S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Patch 1.0.2 - PC performance graphics benchmarks of Graphics Cards and Processors
| BASIC GAME INFORMATION |
We have tested patch 1.0.2 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, comparing its performance and visual quality with the release version. 1.0. The latest GeForce RTX and Radeon RX series graphics cards were used for testing, and the graphics settings were set to maximum values.
| NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY DEEPCOOL |
In our review we present you the case DeepCool CH780WH. DeepCool CH780WH – is a spacious Mid Tower case, made in white with a large tempered glass window on the side panel. The case supports the installation of ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards, as well as video cards up to 380 mm long. DeepCool CH780WH It is equipped with an excellent cooling system with the ability to install up to 9 fans, and also supports liquid cooling systems with radiators up to 360 mm in size. For ease of assembly, the case has removable dust filters and sufficient space for cable management.
In our review we present you with a power supply Deepcool PX1200G 1200W. Deepcool PX1200G 1200W has a power of 1200 watts, 80 Plus Gold certification, which guarantees a high level of energy efficiency of up to 92%. It is equipped with a modular cable system for easy cable management and minimizing clutter in the case. The power supply supports protective functions such as OVP (overvoltage protection), SCP (short circuit protection) and OCP (overcurrent protection).
The power supply also supports the standard ATX 3.0, which is important for modern systems with high-performance components, such as the latest generation of graphics cards. The ATX 3.0 standard provides more stable power delivery, improved performance with peak loads, and support for the PCIe 5.0 slot, which is necessary for the latest graphics cards with high power requirements, such as the NVIDIA RTX 40-series. This makes Deepcool PX1200G the optimal choice for gamers and professionals who require reliable and efficient power for their powerful systems.
We will also consider Deepcool LT720, liquid cooling system with a 360 mm radiator. Deepcool LT720 has three 120 mm fans with addressable ARGB lighting, providing effective cooling and a stylish appearance. The cooler supports Intel LGA1700 and AMD AM5 platforms, making it compatible with most modern processors.
| NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY ASUS |
In our review we present you with the motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B650-A Gaming Wi-Fi. ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi includes 4 DDR5 DIMM modules with a maximum capacity of up to 64 gigabytes and a frequency of up to 6400 MHz. For the file subsystem, the motherboard supports 3 M.2 PCIe 5.0/4.0 x4 slots and 4 SATA 6 Gb/s ports. You can directly view the testing of this motherboard on our website.
In our review we present you with motherboards ASUS Z790-A GAMING DDR4. We use this motherboard as a test bench for testing new generations of processors. Intel.
This time the company's top video card is participating in our test. ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti OC. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is based on the AD104 GPU and features 7680 CUDA cores and 12GB of GDDR6X memory. Test this video card on our website.
This time the company's top video card is participating in our test. ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 7900 XT OC Edition 20 GB.. This video card is based on the RDNA 3 architecture, operates at a frequency of 2500 MHz and has 20 gigabytes of video memory.
| NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY GIGABYTE |
In our review we present you with the motherboard Gigabyte X670E AORUS PRO X. We use this motherboard as a test bench for testing new generations of processors. AMD.
Its testing on our website.
| NEW, SUPPLIED FOR TEST BY KINGSTON |
In our review we used RAM: 32 GB DDR4 3600 CL16 Kingston FURY Renegade, 32 GB DDR4 4000 CL18 Kingston FURY Renegade,32 GB DDR5 6000 Kingston FURY Renegade, 16 GB DDR4 4600 CL19 Kingston FURY Renegade и 32 GB DDR5 7200 Kingston FURY Renegade. And for game tests we use an external Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD 1TB.
In our review we used RAM Kingston Fury Renegade DDR5 48GB 7200MHz.
In our review we used RAM Kingston Fury Renegade DDR5-8000 48 GB Limited Edition.
In our review, for the full variety of our test benches, we use SSD drives Kingston KC600 256GB 2.5" SATAIII 3D NAND TLC и SSD drive Kingston NV3 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 , which are an ideal choice for use when there are a large number of components.
| Patch 1.0.1 - changes and improvements |
Graphics
Patch 1.0.1 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl makes significant changes to the game's graphics, eliminating many bugs and shortcomings that could negatively affect visual perception. First of all, flickering textures in key locations such as the Sphere, Military Base, and Chemical Plant were fixed. These problems could cause visual discomfort, especially with rapid camera movement or dynamic lighting changes.
