12 Best Games to Play on New Graphics Cards 2026: GPU Showcases

I just upgraded to an RTX 5070Ti last month, and the first thing I did was fire up my old games expecting mind-blowing visuals. The difference was… underwhelming. That’s when I learned not all games can showcase what modern GPUs can really do.

The best games to play on new graphics cards are Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Alan Wake 2, Black Myth Wukong, and Portal RTX (which is free) – these titles showcase advanced ray tracing, path tracing, and DLSS technologies that justify your GPU investment.

After testing over 30 games and burning through my electricity bill, I’ve found the 12 titles that actually make your expensive GPU purchase worth it. Some of these transformed my gaming experience so dramatically that I couldn’t go back to playing without ray tracing enabled.

Whether you just grabbed an RTX 5090 for $1999 or scored a mid-range RTX 4070 for $599, I’ll show you exactly which games to download first and which settings to enable for maximum visual impact. Plus, I’ll share the free options that won’t cost you another penny after your GPU splurge.

12 Games That Push Your GPU to Its Limits (2026)

1. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – The Ultimate Path Tracing Showcase

Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing enabled in Overdrive mode is the most GPU-intensive game you can play right now. This game single-handedly justifies owning a flagship graphics card.

The path tracing implementation completely transforms Night City. Every neon sign reflects accurately off wet streets, light bounces realistically through apartment windows, and the global illumination creates an atmosphere that screenshots can’t capture. I spent my first hour just walking around looking at puddles.

Here’s the reality check: even an RTX 4090 struggles to hit 30fps at native 4K with path tracing. You absolutely need DLSS 3 with Frame Generation enabled. With DLSS Quality mode, I maintain 60-75fps at 1440p on my RTX 5070Ti, which looks stunning on my monitor.

The game uses up to 16GB of VRAM at 4K with ray tracing textures, so 8GB cards will struggle. CD Projekt Red continuously optimizes performance – the 2.0 update improved frame rates by 20% compared to launch.

For AMD users, FSR 3 with Frame Generation recently launched, offering similar performance gains to DLSS 3. The visual quality isn’t quite as sharp as DLSS, but it makes path tracing playable on RX 7900 XT and above.

2. Indiana Jones and The Great Circle – 2025’s Most Demanding New Release

Indiana Jones released just weeks ago and immediately became the new GPU benchmark king. MachineGames built this with path tracing from the ground up, not retrofitted like older titles.

The path-traced global illumination in ancient temples looks photorealistic. Torchlight flickers and bounces off golden artifacts while dust particles catch rays of sunlight streaming through cracks. My jaw dropped during the opening Vatican sequence – the stained glass windows cast colored light that dynamically shifts as clouds pass overhead.

Performance demands are brutal. At 4K with path tracing, expect 25-35fps on an RTX 4090 without DLSS. The game smartly includes a “Path Tracing Preview” mode that renders select scenes with full path tracing while using standard ray tracing elsewhere, giving you the best of both worlds.

DLSS implementation is excellent here. Quality mode at 1440p gives near-native image quality while doubling frame rates. The game also supports DLSS 3 Frame Generation, though I noticed slight input lag during combat sequences.

Bethesda included extensive graphics presets. The “Nvidia RTX” preset automatically configures optimal settings based on your GPU, while AMD cards get FSR 2.1 support with promised FSR 3 coming soon.

3. Alan Wake 2 – Ray Tracing Atmosphere Master

Alan Wake 2 might be the best-looking game I’ve ever played. Remedy Entertainment’s Northlight engine creates horror atmosphere through lighting that only ray tracing can achieve.

The game uses ray traced reflections, transparent reflections, and ray traced direct lighting simultaneously. Walking through the flooded streets of Watery with a flashlight showcases every one of these technologies. Water reflects your character perfectly while your flashlight beam cuts through volumetric fog.

Performance scales well across different GPUs. My RTX 5070Ti handles 1440p Ultra with ray tracing at 70-90fps using DLSS Quality. The game includes both DLSS 2 and FSR 2, though mesh shader support means Nvidia cards see 15-20% better performance.

The Path Tracing update arrived in October 2024, but honestly, the standard ray tracing looks so good that path tracing feels like overkill. Save that for your second playthrough when you want to see every technical showcase.

AMD GPU owners should enable FSR 2 Quality mode – the implementation is among the best I’ve seen, with minimal ghosting even during fast camera movements. The game runs beautifully on RX 7800 XT and above at 1440p.

4. Black Myth: Wukong – VRAM Destroyer at 4K

Black Myth Wukong from Game Science uses Unreal Engine 5 to create the most detailed environments I’ve encountered. This game will test your VRAM capacity more than raw GPU power.

The Nanite virtualized geometry means every stone Buddha statue contains millions of polygons. Combined with Lumen global illumination, outdoor scenes look photorealistic. I lost count of how many times I stopped to take screenshots during boss fights.

At 4K with “Cinematic” settings, the game consumes 18-20GB of VRAM. My testing showed constant stuttering on 12GB cards when traversing new areas. Even at 1440p, you’ll want 16GB VRAM for smooth gameplay.

