S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - PC performance graphics benchmarks of Graphics Cards and Processors
| BASIC GAME INFORMATION |
We have tested the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl at maximum graphics settings with the latest GeForce RTX and Radeon RX series video cards. Also, during the tests we conducted, we assessed the performance and quality of the graphic display of the game itself.
| 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.
| THE GRAFICAL PART |
This subsection of our review highlights the main graphical aspects of this game. Particular attention is paid to the version of the graphics engine used, the version of the API used, graphic settings and the quality of development of the main visual aspects.
| Supported OS and Graphics API |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl supports modern Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems using DirectX 12 and various upscaling technologies such as TSR, DLSS, FSR and XeSS, which allows you to achieve high-quality graphics and performance for both weaker PCs and powerful gaming systems.
System Requirements S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Minimum system requirements
- OS: Windows 10 x64 / Windows 11 x64
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Video card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB / Intel Arc A750
- Disk space: 160 GB free space
- Extra charges: Graphics at low settings, 1080p resolution, target frame rate of 30 FPS. SSD recommended. Configuration tested using TSR and similar technologies.
Recommended System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 x64 / Windows 11 x64
- Processor: Intel Core i7-11700 / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Memory: 32 GB RAM
- Video card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti / Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- Disk space: 160 GB free space
- Extra charges: High graphics settings, 1440p resolution, target frame rate of 60 FPS. SSD recommended. Configuration tested with TSR, DLSS, FSR and XeSS.
| DEVELOPMENT HISTORY |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the long-awaited sequel to the cult series, has a complicated and eventful development history. The first game in the series, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, was released in 2007 and quickly gained cult status thanks to its unique atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The success of this game and its add-ons prompted the GSC Game World studio to create a full-fledged sequel. However, this path turned out to be much more difficult than expected.
STALKER 2 was initially announced in 2010. At the time, the studio announced that the game would be built on a completely new engine and would be released in 2012. However, in December 2011, the studio encountered financial difficulties, which led to the project being frozen and the development team being disbanded. Many key employees left GSC Game World and started their own projects, such as Vostok Games, the studio that created Survarium. Despite the uncertainty, fans continued to hope for a revival of the series.
In 2018, GSC Game World officially announced the restart of STALKER 2 development. This news caused a lot of excitement, especially among long-time fans of the series. However, this time the studio decided to build the game on more modern technologies, which meant creating a new engine, adapting it to modern gaming standards and updating the concept. The main goal was to preserve the signature atmosphere and non-linear approach to storytelling that made the original series successful.
2022 was one of the most challenging years in development. Military actions in Ukraine, where GSC Game World is based, forced the studio to move some of its operations abroad. Despite these difficulties, the team remained committed to the project, continuing to work on the game. These events left their mark on the plot and atmosphere of STALKER 2, adding additional depth and realism.
In 2023, a gameplay trailer was unveiled at Gamescom, which confirmed significant progress in development. The trailer showed off improved graphics, realistic animation, and open-world elements. The official release date was set for November 20, 2024, and this announcement was an important milestone in the long journey of creating STALKER 2.
| GRAPHICS |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl represents a significant advancement in graphics, making the game one of the most visually impressive titles of the last decade. Unreal Engine 5 allowed GSC Game World studio to achieve incredible detail and realism.
The game's visuals recreate the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone with unprecedented accuracy. Every tree, every abandoned building, every puddle of dirty water looks so realistic that it creates the effect of complete immersion in the game world. The development team used photogrammetry data to transfer real objects and landscapes of the zone into the game. This allowed players to recognize familiar places such as the famous sarcophagus of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the Red Forest, and the ghost town of Pripyat.
Particular attention was paid to dynamic lighting and weather effects. STALKER 2 features a day/night cycle system and dynamic weather, which not only affects aesthetics but also impacts gameplay. For example, at night, players may encounter more dangerous mutants, while heavy rain and thunderstorms make visibility and movement difficult. Light penetrating fog or reflecting off puddles creates a unique atmosphere that heightens tension.
The detailing of characters and mutants is also top-notch. Character models were created using scanning technology, which provided realistic textures of skin, clothing, and equipment. The mutants that players will encounter look creepy thanks to well-thought-out animation and high detail. Their movements have become more realistic and frightening, which adds tension to the battles.
It is worth mentioning the work with anomalies, which are an important part of the game mechanics. These unique natural phenomena now look even more frightening and realistic. Fire flashes, space distortions and energy flashes in STALKER 2 look impressive and serve not only as a visual element, but also as an important gameplay factor.
| GAME ENGINE |
STALKER 2 is based on Unreal Engine 5 — one of the most advanced game engines on the market. This solution allowed developers to implement not only stunning graphics, but also improved physics, artificial intelligence and interactivity of the world.
The game's physics model has been reworked to take realism into account. For example, weapons in STALKER 2 now behave as they would in real life. Ballistics now take into account many factors, including wind strength, range to the target, and bullet weight. This requires players to take a strategic approach to combat, especially at long range.
