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Encouraged by how Overwatch runs on a budget PC - where an i3 4130 and GTX 750 Ti is all you'll need to run at medium settings - our sights now shift to setups further along the spectrum. Blizzard's hero-based FPS demands 60fps or better by its frenetic nature, and this is the base requirement for the cards in test today. Gladly, Overwatch's low GPU demands mean just about any modern GPU can run the game at this refresh, and in the case of the popular GTX 970 or R9 390, there's loads of headroom to spare for a locked 60fps experience and beyond.Let's take the GTX 970 as an example, where the range sits comfortably between 80 to 110fps while running all-out at 1080p and maximum settings. It's a blazing fast return on our i7-4790K machine, and it means anyone using a 60Hz refresh monitor is assured a solid, smooth experience on this card. At the same time, there's a lot of GPU processing power not being truly tapped into here, especially on displays with a fixed refresh rate of 60Hz. Fortunately those using higher refresh monitors, and also G-sync enabled panels that can adapt to this fluctuating frame-rate, will be able to enjoy the benefits of running at 80fps at minimum.
The alternative is simple enough: rather than let the GTX 970's frame-rate float far above 60fps, instead spend its excess processing power on image quality. Bumping the resolution to 1440p has an impact on these initial results, reducing frame-rates by up to 20fps across a match-up. At max settings, the GTX 970's range in performance then becomes 60 to 90fps, and it means native 1440p monitor support is very much within its means. You'll get very occasional dips below 60fps with this setup, though a small boost on the card's memory clocks (up by 400MHz) essentially smooths over its rough edges.
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