DLSS integration launched buggy but recent patches fixed most issues. Use DLSS Balanced mode rather than Quality – the game’s temporal anti-aliasing conflicts with DLSS Quality causing shimmer on foliage.

The benchmark tool accurately represents actual gameplay performance. I recommend running it first to dial in settings. On my system, dropping shadows from Cinematic to Very High gained 15fps with minimal visual difference.

5. Portal RTX – Free Path Tracing Demo

Portal RTX is completely free if you own the original Portal (which goes on sale for $2 regularly). This reimagining with full path tracing shows what’s possible when every pixel uses realistic light simulation.

Every surface in Aperture Science reflects accurately. The test chambers transform from sterile environments into showcases of how light behaves. Glass surfaces, metallic walls, and even the portal surfaces themselves cast realistic reflections and refractions.

Despite being “just” Portal, this taxes GPUs harder than most modern games. Native 4K path tracing brings an RTX 4090 to 35-40fps. DLSS 3 is mandatory – I run DLSS Performance mode at 1440p for 90-120fps on my RTX 5070Ti.

The game includes a built-in benchmark and tons of graphics options. You can toggle individual path tracing features to see their performance impact. Turning off caustics (light patterns from refractions) gained me 10fps with minimal visual loss.

As a free download, this is the perfect first test for any new GPU. The short 2-3 hour campaign means you can experience cutting-edge graphics without committing to a full game purchase.

6. Red Dead Redemption 2 – Classic Beauty Still Stunning

Red Dead Redemption 2 from 2018 remains one of the best-looking games available. Rockstar’s attention to detail means modern GPUs can finally run this at maximum settings smoothly.

The game doesn’t have ray tracing, but the rasterized graphics are so detailed that it doesn’t matter. Volumetric clouds cast realistic shadows across landscapes, while every blade of grass moves independently in the wind.

At 4K Ultra settings, even without ray tracing, this game makes GPUs work hard. My RTX 5070Ti averages 65-75fps at native 4K. The recent DLSS update transformed performance – DLSS Quality mode at 4K gives me 90-100fps with virtually no image quality loss.

The advanced graphics settings hide significant performance gains. Turning water physics from the unlisted maximum down to High gained 8fps with no visible difference. Tree tessellation similarly offers minimal visual improvement for a 5-7fps cost.

For best graphics cards for gaming, RDR2 serves as an excellent baseline test. If your GPU handles this at your target resolution and frame rate, it’ll handle almost anything.

7. Control – Ray Tracing Reflection Champion

Control from Remedy Entertainment was many gamers’ first ray tracing experience, and it still impresses today. The Oldest House’s brutalist architecture creates perfect scenarios for ray traced reflections.

The polished marble floors reflect everything accurately – from Jesse’s character model to flying debris during combat. Combined with the game’s physics destruction, firefights become visual spectacles as shattered glass reflects muzzle flashes.

Performance requirements are reasonable by today’s standards. An RTX 4060 can handle 1080p with ray tracing at 60fps using DLSS Quality. My RTX 5070Ti crushes this at 1440p, maintaining 100-120fps with all ray tracing features enabled.

The game supports multiple ray tracing features you can toggle individually. Ray traced reflections make the biggest visual impact, while ray traced debris is harder to notice during gameplay. I disable debris ray tracing for 10-15% better performance.

The Ultimate Edition frequently goes on sale for $10-15, making this an affordable way to experience quality ray tracing implementation. The included DLC areas showcase even more impressive visual effects.

8. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – The GPU Melter

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launched with even more demanding graphics than its predecessor. This simulation will bring any GPU to its knees when cranked to Ultra.

The game streams photogrammetry data to create photorealistic cities while simulating accurate weather and lighting. Flying over New York at sunset with volumetric clouds casting shadows across skyscrapers feels like magic.

At 4K Ultra, expect 30-40fps on an RTX 4090. The game is more CPU-limited in cities, but GPU becomes the bottleneck when flying through detailed weather. DLSS 3 with Frame Generation transforms the experience – I get 75-90fps at 1440p on my RTX 5070Ti.

The extensive graphics options let you fine-tune performance. Dropping terrain level of detail from 200 to 150 gained me 12fps with minimal visual impact at cruise altitude. Cloud quality has the biggest performance impact – High looks nearly as good as Ultra but runs 20% faster.

For high refresh rate gaming, you’ll need DLSS and reduced settings. The game’s frame time consistency matters more than raw fps for smooth flight.

9. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered – Optimized Ray Tracing Excellence

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered shows how good PC ports should be done. Insomniac’s implementation includes ray tracing that enhances without destroying performance.

Swinging through Manhattan with ray traced reflections enabled transforms the experience. Every skyscraper window accurately reflects the city, while puddles on rooftops show Spider-Man’s reflection as you web-swing past.

The optimization is outstanding. Ray tracing at “High” runs nearly as well as “Medium” but looks significantly better. My RTX 5070Ti maintains 100-120fps at 1440p with ray tracing High and DLSS Quality.

