Platform comparison

Crimson Desert: which platform plays it best?

What changes between PC, PS5, Xbox: resolution, FPS per mode, what each official store publishes and the FPS we measured on PC.

  • 3platforms compared
  • 31graphics cards measured on PC
  • 37,01 €cheapest key, on PC
  • 5video comparisons

Quick verdict

Check videos →

The best version of Crimson Desert is the PC one, and on console PS5 Pro leads.

Best graphics experience PC ray tracing + DLSS, 27 of 31 GPUs clear 60 fps
Best console experience PS5 Pro only one with medium RT in performance mode
Best performance for the money PC RTX 3060: 41-47 fps at 1080p on the top preset
Best mode if you own a Series S Quality mode both modes drop settings; quality holds up better

Why PC wins

On PC you win where this game stakes its reputation: ray tracing. With Ray Reconstruction interiors change completely and shadows take a leap, and on top there are more particles, better reflections and more draw distance. An RTX 3060 gives 41-47 FPS at 1080p on the highest preset, and of the 31 cards we measured, 27 clear 60.

On console

On console, PS5 Pro is the only one that keeps medium ray tracing in performance mode, and its PSSR upscaling has improved a lot, though DLSS still leads. PS5 and Series X are level with three display modes, and the analysis recommends balanced on all three.

Series S & one caveat

Series S lowers settings in both modes, close to the low preset on PC, and there the sensible pick is quality mode.

No setting fixes this: due to VRR limits, quality mode on PS5 and Series X still tears.

Based on 31 GPUs measured and all console display modes Updated 22 Mar 2026

Price on each platform

The best live offer for each version, every price with its format.

Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
€40.49
€34.82 -38% Key
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Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
€51.06 -9% Key
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Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert
€45.14
€40.63 -37% Key
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See every price for Crimson Desert on all platforms →

Crimson Desert on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series: graphics comparison

  • PS5, PS5 Pro and Series X have three display modes. Series S only gets two.
  • Quality and balanced raise settings over performance mode, and PS5 Pro keeps some above every other version.
  • Series S lowers settings in both of its modes, down to something comparable to the low preset on PC.
  • The most visible difference between versions is global illumination: PS5 Pro is the only one that keeps medium ray tracing in performance mode.
  • Every version meets its frame rate target, and with Vsync off they beat it by 20-30 frames.
  • Because of VRR limitations there is still tearing in the quality mode of PS5 and Series X.
  • His recommendation: balanced mode on Series X, PS5 and PS5 Pro, and quality mode on Series S.

Crimson Desert on PS5 versus PS5 Pro: graphics comparison

  • Both consoles get the same three display modes: quality, balanced and performance.
  • Quality mode raises lighting, level of detail, texturing, vegetation and water quality.
  • PS5 cuts more settings than PS5 Pro in performance mode, and the biggest gap is in ray-traced lighting.
  • PSSR still has room to improve here: on PS5 Pro it leaves a slightly washed-out image next to PS5 at times.
  • Performance surprised him: PS5 peaks at around 80 FPS in performance mode, while PS5 Pro sits between 90 and 100.
  • He rates the Blackspace Engine as very well optimised on both consoles.

Crimson Desert on PS5 Pro versus PC: graphics comparison

  • PC wins on ray tracing, especially with Ray Reconstruction: interiors change completely and shadows improve a lot.
  • Ray Reconstruction has one flaw with water: waterfall and rain animations freeze when the player stands still.
  • PC also gives more level of detail, more particles, better reflections and greater draw distance.
  • On upscaling, PSSR does a fine job on PS5 Pro and improves a lot on its first version, but DLSS still leads.
  • Even so, PS5 Pro holds its own against a PC version that stands out for its lighting.

Crimson Desert with ray tracing on and off

  • The game’s ray tracing focuses on global illumination and reflections.
  • In his words, it is the biggest difference he has seen from ray tracing in global illumination: it completely changes how some areas read.
  • The starkest differences are indoors and in night scenes with many light sources.
  • Without ray tracing, global illumination even shows visual glitches in some interiors.
  • His recommendation is to play with ray tracing on: the game was clearly built around it.

