After over two years of being a PlayStation exclusive,Horizon Forbidden Westhas finally made its way to PC, and it comes with a few graphical improvements. The highly popular franchise kicked off withHorizon Zero Dawnback in 2017 and the sequel, Forbidden West, was released forPS4 and PS5 consolesin 2022. While the game already looks stunning on the PS5, the PC version allows for further improvements, along with the ability toplay with a mouse and keyboard natively, though this is one of the games that would be better experienced with a controller.
With the PC version, the game supports up to 16x Anisotropic Filtering, better LOD and distant terrains, and of course, more granular controls for graphical settings overall. The developers, Guerrilla and Nixxes Software recommend anIntel Core i5-8600or anAMD Ryzen 5 3600CPU to run the game optimally and, while the Ryzen 5 3600 would be sufficient to run the game at 60fps for the most part, increasing the resolution and maxing out the settings will make the CPU struggle.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G 8-Core, 16-Thread CPU
Fortunately,Horizon Forbidden Westis fairly well optimized for PCand will run well on even mid-tier components. However, it works best with CPUs that have multithreading, as those without or with fewer threads suffer from stuttering. So, you will have to invest some more money than what the recommended requirements would cost to get the best gameplay experience.
Things to Consider When Looking for the Best CPUs to Play Horizon Forbidden West PC
Compatibility: CPU compatibility takes into consideration the socket and the chipset of the motherboard. Intel CPUs from12th Gen and beyondare compatible with the LGA1700 socket and either the 600 series (Z690, B660) or 700 series (Z790, B760) chipset. Similarly, AMD uses the AM4 and AM5 sockets for itsRyzen 5000 series and 7000/8000 series CPUsrespectively. It uses 500 series (X570, B550) and 600 series (X670, B650) chipsets.
Core Count and Clock Speeds: Generally, the higher the core count, the better it is for gaming. The same is the case with clock speeds. CPUs with multithreading can deliver better gaming performance compared to those without it. These parameters do impact the power draw, so keep that in mind.
Budget: When building a gaming rig or upgrading, every component has a certain budget. This helps with narrowing down the choices. When it comes to CPUs, knowing what your gaming requirements are will help you identify the price range you will be dealing with.
Before moving further, let’s take a look at the minimum and recommended requirements forHorizon Forbidden WestPC, according to the developers.
CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 5500XT 4GB
CPU: Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700
Storage: 150 GB
As you can see, both the minimum and recommended PC requirements forHorizon Forbidden Westare fairly mediocre. However, even the recommended 8th Gen Intel CPU or 3000 series Ryzen CPU, in combination with the GPUs mentioned, is not sufficient to deliver the high resolution and high refresh rate gaming experience that this game deserves. With that said, here are the best Intel and AMD CPUs to playHorizon Forbidden WestPC.
Game Rant’s Picks for the Best CPUs to Play Horizon Forbidden West PC
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is AMD’s latest and greatest CPU when it comes to gaming. With an excellent and highly efficient gaming performance that tops the charts currently, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is here to stay and has a crown to claim thanks to its 3D V-Cache-enabled prowess when it comes to gaming on a PC.The octa-core CPU currently happens to be the fastest in the business for gaming even as it leads efficiency charts at the top, making it a very sought-after gaming upgrade.
When it comes to gaming,none do it better than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Designed with top-tier gaming in mind, the CPU is capable of handling any modern AAA title thrown at it. It is based on the latest AM5 socket, which means those using older AM4 motherboards will need toinvest in a new motherboardas well. But the jump to the 7800X3D will be worth it thanks to its eight cores and 16 threads, boost clock speed of 5.0GHz, and an impressive 96 MB of L3 cache, which is thanks to AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology.
If you already have an AMD Radeon RX 6000 or newer GPU, you will be able to use Smart Access Memory to squeeze even more performance inHorizon Forbidden WestPC and other modern titles. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a highly efficient chip, consuming only 120W (more in some cases) under load, which is much lower than its Intel counterparts. There is also an AMD Radeon Graphics iGPU that will not be capable of running the game on its own but is useful for troubleshooting display-related issues.
