Navigating the Zone in STALKER 2 is an unforgiving task at the best of times, doubly so if your system can’t maintain a reliable level of performance. Sadly, it seems that few processors cut the mustard in this regard, struggling to hit that all-important 60fps threshold despite sharing rendering duties with a GeForce RTX 4090.
Benchmarking a suite of 26 processors, outlet PCGamesHardware.de reveals a troubling trend of lacking performance among all but relatively new chips. Despite the use of the game’s ‘Epic’ preset for these tests, I’d still expect higher frame rates at 720p.
Mustering an average frame rate of 98.2fps, Ryzen 7 9800X3D earns the title of best CPU for STALKER 2. The 3D V-Cache processor Core Ultra 9 285K‘s 83.6fps result, which earns Intel’s flagship second place on the chart. Meanwhile, Ryzen 7 7700X and Core i9-12900K are the oldest processors from each manufacturer to make it over the line with frame rates north of 60fps.
It’s not all roses for Zen 4 and Alder Lake, though, as less-powerful chips from both architectures struggle to hit the mark. Naturally, older processor families struggle even moreso, with AMD Ryzen 5 1600X failing to hit 30fps on average. This processor’s inclusion in the STALKER 2 system requirements make this result all the more notable. I’m also sad to see Ryzen 7 5700X3D fall short of 60fps.
These lacklustre results should hopefully improve in the future through post-launch optimisations. Examining the 1% lows of each processor reveals a marked gap between average frame rates, suggesting there’s room to smooth out performance. After all, there are already plenty of reports of STALKER 2 sadly shipping with Unreal Engine 5’s infamous stuttering issues.
While the STALKER series has accrued a reputation for being somewhat jank, I’d hoped this entry would leave the past behind. Still, it’s remarkable that the game has launched at all given GSC Game World’s struggles as a Ukrainian developer. Here’s hoping that it can continue its efforts to realise its vision to the fullest. I’m sure the game’s community will play its part too.
