Atomic Heart: PC Performance Benchmarks for Graphics Cards and Processors 2023

BASIC GAME INFORMATION

As part of our annual graphics card performance testing in 2023, we will focus on analyzing gaming performance using the highest available graphics quality for each game. This year, Core VRAM and RAM tests, as well as upscales, will not be taken into account. Our goal is to identify the most powerful graphics cards and determine their hierarchical positions in the context of games in 2023. This will be a comprehensive gaming benchmark focused on assessing real-world performance under the most demanding gaming conditions.

We continue our annual review cycle, which will culminate in the final determination of the fastest and most optimal gaming solutions among video cards for games released in 2023. In this review we focus on testing the game Atomic Heart.

NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY MSI

 

Our test now includes the MSI GEFORCE RTX 4090 GAMING X TRIO 24 GB .This video card is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, operates at a frequency of 2750 MHz, has 16384 stream processors and 24 gigabytes of video memory.

NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY ASUS

In our review, we present to you the ASUS ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi motherboard . 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 ASUS Z790-A GAMING DDR4 motherboards . We use this motherboard as a test bench for testing new generations of Intel processors .

 

This time our test involves the top video card from 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 our test involves the company's top-end video card 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.

 

This time our test involves the new ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 OC video card .  This video card is based on the RDNA 3 architecture, operates at a frequency of 3000 MHz and has 24 gigabytes of video memory.

NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY DEEPCOOL

   

This time we're testing the case from DeepCool CH510 WH - it's an elegant and minimalistic mid-tower case with excellent component compatibility and wide cooling power support for a truly versatile build.

 

Also participating in our test this time is the premium-class DeepCool LS720 WH for processors. DeepCool LS720 WH provides maximum cooling efficiency and low noise levels, as well as a sophisticated design.

NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS BY GIGABYTE

In our review, we present to you the GIGABYTE Z790 GAMING X AX motherboards . We use this motherboard as a test bench for testing new generations of Intel processors .

This time our test involves the company's top-end video card Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GAMING OC . Its testing on our website.

This time our test involves the company's top-end video card, AORUS Radeon RX 7900 XTX ELITE 24G. This video card is based on the RDNA 3 architecture, operates at a frequency of 3000 MHz and has 24 gigabytes of video memory. Its testing on our website.

NEW PRODUCTS PROVIDED FOR TESTS 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  and 32 GB DDR5 720 0 Kingston FURY Renegade . And for gaming tests we use an external Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD 1 TB ..

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

Atomic Heart is supported by Windows 10/11.

The priority and primary graphics API for Atomic Heart is DX12 .

GAME ENGINE

The Unreal Engine 4 game engine used in Atomic Heart is one of the most powerful and flexible tools for creating video games today. This engine provides developers with an extensive set of tools and capabilities, allowing them to create games with high-quality graphics and complex game mechanics.

 

Features of Unreal Engine 4:

1. Rendering and Graphics: Unreal Engine 4 is renowned for its advanced graphics capabilities. The engine supports high-quality rendering with detailed textures, realistic lighting and advanced post-processing effects. This allows developers to create visually impressive scenes and characters.

2. Physics and Animation: Unreal Engine 4 has a powerful physics and animation system. This allows you to create realistic character movements and interactive gaming environments. The use of kinematic feedback technology and animation graphics improves the dynamics of movement and interaction of objects in the game.

3. Audio Integration: The audio system in Unreal Engine 4 allows you to integrate complex sound effects and music. This includes spatial audio, adaptive music, and multi-channel audio support to create a deeply immersive gaming experience.

4. Scripting and AI: The engine provides advanced tools for creating scripts and artificial intelligence. Developers can use visual programming (Blueprints) to create complex game mechanics without deep coding knowledge. AI in Unreal Engine 4 allows you to create smart and realistic NPCs.

5. Optimization and Platform Support: Unreal Engine 4 provides a high degree of optimization, which allows the game to run effectively on various platforms, including PC, consoles and mobile devices. The engine also supports cross-platform gameplay.