In addition, the textures of artifacts that could previously be displayed incorrectly or disappear in certain areas have been reworked. Now their appearance has become more detailed and consistent with the environment. Fixes have also affected the display of humanoid bodies, including their limbs, which in some cases could stretch out or disappear. These visual errors not only reduced the level of immersion, but also violated the integrity of the game atmosphere.
The cutscenes have received major improvements. The final videos that conclude the main storylines have missing footage added, texture quality, and character and object animations have been improved. For example, the deer animation in the opening scene has been corrected, allowing for more realistic animal behavior in the frame. These changes are especially important, as the game's cinematic elements play a key role in creating its dark and immersive atmosphere.
Work has also been done to improve dynamic lighting. The developers have eliminated bugs related to incorrect behavior of light sources, which could previously lead to abnormal darkening or overexposure of certain areas. Thanks to these changes, lighting effects have become more natural, which improves the overall visual quality of the game and helps players navigate in dark or closed spaces.
In the final graphics revisions, small details of the surrounding world were reworked, such as the behavior of vegetation under the influence of wind or the animation of objects undergoing destruction. Now trees, bushes and small decorative elements react to external influences more realistically, and destruction has become smoother and more consistent with the laws of physics. These changes create an even deeper and more believable picture of the world of the Zone.
Optimization
Optimizations in patch 1.0.1 are aimed at eliminating the main causes of performance drops and game crashes, ensuring a more stable gameplay even during long gaming sessions. One of the key issues that was solved was a memory leak. This error often led to a drop in FPS or a complete game crash, especially when in densely populated hubs or when interacting with a large number of NPCs. Now, memory management has been optimized, which reduces the load on the system and improves overall stability.
Problems with invisible NPCs and mutants being displayed in the player's field of view have also been fixed. These bugs created serious gameplay problems, especially in tense situations such as shootouts or fights with mutants. Now all characters and enemies are correctly displayed in the field of view, allowing the player to better navigate and plan their actions.
Fire visual effects, which could previously disappear at certain camera angles, have also been fixed. This bug made it difficult to perceive the environment, especially in dark locations or combat encounters. Fire is now rendered correctly at any camera angle, preserving its dynamic nature and adding more realism to scenes using pyrotechnic effects.
Performance in densely populated locations such as hubs has been significantly improved. The developers have eliminated bugs that could cause sharp FPS drops when there are a large number of NPCs on the screen. This change is especially important for the stable operation of the game on weaker systems. Optimization covers not only the work of NPCs, but also their interaction with the environment, which reduces the load on the processor and video card.
The patch also fixes bugs related to EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION. This error was one of the most common causes of game crashes, especially on systems with limited RAM. The developers analyzed user reports and made the necessary adjustments, which significantly reduced the likelihood of such crashes.
Additionally, bugs related to long loading of textures and objects have been fixed. This improvement is especially noticeable when quickly moving around the open world or transitioning between locations. Now loading is faster and without noticeable delays, which makes the gameplay smoother.
Rectification
The update covers a wide range of bugs that directly affect the quality of the gameplay. First of all, critical errors in the NPC artificial intelligence have been eliminated. Previously, they could get stuck in locations, fail to achieve mission goals, or behave abnormally, which blocked the player's progress. For example, NPCs now correctly react to cover and do not shoot at walls or objects that hide their target. This change makes AI behavior more realistic and predictable.
Interaction with game objects has also been significantly improved. Bugs related to the inaccessibility of doors, key items, and destructible objects have been fixed. For example, missing internal doors have been added to the X-11 lab that could previously block missions. Bugs with the physics of destructible objects that could get stuck in the air or react incorrectly to player interaction have also been fixed.
Mission lockouts caused by NPCs freezing or artifacts being unavailable have been fixed. Missions like On the Edge and Seek and Find have had their dialogue, objective markers, and environmental interactions tweaked. These changes allow players to complete missions without having to restart or find workarounds.