You also get PCIe 5.0 support with this CPU, which makes it futureproof for use with already existing as well as upcoming PCIe 5.0 hardware. At under $400, the 7800X3D is an excellent gaming CPU to playHorizon Forbidden WestPC and the best gaming CPU overall.
Intel Core i9 14900KF 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU
The Intel Core i9 14900KF 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU is Intel’s highest-end 14th generation CPU sans an iGPU and offers the highest boost clocks for a consumer-grade CPU from Intel to date, clocking in at an impressive 6 GHz natively.It trades at a small discount over the 14900K while skipping an iGPU under the hood, requiring a discrete solution for system builders and end users to provide a functional PC experience.
Those looking for a no-compromise gaming experience should take a look at the Intel Core i9-14900KF. It is cheaper than theCore i9-14900Kand the14900KSbut essentially delivers the same performance. There is no iGPU with the “KF” SKU which is why it is cheaper and better value. It can be overclocked as well, granted your motherboard supports it, and your PSU can deliver the extra juice.
The Intel Core i9-14900KF features 24 cores in an eight P-core and 16 E-core configuration. There are 32 threads for games to take advantage of multithreading. What makes the performance of the 14900 series CPUs is the high boost clock speeds, which are the highest we have seen out of the box. The 14900KF, in particular, has a max turbo frequency of 6 GHz with the lowest frequency of 2.4 GHz. Intel has managed to pack 36 MB of Smart Cache and 32 MB of L2 cache on this chip.
All this performance does come at the cost of power draw and the 14900KF, despite the absence of the iGPU, is fairly power-hungry. It is rated for a base power draw of 125W and a total power draw of 253W, which is even more surprising considering the Ryzen 7 7800X3D can deliver similar gaming performance at a significantly lower power draw.
Intel Core i5-12600K CPU
The Intel Core i5-12600K is a deca-core processor operating at a base frequency of 3.70 GHz and a boost frequency of up to 4.9 GHz. Unlike its KF variant, this comes with onboard graphics as part of its 6 performance + 4 efficiency core design.It offers 20MB of L3 cache while leveraging Intel 7 lithography to offer greater performance per watt than its predecessors.
Even though it’s two generations old at this point, the Core i5-12600K is still fairly capable and can deliver a smooth and playable experience inHorizon Forbidden WestPC. It features 10 cores in a six P-core and 4 E-core configuration, along with 16 threads, which is what the game loves. It does not come with the highest clock speeds out of the box and the max turbo frequency is 4.90 GHz, but since it is a “K” SKU, you can overclock it to squeeze a bit more performance with higher clock speeds.
It comes with 20 MB of Intel Smart Cache, which may seem low for gaming in 2024, but it is enough to deliver stable performance in Horizon. And it does so at a fairly low (compared to newer Intel CPUs) power draw as the maximum power draw for the Core i5-12600K is 150W. It does support PCIe 5.0 though, which means currently available storage devices and future PCIe 5.0 compatible hardware will be able to take advantage of the increased bandwidth.
Even though it does not support Intel’s latest Turbo Boost 3.0 technology, it does support the 2.0 version, bringing out the best performance right out of the box. It does support other technologies like Intel Deep Learning Boost and Optane Memory. At under $200, the Intel Core i5-12600K is the best budget CPU to playHorizon Forbidden WestPC.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Gamers interested in upgrading to a newer CPU from Team Red will find the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X to be of spectacular value thanks to its high single-core performance, efficient hexacore architecture, and compatibility with newer technology such as PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5 memory. It also abandons AMD’s AM4 design, going for a pin-less processor offering by moving them to the motherboard instead.
AMD made a big splash in the CPU scene with its Ryzen 7000 series of CPUs because of their price-to-performance ratios. The Ryzen 5 7600X is an excellent example of just that, bringing impressive performance at a budget-friendly price point, now more than at the time of launch. You can often find this processor on Amazon for just over $200 and sometimes even less, making it the ideal AMD budget CPU.
In terms of performance, the Ryzen 5 7600X packs six cores and 12 threads with base clock speeds of 4.7 GHz and impressive boost speeds of up to 5.3 GHz, and that’s out of the box. With some tweaking and overclocking, enthusiasts can get even more performance out of this budget-friendly chip. It brings 32 MB of L3 cache and a TDP of just 105W. Unlike the previous generation of AM4 chips, the 7000 series gets support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0.
