when yous creepo up the resolution that these requirements get extreme.

If yous want a smooth 1440p experience at 60 FPS with no frame dips, you'll need an RTX 2080ti or a 30 series GPU, as reported by Digital Foundry. A solid lx FPS at 4K resolution—mimicking what the PlayStation 5 outputs—is going to require an RTX 3080 or 3090 with a high-cease CPU from AMD or Intel. Even then, expect a few frame dips during performance-heavy cutscenes.

vi Ruby-red Expressionless Redemption 2

Minimum Recommended
Bone Windows 7 – SP1 (64-bit) Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300 Intel Cadre 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
DirectX DirectX 12 DirectX 12
Storage 150 GB 150 GB

Now that everyone'south favorite western gamble of 2019 has been released on PC too, information technology's fourth dimension to talk about its flaws. Despite existence an astonishing game on console, its PC port was far from stellar. Red Expressionless Redemption 2 on PC is plagued with stuttering and FPS dips, fifty-fifty if you meet the recommended specs.

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 volition need to opt for a Rzen 5 1500X or higher up to become such results. Much similar GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2 chews through RAM, requiring 12 GB to run smoothly. Should you see those requirements, you'll go to feel the well-nigh visually impressive Rockstar game to date.

5 Far Weep half dozen

Minimum

(30 FPS)

Recommended

(sixty FPS)
Bone Windows x (64-bit) Windows 10 (64-flake)
Processor Intel Core i5-4460K / AMD Ryzen iii 1200 Intel Core i7-7700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Memory eight GB sixteen GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 960 / AMD RX 460 Nvidia GTX 1080 / AMD RX Vega 64
DirectX DirectX 12 DirectX 12
Storage 60 GB 60 GB

Far Cry 6 is the most demanding Far Cry championship yet, requiring a GTX 1080 and Ryzen 5 3600X to reach 60 FPS at 1080p resolution. If you want to play this game at 4K resolution, you're going to need a whopping 16 GB of VRAM, meaning you'll need an RTX 3090 to play this game at 4K. You'll also need a powerful CPU to button this game to higher resolutions or a target FPS of 120 or higher.

four Cyberpunk 2077

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 (64-bit) Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor Intel Core i5-3570K / AMD FX-8310 Intel Cadre i7-4790 / AMD Ryzen 3
Retentivity 8 GB 12 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 780 / AMD Radeon RX 470 Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / GTX 1660 Super / Radeon RX 590
DirectX DirectX 12 DirectX 12
Storage 70 GB 70 GB

You're going to demand a adequately powerful PC if y'all desire to explore Cyberpunk's Night Urban center. This game chews through your organisation memory, requiring at least a GTX 780 and 8 GB of RAM to play on minimum settings. If you want to bring out the dazzler of Cyberpunk's dystopian setting, you lot're going to need at least a GTX 1060 (6GB version) and 12 GB of RAM.

Even with those specs, Cyberpunk will struggle to maintain a consistent framerate at times. And if you want to play this game at 4K with lx FPS, forget it. Even the best PC specs can't maintain that frame rate consistently. Fortunately, Cyberpunk has quite a few settings you can tweak to maximize your performance. Digital Foundry has an excellent guide on how yous can increase this game'south performance with minimal visual impact.

iii Final Fantasy XV

Minimum

(720p 30fps)

Recommended

(1080p 30fps)
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
Retentiveness viii GB 16 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 760/1050 / AMD Radeon R9 280 Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB / Radeon RX 480
DirectX DirectX eleven DirectX xi
Storage 100 GB 100 GB

In 2018 we finally got to see Final Fantasy XV on our desktop monitors. But this port came with a price: utilizing top-notch graphics and some of the most stunning graphics and advanced physics (GameWorks technology), the game will truly test your organization's mettle.

We're still baffled by the required 155GB free space to play this game in 4K - that's right, y'all'll demand 155 GB of storage infinite to play this game at its highest settings. And even then, we tin can't guarantee 60 FPS with annihilation tamer than an RTX card and sixteen GB of RAM. A GTX 1060 (6GB) is recommended for this game, merely that recommendation is for 1080p resolution at 30 FPS. No thing how you spin it, FFXV is a seriously demanding game on PC.

2 Project CARS 2

Minimum Recommended
Bone Windows seven – SP1 (64-fleck) Windows ten (64-bit)
Processor Intel Cadre i5 3450 / AMD FX-8350 Intel Core i7 6700k
Memory 8 GB 16 GB
Graphics Nvidia GTX 680 / AMD equivalent Nvidia GTX 1080 / AMD Radeon RX480
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX eleven
Storage 50 GB 50 GB

Easily downward i of the most stunning autosport games out in that location, Project CARS 2 improves tremendously on its predecessor. The graphics are completely photo-realistic, and the fact that yous need at least 50 GB of costless space to fifty-fifty install this game should be a attestation to the corporeality of item it includes.

Nevertheless, it'southward the CPU that's getting the lion's share of the work in this game. Projection CARS 2 puts major emphasis on simulation rather than arcade racing, placing quite a flake of strain on your PC'southward CPU. That's why the processor recommended to run Project CARS 2 is a hefty i7 6700K, forth with a loftier-end GTX 1080 graphics bill of fare. And that's just for 1080p.

ane Control

Minimum Recommended
OS Windows 7 (64-chip) Windows x (64-bit)
Processor Intel Cadre i5-4690 / AMD FX 4350 Intel Cadre i5-7600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
Memory 8 GB xvi GB
Graphics NVIDIA GTX 780 / AMD Radeon R9 280X NVIDIA GTX 1660/1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 12
Storage 42 GB 42 GB

Control is hands-down 1 of the most GPU-intensive video games ever released on PC. This game'southward crowning accomplishment—at least visually—is its implementation of ray tracing. Environments and particle effects are drib-down gorgeous while RTX is on, but this comes with a heavy cost—both metaphorically and literally.

Yous need an RTX 2060 or better GPU to use ray tracing. Considering merely how good RTX's implementation is here, it's well worth the GPU requirement. DLSS is also available on the RTX series of cards, drastically improving performance for this championship.

You tin can also play Control without an RTX card, yet that is too rather demanding. A GTX 1660 is recommended for non-RTX users, which is still a adequately powerful bill of fare. No matter how you look at it, Control is i of the nearly graphically enervating games on the marketplace currently.

Next: Canceled Picture Video Games You Never Knew Existed

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened Gives Female person Characters O-Face up For Using Magic

NetEase called it a bug, but others called it a feature.

Read Next

About The Author