Best GPU forCities: Skylines II

Best GPU for Cities: Skylines II (2026)

Cities: Skylines II is a demanding game. Below are the current-gen graphics cards we recommend for it at each resolution. FPS figures are at High settings with no upscaling — turning on DLSS/FSR pushes them meaningfully higher.

Our picks

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NVIDIA RTX 5060
1080p 60 FPS + 1440p 60 FPS: ~101/61 FPS — a big generational leap with DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation
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NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti
Best for 4K 60 FPS: ~66 FPS — excellent for high-refresh 1440p and entry 4K
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NVIDIA RTX 5090
Best for Maximum performance: ~105 FPS — the fastest consumer GPU available right now
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* Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no cost to you. FPS are High-settings estimates (no upscaling).

💡 Cities: Skylines II: Big cities are limited by your CPU, not your GPU - upscaling won’t fix that.

Estimated FPS by GPU (High settings, no upscaling)

Graphics card1080p1440p4K
NVIDIA RTX 50601016134
NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti 16GB1166939
NVIDIA RTX 50701599554
NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti17711766
NVIDIA RTX 508020513677
NVIDIA RTX 5090205185105

For 1080p gaming, the NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the value pick for Cities: Skylines II — about 101 FPS at High settings (no upscaling). Stepping up to 1440p, the NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the sweet spot (61 FPS). For 4K, the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti keeps it above 60 FPS.

⚡ Already have a GPU? Tune Cities: Skylines II for your exact hardware in the optimizer →

Cities: Skylines II settings by GPU
Best GPU for other games
Frequently asked

What is the best GPU for Cities: Skylines II?

For most players, the NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the sweet spot — about 61 FPS at 1440p in Cities: Skylines II at High settings (no upscaling). On a budget, the NVIDIA RTX 5060 handles a smooth 60 FPS at 1080p; for 4K, the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti is the pick.

What GPU do I need to run Cities: Skylines II at 1080p 60 FPS?

The NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the cheapest current-gen card that comfortably clears 60 FPS at 1080p in Cities: Skylines II (about 101 FPS at High settings (no upscaling)).

Can you run Cities: Skylines II at 4K?

Yes — the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti averages about 66 FPS at 4K at High settings (no upscaling); the NVIDIA RTX 5090 pushes it higher for high-refresh 4K.

FPS figures are estimates from a generalized model (hardware tier × game load × per-setting weights), not live benchmarks — real performance varies by scene, drivers and game version.