Are Mid-Range GPUs Enough for Modern Gaming Workloads?

Anything that you call a video game today probably demands some heavy specifications on a system or a laptop. Specs that would’ve been a commoner’s dream a couple of decades ago are just basic requirements you need if you are to play a video game today. Graphics have gone insane and don’t even talk about the physics in them. It feels unreal to be that real in a video game.

Of course, to play such heavy games, you need a heavy lifter GPU in your device or maybe start foraging retro gaming. We suppose you aren’t into the latter if you come reading this piece.

There’s always a range. A top tier, a mid-tier, and a low tier are what we usually use to arrange things. The GPU world isn’t different, and we are here to see if the mid-range GPUs are enough to enjoy modern gaming. The top tier will give you the best experience and the low tier won’t allow you to experience anything that cuts as modern gaming. 

So we will see some games that have become popular over the past few years and if you can enjoy them on what cuts as mid-range GPUs.

What Qualifies as Mid Range GPUs?

Don’t let the term "mid-range" give you a false idea that it’s about price. It has nothing to do with it, and mid-range GPUs do come expensive. Like about $500 expensive. It’s what they are capable of that puts them in the middle tier.

It’s simple to understand. If your graphics card is best suited for 1080p resolution, then it’s an entry level. If that’s 1440p, that’s your mid-range GPU. High-end GPUs are for a 4K experience.

There are a variety of them that qualify as mid-range, like NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 4070, and RTX 4070 Ti. AMD Radeon’s RX series, including 6700 XT, 7700 XT, 7800 XT, and 7900 XT too qualifies as mid range GPUs.

Can Mid Range GPUs Support Modern Gaming Then?

We will see this by picking up a few popular ones that have been released over the past few years and if any of these are a fit for them.

Ghost of Tsushima

The wind- and mind-blowing Ghost of Tsushima will always be one of the most beautiful games to have existed. And if you are having any of the graphics we mentioned above, the game will perform fabulously for it demands NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 for high performance.

Call of Duty : Modern Warfare (2019)

If you are a sucker for military shooter games, you already know how Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s soft reboot changed the genre forever. The graphics and the physics were far too much to take on for an average gamer when it was released. The recommended specs here ask for GPUs like Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 4GB, GTX 1660 6GB, AMD Radeon R9 390, and AMD RX 580. So, yes, the GPUs above are better than these.

Black Myth : Wukong

Sad that Astro Bot beat it to the Game of the Year, though not everyone was in favor of that decision. Black Myth: Wukong deserved that award. Not just because of a great storyline but the visuals and movement in it. If you’ll look at the recommended specs, you’ll need GPUs like NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. That means you can enjoy it with mid-range GPUs.