Apex Legends™ PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum lists an AMD FX 4350 or equivalent, or an Intel Core i3 6300 or equivalent, for the processor, and an AMD Radeon HD 7790 (2 GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 for the graphics card. On FrameScope's tier scale, the minimum GPU sits roughly at the Radeon HD 7850 level, which is an older entry-level tier, and the minimum CPU is close to an Intel Core i3-3220, a very old entry processor. Meeting the minimum means the game will launch and run at low settings, not that it will feel smooth.
The official recommended level asks for a Ryzen 5 class CPU or equivalent, and for an AMD Radeon R9 290 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970. On our comparison tiers, the recommended GPU is roughly in line with the GTX 1060 3GB, an older entry gaming card, and the recommended CPU is close to an Intel Core i5-7400, an older mainstream chip. The gap between minimum and recommended mainly means more headroom in processing and graphics, which lets you run higher settings with steadier frame timing.
The official memory figures are 6 GB for the minimum and 8 GB for the recommended level, and both list 75 GB of storage. The publisher does not require an SSD, so a traditional hard drive will work, though loading and map transitions will be slower. The publisher does not list further details such as the exact video memory needed, so you will have to judge that by the capacity of your own graphics card.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build pairs an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 and 16 GB of RAM. The graphics card meets the official recommended level and the processor is also at the recommended level, which makes this a sensible choice for a modest budget at 1080p. If money is tighter, a GTX 1650 4GB only meets the minimum, so you will need to lower settings yourself to keep play smooth.
The mainstream build pairs an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 with an Intel Core i3-10100F and 16 GB of RAM. The GTX 1660 meets the official recommended level, and the i3-10100F is also at the recommended level. This suits players who want a balanced system for long-term use. For more headroom, an RTX 3050 6GB sits well above the recommended level, and a Ryzen 5 4500 or Ryzen 5 3500X would clearly exceed the recommended CPU level.
The high-end build pairs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and 32 GB of RAM. Both parts are well above the official recommended level, which suits players aiming for high settings on a high refresh rate monitor. The jump to 32 GB mainly gives multitasking and background tools more room, and does little for the game directly, but it makes long sessions and streaming software more comfortable.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In a fast, crowded shooter with lots of effects like this one, shadows, volumetric lighting and environmental detail tend to cost the most performance. They make a modest visual difference for a large cost to the graphics card, so they are the first things to lower. Competitive players often reduce shadows and distant detail as well, which keeps the image clean and makes enemy silhouettes easier to read.
Texture quality and texture resolution are largely governed by how much video memory your graphics card has. With less video memory, keep textures conservative, or you may see late texture loading and stutter. It is also wise not to push field of view to extremes, since a very wide view asks the game to draw more of the scene.
Upscaling technologies such as DLSS, FSR and XeSS render at a lower resolution and scale the image up. They usually buy back frame time at the cost of some minor artifacts around edges. If your card supports one, try it and decide whether the image quality trade-off is acceptable to you. Ray tracing is not essential in this game and is best left off unless your graphics card has plenty of spare capacity.
Laptops and handheld PCs
A laptop graphics card with the same name as a desktop part is not identical to it. Laptop versions are usually limited by power draw and have less room for cooling, so they generally run below their desktop namesakes. When evaluating a laptop, look at its power limit (TGP) and cooling design rather than the model name alone. Under long sessions, poor cooling can cause throttling, which shows up as uneven frame timing.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally are portable platforms. As a general starting point, use a lower resolution with medium to low settings, and make use of the built-in performance options and upscaling. Battery life and heat also affect sustained performance, and results are usually better when plugged in. We do not currently have verification data for the Steam Deck, so this is general guidance only and we cannot give any specific compatibility rating.
Storage and memory
For memory, plan on at least 16 GB. Dual-channel configuration helps the processor and graphics card move data more smoothly, which supports responsiveness during fights. The official 8 GB only just keeps the game running, and it is easily exhausted if other programs are open. Choose video memory according to the quality you want, since a card with less of it will limit high texture settings.
For storage, the official figure is 75 GB, but once updates and caches are added, leave more free space than that. An SSD is not required, but it noticeably shortens loading and map transitions, which matters most if you restart matches often. If you only have a hard drive, install the game on a larger drive with plenty of free space so that updates and file reads are not crowded out.