Fully enough spec PC for FHD 100hz monitor

General Discussion
#1

Hi,

I use my main PC (9900K 5.0OC, 32GB, 3090 high-end GPU) with 3 monitors(QHD 144hz 2ea + FHD 100hz 1ea).

One of those monitors is for only Zwift (FHD 32inch 100hz).

I’d like to build PC for only Zwift monitor. The only thing I want for the PC is that PC works with full option of Zwift and FHD 100hz monitor without any frame drop below 100FPS.

I always use high-end GPU so I don’t have enough experience with Low and Mid level GPU. Could you give me some advice with PC spec like the next?

(Just example)
CPU: 4790k
Ram: 8GB
GPU: 1650S ← This has 4GB VRAM. It’s hard to find GPU which has over 6GB VRAM with mining. So I’m considering GPU which has 4GB VRAM. Is it OK with FHD monitor? I’m really curious with this point.
And other specs.

Please give me some advice with your experience.

#2

You need a really high end GPU to get 100 FPS in Zwift without any frame drops. Shoot for at least RTX 2080, better yet RTX 3080. Most Zwifters are happy to get 60 FPS, with occasional drops to 30 FPS. Not that it is noticeable or makes any difference…

#3

Totally unnecessary, I average 80-90fps in 4K on a 1660. If I only did solo rides in London it’d easily maintain 100fps.

Frame rate drops in Zwift (with a few exceptions) are caused by CPU bottleneck and in those circumstances a better GPU doesn’t make any difference.

#4

In all circumstances at all times including events? Basically impossible I’m afraid. Even the strongest CPUs on the market right now (Ryzen 5000 series) barely stay above 60fps in a big group ride.

Just use adaptive sync instead, have a read of this: Zwift on PC: The Ultimate Guide to Running Zwift at Its Very Best - Zwift Insider

Though obviously the pricing info is a bit wishful thinking right now… :confused:

1 Like
#5

Here is a data point.

Dell G3 15 Gaming Laptop
i7-10750H (Passmark score 12,573)
GeForce RTX 2060 mobile (6 GB VRAM) (Passmark score 11,355).

When Zwift resolution is set to 4k, it runs Zwift at average frame rate of 55 fps.

When set to 1080p, average frame rate is in the ballpark of 90 fps. It is still a little below the requested target of 100.

The fun part, 1080p set in Zwift is not the 1080p internal resolution of the game! One can connect PC to a 1080p monitor, switch to 4k in Zwift (if GPU allows it), and observe a significant increase in sharpness and resolution of 1080p picture (compared to 180p setting in Zwift). I think 4k setting in Zwift is, in reality, a true FHD resolution of the picture generated by Zwift. Try it for the sake of fun.

#6

Yeah Zwift uses supersampling, that’s why higher resolution settings look better even on a lower native resolution display. I run 4K on a 1440p monitor.

A mobile GPU is usually quite far below the performance of a desktop equivalent with the same name btw. For example on the same benchmark rankings you’ve used, the 2060 mobile scores fewer points than my desktop 1660 (with the desktop 2060 being 22% higher). And that’s without accounting for the fact mobile GPUs are often power or thermally limited by the laptop design/manufacturer. They come in various TDP configurations so it’s not an apples to apples comparison unfortunately.

In any case, Makuri Islands ruins my argument. Compared to the rest of the game, a high end RTX card - plus very fast CPU - is indeed required to maintain 60fps let alone 100fps. The system requirements have been increased massively (for that one world) for some reason.