Graphical bugs affecting visual perception have been eliminated. Textures and animations of objects such as humanoid limbs and mutant corpses, which could previously stretch or disappear, have been fixed. Weather effects and their interaction with the environment have also been improved, including the display of lighting and the behavior of fog.
The game's audio system has also been improved. Fixed bugs that could cause combat music to continue playing after the end of a battle. Fixed issues with NPC voice effects that incorrectly reflected the distance to the sound source. Now the soundtrack matches actions and events, which increases the player's immersion.
| Patch 1.0.2 - changes and improvements |
The developers have released the second update, fixing errors in six missions, including bugs in the tasks "On the Edge", "Minor Incident" and "Deeper Down". Situations with inaccessible enemies, character getting stuck and missing important NPCs have been fixed.
Additionally, several EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors have been fixed, improving game stability.
| TEST PART |
| Test configuration | |
| test stands |
ROG Strix X570-E Gaming Z490 AORUS PROAX GIGABYTE Z590 VISION GIGABYTE Z690 AERO G GIGABYTE Z790 GAMING XAX MSI MPG Z790 Edge WiFi ASUS ROG Strix B650-A Gaming Wi-Fi ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore |
| Sponsored video cards |
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti OC ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER OC ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 7900XT 20G |
| Multimedia equipment |
16 GB DDR4 4600 CL19 Kingston FURY Renegade 32 GB DDR4 3600 CL16 Kingston FURY Renegade 32 GB DDR4 4000 CL18 Kingston FURY Renegade 32 GB DDR5 5600 CL40 Kingston Fury Beast 32 GB DDR5 6000@6400 CL30 Kingston FURY Renegade 32 GB DDR5 7200 CL36 Kingston FURY Renegade 48GB DDR5 7200 CL36 Kingston FURY Renegade 48GB DDR5 8000 CL36 Kingston FURY Renegade Kingston FURY Renegade PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD Kingston NV3 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4
Case DeepCool CH510 WH SVO DeepCool LS720 WH Power supply unit Deepcool PX1200G 1200W |
| Software configuration |
|
| Operating system | Windows 11 24H2 |
| Graphics driver |
Nvidia GeForce/ION Driver Release 566.14 WHQL AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 24.10.1 |
| Monitoring programs |
MSI Afterburner |
Our video cards were tested at different screen sizes 1920x1080, 2560x1440 и 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings in 100 rendering.
| GPU TEST |
In the video card test, the default resolution is 1920x1080; other resolutions are added and removed manually. You can also remove and add any positions of video cards. You can also select any of our test processors from the list in the drop-down menu, comparing its performance with the given video card tests (by default, the most productive solution is selected). The test is carried out on the most powerful CPU in this game and is scaled to other processors, taking into account their testing on NVIDIA and AMD video cards.
- Epic Patch 1.0.2
- Epic Release Version
Patch 1.0.2
When resolved 1920x1080:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 XT or GeForce RTX 2070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 7800 XT or GeForce RTX 4070 level.
When resolved 2560x1440:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6700 XT or GeForce RTX 3060.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6700 XT or GeForce RTX 3070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 7900 XT or GeForce RTX 4070 Ti level.
When resolved 3840x2160:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6800 XT or GeForce RTX 4070.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6950 XT or GeForce RTX 4070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the GeForce RTX 4090 level.
Release Version 1.0
When resolved 1920x1080:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 XT or GeForce RTX 2070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 7800 XT or GeForce RTX 3080 level.
When resolved 2560x1440:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6700 XT or GeForce RTX 3060.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6700 XT or GeForce RTX 3070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 7900 XT or GeForce RTX 4070 Ti level.
When resolved 3840x2160:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached on video cards of the level of Radeon RX 6800 XT or GeForce RTX 4070.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6950 XT or GeForce RTX 3080 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the GeForce RTX 4090 level.
| VIDEO MEMORY CONSUMPTION |
Testing of video memory consumed by the game was carried out by the program MSI Afterburner. The indicator was based on the results on video cards from AMD and NVIDIA with separate screen sizes 1920x1080, 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 with various anti-aliasing settings. By default, the graph displays the most current solutions. Other video cards are added and removed from the chart at the request of the reader.
