Zwift is what happens when you merge cycling and PC gaming.
The Zwift system allows you to undergo cycling training from the comfort of your own home. No having to worry about facing the elements, avoiding cars and other traffic, or (in my case) anyone else seeing you. Now, with the Tour de France happening yearly, it’s easy to feel inspired and motivated to hop back on the bike and power out a few miles.
What is the Stage 21 of the Tour de France
Every year, elite cyclists compete in the gruelling Tour de France race. Stage 21 is the relatively flat 108.4km final leg of the race taking riders from Chatou to Paris Champs-Élysées, often during blazing-hot weather. (It’s only 100km, and you are sat down, right?!)
For us non-elites, there are companion games where you can virtually compete against the best cyclists in the world. Zwift offers a halfway house for those of us whose fitness regimes never really left the Wii Fit era.
What is Zwift? A Quick Overview
Did You Say Zwift?!
Conceptualised in 2014 by Jon Mayfield, Eric Min, Scott Barger, and Alarik Myrin, Zwift (external link) is an indoor cycling and running app. The app itself is free, but to make full use of the amazing features a membership is required. With its easy-to-use interface, you’ll have access to over 130 tracks across 8 worlds. As well as races, you’ll be met with customisation options for your kit and bike, along with all the stats you could ever need to track your progress. The app guides you through the setting up process, even tailoring the content to suit your exercise style and fitness level.
Joining a dedicated community, you can race against fellow Zwifters from all around the world, giving them each a Ride On! (thumbs up) as they smash their goals. Day or night, there will always be someone to ride against or with – there are over half a million members! This is truly social media cycling at its finest.
Plus, there are all sorts of training rides and structured workouts to really help with achieving your goals. Even the Tour de France won’t seem impossible with Zwift.
What Do You Need to Zwift?
Three important things:
- A bike
- A trainer
- A computer
I won’t go into too much detail about bikes – so long as it has two wheels, a seat, and two pedals, you are pretty much set. A true cyclist can talk your ear off about the different types of bikes – road, mountain, hybrid – but I am not a true cyclist, and we are here for the tech.
Speaking of tech, let’s talk about the trainer. There are two types of trainers you can choose from: a standard trainer or a smart trainer. First, the standard trainer is the cheaper option of the two, but does require additional hardware if you really want to get the most out of Zwift. Alternatively, the smart trainer, on the other hand, comes with most of what you need integrated. So, whilst the smart trainer may be a little more expensive upfront, it is probably the more cost-effective option. With a smart trainer, the resistance will adjust for when you cycle uphill or over more difficult terrain, as well as show the power reading of your ride. Apparently, tracking your wattage is the best way to see improvement!
Here is a video from Zwift with a little more information on the trainers.
What We Came For: The PC
Whilst its graphical output may not be as realistic or advanced as some of our favourite gaming titles, Zwift is still an impressive bit of programming which will need some decent supporting specs.
From the Zwift website, these are the suggested system requirements from your gaming PC to be able to run a smooth race.
| Standard | Better | Best | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 64bit macOS 10.11 | Windows 8 64bit macOS 10.11 | Windows 10 64bit macOS 10.13 |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo | Intel Core i5 AMD Athlon | Intel core i7 AMD Ryzen |
| RAM | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| GPU | 1GB dedicated GPU Embedded Intel HD or AMD R5 | 2GB Radeon R9 200 Nvidia GeForce GTZ 650 | 2GB Radeon R9 290 Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 |
| Hard Drive | 4GB of free space | 4GB of free space | 4GB of free space |
| Bluetooth | Version 4.0 or greater | Version 4.0 or greater | Version 4.0 or greater |
Chances are, your computer already meets and/or exceeds these specifications. But, on the off chance they don’t, I have paired a selection of the Overclockers UK gaming PCs with these three tiers. You can give me a Ride On for it when you see me next in Zwift. Should these PCs not meet your needs, you can explore our full range instead. Your perfect cycling partner is out there!
Standard Zwift Specs
Refract Gaming Amber
| AMD Ryzen 5 7500F CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU |
| 16GB DDR5 RAM |
| 1TB M.2 SSD |
OcUK Gaming Dagger
| Choice of Intel Core i3 or i5 CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 GPU as standard |
| Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM |
| Flexible storage options |
For the standard tier, I have chosen the Refract Gaming Amber and OcUK Gaming Dagger. Both of these gaming PCs fit the bill for the system requirements – and then some! They may both feature entry level CPUs, but their advanced modern tech packs more than enough processing power to help you smash your PB.
