Choosing the right graphics card for Star Citizen can make a significant difference, transforming your gaming experience from ordinary to extraordinary.
This comprehensive guide brings you our top picks for the best GPUs for Star Citizen in 2023. Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore gamer, we’ve got recommendations to ensure you witness stunning visuals, buttery-smooth performance, and low latency gameplay.
From Nvidia’s RTX series to AMD’s Radeon RX lineup, we’ve analyzed the top-performing GPUs based on factors like graphical power, memory, price, and more. Read on to discover which GPU will empower your Star Citizen gameplay and take you to the stars like never before.
Here is the recommended list of the Best GPU for Star Citizen
- ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC Edition
- XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900X
- PNY GeForce RTX 4080 16GB XLR8
- PowerColor Red Devil RX 6950 XT
- Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC 12G
- PowerColor Red Devil RX 6900 XT
Star Citizen GPU requirements
The minimum GPU requirements for Star Citizen are a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 570. These cards will allow you to play the game at low settings with a playable frame rate. However, if you want to play the game at higher settings or with a higher frame rate, you will need a more powerful graphics card.
These cards will allow you to play the game at high settings with a high frame rate. However, it’s important to note that Star Citizen is still in development, and performance can vary depending on the specific location and activity you’re doing.
If you’re looking for the best possible performance in Star Citizen, you should consider getting a high-end graphics card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT. However, it’s important to remember that the game is still in development, and performance can vary depending on the specific location and activity you’re doing.
1. ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC Edition
The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4090 OC Edition is recommended best gpu for star citizen. Its a high-end graphics card designed for serious gamers and professionals seeking exceptional performance. This graphics card stands out not just for its cutting-edge technology, but also for its ability to push the boundaries of performance, especially when playing graphically demanding games such as Star Citizen.
It features the latest PCIe 4.0 interface, offering double the bandwidth of its predecessor, PCIe 3.0, leading to faster data transfer speeds between your graphics card and your system. The 24GB GDDR6X memory ensures you have ample buffer for high-resolution textures and detailed environments, providing smooth gameplay and realistic visuals.
One key component of the ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4090 OC Edition is the implementation of NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture with Streaming Multiprocessors, delivering up to 2x the performance and power efficiency compared to previous generations. This means that you’ll experience less heat and power consumption for the same level of performance, which also leads to a longer lifespan for your components.
The 4th Generation Tensor Cores offer up to double the AI performance, improving features like NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) which utilizes AI to upscale lower-resolution images in real-time, providing high-quality visuals without compromising on performance.
Similarly, the 3rd Generation RT Cores provide up to twice the ray tracing performance. Ray tracing is a technique that simulates light in real-time, providing more accurate and photorealistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. This is crucial in games like Star Citizen that aim to provide an immersive and realistic experience.
For competitive gaming, this card comes packed with NVIDIA Reflex technology. This technology aims to reduce system latency, allowing for more responsive and precise inputs. For fast-paced games like Apex Legends, where reaction time is critical, NVIDIA Reflex can provide the competitive edge you need. With a high frame rate of 144+ FPS, the GeForce RTX 4090 ensures that your gameplay is smooth and uninterrupted, reinforcing the notion that ‘Frames Win Games.’
The ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX® 4090 OC Edition brings a combination of robust architecture, ample memory, and advanced technologies, making it a prime choice for both hardcore gamers and creative professionals. With this GPU, you can enjoy high-performance gaming, immersive virtual reality experiences, and high-quality creative work without breaking a sweat.
2. XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT
The XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT boasts a myriad of impressive features. It is based on AMD’s RDNA 3 architecture, which is known for its efficiency and advanced technology. It comes with 20GB of GDDR6 memory, which is more than sufficient for modern AAA games at high resolutions and maximum settings, making it perfect for graphically demanding games like Star Citizen.
The card utilizes the latest PCIe 4.0 interface for faster data transfer speeds, enhancing performance in games and applications that require high data throughput. This graphics card also supports AMD’s Infinity Cache technology which helps improve bandwidth and reduce latency.