The game world is interactive and dynamic. Interaction with objects such as doors, boxes, vegetation has become more realistic. For example, players can use elements of the environment to hide or create traps. Water and fire also play a significant role: fires spread through flammable materials, and hidden dangers can be found in rivers and swamps.
Artificial intelligence in STALKER 2 has also been significantly improved. NPCs react to the player's actions, the environment, and each other. Factions interact with each other, and enemies adapt their strategies depending on how the player fights. This makes the gameplay more dynamic and unpredictable.
Anomalies, which are an integral part of the STALKER universe, now have their own physical model. For example, electromagnetic emissions of anomalies can attract metal objects, creating additional threats for players. These elements add depth to the gameplay and make survival in the Zone even more exciting.
| QUALITY |
Minimum settings:
At minimum graphics settings, the game offers a basic level of detail in the environments and effects. Textures are low resolution, shadows are limited in detail, and there is no complex lighting. This allows for smooth operation on weaker systems, but makes the image less detailed and saturated.
Maximum settings:
At maximum graphics settings, the game supports higher texture resolution, improved lighting, and complex post-processing effects. Shadows and reflections become more realistic, creating a more atmospheric and lively image. Improved lighting effects add depth and realism to the game, especially in dynamically changing conditions, such as changing time of day or weather effects.
| 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 with and without frame generation.
| 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
- Epic + AMD FSR Native + FSR 3 Frame Generator
- Epic + DLLA + DLSS 3 Frame Generator
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.
FSR 3 Frame Generation
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 or GeForce RTX 2060 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 6650 XT or GeForce RTX 3060 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 3060 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 6800 or GeForce RTX 2080 Ti level.
When resolved 3840x2160:
- 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 2080 Ti level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the Radeon RX 7900 XT level.
It is worth noting that this option on RTX 4XXX series video cards leads to a decrease in performance compared to native results. Such results are relevant only for the 9800X3D processor, while for other processors they are unsuitable, since implementation in our modular graphics is impossible.
DLSS 3 Frame Generation
When resolved 1920x1080:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached GeForce RTX 4070 level on video cards.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the GeForce RTX 4070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the GeForce RTX 4070 level.
When resolved 2560x1440:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached GeForce RTX 4070 level on video cards.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the GeForce RTX 4070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the GeForce RTX 4070 level.
When resolved 3840x2160:
- Average FPS (25 frames): Reached GeForce RTX 4070 level on video cards.
- Minimum FPS (25 frames): Provided by video cards of the Radeon GeForce RTX 4070 level.
- Comfortable average FPS (60 frames): Possible with video cards of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti S 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
GameGPU
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
- Epic + AMD FSR Native + FSR 3 Frame Generator
- Epic + DLLA + DLSS 3 Frame Generator
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
FSR 3 Frame Generation
When using NVIDIA graphics cards (For correct display of the graph, it is recommended to choose RTX 3080 Ti, since on RTX 4XXX series video cards the results are irrelevant due to the lack of functionality of this technology on these models):
- 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 3900
- Intel Core i5-10600
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 5 3600
- Intel Core i5-10600
DLSS 3 Frame Generation
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 5 5600
- Intel Core i5-10600
- Epic
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
GameGPU
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 |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – a long-awaited project that amazes with its atmospheric graphics and detailed world. However, the technical side of the game raises questions: for a comfortable game, powerful hardware and advanced technologies are required, which do not always work flawlessly.
Processor limitations
One of the main problems with STALKER 2 optimization is the high load on the processor, and even the use of resolution-reducing technologies such as DLSS, FSR or xess, cannot compensate for this factor. If the performance is limited by the processor, upscales are useless: increasing FPS with their help becomes impossible.
Even with frame generation technologies such as DLSS 3 Frame Generation or FSR 3, achieving smooth gameplay on mid-range processors is extremely difficult. Moreover, frame generation increases input lag, which significantly reduces the enjoyment of the game. For a comfortable experience without compromise, it is recommended to use processors of the level AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Intel Core i9-14900K, which are capable of handling the high level of calculations required by the game.
FSR 3 Frame Generation: Compatibility Issues
FSR 3 integration into STALKER 2 has been controversial. Video card users NVIDIA RTX 4000 Series encounter unexpected problems: instead of increasing performance, this technology can cause a decrease in FPS, making the use of FSR 3 useless for these video cards - at the moment, it is not recommended to use it for these video cards.
Video memory: minimum 12 GB
Although the game's graphics subsystem does not seem to be that demanding at first glance, the video memory limitation becomes a serious problem. Video cards with 8 GB VRAM are on the edge of capabilities, especially at high screen resolutions and with frame generation enabled. For comfortable gaming, it is recommended to use models with a video memory capacity of at least 12 GB, which will ensure stable performance even at high settings.