Crimson Desert on PC: which settings actually matter

  • The settings that show the biggest difference are lighting, shadows, ray tracing and Ray Reconstruction.
  • Ray Reconstruction is transformative, but it is power-hungry.
  • Even so, the game holds decent quality on an RTX 3050, because the low preset does not stray far in most areas.
  • The engine stands out for its draw distance and lighting quality, above what he has seen in other open worlds.

Full platform comparison

Resolution, modes and FPS come from the video analyses above. The rest is published by each platform's official store and by the game's technical sheet on PC. Where nobody publishes the figure we put a dash, not a guess.

Feature PC PS5 Xbox
Graphics modes Free settingsThree: quality, balanced and performanceThree on Series X · two on Series S
What quality mode raises —Lighting, level of detail, texturing, vegetation and water quality—
Maximum resolution Unlocked4K4K
Frame rate target UnlockedMet, and beaten by 20-30 with Vsync offMet, and beaten by 20-30 with Vsync off
Frame rate peaks in performance mode —Around 80 on PS5 and 90-100 on PS5 Pro—
Ray tracing YesYes, and only PS5 Pro keeps it in performanceYes
Ray-traced global illumination Yes, with Ray ReconstructionMedium on PS5 ProYes
HDR Yes—Yes
Spatial audio ——Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Upscaling DLSS 4.5, FSR 4.1, XeSS 2.1PSSR—
Frame generation DLSS MFG, FSR FG, XeSS FG——
120 FPS Yes—No
Ultrawide Yes——
Optimised for the current generation ——Yes
Keyboard and mouse on console ——Yes
Cloud saves Yes—Yes

Xbox is the Series X column unless Series S is stated. Resolution, modes, FPS, VRR and download size come from the videos; HDR, ray tracing and PC features from the technical sheet and the official Xbox catalogue.

PC performance

FPS measured at 1080p on Cinematic quality, across 31 graphics cards. These are measurements on this game, not estimates.

The 6 fastest cards measured on Crimson Desert
Graphics cardFPS at 1080pRelative performance
ASUS GEFORCE RTX 5090 32 GB 164–190
ASUS GEFORCE RTX 4090 24 GB 131–154
ASUS GEFORCE RTX 5080 16 GB 127–147
GEFORCE RTX 4080 16 GB SUPER 114–132
GEFORCE RTX 4080 16 GB 113–131
ASUS GEFORCE RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB 111–129

Crimson Desert system requirements & FPS metrics →

Frequently asked questions about Crimson Desert

Which platform does Crimson Desert look best on?

On PC, and ray tracing sets the gap. With Ray Reconstruction interiors and shadows change completely, and there are also more particles, better reflections and more draw distance. On console, the best image is PS5 Pro.

How many graphics modes does it have on console?

Three on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X: quality, balanced and performance. Series S only gets two. The analysis recommends balanced on the three big consoles and quality mode on Series S.

Is ray tracing worth it here?

In this game yes, and it is one of the few where it truly shows. It drives global illumination and reflections, and without it the lighting even produces visual glitches in some interiors. The game was built around it.

What does PS5 Pro add over PS5?

It is the only console that keeps medium ray tracing in performance mode, and it holds some settings above every other version. Its PSSR upscaling has improved a lot, though DLSS still leads.

Does it run well on Xbox Series S?

It runs, but with cuts. It lowers settings in both of its modes down to something comparable to the low preset on PC, and there the sensible pick is quality mode.

What graphics card do I need on PC?

An RTX 3060 gives 41-47 FPS at 1080p on the highest preset. Of the 31 cards we measured on this game, 27 clear 60 FPS at 1080p, 20 hold them at 1440p and only 5 at 4K. Even an RTX 3050 is playable with settings down, because the low preset does not stray far.

Which upscalers does it support?

On PC, DLSS 4.5, FSR 4.1 and XeSS 2.1, plus frame generation from all three. On PS5 Pro, PSSR.

Is there tearing on console?

Yes, in the quality mode of PS5 and Series X, because of VRR limitations. That is one more reason to stay in balanced mode.

Which one is cheapest?

The cheapest key is on PC, at 37.01 €. On Xbox the key goes up to 46.58 € and on PS5 to 51.06 €. Watch out for account offers, which come out cheaper because they are not a purchase in your name.

Video analysis by El Analista de Bits. The videos play from their own channel. PC data according to PCGamingWiki and our own FPS measurements; Xbox features according to the official Microsoft catalogue.