Ark: Survival Ascended Client v39.4 - Server: v39.6: PC Performance Benchmarks for Graphics Cards and Processors

BASIC GAME INFORMATION

We tested Ark: Survival Ascended Client v39.4 - Server: v39.6 at the highest graphics settings, on video cards from the GEFORCE RTX and RADEON RX series. Also, during the tests we conducted, we appreciated the improved performance of the game.

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

Ark: Survival Ascended is supported on Windows 10/11.

The preferred and primary graphics API for Ark: Survival Ascended is DX12 .

GAME ENGINE

"ARK: Survival Ascended" is a new version of the popular game "ARK: Survival Evolved", which has been remastered using the latest generation of the game engine Unreal Engine 5. This update not only significantly improves the graphics and visual effects, but also brings changes to the gameplay , adding new features and capabilities.

Graphics and visual effects

"ARK: Survival Ascended" uses the power of Unreal Engine 5 to create a more realistic and detailed world. Key technologies include Nanite and Lumen, which provide dynamic global illumination and highly detailed textures. Nanite allows you to render complex geometric details with high precision, while Lumen implements realistic lighting that responds to changes in the scene in real time. These improvements provide a more immersive gaming experience, where light and shadow dynamically change based on the environment and player actions.

Game world and ecosystem

Reimagining the world of ARK includes not only graphical improvements, but also a reworking of the game world. All locations, including islands and biomes familiar to players, have been reviewed and updated taking into account new technologies. Players will explore revamped jungles, deserts, icy wastelands, and more, each with unique flora and fauna. The game's ecosystem is more vibrant and realistic, with dynamic weather conditions and day/night cycles affecting creature behavior and the environment.

Gameplay and innovations

"ARK: Survival Ascended" introduces new elements to the gameplay, including an improved physics system and interactive environmental elements. Players can expect more complex interactions with the world, such as realistic water effects, where each creature creates waves and bubbles as they move through the water, and fully interactive vegetation that reacts to actions and events in the game. Details like these add depth and realism to the survival and exploration process.

In addition to graphical and physics improvements, the game also introduces new creatures, items, and mechanics. This includes changes to the behavior and characteristics of dinosaurs and other creatures, as well as the addition of new species that players can tame and use for their own purposes. The gameplay becomes even more intense and varied, with new survival strategies, as well as opportunities for building and developing a base. For example, changes to the taming and breeding system allow players to more finely control the characteristics of their animals, while the introduction of new resources and technologies expands crafting and construction options.

Technological aspects and system requirements

In terms of technology, "ARK: Survival Ascended" showcases significant advances in game design and graphics. The use of Unreal Engine 5 allowed for the introduction of advanced graphical and physical effects, such as realistic lighting and shadows, detailed environmental rendering, and improved character and creature animations. These improvements require significant computing resources, which is reflected in the game's system requirements. To play comfortably at high graphics settings, you need powerful components, including modern graphics cards and processors, as well as sufficient RAM and hard drive space.

Community interaction and modification support

ARK: Survival Ascended continues the tradition of community support and modding that is an important part of the game's culture. The new modification system allows players to easily download and install custom content, including new maps, creatures, items and game modes. This promotes active community participation and constantly updated game content, enriching the gaming experience and providing players with new challenges and opportunities for exploration and creativity.

Conclusion

"ARK: Survival Ascended" represents a significant step forward in the development of the original game, combining improved graphics, an expanded game world and new opportunities for players. The move to Unreal Engine 5 has opened up new horizons for developers, allowing them to create a more realistic and immersive world full of adventure and discovery. With its technological innovations, improved gameplay and strong community involvement, ARK: Survival Ascended promises to be a significant achievement in the history of modern video games.

DIFFERENT QUALITY MODES

The image quality in ARK: Survival Ascended varies noticeably between the minimum and maximum graphics settings.

At minimum settings, graphics are simplified to provide better performance on less powerful systems. This includes lower texture resolution, simplified lighting, fewer objects in the environment, and a lack of complex effects such as shadows and reflections. While this allows the game to run at higher frame rates on less powerful hardware, the visual quality and detail of the environment is noticeably reduced.

At maximum graphics settings, "ARK: Survival Ascended" takes full advantage of Unreal Engine 5, offering highly detailed textures, complex lighting effects with Lumen for realistic global illumination, advanced effects such as reflections and shadows, and improved environmental detail processing via Nanite. This creates a much more realistic and immersive gaming experience, where every element of the environment looks alive and convincing.

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  ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore
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 Power supply ASUS TUF Gaming 750W Gold PSU 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 552.12 WHQL AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 24.3.1
Monitoring programs	MSI Afterburner

 Our video cards were tested at resolutions of 1920x1080 , 2560x1440 and 3840x2160 with maximum graphics quality settings. When changing the resolution, the game automatically reduces the rendering below 100%, so every time you change it you need to constantly restore it.

 Our last test Ark Survival Ascended

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 6800 or GeForce RTX 3070 level .  A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 6800 or GeForce RTX 4070 level . A comfortable average FPS of 60 frames can be provided by GeForce RTX 4090 solutions .

At a resolution of 1920x1080, an average FPS of 25 frames was shown by video cards of the Radeon RX 6950 XT or GeForce RTX 3080 level .  A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the Radeon RX 7900 XT or GeForce RTX 3080 level .

At a resolution of  3840x2160,  an average FPS of 25 frames was shown by video cards of the GeForce RTX 4080 level .  A minimum FPS of at least 25 frames can be provided by video cards of the  GeForce RTX 4090 level .

VIDEO MEMORY CONSUMPTION

Testing of video memory consumed by the game was carried out by  MSI Afterburner. The indicator was based on results on video cards from AMD and NVIDIA at resolutions of  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.

 At a resolution of  1920x1080,  video memory consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 6 gigabytes , with 12 gigabytes 9 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 9 gigabytes , with 24 gigabytes 10 gigabytes .

At a resolution of 2560x1440, video memory consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 6 gigabytes, with 12 gigabytes 9 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 9 gigabytes , with 24 gigabytes 10 gigabytes .

At a resolution of 3840x2160, video memory consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 7 gigabytes, with 12 gigabytes 10 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 11 gigabytes , with 24 gigabytes 12 gigabytes .

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 5 3600 or Core i 5 10600 level can provide an FPS rate of at least 60 frames per second .  

When using AM D video cards , an acceptable figure of at least 25 frames per second was shown by the  Ryzen 3 3100 or Core i 3 10100 processors . 

The game can load up to 12 streams. Maximum efficiency uses up to 8 threads.

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 for 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.

 At a resolution of  1920x1080,  RAM consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 14 gigabytes , with 12 gigabytes 12 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 12 gigabytes, with 24 gigabytes 13 gigabytes.

At a resolution of  2560x1440,  RAM consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 15 gigabytes , with 12 gigabytes 12 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 12 gigabytes , with 24 gigabytes 13 gigabytes.  

At a resolution of  3840x2160,  RAM consumption for video cards with 8 gigabytes is 16 gigabytes , with 12 gigabytes 12 gigabytes , with 16 gigabytes 12 gigabytes , with 24 gigabytes 14 gigabytes.