Ultra Quality Performance

With everything turned up using the ultra quality settings with Temporal SMAA, Watch Dogs is very playable with mid-range GPUs at 1680x1050. Starting with the higher end models, the GTX 780 Ti had no trouble delivering 91fps while the GTX Titan and HIS R9 290X iPower IceQ X² Turbo 4GB averaged 88fps. A standard R9 290X was good for 86fps, which was quicker than the GTX 780's 82fps.

Ideally, you'll probably want at least 40fps and that will require a GTX 660 or R9 265, with the GTX 660 Ti and R9 270 falling closer to 50fps, which was exceeded by the HD 7870 (R9 270X), HD 7950 and GTX 760. At 55fps and 57fps, the GTX 680 and HD 7970 neared 60fps while the R9 280X and GTX 770 passed the mark.

Jumping to 1920x1200, far fewer graphics cards can reach 60fps. The HIS R9 280 IceQ X² OC 3GB, HD 7970 GHz Edition and GTX 770 all fall short by 5fps. The HIS R9 290 iPower IceQ X² OC 4GB and standard R9 290 are able to exceed 60fps with 65fps each. The GTX 780 was faster again hitting 72fps and then the R9 290X with 77fps.

If you can handle 40fps then the GTX 660 Ti or R9 270 should serve you well as both managed 41fps.

At 2560x1600 we find that not even the GTX 780 Ti can reach an average of 60fps. In fact, the GTX 780 Ti and HIS R9 290X iPower IceQ X² Turbo 4GB were limited to 57fps, while the GTX Titan was slightly slower with 56fps. Rendering even 40fps wasn't easy as the R9 280X and GTX 770 both only managed 39fps.