Cities: Skylines 2has big shoes to fill, and the same can also be said for the hardware that powers it on PC which sees the newer installment of the city simulator essentially barrage through even the beefiest of PC configurations when running higher population cities. It comes with notably mixed reviews primarily due to performance issues and users wanting more at launch than it delivers.
It can also be argued on the other end of the spectrum that much of what makes Cities: Skylines the city simulator franchise to beat in 2023 is the fact that it enjoys a large modding community, all of which will take time to fix, iron out or offer alternatives to some of the issues the game currently faces.
At the same time, Paradox Interactive has released a patch that improves some of these performance concerns by offering as much as an 11% uplift for a title that can otherwise bring most modern PCs down to their knees,even with the best hardware one can buyat higher graphics presets. This results in most recommendations centering around Full HD Medium or at best QHD High presets depending on the underlying hardware a user has when running the title.
Zalman T7 ATX Mid Tower PC Case
Cities: Skylines: 2 PC Hardware Requirements
Cities: Skylines 2 lists vastly different minimum and recommended PC specs for gamers looking to enjoy it in all its glory.
Users are expected to have performance hiccups as their cities get progressively larger in terms of population, with the title causing significant issues once users get past the 200K population mark. However, observations can vary depending on what is considered acceptable in terms of frame rates for a simulation. This allows for them to wander far beyond what Paradox Interactive currently lists are the best specs for the title in a bid to find a better experience.
The team at Game Rant has divided its recommended builds for Cities: Skylines 2 based on these expectations, offering a maxed-out high-end build for users looking to run as much of the game smoothly as possible in addition to more faithful recommended and minimum spec builds for users sticking to the bare minimum for Cities: Skylines 2 currently.
While Cities: Skylines 2 does not explicitly require an SSD like most newer titles as part of its Steam hardware requirements, it might be prudent to use one given how modern games consider it a prerequisite for a smooth gaming experience.
The High-End Build For Cities: Skylines 2
Intel Core i9 14900K 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU
The Intel Core i9 14900K 24-Core, 32-Thread CPU is Intel’s highest-end 14th generation CPU and offers the highest boost clocks for a consumer-grade CPU from Intel to date, clocking in at an impressive 6 GHz natively.It succeeds the limited-release Intel Core 13900KS as the first mainstream 6 GHz CPU, even as it brings a large power draw and thermal requirement to reach said clock speed.
ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler
The ASUS ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB AIO Liquid Cooler is ASUS’s latest premium tri-fan AIO that offers better cooling, an upgraded LCD, and a new Asetek 8th generation pump as some of its salient features. Thanks to a thicker radiator and a new cold plate, it can reduce temperatures drastically versus both its predecessor and its competition.
G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5 8000MHz
The Trident Z5 RGB DDR5 8000MHs SDRAM is. a high-performance memory kit offered by G.Skill. It is designed for Intel’s Z790 and newer motherboards and features CAS Latency CL40 at 1.35V. It supports Intel’s XMP profiles and has RGB lighting on top. It is offered in metallic silver or matte black.
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero is the latest in a series of well-established Z790 Motherboards in the ROG lineup. It adds native Wi-Fi 7 support as one of the first motherboards in the industry to do so while throwing in better memory overclocking and power delivery.It comes with a bolder aesthetic in addition to cutting down to four available SATA ports from the original Hero with an otherwise identical arsenal as it integrates its additional M2 slots on the board itself, eliminating the need for users to get space for the ROG Hyper M2 card its predecessor uses.
Samsung 990 PRO SSD 2TB
The Samsung 990 PRO is a top-tier solid-state drive designed for exceptional performance, featuring significant speed enhancements over its predecessor. It offers a massive boost in random read and write speeds that are 40% and 55% faster than the 980 PRO.In addition, it provides high input/output operations per second (IOPS) up to 1400K/1550K, and sequential read and write speeds that reach up to 7,450 and 6,900 MB/s, approaching the maximum performance of PCIe 4.0. This SSD is not only high-performing but also energy-efficient. It provides up to 50% improved performance per watt over the 980 PRO.
ASUS TUF GeForce RTX® 4090 OC Edition
The ASUS TUF GeForce RTX 4090 OC Edition is a premium RTX 4090 SKU that offers some of the best vapor chamber cooling on offer in the industry coupled with industry-grade electronics to ensure a highly overclockable RTX 4090 GPU that delivers on both the performance and reliability counts for end-users.
MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU
The MSI MPG A1000G PCIE5 PSU is built from the ground up to support the ATX 3.0 spec while also being PCI-E 5.0 compatible in a fully modular design without costing an arm and a leg unlike some of its nearest competitors, making it a viable contender for a gaming PC.
MSI MEG Prospect 700R Case
The MSI MEG Prospect 700R is a high-end PC case for gamers demanding the best options for advanced cooling and monitoring of rigs. The highlight of the MEG Prospect 700R is its 4.3-inch touchscreen LCD panel, which can display anything from system temps to weather and control the RGB effects of the four 140 mm fans. Another unique feature of the case is its side panels which open on hinges, including the tempered glass on the left side. The MEG Prospect 700R supports most motherboards up to E-ATX size and graphics cards up to 400 mm long, which can also be vertically mounted.
Target resolution: QHD or FHD High/Medium presets
The high-end build attempts to capitalize on the best PC hardware available to end users by pairing the best CPU available for Cities: Skylines 2 with the beefiest GPU possible, the RTX 4090. With adequate cooling in tow for those long sessions of city building and planning thanks to the Ryujin III cooler as well as a premium MSI MEG Prospect PC case keeping temperatures in check.
It also marries some of the fastest consumer-grade memory available in DDR5 to the ASUS Z motherboard released just in time for Intel’s 14th-generation CPUs. It is powered by a 1000W gold-rated modular MSI MEG PSU that allows the system to run smoothly while using a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD for storage given the title’s high 60GB requirement and penchant for multiple mods and DLC down the line if its predecessor is a good indicator.
The Recommended Build For Cities: Skylines 2
Intel Core i5 14600K 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU
The Intel Core i5 14600K 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU is a powerful mid-range CPU that replaces the last generation Intel Core i5 13600K with higher clocks on both its performance and efficiency cores. Like all its siblings, it does offer better performance out-of-the-box versus its predecessors but replaces them at the same price points they sold last year.
DeepCool Liquid Cooler LS720 360MM ARGB Liquid Cooler
The DeepCool Liquid Cooler LS720 360MM ARGB Liquid Cooler is one of the best-looking ARGB liquid coolers available on the market, and it delivers excellent cooling that can handle some of the most powerful CPUs on the market without costing the part as some of the more premium ARGB liquid coolers.
v-Color XPrism 7200Mhz DDR5 32GB (CL36)
The v-Color XPrism 7200Mhz DDR5 32GB memory comes with a tight CL 36 CAS latency and great looks. This very promising and well-priced memory additionally offers a great XMP profile for clock speeds at up to 7200Mhz (or potentially higher in some cases) thanks to its Hynix A-DIE offerings.
GIGABYTE B760 AORUS Elite AX
The Gigabyte B760 Aorus Elite AX covers all bases in offering a stellar and uncompromising DDR5-based motherboard packed with features including Wi-Fi 6E and rear and front USB-C ports.
MSI RTX 4070 Ventus 3X 12G OC
The MSI RTX 4070 Ventus 3X 12G OC is a mid-range RTX 4000 series GPU that offers RTX 3080-like performance with slightly better value thanks to its stellar DLSS 3 performance. Currently, trading slightly above MSRP for the founder’s edition makes it an excellent buy for anyone looking to upgrade this summer.
GIGABYTE GP-UD1000GM PG5 Rev2.0 1000W PSU
The GIGABYTE GP-UD1000GM PG5 Rev2.0 1000W is the second revision of the successful PG5 PSU with the addition of a native 16-pin PCI-E 5.0 power connector and compliance with Intel’s new ATX 3.0 PSU standards in a fully modular design backed by as much as 10 years of warranty at an affordable price.
Samsung 980 PRO SSD
Whether it is for a boost in speed or just some extra storage for more games, the Samsung 980 Pro is a great way to do it. The 980 has read/write speeds of up to 7000MB/s and 5100 MB/s respectively, making it one of the fastest PCI-E 4.0 SSDs available in consumer markets, even as it proves to be one of the most reliable.
MSI MAG Forge 112R Case
The MSI MAG Forge 112R is an excellent affordable case for both gamers and content creators. Featuring 4 ARGB fans and an included controller box, the case lights up with some spectacular preset effects. A 4 mm tempered glass panel showcases the best components and is easily removed without tools. The case accommodates liquid cooling radiators and promotes efficient cooling through its mesh front panel.
