Technology advancements have given rise to ever more impressive photorealistic video games being on the market. Video game developers are continuously trying to improve the graphics to give gamers the most immersive experience. Of course, with games becoming more graphically demanding, it can put a huge strain on your gaming PC. So it’s important to know what the most graphically demanding PC games are on the market so you can get your hardware in order. Let’s delve in!
Crysis 3
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“But can it run Crysis?” It’s a question that soon became an internet meme. German video game developers Crytek said prior to Crysis 3’s release that they wanted to push graphics as far as they could – even joking that they were “going to melt PCs”. Even though the game came out way back in 2013, Crysis 3 is still glorious to look at. It creates an immersive experience for gamers with spectacular landscape scenery.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7 or Windows 8
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo / 2.7 GHz AMD Athlon 64X2
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Graphics: 1 GB Video RAM or better / Nvidia GTS 450 or AMD Radeon HD5770
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 17 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 7 or Windows 8
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-750 / 2.7 GHz AMD Phenom II X4 805
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: 1 GB Video RAM or better / Nvidia GTX560 or AMD Radeon HD5870
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 17 GB available space
Red Dead Redemption 2
Released on the console in October 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 eventually came out on PC over a year later in November 2019 and received “universal acclaim”. With the console version pushing the system to its very limits, the graphics for Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC were bound to be impressive. Some have even commented that the graphics on the PC version are “like a movie”.
With its huge demands, graphic card developers Nvidia had to issue a hotfix to prevent the game from stalling. For some gamers, it took time to optimize their game settings to strike the right balance between performance and quality.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7 – Service Pack 1 (6.1.7601)
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
Memory: 8GB
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB
HDD Space: 150GB
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 10 – April 2018 Update (v1803)
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 12GB
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB
HDD Space: 150GB
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Grand Theft Auto V
Impressively stable when playing using its standard settings, when set to its absolute maximum, Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) is very graphically demanding. With added extras such as 4K gaming, it soon becomes a near-photoreal open-world simulator pushing any PC’s GPU to the very limits. In order to enjoy the full graphical experience of GTA V, you may have to look into upgrading your GPU!
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs) / AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core Processor (4 CPUs) @ 2.5GHz
Memory: 4GB
Graphics Card: Nvidia 9800 GT 1GB / AMD HD 4870 1GB (DX 10, 10.1, 11)
HDD Space: 150GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 8.1 64 Bit, Windows 8 64 Bit, Windows 7 64 Bit Service Pack 1
Processor: Intel Core i5 3470 @ 3.2GHZ (4 CPUs) / AMD X8 FX-8350 @ 4GHZ (8 CPUs)
Memory: 8GB
Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 660 2GB / AMD HD7870 2GB
HDD Space: 65 GB
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 10 compatible
Far Cry 5
There’s no doubt about it: Far Cry 5 is a wonder to behold. The game’s recreation of Montana offers spectacular scenery for the player to take in. In addition to this, Far Cry 5 is an action-packed joyride, with all the usual explosions, shootings and attacks. In order to enjoy the full experience of the game, you’ll need the very best hardware.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 @ 3.1 GHz or AMD FX-6300 @ 3.5 GHz or equivalent
Memory: 8GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 or AMD R9 270 (2GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0 or better)
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 40GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit versions only)
Processor: Intel Core i7-4770 @ 3.4 GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 @ 3.2 GHz or equivalent
Memory: 8GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD R9 290X (4GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0 or better)
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 40GB available space
Project Cars 2
Gone are the days of turning up to an arcade to enjoy a realistic racing experience. But just looking at Project Cars 2, you know you’re in for an absolute thrill ride. Its photorealistic graphics make for an absolute dream racing simulation. It scooped the Best Simulation Game award at Gamescom 2017.
On ultra-settings, Project Cars provides an environment for the gamer to get fully immersed in, and come on top to win the race. A follow up was released in August 2020, which seemingly went down a more arcady route to less favorable reviews.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 10 (+ specific versions of 7)
Processor: 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5 3450, 4.0 GHz AMD FX-8350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: GTX680 or equivalent
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i7 6700k
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVidia GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX480
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Like Crysis, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided almost acts as a benchmark for the very latest hardware. If a PC could run this game, then it could run near enough anything. Even now, with the game running on ultra-settings it is one of the most graphically demanding games on the market. An action-packed experience in an impressively realistic environment, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a beautiful game.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7.1SP1 or above (64-bit Operating System Required)
Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD equivalent
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (2GB)
Storage: 45 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K or AMD FX 8350 Wraith
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 480 – 1920 x 1080 or NVIDIA GTX 970 – 1920 x 1080
Storage: 55 GB available space
Additional Notes: 55GB HD space includes DLC
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Another simulation game on the list is Microsoft Flight Simulator, allowing you to take to the skies and fly around the world. With over 37,000 airports, 2 million cities, 1.5 billion buildings, and a range of terrain, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft Flight Simulator is truly one of the most graphically demanding PC games out there. You can fly day or night in a variety of different weather conditions, making it one of the most immersive experiences you’ll get from a video game.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i5-4460 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 150 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 590
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 150 GB available space
Cyberpunk 2077
This one was always going to make the list. Finally released in December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 had been in development for roughly nine years after being delayed numerous times. The action role-playing game drops the player into the fictitious Night Club in the year 2077. The level of immersion in Cyberpunk 2077 is so mind-boggling that it’s almost impossible not to get lost in the realism of the game.
Although it is available on all platforms, the game is clearly optimized for PC. It has been widely criticized for the buggy, glitchy last-gen versions of the game on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 – so much so that CD Projekt Red had to apologize and issue refunds.
Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7 or 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-3570K or AMD FX-8310
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 or AMD Radeon RX 470
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 70 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: GTX 1060 6GB / GTX 1660 Super or Radeon RX 590
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 70 GB available space
Additional Notes: SSD recommended
Summary
So there you have it – just some of the most graphically demanding PC games on the market at the moment. It’s truly amazing how realistic video games have become since the turn of the 21st century. What’s also great to see is the studios’ level of ambition to continue pushing the boundaries of graphic capabilities. It highlights the importance of investing heavily in decent hardware in order to get the most out of your PC games.