6. VR and AR support: Unreal Engine 4 offers extensive capabilities for virtual and augmented reality development, providing tools for creating immersive VR/AR experiences.

7. Community and Resources: A large developer community and a rich library of resources, including documentation, tutorials, and ready-made assets, make Unreal Engine 4 an accessible and useful tool for developers of all levels.

Atomic Heart used these technologies to create a unique game world and atmosphere that became a key part of the gaming experience. Using the advanced graphics capabilities of Unreal Engine 4, the developers brought to life the richly detailed game world, including complex textures, realistic lighting and dynamic weather effects. This creates a truly immersive experience where every element of the environment feels alive and interactive.

The use of an advanced physics and animation system in the engine made it possible to create realistic movements and behavior of characters and enemies. This is especially important in Atomic Heart given the variety of enemies encountered and the complexity of the combat system. The developers were able to work out the animation of the characters in detail, including their combat movements and reactions to the player’s actions, which increases the realism and dynamism of the battles.

The sound design, implemented through the Unreal Engine 4 audio system, also plays an important role in creating the atmosphere of the game. Spatial audio and adaptive music help enhance the experience of the game world and story, creating deeper immersion in the game.

Artificial intelligence, created using the tools of Unreal Engine 4, also plays an important role in “Atomic Heart”. The AI ​​in the game is responsible for the behavior of enemies, their reactions and tactics, which makes each fight unique and unpredictable. The developers were able to implement complex artificial intelligence algorithms, which increases the complexity and interest of the gameplay.

Optimizing the game for different platforms and systems was also an important part of the development of Atomic Heart. Thanks to the flexibility of Unreal Engine 4, the developers were able to adapt the game to a wide range of devices, ensuring stable and efficient performance.

TEST PART

Test configuration
Test benches	ROG Strix X570-E Gaming Z490 AORUS PRO AX        GIGABYTE Z590 VISION    GIGABYTE Z690 AERO G   GIGABYTE Z790 GAMING X AX MSI MPG Z790 Edge WiFi ASUS ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi
Sponsored video cards	ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti OC ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 7900 XT 20G Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GAMING OC
Multimedia equipment	Monitor Philips 326M6VJRMB/00 Seasonic PRIME TX-1000 power supply 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 KingstonFURY Beast                       32 GB DDR5 6000@6400 CL30 KingstonFURY Renegade 32 GB DDR5 7200@7600 CL36 KingstonFURY Renegade Kingston FURY Renegade PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD            MPG CORELIQUID K240 housing  Case DeepCool CH510 WH  SVO DeepCool LS720 WH
Software configuration
operating system	Windows 10 21H2/ Windows 11(Alder Lake)
Graphics driver	Nvidia GeForce/ION Driver Release 546.33 WHQL AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 23.12.1
Monitoring programs	MSI Afterburner

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.

At a resolution of 1920x1080, an average FPS of 25 frames was shown by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060 level . A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060 level . A comfortable average FPS of 60 frames can be provided by the adeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060 solutions .

At a resolution  of 2560x1440,  an average FPS of 25 frames was shown by video cards of the adeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060 level . A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the adeon RX 6600 or GeForce RTX 2060 level . A comfortable average FPS of 60 frames can be provided by Radeon RX 6700 or GeForce RTX 2080 solutions.

At a resolution  of 3840x2160,  an average FPS of 25 frames was shown by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 XT or GeForce RTX 2060 level . A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6600 XT or GeForce RTX 2070 level . A comfortable average FPS of 60 frames can be provided by Radeon RX 6800 XT or GeForce RTX 3080 solutions.

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.

When using NVIDIA video cards, Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i 3 10100 processors showed an acceptable rate of at least 25 frames per second  , and solutions at the Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i 3 10100 level can provide an FPS rate of at least 60 frames per second .

When using AM D video cards, Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i 3 10100 processors showed an acceptable rate of at least 25 frames per second  , and solutions at the Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i 3 10100 level can provide an FPS rate of at least 60 frames per second . 

SPONSORS TESTS