- Epic Patch 1.0.2
- Epic Release Version
GameGPU
Patch 1.0.2
Resolution 1920x1080:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
Resolution 2560x1440:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
Resolution 3840x2160:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 10 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 10 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 10 GB
Release Version 1.0
Resolution 1920x1080:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 7 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 7 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 7 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
Resolution 2560x1440:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
Resolution 3840x2160:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 8 GB
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 9 GB
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 9 GB
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 10 GB
| CPU TEST |
Testing was carried out at a resolution of 1920x1080. In the processor test, you can remove or add any processor positions. You can also select any tested video card from the list in the drop-down menu, comparing its performance with the given processor test results (by default, the most productive solution from NVIDIA is selected). Testing takes place on the most powerful NVIDIA and AMD video cards and scales to low-end models.
- Epic Patch 1.0.2
- Epic Release Version
Patch 1.0.2
When using NVIDIA video cards:
- Processors for acceptable FPS (not lower than 25 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 3 3100
- Intel Core i3-10100
- Processors for comfortable FPS (at least 60 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Intel Core i5-12600K
When using AMD video cards:
- Processors for acceptable FPS (not lower than 25 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 3 3100
- Intel Core i3-10100
- Processors for comfortable FPS (at least 60 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700
- Intel Core i5-13400
Release Version 1.0
When using NVIDIA video cards:
- Processors for acceptable FPS (not lower than 25 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 3 3100
- Intel Core i3-10100
- Processors for comfortable FPS (at least 60 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Intel Core i9-12900K
When using AMD video cards:
- Processors for acceptable FPS (not lower than 25 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 3 3100
- Intel Core i3-10100
- Processors for comfortable FPS (at least 60 frames per second):
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700
- Intel Core i5-13400
- Epic Patch 1.0.2
- Epic Release Version
Loading and using streams:
- Maximum load: The game can load up to 24 streams.
- Optimal loading: Uses up to 16 threads as efficiently as possible.
| RAM TEST |
The test was carried out on the basic configuration of Core i 9 13900K with 32 GB DDR5 6400 MHz pre-installed memory. All used RAM was taken as an indicator. The RAM test on the entire system was carried out on various video cards without launching third-party applications (browsers, etc.). In the graphics, you can add and remove any resolutions and video cards as desired.
- Epic Patch 1.0.2
- Epic Release Version
GameGPU
Patch 1.0.2
Resolution 1920x1080:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
Resolution 2560x1440:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
Resolution 3840x2160:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 17 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 16 GB of RAM
Release Version 1.0
Resolution 1920x1080:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 17 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 17 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
Resolution 2560x1440:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
Resolution 3840x2160:
- Video cards with 8 GB of video memory: consume 20 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 12 GB of video memory: consume 19 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 16 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
- Video cards with 24 GB of video memory: consume 18 GB of RAM
| SPONSORS TESTS |
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| CONCLUSION ON OPTIMIZATION Patch 1.0.1 |
Patch 1.0.2 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl brings some improvements to the technical side of the game, although key optimization issues remain relevant.
Processor load after installing the update has noticeably decreased, which has led to a slight increase in FPS on systems with mid-range processors. However, comfortable gameplay still requires powerful hardware, such as AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Intel Core i9-14900K, especially in densely populated areas or during long gaming sessions.
Problems with video memory have become less pronounced. The game now runs more stably on video cards with 8 GB VRAM, and the RAM consumption has been significantly reduced. This allows the game to run with higher performance, although for maximum settings it is still recommended to use video cards with 12 GB VRAM and above.
FSR 3 Frame Generation remains a problematic technology, especially on NVIDIA RTX 4000-series graphics cards. Even after the patch, its use can lead to a decrease in FPS, which makes this feature practically useless for owners of these GPUs. Players on these graphics cards are advised to disable FSR 3 for stable performance.
Update 1.0.2 takes a step forward in terms of optimization, but key technical limitations, especially those related to processor load and compatibility with new technologies, still require some work.