The video compares the performance of a minimum spec PC and a high-end system while exploring Idris in Star Citizen, highlighting significant gameplay improvements with top-tier hardware, especially in large battles and complex scenes. Despite hardware advancements, the game still struggles with CPU bottlenecks, particularly on the main thread, indicating that further optimization is needed for a smoother experience in large-scale engagements.
The video begins with a comparison of performance between a minimum spec system and a high-end PC while exploring the Idris ship in Star Citizen. The minimum system, equipped with an i5 10400 CPU and a GTX 1660 GPU, struggles to maintain smooth gameplay, averaging around 30 FPS with noticeable frame time spikes, especially on the main thread. Despite these issues, the performance is somewhat acceptable for basic navigation and viewing, though it highlights the limitations of lower-end hardware in handling large space battles and detailed ship interiors.
Switching to the top-tier system featuring a 9800 X3D CPU and a 4080 GPU, the performance improves dramatically. At 4K resolution with upscaling, the game runs smoothly at around 60 FPS during ship walks and combat scenarios. The GPU is under less stress, with the main bottleneck shifting to the CPU’s main thread. This setup handles large fleet battles more effectively, showcasing the potential of high-end hardware to deliver a more playable experience even in intensive scenes with multiple ships and complex interactions.
The video then examines gameplay outside of quantum travel, particularly during combat and mission activities. The minimum system shows significant frame drops and spikes, especially when multiple ships attack or when the game has to access virtual memory due to RAM limitations. These issues make gameplay less smooth and can hinder player experience, especially in turret operations or intense firefights. The performance dips are compared to past versions, indicating some improvement but still highlighting the need for further optimization.
In contrast, the high-end system maintains much better performance during large-scale engagements, with frame rates often around 60 FPS, though they can drop in extremely crowded battles with many Idrises attacking. The main thread remains a significant bottleneck, struggling to keep up with the demands of rendering numerous ships and effects. While the high-end hardware alleviates some issues, the game still suffers from performance drops in the most chaotic scenes, emphasizing that current hardware alone cannot fully resolve these challenges.
The conclusion underscores that despite progress, Star Citizen’s large space battles remain demanding on CPU resources, particularly the main thread. The GPU is less of a concern in these scenarios, and further optimization is needed from Cloud Imperium Games to improve main thread performance. The presenter notes that hardware improvements have helped, but the game still requires significant work to reach a more stable and playable state in large-scale battles, with hopes that future updates will address these critical bottlenecks.