The RX 7900XT offers top-notch performance for high-end gaming. The RDNA 3 architecture and 20GB of GDDR6 memory ensure you can play games at ultra-high resolutions with excellent frame rates. Features such as ray tracing, which provides realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections, are supported and significantly enhanced by AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution, which uses upscaling techniques to deliver high-quality images without a large performance hit.
Given its robust feature set and exceptional performance, the XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT provides good value for money, especially for users looking to push their systems to the limit in high-end gaming and professional applications.
Pros:
- High Performance: The card delivers excellent performance in high-end gaming and professional applications.
- 20GB GDDR6 Memory: This provides ample memory for playing games at ultra-high resolutions with high-quality settings.
- Advanced Features: The card supports the latest graphics technologies, such as ray tracing and AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution.
- Efficient Cooling: XFX’s Speedster series is known for efficient cooling solutions, keeping the card cool even under intense loads.
Cons:
- Price: As a high-end graphics card, the XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT may be out of reach for budget-conscious gamers.
- Power Consumption: Like many high-end graphics cards, it could have relatively high power consumption.
- Size: The card is quite large and may not fit in smaller PC cases.
The XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT is an excellent high-end graphics card that delivers impressive performance for demanding gaming and professional applications. Its high price tag is justified by its robust feature set, making it a worthwhile investment for those looking for uncompromising performance.
3. PNY GeForce RTX 4080 16GB XLR8
PNY is a renowned brand in the world of graphics cards, and the quality of the GeForce RTX 4080 XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB™ reflects this reputation. The card is well-built, featuring a triple fan design for excellent cooling and sustained performance. It also has RGB lighting that can be customized, adding an aesthetic flair to your gaming rig.
The card boasts 16GB of GDDR6 memory and uses the PCIe 4.0 interface, which allows for faster data transfer rates. It’s based on NVIDIA’s Ampere architecture, featuring 2nd generation RT cores for improved ray tracing and 3rd generation Tensor Cores for better AI performance. The card also supports NVIDIA’s DLSS 3.0, which uses AI to upscale images in real time for high-quality visuals with less performance impact.
The PNY GeForce RTX™ 4080 XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB™ is positioned as a high-end card and is priced accordingly. It provides a level of performance that justifies its price, especially for gamers and creators seeking top-tier performance.
Pros:
- Performance: With its advanced features and powerful architecture, this card offers excellent performance in high-resolution gaming and demanding applications.
- Cooling: The triple-fan setup ensures the card remains cool under heavy loads, maintaining optimal performance.
- DLSS 3.0 Support: The support for DLSS 3.0 allows for improved image quality with less of a performance hit, especially in demanding games like Star Citizen.
- Aesthetics: The customizable RGB lighting can add a unique touch to your gaming setup.
Cons:
- Price: The high-end performance comes with a high-end price tag, which might be a barrier for budget-conscious buyers.
- Size: Like many high-end graphics cards, this model is quite large and may not fit in smaller PC cases.
- Power Consumption: With its powerful capabilities, the card may consume a significant amount of power, requiring a robust power supply.
In comparison to other products in its category, such as the XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XT or the ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090, the PNY GeForce RTX 4080 offers a balanced blend of price and performance. While it may not match the absolute performance of top-tier cards like the RTX 4090, it offers excellent performance that is suitable for most high-end gaming and professional applications at a slightly more affordable price point.
The PNY GeForce RTX 4080 XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB™ is a powerful and high-quality graphics card that provides excellent performance for its price. It’s a solid choice for anyone seeking a balance between high-end performance and cost.
4. PowerColor Red Devil RX 6950 XT
The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT is a high-performance graphics card built around AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture. This card features 16GB of GDDR6 memory, providing ample space for high-resolution textures and complex environments, especially in graphically-intensive games like Star Citizen.
This graphics card uses a PCIe 4.0 interface for fast data transfer speeds, ensuring your games and applications run smoothly. It also supports advanced features like ray tracing and AMD’s FidelityFX, which uses AI to enhance graphics quality.
Pros:
- High Performance: With 16GB of GDDR6 memory and the RDNA 2 architecture, this card offers excellent performance in high-end games and professional applications.
