Building a Gaming PC for Assassin's Creed Shadows
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1. More About Assassin's Creed Shadows
For the first time in the series, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be set in 16th century feudal Japan. This is the Sengoku period, during which the Land of the Rising Sun was plunged into chaos due to numerous civil wars. It's worth noting that fans of the series have long dreamed of an Asian setting, and after more than 10 years, Ubisoft has finally listened. Also, for the first time in the series, instead of a single protagonist, we have two playable characters: the shinobi Naoe, who prefers stealth, or the head-on "tank" Yasuke.
On the back of recent setbacks, Ubisoft is banking heavily on Shadows — the game has been sent back for revisions several times to be released in as close to a perfect state as possible. The development of Shadows was led by Ubisoft Quebec, previously responsible for AC Syndicate and Odyssey, and reviewers from Digital Foundry have already praised the series' graphical progress. This is no surprise, as Shadows became the first game in the series developed exclusively for current hardware without concern for previous-generation consoles, allowing developers to fully utilize features like improved destruction physics, dynamic weather Atmos, and global lighting with ray tracing.
Below, we have prepared 3 different builds for Shadows at different resolutions and graphic settings. The selection of components is more advisory, and you can always replace them with something more suitable. The build includes only the main hardware without the case, monitor, and peripherals, to keep the topic focused.
2. Affordable Gaming PC
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Motherboard: Asus TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS
- Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB
- RAM: Patriot Memory Viper Elite II DDR4 2x8 GB
- SSD: Kingston NV3 500 GB
- Power Supply: MSI MAG 650 W
Basic Build aimed at 60 FPS in Full HD resolution with medium-high graphics settings.
Processor
Ryzen 5 5600X — successor to the popular Ryzen 2600X and 3600X, even 4 years after its release, it remains one of the most popular processors. No wonder: 6 cores and 12 threads with a maximum frequency of 4.6 GHz handle modern games at 1080p resolution excellently and meet the requirement of the AnvilNext engine. The processor isn't very hot, and the stock Wraith Spire cooler handles it adequately in basic scenarios. However, if you're looking for something quieter, you might consider something like the Cooler Master Hyper 212. All this for just over 100 dollars/euros.
Motherboard
Asus TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS — an easy choice for an inexpensive gaming PC. The B550 chipset is fully compatible with the Ryzen 5 5600X, supports PCIe 4.0 for SSD and GPU, has 4 DDR4 slots (up to 4400 MHz with overclocking), and 2 slots for M.2. This is a budget yet reliable option with a quality power system and room for future upgrades. However, the selection of AM4 boards still delights with variety and low prices — alternatives can be found to fit your needs.
Graphics Card
GeForce RTX 3060 with 12 GB of video memory is a slightly more affordable option compared to the RTX 3060 Ti, but still delivers stable 60+ FPS at 1080p on medium settings in Shadows. DLSS 2 support helps boost performance if FPS drops. An alternative is the Radeon RX 6700 XT with 12 GB and FSR 3, which is slightly more powerful in rasterization, but NVIDIA is traditionally better optimized for Ubisoft games. If you're interested in frame generation (DLSS 3), you can look at RTX 4060, but it only has 8 GB of memory, which poses a risk for the future.
RAM
16 GB is the minimum comfortable amount for modern AAA games. Dual-channel mode (2x8 GB) is critical for Ryzen, and the 3200 MHz frequency is the "golden mean" in terms of price and performance. Patriot Viper Elite II is an inexpensive, verified line with good compatibility. Considering that Shadows actively uses RAM, it's not worth going lower than 16 GB.
SSD
Kingston NV3 500 GB is an excellent choice for a budget build. This is a Gen4 class SSD with solid speeds (read up to 6000 MB/s, write up to 4000 MB/s), built on reliable 162-layer memory and a SM2268XT2 controller. Perfect for Shadows with its fast loads and open world. As for capacity, 500 GB is quite enough for several AAA blockbusters and indie games, and additional storage can be purchased later.
Power Supply
For powering this build, a power supply unit of approximately 550 W should sufficient, but it would be wiser not to skimp on the margin and opt for a 650 W. Among the inexpensive options, an interesting choice might be the "bronze" MSI MAG A650BN or the old, battle-tested Chieftec Smart A8.
3. Optimal Gaming PC
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
- Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 EAGLE AX
- Graphics Card: Radeon RX 7800 XT
- RAM: GOODRAM IRDM DDR5 2x16 GB
- SSD: Kingston Fury Renegade 1 TB
- Power Supply: be quiet! System Power 10 750 W
Optimal Gaming PC for Assassin's Creed Shadows aiming for stable 60 FPS in 1440p resolution, with the flexibility to tweak graphics settings and enable ray tracing.
Processor
Ryzen 5 7600 — a more modern alternative to the popular Ryzen 5 2600/3600/5600 for the AM5 platform. This is a 6-core, 12-thread processor on the Zen 4 architecture with a turbo boost up to 5.3 GHz, increased L2 cache, supporting PCI-E 5.0, DDR5, and AMD EXPO. In Shadows' open world and with crowds of NPCs, it ensures stable frame rates without bottlenecks. The only downside is that the 7000 series processors run quite hot, so you will need a moderately powerful tower cooler like ID-COOLING SE-226-XT.