Target resolution: QHD or FHD Medium/Low presets
The recommended build for Cities: Skylines 2 attempts to stay faithful to the recommended PC specs as stated by Paradox for the title while swapping out some parts for their newer equivalent offerings while allowing for upgradeability with ease. It pairs the newly-released Intel Core i5 14600K with a mid-range B760 Aorus Elite motherboard and 32GB of fast, highly overclockable DDR5 memory.
It adds a tri-slot DeepCool LS720 liquid cooler to the mix while switching out the recommended RTX 3080 with a similarly performing RTX 4070 that also offers more VRAM and better DLSS performance than the former. With a 1000W ATX 3.0 PSU in tow to ensure it can handle GPU upgrades and 1TB of fast, well-priced PCI-E 4.0 SSD storage in the form of the Samsung 980 Pro. The build aims to bridge the gap between the game’s recommendations and value additions wherever possible even if not explicitly stated with the most noticeable upgrades in play being the PSU and RAM offerings.
The Entry-Level Build For Cities: Skylines 2
Intel Core i3-13100
The Intel Core i3-13100 is a 4-Core, 8-Thread Raptor Lake-based CPU that is decent for entry-level gaming while offering access to both, newer tech and a solid upgrade path thanks to it being from the latest 13th-generation Intel CPU offerings. It delivers acceptable single-core and somewhat lackluster multicore performance given its limitations of being a quad-core CPU consisting entirely of Rocket Lake P-Cores.
ASRock B760 Pro RS ATX Motherboard
The ASRock B760 Pro RS ATX Motherboard is a solid B760-based motherboard with an excellent integrated I/O plate that skips on a Wi-Fi module but offers solid performance, build quality, PCI-E 5.0 GPU support, and an excellent bios as a tradeoff for a full-sized ATX motherboard on a budget.
TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Alpha DDR5 Ram 32GB Kit CL38
The TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Alpha DDR5 Ram 32GB Kit is a stable DDR5 Memory kit that does not cost an arm and a leg to purchase while delivering acceptable performance with a CAS latency of 38-38-38-78. With acceptable latency, excellent value, and AMD Optimized EXPO profiles in tow, the Vulcan Alpha Rams are an excellent purchase for users on a budget looking to move to DDR5 this generation.
MSI GeForce RTX™ 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC
The MSI GeForce RTX 4060 VENTUS 2X BLACK 8G OC is an excellent GPU offering as far as RTX 4060 offerings go. It offers an excellent, balanced take on Nvidia’s entry-level Ada Lovelace-based RTX 4000 series, offering low power consumption, a compact design, and a single 8-pin power connector to handle its power needs, making it a silent performer that delivers on its promise.
Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe Internal SSD
This internal solid-state drive from Kingston has 1 TB of digital storage capacity. The NV2 series SSD is designed to be compatible with laptops. It operates on PCIe 4.0 Gen 4x4 technology, features an M.2 2280 form factor, and delivers read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s. It has lower power requirements, generating minimal heat, which makes it perfect for compact devices.
The Zalman T7 ATX Mid-Tower PC Case features a front mesh panel for maximum airflow and a transparent side viewing window. The case includes 2 pre-installed 120 mm fans and accommodates ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards.
Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 650W PSU
The Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 650W power supply unit (PSU) features a 256-color RGB-lit 140-millimeter Hydraulic-Bearing fan, designed to be low-noise while offering effective cooling performance. This is achieved through fan blades that have been optimized to enhance static pressure, thus promoting the cooling effect. Unique to this PSU, a lighting button at the back controls five different lighting modes, allowing users to select RGB Cycle, Red, Green, Blue, White, or turn the LED off entirely.Accredited with an 80 PLUS Gold rating, the Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 650W promises up to 90 percent efficiency.
Target resolution: QHD or FHD Low presets
The entry-level build aims to provide a playable experience for Cities: Skylines 2 without costing the proverbial arm and a leg. It does so by using a relatively budget quad-core Intel Core i3 13100 processor paired to an Asrock B760 motherboard. Money is saved by using the stock cooler provided by Intel while using cheaper DDR5 memory in tow with entry-level SSD storage in the form of the Kingston NV2 SSD.
For the GPU, a Nvidia RTX 4060 is used, which is powered by a 650W Thermaltake PSU that gets the job done. The build offers room for upgrades down the line when it comes to the processor, memory, graphics card, and PSU. It also exceeds minimum requirements meaningfully. It is expected that once more patches roll in, Cities: Skylines 2 should see significant performance gains and optimization, some of which could also come from mods, which could raise its target resolution and/or graphics preset for this build in particular.