The Ryzen 5 7600X comes with Precision Boost and support for Smart Access Memory, so using it with a supported AMD GPU would fetch slightly more performance. It does, however, involve moving to the AM5 socket if you’re not already on it, which meansadditional expenditure for a newer motherboard.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a mid-range CPU, excellent for gaming setups. This is the fastest six-core AM4-based processor from AMD and features 12 processing threads. According to the company, the processor can deliver 100-plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games. The processor supports DDR4 memory with a sweet spot of 3600MHz.It offers 4.6 GHz boost clock speeds out of the box with overclocking potential in tow, coupled with 35 MB of cache. This model comes bundled with a quiet and capable AMD Wraith Stealth cooler.
Released in 2020 and succeeded by the Ryzen 7000 series of CPUs, the Ryzen 5 5600X is an older workhorse that still has plenty of kick. At just over $150, lower if you’re lucky, this AMD CPU features six cores and 12 threads. It can boost up to 4.6 GHz and has 32 MB of L3 cache, which is comparable to some of the higher-end Intel offerings. This allows the Ryzen 5 5600X to deliver impressive performance even in modern AAA titles, granted that it is paired with at least an equally capable GPU.
Being a much older GPU, it does not have support for PCIe 5.0 or DDR5 RAM, which makes it not ideal when it comes to future-proofing, but those on the AM4 platform and a strict budget will find that the Ryzen 5 5600X checks all the right boxes.
Another impressive feature of the Ryzen 5 5600X is the default TDP of just 65W, which leaves plenty of power for the other, more power-hungry components, like the GPU. It can also be overclocked to achieve similar performance numbers to the more expensive yet budget-friendly Intel Core i5-12600K.
Of course, with CPUs like the Ryzen 5 5600X and even the Core i5-12600K, you will need to temper your resolution demands as these perform the best at 1080p.
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G 8-Core, 16-Thread CPU is a powerful APU that delivers modest gaming performance for PCs that do not currently utilize a discrete GPU by using the fastest iGPU solution currently available to end users.It comes bundled with a stock cooler, an octa-core CPU config, and a rated TDP of 65W, making it a great well-priced alternative to many budget CPU and GPU combos on the market currently.The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G also happens to be one of AMD’s first desktop CPUs that offers the AMD Ryzen AI engine built into the chip.
If you are looking for an APU solution for your gaming needs, you are already aware of the compromises you will have to make when comparing it with the performance of a dedicated CPU and GPU. With the latest Ryzen 7 8700G APU from AMD, you can achieve a very playable frame rate at 1080p even in more demanding titles thanHorizon Forbidden West. AMD also sells aRyzen 5 8600Gand a Ryzen 5 8500G, both of which are cheaper, but also worse performing in heavier games.
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G features eight cores and 16 threads with a max boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz. It has a fairly low 16 MB of L3 cache and consumes between 45W and 65W of power, making it very efficient. Unfortunately, while it does support DDR5 RAM, it lacks support for PCIe 5.0, which could be a dealbreaker for some.
Coming to the GPU side of things, the 8700G houses the AMD Radeon 780M mobile GPU which has 12 graphics cores and runs at 2900 MHz. The chip is designed for the AM5 socket and comes with a passable cooler in the box. Of course, you’ll need a better cooling solution when gaming on this APU. Interestingly, the 8700G also supports overclocking, which is impressive in itself, regardless of how much further it can be pushed.
Check out Game Rant’sreview of the AMD Ryzen 7 8700Gfor more details!
FAQ
Q: Is Horizon Forbidden West on Steam Deck?
Yes, Horizon Forbidden West is available to play on the Steam Deck, though it is not part of the verified for Steam Deck category. you may download the game on your Steam Deck and play it just like you would on a PC or PS console.
Q: When was Horizon Forbidden West released?
Horizon Forbidden West was originally released in February 2022 but only for PS4 and PS5. In March 2024, it made its way to PC.
Q: How big is Horizon Forbidden West PC file size?
The developers have stated that PC gamers will need about 150 GB of storage space for Horizon Forbidden West.