- Advanced Features: Supports ray tracing and AMD’s FidelityFX, enhancing graphics quality and realism.
- Efficient Cooling: The PowerColor Red Devil series is known for its efficient cooling systems, ensuring your card stays cool even under heavy load.
Cons:
- Power Consumption: High-end performance often comes with higher power consumption, requiring a robust power supply.
- Size: This card is fairly large and may not fit in smaller PC cases.
- Price: As a high-performance graphics card, the PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT carries a high price tag, potentially putting it out of reach for budget-conscious buyers.
The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT is a powerful graphics card that provides excellent performance for demanding games and applications. It’s a solid choice for anyone seeking high-end gaming performance, as long as they’re prepared for the associated cost and power requirements.
5. Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC 12G
The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC 12G is a high-performance graphics card that is designed to deliver superior graphical fidelity and performance. It’s an excellent choice for both hardcore gamers and professionals who need powerful graphics capabilities.
The RTX 4070 Ti is ideal for gamers seeking high frame rates at high resolutions in demanding games like Star Citizen. It supports ray tracing and NVIDIA’s DLSS, which can significantly improve visual quality and performance.
The RTX 4070 Ti isn’t just for gamers. Its 12GB of GDDR6X memory and powerful GPU make it ideal for content creation tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, and rendering.
With its powerful specifications, this card is excellent for delivering smooth, high-quality VR experiences.
Pros:
- Performance: With the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, 12GB of GDDR6X memory, and high clock speeds, this card delivers excellent performance.
- Cooling: The 3X WINDFORCE Fans ensure the card remains cool under heavy loads, allowing for sustained performance.
- Ray Tracing and DLSS: The RTX 4070 Ti supports NVIDIA’s ray tracing for realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections, and DLSS for improving performance while maintaining visual quality.
Cons:
- Price: As a high-performance card, the RTX 4070 Ti may be out of reach for budget-conscious buyers.
- Power Consumption: As with most high-end graphics cards, the RTX 4070 Ti has high power consumption and may require a robust power supply.
- Size: The card is quite large due to its triple-fan design and may not fit in smaller PC cases.
The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Gaming OC 12G is a high-performance graphics card ideal for gamers, professionals, and VR enthusiasts who demand high performance and graphical fidelity. Its price and power consumption might be high, but they are justified by its powerful capabilities and features.
6. PowerColor Red Devil RX 6900 XT
The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is a premium-grade graphics card, engineered for gamers and professionals who demand top-tier performance. It is designed to handle graphically intensive games like Star Citizen and provide seamless performance in demanding professional applications.
Equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 memory and based on the RDNA 2 architecture, this graphics card is designed to deliver high frame rates and ultra-realistic graphics. With support for ray tracing technology, it can simulate incredibly realistic lighting and reflections to increase immersion in games.
The card uses the PCIe 4.0 interface, which provides twice the bandwidth of its predecessor, PCIe 3.0, leading to faster data transfer and improved gaming performance. The card also features AMD’s Infinity Cache technology, which offers increased memory bandwidth and lower latency for higher performance.
Additionally, it supports HDMI 2.1, enabling 4K and 8K high-resolution displays and high-refresh-rate gaming.
Pros:
- High Performance: With its powerful specs, this card is capable of running the most demanding games at high settings and professional applications that require heavy graphical processing.
- Ray Tracing: The card supports ray tracing for more realistic lighting and reflections in games, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- Efficient Cooling: PowerColor Red Devil cards are known for their efficient cooling systems, which help maintain performance and longevity.
- HDMI 2.1 support: The card’s support for HDMI 2.1 enables next-gen high-resolution displays and high-refresh-rate gaming.
Cons:
- Price: This is a high-end graphics card with a price tag to match. It may not be suitable for gamers on a budget.
- Size: Due to its robust cooling system, this card is large and may not fit in smaller PC cases.
- Power Requirements: The RX 6900 XT demands a significant amount of power, which may require a power supply upgrade.
The PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is an outstanding graphics card for gamers and professionals seeking top-of-the-line performance. Its powerful features and capabilities justify its premium price tag. It’s especially well-suited to users seeking high-end gaming performance, particularly in demanding games like Star Citizen.
Is Star Citizen GPU-intensive?
Yes, Star Citizen is quite GPU-intensive. The game is known for its stunning visuals, complex environments, and intricate details, all of which put a significant demand on your graphics processing unit (GPU).
To fully experience the immersive universe of Star Citizen, a high-performing GPU is recommended. The higher the resolution and graphical settings you aim to play at, the more powerful a GPU you will need.
This is especially true if you want to utilize advanced features like high dynamic range (HDR), ray tracing, or if you are planning to play on a high-resolution monitor or in VR.
Is RTX 3060 enough for Star Citizen?
Yes, the RTX 3060 is more than enough for Star Citizen. It can easily run the game at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, even at high graphics settings. At 4K resolution, you may need to lower the graphics settings slightly, but you should still be able to get a playable frame rate.
Here are some benchmarks of the RTX 3060 in Star Citizen:
- 1080p, Ultra settings: 93 FPS
- 1440p, Ultra settings: 71 FPS
- 4K, Ultra settings: 42 FPS
As you can see, the RTX 3060 can easily handle Star Citizen at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. At 4K resolution, you may need to lower the graphics settings slightly, but you should still be able to get a playable frame rate.
Of course, your overall system performance will also depend on your CPU, RAM, and storage. However, the RTX 3060 is a great choice for Star Citizen if you’re looking for a graphics card that can deliver high frame rates at high resolutions.
Is RTX 3070 good for Star Citizen?
Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is a very capable graphics card for Star Citizen.
The RTX 3070 is a high-performance card that provides significant improvements over previous generation cards. It boasts 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, which should be sufficient for handling Star Citizen’s high-resolution textures and complex environments. It also supports advanced technologies such as ray tracing and DLSS, which can provide enhanced visual fidelity and improved performance in supported games.
At 1080p and 1440p resolutions, you should be able to run Star Citizen very smoothly on high settings with the RTX 3070. Even at 4K resolution, the RTX 3070 should provide a playable experience, although you may need to adjust some settings for optimal performance.
Does Star Citizen use CPU or GPU?
Star Citizen uses both the CPU and GPU. The CPU is responsible for handling the game’s physics, AI, and other background tasks, while the GPU is responsible for rendering the game’s graphics.
In general, a more powerful CPU will give you better performance in Star Citizen, as it will be able to handle the game’s background tasks more efficiently. However, a more powerful GPU will also give you a noticeable improvement in graphics performance.
If you are on a budget, you may want to prioritize getting a more powerful CPU, as this will give you a better overall performance boost. However, if you have the money, you may want to consider getting a more powerful GPU as well, as this will give you the best possible graphics performance.
Here are some minimum and recommended system requirements for Star Citizen:
Minimum:
- CPU: Intel Core i3-4460 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- RAM: 16GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 390
- Storage: 50GB
Recommended:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- RAM: 32GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Storage: 100GB
Is a 3080 good for Star Citizen?
Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is an excellent graphics card for Star Citizen.
The RTX 3080 is part of NVIDIA’s high-end range of GPUs, boasting impressive power and performance. With 10GB of GDDR6X VRAM and support for advanced features like real-time ray tracing and DLSS, it’s equipped to handle demanding games like Star Citizen very well.
You can expect the RTX 3080 to deliver smooth performance on high settings at 1440p and 4K resolutions, although the exact performance can depend on other factors such as your CPU, RAM, and the specific in-game settings you choose.
One of the benefits of the RTX 3080 for Star Citizen is its ray-tracing capability, which can add to the immersion and visual quality of the game. Additionally, NVIDIA’s DLSS technology can provide a performance boost while maintaining excellent visual quality.
Can a gtx 1060 run star citizen?
Yes, a GTX 1060 can run Star Citizen. However, the performance will depend on the settings you use. At 1080p, you can expect to get around 50-60fps on medium settings. If you want to play at higher resolutions or with higher graphics settings, you will need a more powerful graphics card.