Both feature NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, far exceeding even the best specifications for graphic output. The Dagger utilises an RTX 30 Series card while the Amber has an NVIDIA RTX 4060, each taking advantage of powerful NVIDIA innovations to keep your frame rate smooth. This is then paired with 16GB RAM, to keep your Zwift session running smoothly.
Better Zwift Specs
Refract Gaming Jade
| AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GPU |
| 32GB DDR5 RAM |
| 1TB M.2 SSD |
OcUK Gaming Carbide
| Intel Core i5 12400F CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU |
| 16GB DDR4 RAM |
| 1TB M.2 SSD |
Moving up a tier, we have the Refract Gaming Jade and OcUK Gaming Carbide pre-built PCs representing AMD and Intel CPUs, respectively. The Carbide is equipped with an Intel Core i5-12400F which uses hybrid core architecture and Intel Thread Director to intelligently manage core loads. According to Zwift Insider, single threads are the sweet spot for processing power as they tend to perform best with the app. Naturally, your gaming PC is going to be used for more than just your exercise regimen; so, having a CPU with more threads will not be a bad thing.
These gaming PCs are equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060(/Ti) GPU. As we have already seen, this GPU is more than enough for Zwift, but it will also be well suited to the more demanding titles in your gaming library. The Ada Lovelace Architecture utilises advanced ray tracing and AI-enhanced upscaling to make all your favourite games play in stunning quality.
Best Zwift Specs
Refract Gaming Celeste
| AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 |
| 32GB DDR5 RAM |
| 1TB M.2 SSD |
OcUK Gaming Buzzard
| Your choice of 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs |
| Your choice of AMD Radeon RX 7000 GPUs |
| Up to 64GB DDR5 RAM |
| Flexible storage solution |
Jumping up, we have our best tier contenders. The Refract Gaming Celeste and OcUK Gaming Buzzard gaming PCs are decked out with powerful gaming technology. Absolutely beautiful machines, the Celeste is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, whilst the Buzzard has an Intel Core i7-13700F CPU, which you can choose to upgrade to the i9 of the same series.
With high-performance GPUs in each machine, you’ll be able to Zwift with the latest generation of innovations. It is worth noting that no matter how powerful your GPU is, there will always be some bottle-necking with Zwift, purely down to how the app works. However, if you’ll also be using your gaming PC for content creation, streaming, or AAA gaming, both of these gaming PCs will hold you in good stead.
A Few Last Pointers
During my extensive research, I did discover a few extra points to consider when building your Zwift PC.
When it comes to storage, to get the best possible performance from Zwift (and therefore you), it is best to run the app from a solid state drive rather than a hard drive; especially if there’s room for your operating system on there too. The faster the storage device, the shorter the load times. In Zwift, there are some extensive routes and worlds to boot up, so having that speed boost will really help your A-game.
For some bizarre and unexplained reason, AMD graphics cards don’t seem to work as well with Zwift. That’s not to say they don’t work with Zwift at all, you just might experience more frame rate drops on a Radeon RX than you would a GeForce GTX or RTX. Where possible, opt for Nvidia.
Lastly, you will want to take some consideration with your monitor. Having a gaming monitor with Freesync, or the equivalent, will really help your game run smoothly, as the frame rate of Zwift is not that consistent. To help combat this issue, opt for something with Low Framerate Compensation (LFC) – of which you can find our full range for here. Plus, if immersion is key to your enjoyment, a curved screen will really help you feel like you’re out on the road – and not in your front room! Alternatively, it is compatible with AppleTV – simply pair with your Zwift and you can zip around Watopia on your big living room TV!
Get Zwifty!
Huzzah, you know everything needed to get Zwifty! This is some future living, right here – being able to cycle the world without leaving your house. First, we worked from home. Now, we exercise from home! Let us know in the comments if you’re going to start Zwifting. Maybe you already are – tell us your favourite feature and what PC you run the programme on!
PC specs are subject to change.
- 9 min read
Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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