Motherboard
The cost of components for the AM5 platform is gradually leveling off, and now serious gaming boards with 16-phase power, three slots for M.2 SSDs, DDR5-7600 memory support, integrated Wi-Fi 6E module, and other useful features can be found in the mid-price segment. One such board is Gigabyte B650 EAGLE AX.
Graphics Card
Radeon RX 7800 XT — the optimal choice for 1440p with ray tracing in 2025. 16 GB of video memory is perfect for high-resolution textures and RT-effects in Shadows. It is 20 – 25% more powerful than the RX 6700 XT and close to the RTX 4070/4070 Ti in rasterization, but cheaper. AMD cards are compatible with Ryzen thanks to SAM. The downside of the card is that the quality of upscaling and frame generation with FSR is inferior to DLSS, and ray tracing performance is traditionally lower than that of NVIDIA.
RAM
Ubisoft recommends at least 16 GB of RAM for Shadows, but for a resolution of 1440p with high graphics settings and large locations, 32 GB is a safe bet. Moreover, the prices of DDR5 have normalized. In this case, the choice fell on the GOODRAM IRDM kit with a frequency of 5600 MHz and timings of 30-36-36-76, which is largely suitable for the AM5 platform, where latency is more important than frequency.
SSD
Games of the current generation are quite sensitive to memory bandwidth, so for an optimal gaming setup, a fast and reliable M.2 SSD with PCI-E 4.0 interface support, buffer memory, and linear speeds of at least 5000 MB/s is the best option. The choice of such options is extremely rich, and among the most obvious candidates are Kingston Fury Renegade, Samsung 990 PRO, and WD Black SN850X.
Power Supply
be quiet! System Power 10 is an excellent choice in the mid-price segment, combining the traditional quality of the German brand with high efficiency (89%), a powerful power line, and a quiet fan.
4. Advanced Gaming PC
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming
- Graphics Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GAMING
- RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5 2x16 GB
- SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB
- Power Supply: Seasonic FOCUS GX 850 W
Top Build for those who want to extract the maximum, achieving stable 50 – 60 FPS in 4K on ultra-settings with global ray tracing.
Processor
Ryzen 7 7800X3D — one of the best gaming processors of 2025. With 8 cores, 16 threads, a boost to 5.0 GHz, and 3D V-Cache technology (96 MB L3 cache), it surpasses many flagships like the Intel Core i9, Core Ultra 9, and Ryzen 9 in games, especially in 4K where CPU load remains high. In Shadows, this ensures stable framerates even with crowds of NPCs. However, it falls short in multitasking and heats up to 90°C under load, so a powerful tower cooler like Noctua NH-D15 or liquid cooling with a 360 mm radiator is needed.
Motherboard
In a top build, it's foolish to skimp on the motherboard, so the choice fell on the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming. It supports Ryzen 7000 processors, DDR5 memory, and the PCI-E 5.0 interface, and delights with a powerful 18+2 phase VRM with effective cooling. Traditionally for the ROG Strix series, the board is equipped with a Dynamic OC switch, AI Cooling II intelligent cooling, an integrated POST code indicator, and many other tools for overclocking and system monitoring.
Graphics Card
GeForce RTX 4080 Super — an expensive but powerful solution for wealthy gamers and enthusiasts. With 16 GB of GDDR6X and DLSS 3 (upscaling + frame generation), it confidently handles Shadows in 4K with ray tracing and global lighting, delivering around 50-60 FPS on ultra-settings. NVIDIA's optimization with Ubisoft is a nice bonus. As an alternative, Radeon RX 7900 XTX can be considered. On one hand, it lags by an average of 10% in rasterization and 30% with RT, and FSR is weaker than DLSS in upscaling and frame generation. On the other hand, it has 24 GB of memory, and with a bit of luck, it can be bought 30 – 40% cheaper than the GeForce RTX 4080 Super.
RAM
When it comes to 4K gaming with ray tracing, memory volume plays a crucial role. So, the choice fell on 32 GB of DDR5 (2x16 GB) with a frequency of 6000 MHz — the standard for 2025, perfectly fitting Shadows and multitasking. Timings CL30-38 are optimal for Ryzen 7000, minimizing micro-freezes when loading textures and simulating open worlds. There isn't much point in going less or more than 32 GB as even on ultra-settings Shadows rarely uses more than 25 GB.
SSD
Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB — one of the best PCI-E 4.0 SSDs on the market, with impressive speeds (up to 7450 MB/s read and 6900 MB/s write). It's a must-have for fast location loading and reducing waiting times to a minimum. The 2 TB capacity will be enough for Shadows (about 100 GB) and a few other AAA projects, and Samsung's reliability makes it a great investment for a top build.
Power Supply
For a top build, it's not worth economizing on the power supply, so we chose a modern ATX 3.1 model Seasonic FOCUS GX with a reliable hardware platform, a "gold" quality certificate, a semi-passive cooling system, a solid set of protections, and an extended 10-year warranty.
5. To Summarize
- Basic Build is aimed at 60 FPS in Full HD resolution with medium-high graphics settings.
- Optimal Gaming PC is assembled with an eye on stable 60 FPS in 1440p, with the ability to tweak graphics settings and enable ray tracing.
- Progressive PC is designed for those who want to squeeze the most out of their system, achieving stable 50-60 FPS in 4K on ultra-settings with global ray tracing.
For convenience, we have summarized all components in a table, and below the link, you can find and check the current prices for the builds as a whole, as well as the individual components.
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