ARMORED CORE™ VI FIRES OF RUBICON™ PC Hardware Guide
Official requirements explained
The official minimum CPU lists Intel Core i7-4790K, Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X, and AMD Ryzen 5 2600. By today's standards that is an older entry-level to early mainstream tier, roughly comparable to an AMD Ryzen 5 1400. The minimum GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 480 4GB, both older entry-level cards. The minimum RAM is 12GB and storage is 60GB. The publisher does not require an SSD.
The recommended CPU is Intel Core i7-7700, Intel Core i5-10400, AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, which sits in the older mainstream band. The recommended GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, AMD Radeon RX 590 8GB, or Intel Arc A750 8GB, a 1080p-class mainstream card. RAM and storage are listed at the same 12GB and 60GB, and an SSD is again not required.
The biggest gap between minimum and recommended is in the GPU, moving from a 4GB entry card to a 6 to 8GB mainstream card. The CPU step is mostly about core performance and thread count. Both tiers list 12GB of RAM, but we suggest 16GB in practice to leave room for the system and background apps. The publisher does not list any tier above recommended.
Recommended builds for three budgets
The entry build suits players on a tight budget who want the game running first. Consider an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB, GTX 1660, or RTX 3050 with an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100F, paired with 16GB of RAM. This lands at or near the official minimum and works best with conservative graphics settings.
The mainstream build is the sweet spot for most players. Look at a GTX 1660 Super, RTX 3050 8GB, RX 5600 XT, or Intel Arc A580, with an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-10400 and 16GB of RAM. This tier reliably clears the official recommended requirements, and it is the balanced choice we would pick.
The high-end build is for players who want more visual headroom. Consider an RX 6700 XT, RTX 3060 Ti, or RTX 3070 with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 7 5700X, plus 32GB of RAM. This sits well above the recommended tier and suits anyone who wants higher settings or runs streaming software alongside the game.
Graphics settings with the biggest impact
In action games like this, shadows, volumetric lighting and fog, particle effects, and dense battle effects usually cost the most. Shadow quality and shadow distance are often the largest load, so try a medium setting first, as the visual difference is often small. Volumetrics and fog also add significant GPU work and can be lowered when needed.
View distance and scene detail matter too, since pushing draw distance to the maximum loads both the GPU and CPU. If your card is right around the recommended tier, lower these options before sacrificing resolution. Ray tracing, if offered, is expensive, so leave it off unless you have a newer high-end card.
DLSS, FSR, and XeSS are upscaling technologies in general use. They render at a lower internal resolution and reconstruct a sharper image, which usually reduces GPU load with only a modest loss in image quality. If your card supports one of them, it is worth enabling and tuning the quality mode to your taste.
Laptops and handheld PCs
Laptop GPUs often share names with desktop cards but deliver less performance. Power limits are tighter and cooling space is smaller, so sustained play can throttle. When choosing a laptop, check whether the GPU is a full-power variant and whether the cooling design holds up. A laptop card with the same name as a recommended desktop part will usually run behind the desktop version.
Handheld PCs such as the Steam Deck or ROG Ally are portable PCs with hardware that differs from desktops. We have no Steam Deck verification data, so we cannot give a rating for it. In general, handhelds work best at lower settings and more conservative resolutions, and built-in performance profiles can help. For long sessions, plug in power and watch thermals.
Storage and memory
The official minimum and recommended both list 12GB of RAM, but we suggest 16GB or more, ideally in dual-channel configuration so data moves more smoothly between CPU and GPU. If your budget allows, 32GB gives comfortable room for other programs and streaming software.
The game requires 60GB of storage, but leave extra space for updates and temporary files, at least another 10GB is a sensible margin. The publisher does not require an SSD. An SSD noticeably shortens load times and reduces stutter during area transitions. A traditional hard drive will still run the game, just with slower loading.