The game uniquely supports DLAA (Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing) for GPUs powerful enough to run native resolution. This provides DLSS-quality anti-aliasing without upscaling. At 1080p, DLAA gives incredibly sharp image quality.

Recent updates added support for Intel XeSS and AMD FSR 2.1. The FSR implementation works well, though reflection quality suffers slightly compared to DLSS. XeSS performs surprisingly close to DLSS on Intel Arc GPUs.

10. Forza Horizon 5 – Racing Visual Perfection

Forza Horizon 5 proves that games can look stunning while running flawlessly. Playground Games’ optimization means this showcases your GPU without frustrating performance issues.

The dynamic weather system creates breathtaking moments. Racing through a dust storm as it transitions to rain, with ray traced reflections appearing on wet asphalt, never gets old. The game’s Mexico setting provides diverse biomes that each stress different rendering techniques.

At 4K Extreme settings with ray tracing, I maintain 75-90fps on my RTX 5070Ti without upscaling. The game’s built-in benchmark accurately represents worst-case scenarios – if you hit your target fps there, actual racing will be smoother.

FSR 2 support means AMD GPU owners get excellent performance too. An RX 7800 XT handles 1440p Extreme with ray tracing at 80-100fps using FSR Quality mode. The implementation has minimal ghosting even during high-speed racing.

The game includes an excellent photo mode that pauses everything while rendering at maximum quality. This lets you capture screenshots that look better than gameplay, perfect for showing off your new GPU to friends.

11. Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga – Photorealistic Character Rendering

Hellblade 2 uses Unreal Engine 5 to create the most realistic human characters in gaming. Ninja Theory’s work on facial animation combined with cutting-edge rendering creates uncomfortably realistic close-ups.

The game renders every skin pore and facial hair strand individually using Nanite geometry. Combined with realistic subsurface scattering for skin, characters look photorealistic during cutscenes. The opening beach sequence had me questioning if I was watching live action.

Performance varies wildly between scenes. Indoor sequences run at 90-110fps at 1440p on my RTX 5070Ti, but large outdoor battles drop to 50-60fps. The game lacks traditional graphics settings – you get “Performance” or “Quality” modes only.

DLSS and FSR support arrived post-launch. DLSS Quality mode is essentially mandatory for 60fps at resolutions above 1080p. The TAA implementation without DLSS creates significant blur during camera movement.

The 6-hour campaign means this works better as a graphics showcase than a full game purchase. Wait for sales unless you’re specifically interested in narrative-focused experiences.

12. Hitman 3 (World of Assassination) – Ray Tracing Transformation

Hitman 3’s ray tracing update completely transformed a game I’d already completed. IO Interactive added ray traced reflections and shadows that dramatically improve visual fidelity.

The Dubai level showcases this perfectly. The opening with rain-slicked windows reflecting the city below while you infiltrate the world’s tallest building looks incredible. Mirrors now work correctly, adding gameplay implications to the visual upgrade.

Performance scaling is excellent. The game supports DLSS, FSR, and Intel XeSS, letting any modern GPU enable ray tracing. My RTX 5070Ti handles 4K with ray tracing at 80-100fps using DLSS Quality.

The game includes all three Hitman games in the World of Assassination trilogy. With ray tracing applied retroactively to Hitman 1 and 2 levels, you get dozens of hours of content that showcases your GPU.

For gaming laptops with powerful GPUs, Hitman 3’s excellent optimization means you can enjoy ray tracing even on mobile RTX 4060 chips.

Quick GPU Testing and Optimization Tips

After testing dozens of games, I’ve learned some tricks that save hours of tweaking. First, always update your GPU drivers before testing new games – I’ve seen 20% performance improvements from day-one driver updates.

For monitoring, download MSI Afterburner with RivaTuner Statistics Server. This overlay shows GPU usage, temperature, VRAM usage, and frame times without impacting performance. If your GPU usage sits below 95%, you’re likely CPU bottlenecked.

DLSS Quality mode is the sweet spot for most games. It typically looks 95% as sharp as native resolution while providing 40-70% better performance. Only use Performance mode if you absolutely need the extra frames – the image quality hit becomes noticeable.

For ray tracing, enable features in this order: reflections first (biggest visual impact), shadows second, global illumination third, and caustics last. Each adds 15-25% performance cost, so pick based on your frame rate target.

AMD FSR users should experiment between Quality and Balanced modes. FSR Quality can look soft in some games, while Balanced often provides the right performance/quality mix. FSR 3 Frame Generation works best above 60fps base frame rate.

Watch your VRAM usage closely. When you exceed VRAM capacity, frame times spike causing stutter. Better to drop texture quality one notch than deal with constant hitching. Windows Task Manager shows VRAM usage, or use GPU-Z for detailed monitoring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

These 12 games will show you exactly what your new graphics card can do. Start with Portal RTX since it’s free, then grab whichever titles match your genre preferences.

Remember to monitor your GPU performance and experiment with DLSS or FSR settings to find your perfect balance of visuals and frame rate.