Forza Horizon 6: 47 GPU Benchmark, 1080p, 1440p, 4K @ Extreme+RT, High+RT, Extreme & High

Forza Horizon 6 presents a visually stunning and demanding experience, pushing the boundaries of current hardware, especially when ray tracing is enabled. This analysis tested 47 graphics cards from AMD, Nvidia, and Intel across various resolutions and presets to gauge their performance. A key observation from the testing is the significant impact of VRAM capacity. The 16GB GeForce RTX 5060 Ti consistently outperformed its 8GB counterpart, showing up to a 40% performance increase at 1080p with the Extreme Plus RT preset. Even at 1440p with the High preset, where VRAM limitations might be less expected, the 16GB model maintained a substantial 25% lead, suggesting that Forza's engine benefits greatly from ample memory for asset streaming. This reinforces the earlier finding that at least 12GB of VRAM is recommended for optimal performance in Forza Horizon 6. The game's implementation of ray tracing, while visually impressive, comes with a considerable performance cost. Enabling ray tracing, particularly with the Extreme Plus RT preset, can significantly reduce frame rates. For example, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB saw nearly a 100% performance drop when switching from the Extreme preset to the Extreme Plus RT preset. While the visual differences between ray-traced and non-ray-traced settings may not always be immediately apparent, the performance penalty is undeniable. Further insights into ray tracing effectiveness were provided, suggesting that its impact varies depending on the in-game conditions and settings. The built-in benchmark, often conducted during overcast and rainy conditions, showed limited benefits from ray tracing beyond reflections in urban environments with glass buildings. Car reflections and other environmental elements utilize ray tracing less intensively. The Global Illumination quality setting has a more noticeable impact, particularly during scenes with abundant bouncing light like sunsets, but less so during midday. It was also noted that the "RT low" setting is largely ineffective, relying on screen-space reflections which offer similar visuals with less performance impact. Consequently, the "High plus RT" preset is considered less optimal, as it uses low GI quality and low ray-traced reflections. The "Extreme" preset, on the other hand, offers comparable performance to "High plus RT" but with superior world detail and textures. The performance scaling between GPUs, even those with similar theoretical capabilities, exhibited some unusual behavior. In comparisons between the Radeon RX 970 XT and GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the margin of performance shifted significantly as quality settings were lowered. At the highest settings, the GeForce GPU held a slight advantage, but as ray tracing was reduced or disabled, the Radeon GPU sometimes exhibited superior 1% low performance, despite the GeForce card maintaining a higher average frame rate. This suggests potential for driver optimizations from AMD to further improve performance in Forza Horizon 6. At native 1080p with the Extreme Plus RT preset, the RTX 5090 led the pack with 157 FPS, followed by the RTX 5080 at 108 FPS. The RTX 5070 Ti performed well, often outperforming the RX 970 XT. The RX 970 generally held its own against RTX 4070-class cards, and in some instances, even surpassed the RX 7900 XTX. The RTX 5060 Ti 16GB delivered performance comparable to the RTX 4070, significantly outperforming its 8GB variant. The RX 960 XT 16GB lagged behind the 5060 Ti 16GB, and performance dropped below playable thresholds for cards like the RTX 3080 and below. Increasing the resolution to 1440p with the Extreme Plus RT preset saw frame rates decrease across the board. The RTX 5090 maintained a strong lead with 120 FPS. Notable performance shifts occurred, with the RX 7900 XTX and RX 970 experiencing larger performance declines, bringing them closer in performance. The RTX 4070 Ti Super, RTX 5070, and RX 7900 XT occupied the mid-range performance tier. Cards like the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB, RTX 3080, and Intel Arc B580 fell into the mid-30 FPS range, suggesting the need to adjust settings for a smoother experience. At native 4K with the Extreme Plus RT preset, the RTX 5090 delivered 78 FPS, with the RTX 4090 averaging 56 FPS. The RTX 5080 averaged 49 FPS, indicating that upscaling would be necessary for smooth gameplay on most cards at this resolution. Performance differences between GPUs remained largely consistent, though the gap widened at higher resolutions. When ray tracing was disabled using the Extreme preset at 1080p, frame rates saw a substantial increase. The RTX 5090 achieved 204 FPS, and most cards provided a highly playable experience, with only the very lowest-tier cards dipping below 40 FPS. The RTX 5070 Ti notably edged out the RTX 4090 in some scenarios, which could be attributed to driver-specific optimizations or game engine quirks. The RX 5700 XT, with ray tracing disabled, became more viable, though upscaling would still be recommended. At 1440p with the Extreme preset, the RTX 5090 delivered 187 FPS. The 16GB RTX 5060 Ti continued to show strong performance, matching or exceeding higher-tier cards in certain situations. The Intel Arc B580 consistently provided playable frame rates, proving to be a capable budget option even at 1440p. However, at this resolution and preset, lower-end cards began to struggle, requiring upscaling for a smooth experience. The 4K Extreme preset saw the RTX 5090 at 151 FPS. Many popular mid-range and older cards fell below the 40 FPS threshold, necessitating aggressive upscaling or reduced visual settings for a playable experience. Entry-level cards like the RTX 5050 and older GPUs like the RX 5700 XT would require significant reliance on upscaling. Testing with the High preset, which offers a balance of visual fidelity and performance, revealed even higher frame rates. At 1080p with the High preset, the RTX 5090 reached 244 FPS, and CPU bottlenecks became apparent at this resolution and preset for some of the top-tier GPUs. Nearly all tested cards provided a highly playable experience, with even the lowest-end GPUs maintaining frame rates well above 60 FPS. At 1440p with the High preset, the RTX 5090 averaged 241 FPS. The 16GB RTX 5060 Ti continued to impress, outperforming its 8GB counterpart significantly. The Intel Arc B580 remained a strong performer, and even at this resolution and preset, all cards delivered a playable experience. Finally, at 4K with the High preset, the RTX 5090 achieved 205 FPS. With CPU bottlenecks removed at 4K, the 5090 showcased its full potential. The RTX 4090 reclaimed its position ahead of the RTX 5080 at this resolution. The Intel Arc B580 continued to perform admirably, and the vast majority of GPUs provided a playable experience, with only the very oldest or entry-level cards dipping below the 40 FPS threshold. In conclusion, Forza Horizon 6 is a visually impressive and demanding title. While ray tracing enhances visual fidelity, it significantly impacts performance. VRAM capacity, particularly the difference between 8GB and 16GB, plays a crucial role in performance, especially within the Forza engine's memory allocation and asset streaming. Intel's Arc B580 emerged as a noteworthy budget-friendly option, consistently delivering competitive and playable frame rates across various settings. For optimal enjoyment, especially at higher resolutions and with ray tracing enabled, a GPU with at least 12GB of VRAM is recommended, and upscaling technologies will be essential for many configurations.