Here are some benchmarks of Star Citizen with a GTX 1060:
- 1080p, medium settings: 50-60fps
- 1440p, medium settings: 30-40fps
- 4K, medium settings: 15-20fps
These are just estimates, and your actual performance may vary. If you are not sure if your PC can run Star Citizen, you can use the game’s benchmark tool to test it.
Here are some other things to keep in mind if you want to run Star Citizen on a GTX 1060:
- You will need at least 8GB of RAM.
- You will need a fast SSD to install the game.
- You may need to turn down some of the graphics settings in order to get a playable frame rate.
Overall, a GTX 1060 can run Star Citizen, but you will need to make some compromises in order to get a good experience. If you are looking for the best possible performance, you will need a more powerful graphics card.
Buying Guide
Choosing the best GPU for Star Citizen involves several factors that you should take into consideration:
- Performance: The GPU should be powerful enough to handle the game’s high-quality graphics and extensive detail. Look for GPUs that have high core counts and clock speeds. The more powerful the GPU, the better the performance in Star Citizen.
- VRAM: Star Citizen is a detailed and expansive game that can benefit from more VRAM, which is used to store textures and other graphical data. A GPU with more VRAM will be able to handle higher resolutions and graphical settings without suffering performance drops.
- Budget: Always consider your budget when purchasing a GPU. The most powerful GPUs can be quite expensive, so it’s important to find a balance between cost and performance that fits your specific needs.
- Power Consumption and Heat: More powerful GPUs tend to consume more power and produce more heat. Make sure your power supply unit (PSU) can support the GPU’s power requirements and that your PC case has adequate cooling to manage the heat.
- Compatibility: Check the GPU’s physical dimensions to ensure it will fit inside your PC case. Also, confirm that your motherboard has a compatible PCIe slot for the GPU.
- Future Proofing: Consider how well the GPU will keep up with future games and updates to Star Citizen. A more powerful GPU may be a worthwhile investment for future-proofing.
- Ray Tracing Support: As of 2021, Star Citizen does not support ray tracing. However, this might change in the future as the game continues to be developed, so a GPU with ray tracing capabilities might be a consideration.
- Monitor Resolution and Refresh Rate: If you’re playing on a monitor with a high resolution (1440p, 4K) or high refresh rate, you’ll want a more powerful GPU to take full advantage of that.
Remember that choosing a GPU should be done in the context of your whole system. Even the best GPU will be bottlenecked by a weak CPU or insufficient RAM.
Conclusion
Choosing the best GPU for Star Citizen is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your gaming experience. Star Citizen is a highly demanding game that offers high-resolution textures, complex environments, and detailed rendering – all of which puts a substantial load on your GPU. Therefore, a powerful GPU is a prerequisite to fully immerse yourself in the Star Citizen universe.
As we’ve discussed, several key factors should guide your decision: performance, VRAM, budget, power consumption, heat, compatibility, future-proofing, and your monitor’s resolution and refresh rate. A powerful GPU, like those in NVIDIA’s RTX 30 series or AMD’s Radeon RX 6000 series, is recommended for high settings and resolutions, although more budget-friendly options like the RTX 3060 or RX 5700 XT can still deliver a solid gaming experience.
It’s important to remember that the game’s optimization and system requirements could change over time as the game is still under active development. Therefore, it is always a good idea to check the game’s official website or forums for the most current system requirements and optimization updates.
Additionally, always remember that a well-rounded gaming system is essential. You want a balanced system where your GPU, CPU, RAM, and storage complement each other and work together efficiently. This way, no single component becomes a bottleneck that hampers the overall performance.
Lastly, while selecting the best GPU for Star Citizen, it is advisable to consider future-proofing. Given the rapid advancement in game graphics and realism, investing in a GPU that can handle the demands of future games can be a smart move.
In conclusion, selecting the best GPU for Star Citizen is a matter of balancing your budget with your performance expectations, while also considering the overall balance of your PC and potential future gaming demands. Regardless of your choice, Star Citizen promises to deliver an immersive and visually stunning gaming experience.
Author
-
by
-
